The village of Baturakhaman of Paikmal block under Padmapur assembly segment in the district is almost deserted. A handful of residents, mostly elderly people, are currently staying in the village, while the young men and women along with their children have migrated to other states to work as ‘bonded labourers’.
Speaking to Argus News, Debaki Mahanand of Baturakhaman said four of her family members have migrated to Bangaluru to work in a brick kiln around six months ago. They can’t return home now as they have not got their due wages of previous months, she added.
Debaki also said that the middle-man, locally called as ‘Sardar’, who took her family members to Bengaluru, has also not given a single penny to her.
Moreover, houses of Kartik Bhora Sagar, Chhabil Mahanand, Khirod Mananad, Nandalal Mahananda and several others’ in the village have been locked for several months as their entire family members migrated to outside the state in search of work.
Some political observers feel that there is a growing dissatisfaction of Naveen Patnaik government; and issues like unemployment, farmers’ plight, infrastructure development etc. will play a major factor in the ensuing by-poll.
The voting for the Padampur by-poll will be held on December 5 and the counting of votes will take place on December 8.
The by-poll has been necessitated due to the death of sitting MLA Bijaya Ranjan Singh Bariha on October 3.
