Protest demands release of five-month pending MGNREGA wages
Farm workers of Bhimalli village face financial distress amid drought; demand safe drinking water and fodder for cattle
CH NEWS KALABURAGI Demanding the immediate release of five months of pending wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and the provision of safe drinking water to Bhimalli village, members of the All India Farmers and Agricultural Workers Organisation staged a protest in front of the office of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Zilla Panchayat. The protesters alleged that agricultural labourers who had worked under the employment guarantee scheme had not received their wages for the past five months. The delay in payment had pushed several families into financial distress, particularly as the village was already facing hardships due to drought conditions. They said many workers were forced to celebrate the recently concluded Vijayadashami festival without money, despite having worked for their wages. The protesters urged the district administration to intervene immediately and ensure the release of the entire pending amount. The protesters also highlighted the acute shortage of safe drinking water in Bhimalli village due to inadequate rainfall during the current year. They said, villagers were struggling to obtain drinking water, while livestock were facing a shortage of fodder amid the prevailing drought conditions. During the protest, the demonstrators first submitted a memorandum to the district nodal officer for the employment guarantee scheme. They later met the Zilla Panchayat CEO and explained the difficulties faced by agricultural labourers, urging immediate action on the pending wages and drinking water crisis. The protesters warned that the administration must respond promptly to prevent further hardship among drought-affected rural families. District Secretary of the organisation SB Mahesh, taluk President Vishwanath Bhimalli, Anil, Ramesh, Dastagir, Mallamma Putalabai, Zaitun Bee, Basavaraj, Ashok Guttedar, Nadeem Shah Darwesh, Shivakumar, Bhimu Andola and Devendra were among those who participated in the protest.
