Think once……from where to where….?

Manoj Kumar Sinha (name changed), 34 is a ricksaw puller in Karpuri Thakur Jan Jvan Camp, Srinivas Puri on Ring Road leading to Noida in New Delhi. He has been in New Delhi for last 6 months with one of his relative. He is alone here (his own family member is not here). He said that he has to arrive Delhi in a drastic condition. Actually his coming to Delhi reveals lots of reasons why one comes to Delhi or any other place. Manoj is a lean and thin youth but he does not seem to be youth rather looking like 45 year old man. He is basically from Bhagalpur, Bihar. He shared a lot to us because he felt he would feel friendly to us. Reason was that we were also from Bihar. He told “I am from Kalyanpur, Bhagalpur and I was working in a factory as a supervisor for 6 years before that I was helper. But due to certain reason I have to leave my job. Now I am here in Delhi for ricksaw pulling and I also wasted my more than 2 years time at my home”. He is a graduate in political science. He is married and he has 8 members (3 daughters of 8, 12 and 15 years of age, wife, one youngest son and his parents) in his family. He is the only earning member in his family. All children are at home and they are not able to take proper education. The eldest girl is only 5th class pass. He was not willing to tell his story but when we explained our all concepts regarding the Rozgar Dhaba then he became easy to tell the story to us. He told that he was not poor. He was working with a factory in Kolkata as a supervisor. Continued… Life initiated as….. He initiated his life after doing 12th from his village. He went to town (Kolkata) for further study. At that time he has two daughters. He left and visited Kolkata. There along with study he also did work. He was helper in the company. After getting the experience he became supervisor. How life turned from supervisor to ricksaw puller is really thinkable. Some times he has to compromise his food and other basic necessity to send money to the family. But anyhow he did all the work and fulfilled the desire of his family. Although, he is not from a poor background even though, he has to go to Kolkata for work. This shows there was something which was became causal factor to migrate from one place to another in search of study and finally livelihood. As a supervisor he was getting Rs. 9000. Family back ground He has 15 acre land. From that only 7 acres was cultivable land. His father was taking care of all those property and he has distributed his land to other villagers for agriculture on share basis. He has a good house with normal facilities. He has some assets like cows and buffalos. Problem started:  As soon as he became the supervisor of the factory people started paying an eye on the lands of Manoj. His close relatives and other villagers started disturbing his father for land. Some people with the support of the local political party has encroached his lands. And this is the event which happened just 3 years back. So, he returned from his job to look in to the problem. He reported these things to the police but nothing happened. Again he knocked police but this time it also went waste. He now approached court and filed a case on other villagers and near relative for the encroachment and criminal activity created by the people. His all leave went waste. He applied for other leave but this time he did not get leave but a notice to join the factory in 15 days other wise he would be suspended. Same thing happened he lost his job and stayed on home for more than 2 years. Presently the case is in court and he is waiting for justice. Continued… From Kolkata to Bhagalpur and from Bhagalpur to New Delhi Due to make his family safe he has to leave his job. Manoj thought that since how many days he will be like this so he thought to earn because family condition was not good. ·          Children were not going to school. ·          He has to sell all jewels. ·          He spent all his savings. ·          Some land was not enough to take care of all kinds of needs. ·          At the time of illness it becomes very had to visit doctors. ·          He also started thinking that after 3-4 year he has to marry his daughter. What he will do that time? ·          Others... He left his home because one of the close relative from New Delhi has called him for the supervisor job. He visited Delhi. He couldn’t find the job. He has once found the job but he could not get leave to visit his home because he has to see his house as it is disturbed. Thinking on this entire thing he has now started pulling ricksaw. He is also looking some other job but the problem is same. He is not able to earn a sound income because he is uncertain about his life. He is also under employed. Thus this describes some political, social and also factory rules regulations which are obstacle of job. Lastly nothing is coming out from the court. In one line ‘justice delayed is justice denied.’

By Vinod Pandey & Subodh Kumar ( developed in 2008, during study on employment & unemployment situation in KTJJC slum, New Delhi)