Kamal Ghorui
KOCHI/MADIKERI/LUCKNOW: Assam assembly polls have set off a cross-country labour vacuum, slowing plantation work in Karnataka’s Kodagu, disrupting waste collection in UP’s Lucknow and thinning workforces in Kerala as thousands of migrant workers return home to vote on April 9.Kerala is seeing one of the sharpest impacts. Migrants from Assam and Bengal form nearly 60% of its workforce, and a large share has headed back, leaving gaps across construction, plywood and other labour-intensive sectors. Perumbavoor, a major migrant hub, has thinned out visibly.Driving the exodus is not just voting. The SIR of electoral rolls has triggered anxiety among migrants over possible deletion of names and alleged risks to citizenship status. “They are returning for assembly elections because they fear losing citizenship if they fail to vote,” said Benoy Peter, of the centre for migration and inclusive development.Kerala’s planning board estimates the migrant population at around 40 lakh.In Kodagu, nearly 20,000 plantation labourers from Assam have left, creating a shortage at a crucial stage of agricultural work. Coffee, pepper and cardamom estates are struggling to keep pace with weeding, bush clearing, fertiliser application and upkeep. “Daily operations have taken a hit,” said Karun Kalaiah, a grower from Chettalli.Coorg Planters’ Association chief Nanda Belliappa said growers are paying higher wages to retain available workers. This is peak season for plantation work, he said, warning delays could affect output.Construction has slowed, with contractors halting or stretching timelines for residential, commercial and roadside projects. Retail activity has also been affected.In Lucknow, more than 200 sanitation workers employed by private agencies have left for Assam, disrupting door-to-door garbage collection across several localities and affecting about 70,000 households.A shortage of nearly one-third of sanitation staff has led to irregular waste lifting, road sweeping and drain cleaning. Garbage has begun to pile up in parts of the city, with disruptions expected to continue until at least April 15.Officials said sanitation services are run by Lucknow Swachchta Abhiyan and Lions Enviro across 110 wards. Over 150 workers from LSA’s workforce of around 600 and nearly 70 from Lions Enviro are absent. A Lions Enviro representative said workers from nearby districts, including Barabanki, have been deployed to fill the gaps.
