At Orissa rly station: Drought and desperation

It told a story of desperation and apathy. Of people fighting drought alone in Orissa and desperate to get out of the state. When the Puri-O...

It told a story of desperation and apathy. Of people fighting drought alone in Orissa and desperate to get out of the state. When the Puri-Okha Express pulled into the Berhampur Railway Station on Sunday, the platform erupted into chaos. More than a thousand youths, fighting to clamber on to leave Berhampur for Surat, were ready to kill or be killed for space in the two general compartments of the train.

Some were ready to travel to Surat and Mumbai hanging near the doorway. Those who could not board broke the window panes of the express in frustration.

Surendra Nayak of Phasi village in Kodola block of Ganjam district had spent Rs 272 from his precious savings of Rs 700 to buy a ticket for Surat. But in the melee, he could not get on and had to head back home to his village. Hardly 22 years of age, Surendra took the step to leave as his father is unable to earn and drought has rendered their land useless. With much difficulty he had arranged the Rs 700, of which Rs 300 was spent on the now wasted trip to Berhampur.

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‘‘Lack of employment has forced us to leave for Surat…apathy of the Railways and administration has shattered our hopes,’’ he said.

Drought and absence of employment opportunity have forced many to migrate in the past few days, Station Superintendent K. Sahu admitted. The youths mostly go for cloth mills, ship recycling units and stone polishing units. Train Ticket Examiner Rabindra Dolai said a majority were headed for Surat and Mumbai.

According to Railway sources, at least 6,070 people have left for Mumbai and Surat since November 3. While about a thousand leave for Surat and Mumbai everyday from here, many also board the train from Puri, Khurda, Balugaon, Khallikote and Chatrapur to avoid the rush.

In many villages of Seragada and Purushottampur blocks, only the aged and women can be found, as almost all the youths have left.

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