Benoy Peter

Labour Migration to Benoy Peter and Vishnu Narendran Vishnu Peter and Benoy District Migration Profile cmid.org.in Savanan R.S. indirectly. directly or migrant workers district engage industries in the Almost all

Savanan R.S. The commercial capital of Kerala, has been one of the most important destinations for migrant workers in Kerala. Savanan R.S.Savanan

rnakulam is the commercial capital of Kerala and has been in a restaurant. Granite quarries and crusher units spread out one of the most important destinations for migrant workers in the district depend on migrant workers. Cheenikkuzhy, Pettamala, Efrom all over . Petroleum refining, construction, plywood, , , Parakkadav, , Puliyanam, fishing, furniture, textiles and wearing apparel, mining and quarrying, and are some of the locations of these food processing, cement manufacturing, building and maintenance quarries. Workers from Assam, Odisha and West Bengal can be of ships and boats, information technology, healthcare, hospitality, found in Cheenikkuzhy and . Nagaon-Ernakulam and transportation1, storage, wholesale and retail and communication are Murshidabad-Ernakulam are two of the longest migration corridors some of the key industrial sectors in the district. Almost all industries that have emerged in India in the past two decades. Labourers from in the district engage migrant workers directly or indirectly. Hospitality Bangladesh and Nepal also work in the district. Kochi, , industry in Kochi, furniture sector in , textile/apparel units Binanipuram, , Nellikuzhi and Kaloor are the residential in , cement factories on , fishing in pockets of migrant workers with families. Men and women were Thoppumpady, and Vypin, rice mills in , plywood found living on the street too at Kaloor in Kochi. Sunday markets sector in Perumbavoor as well as industrial units in Airapuram, for migrant workers function in Perumbavoor and Ambalamugal , South Vazhakkulam, , , Binanipuram, where one can even get products from the native places of these Nellad and Kalamassery are some of the major clusters in the district workers. One of the churches in Perumbavoor has an Odiya service that engage migrant workers heavily. Construction and hospitality on Sundays. sectors found all over the district also engage migrant workers. There are several schools in the district with significant number Migrant workers can be found in every nook and corner of the of children of migrant workers during the academic year 2016- district. Workers from Tamil Nadu have been historically present 2017. All the students in the Government Lower Primary School, in the construction and fishing sectors. They continue to be one Pallilankara, near Kalamassery, were children of inter-state migrant of the major groups engaged in footloose labour in the district. workers. More than 100 migrant students, predominantly from Now workers from most of the states known for outward labour West Bengal and Assam, were found enrolled at Government Upper migration can be found in Ernakulam. Young men and women Primary School Kandanthara. Government High School, Binanipuram from several states work in shops, petrol pumps, restaurants, has more than 60 students, particularly from Bihar and Uttar malls and even hospitals. They include workers from West Bengal, Pradesh. About 25 children of migrant workers, predominantly from Odisha, Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur, Bihar, Jharkhand, Saharanpur, study in Government High School, Nellikuzhi. A nursery Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. Migrant men and school for children of migrant workers has been functioning on the women from Kota district of Rajasthan sell utilities on the road at premises of the Keenpuram industrial estate at South Vazhakkulam the busy traffic junctions in Kochi city. Several migrants from Odisha for several years now. More than ten children of workers from Odisha and West Bengal work as gardeners in Kochi city. Young men from have been enrolled here. Half of the kids enrolled at the Thandirikkal Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir were also found working colony Anganwadi in Binanipuram are children of migrant workers.

Cover image: Benoy Peter | Design: Bijoy Jacob | Map: Pan Environ India 1. Transportation via road, rail, water and air Craftsmen from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, globally renowned for wood carving, work in the furniture industry in Nellikkuzhy, . Savanan R.S.Savanan

Construction and Infopark Kochi have been employing workers from Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and several other Ernakulam is one of the major construction hubs in the state. states, recruiting them from source areas through a network of Most of the large scale constructions are concentrated within or intermediaries. Workers on the minor construction sites are either near the Kochi urban agglomeration. Kochi Metro Rail, Expansion recruited from the local labour nakas or have been working with of Kochi Refinery, Expansion of Kochi International Airport, LNG the local contractors as informal employees. Terminal at Puthuvype and Infopark Kochi are some of the major constructions commissioned by the government. Construction Marine Fishing of an international convention centre at Bolgatty Island, several Ernakulam is a major hub of fishing activity in Kerala and the apartments, and other buildings are also progressing in Kochi. marine fishing sector depends heavily on migrant workers. All these major as well as minor constructions depend heavily Munambam, Vypin and Cochin harbour are the major fish landing on migrant workers. Migrant workers from Tamil Nadu have centres in the district. Migrant workers are primarily engaged in been present in the construction sector in Kochi for decades and the trawler boats that spend several days on a single fishing trip. continue to be one of the major groups at the minor construction Traditional fishers from Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu are sites in the city. There are contractors from Tamil Nadu who the largest group among migrant workers in the sector. In addition undertake concreting work on contract from local builders. Men and to fishers from Tamil Nadu, there are also traditional fishers from women from Tamil Nadu work in the construction sector. Dindigul, Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh working here. Migrants Theni, Tiruchirappalli, Salem, Madurai, Dharmapuri and Ariyalur from Assam can also be found working on the boats despite having are some of the reported source districts in Tamil Nadu. Natives no prior experience. Cuttack, Puri, Jajpur and Nayagarh are the of Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh, Murshidabad, Jalpaiguri, source districts of migrant workers from Odisha. Workers from Nadia and Malda districts in West Bengal, Patna and Muzaffarpur in South 24 Parganas, Murshidabad and Malda in West Bengal and Bihar, Morigaon and Nagaon districts of Assam, as well as Rayagada Nagaon in Assam can also be found. Most of the workers said they district in Odisha can be found working in the minor construction lived on the boats. sector. Major constructions engage workers, predominantly from Men from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh were found working in northern and eastern India. Expansion of Kochi Refinery gave the Cochin harbour loading and unloading fish and ice. Migrant fisher employment to more than 10,000 workers during 2016-17. Workers families from Hunsur in Mysuru district were found engaged in inland from Ballia and Gorakhpur districts in Uttar Pradesh, and Buxar, fishing in their coracles in Chittoor, Vaduthala and Thoppumpady Muzaffarpur and Purnia districts in Bihar can be found at the site. areas in Ernakulam district. These families live in shacks near the There are also workers from Assam and West Bengal. water bodies. A group of 30 members were found camping adjacent Large scale infrastructure companies engaged in the to the Thoppumpady Bridge on the Willingdon Island. construction of Kochi Metro Rail, Kochi International Airport Savanan R.S.Savanan Plywood Odiya workers come to work in the sector. Lohardaga, Godda, Ranchi, Sahibganj, Gumla, Khunti, Simdega, Pakur and West Singhbhum are Plywood industry is concentrated in Kunnathunadu taluk with some of the source districts in Jharkhand. Sivasagar, Karbi Anglong, Perumbavoor as its nerve centre. The economy of Perumbavoor Udalguri, Tinsukia, Karimganj, Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Baksa, Barpeta, depends on the timber industry which is literally run by migrant Golaghat and Kamrup are some of the districts in Assam from where workers. There are hundreds of units that produce veneer, plywood workers come. and block boards, located mainly in , , Vazhakkulam and panchayats and in the Perumbavoor Furniture municipality. Except quality control, most of the skilled and unskilled In Nellikuzhi, near Kothamangalam, there is a cluster of wooden work is carried out by migrant workers. Workers, mainly from Odisha, furniture and related industries. There are numerous furniture outlets West Bengal and Assam are engaged in the plywood industry as at Nellikuzhi on the -Munnar Road. Craftsmen from Saharanpur informal employees. Skilled work such as setting and pressing the in Uttar Pradesh, globally renowned for wood carving, work in the veneer layers at high temperature and pressure is generally done furniture industry. There are also a few workers from Uttarakhand by workers from Assam. Work is also outsourced to a migrant state which shares its border with Saharanpur. A sizeable proportion contractor on piece rate by the factory owner. The contractor of these highly skilled workers are Muslims and they have been engages workers through his social network. Most workers are working in Nellikuzhi for several years. Several of them are young single men. However, migrant women are also employed in entrepreneurs who run their own workshops in rented premises. some factories for unskilled work such as clipping veneer layers. The local furniture outlets provide these entrepreneurs wood and The single men are provided free accommodation on the factory take the product back paying labour charges. Many of them live premises. The estimated number of workers in this sector is about in Nellikuzhi along with their families. About 25 children from such 72,000. Kandhamal, Dhenkanal, Kendrapara and Kalahandi in migrant families were found studying in Government High School Odisha; Nagaon, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar and Lakhimpur in Assam, Nellikuzhi during the academic year 2016-2017. and Murshidabad, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar in West Bengal are some of the districts of origin of the migrant workers in the sector. Hospitality and Healthcare Textile and Wearing Apparel Hotels ranging from international brands with five-star facility to street food shops engage migrant workers. Both migrant men and The textile and apparel sector units in Ernakulam district are women work in the sector with majority being men. Workers from clustered in Kizhakkambalam. There are also units in other parts of northeastern Indian states and Nepal are generally engaged in the the district including the Kalamassery industrial park. The sector lobby, restaurants and housekeeping sections of the luxury hotels.

Savanan R.S.Savanan employs migrant workers, predominantly women and girls, from Workers from Darjeeling district in West Bengal can also be found. Odisha, Jharkhand and northeastern states. Assam, Arunachal Workers from other states are generally engaged in other low- Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya are the states from where skilled work where there is limited customer interaction, for example these workers hail. Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and cleaning the plates. One of the popular vegetarian joints in Kochi West Bengal are some of the other source states. Workers from other has staff members from Manipur who have been working there for states are generally sourced through an initiative of the National several years. Skill Development Corporation, as reported. The migrant workers Several hospitals in the district also engage migrant workers as are also provided accommodation. housekeeping staff and attendants. Men and women from Tripura Balangir, Malkangiri, Sundargarh, Kandhamal, Ganjam, and several northeastern states, and men from Odisha can be found Nabarangpur and Rayagada are some of the districts from where working in multi-speciality hospitals in the district.

Ernakulam district has some of the oldest labour nakas in the state. Kaloor and Kadavanthra are two of them. Savanan R.S.Savanan Vathuruthy. Tamil migrants in Kochi are concentrated in , Vathuruthy. Vazhakkala, in Tamil concentrated are Kochi in migrants in live also states other from workers Now district. the in Nadu Tamil from of workers cluster residential largest the and oldest the is Island Willingdon on state. Vathuruthy the in workers migrant of pockets residential largest of the some has district Ernakulam Pockets Residential numbers. large in found are Assam in districts Morigaon and Nagaon from workers Perumbavoor, from far very not In majority. the form they Perumbavoor nakas, city in Kochi present significantly not are West Bengal from workers While to place. place from changes workers other nakas. at the group dominant other the constitute men speaking Bengali nakas. at the available universally nakas. labour with towns other of the some are Pukkattupady and Kothamangalam Koothattukulam, , Circle. Gandhi the near Office naka labour Perumbavoor The Road. -Aluva Malayattoor the meets Road M.C. where stage open Highway. naka National the The meets Road M.C. where junction at the assemble workers In Angamaly nakas major at the work seeking found be can Bihar in Patna and as well as Muzaffarpur Pradesh Andhra in Anantapur Tamil from from to workers workers In addition Nadu, also. at Vathuruthy work TamilKochi. seeking available are workers nakas labour other two are Vazhakkala and Thevara decades. two than more for city Kochi in junctions Kadavanthra and at Kaloor work Tamil seeking from present women and have been Nadu Men nakas labour oldest of the some has district Ernakulam Labour Asamannoor andMudakkuzha. Rayamangalam, Kanjoor, Okkal, including Vazhakkulam, Vengola, Perumbavoor municipal corporation live in the panchayats surrounding estimatedAn 1,50,000 workers Now most towns in the district have a labour naka. have alabour district towns the in most Now Nakas Men and women from Tamil from women and almost are Nadu Men is in front of the Excise Range Range Excise of the front is in at Kalady is in front of the of the front is in at Kalady in the city. city. the in The composition of of composition The

in the state. state. the in in in in in 2. corporation, which includes 69 families. 69 includes which corporation, municipal of the limits the within residing workers migrant 1,700 about only found enumeration arecent limits, corporation municipal Perumbavoor in concentrated are migrants is that perception popular the Although Perumbavoor. near Kandanthara here. found be can Pradesh Uttar in districts Lucknow and Bihar, in Bhadohi and districts Katihar and Patna Chapra, Bihar. and from Families Pradesh Uttar from workers of migrant pocket residential is another Binanipuram Puthuvype. in at H.M.T. Terminal housed are L.N.G. workers the near and Colony Rail Metro Kochi The area. Infopark the in of buildings construction the in engaged India north from workers for facilities housing temporary largest of the is one at Edachira Colony Luka Road. Karimugal-Pallikkara the on to up Padathikkara seen be can migrants Naka refinery. of the expansion mega the in engaged workers house also junction at gate Karimugal and Division Kochi Fact of the front in buildings Multi-storied Road. Kuzhikkad-Puthenkurizu including Refinery Kochi the near of lanes labyrinth the along workers migrant house structures as well as kutcha pukka Several states. other and Assam West Bengal, Jharkhand, from workers also are There Bihar. and Pradesh as Uttar such states from workers unskilled and skilled particularly workers, of area migrant residential large another is Refinery Kochi near stretch Ambalamugal-Karimugal The to Vathuruthy. addition in , and Kalamassery Kaloor, corporation including Vazhakkulam, Vengola, Rayamangalam, Rayamangalam, Vengola, Vazhakkulam, including corporation municipal Perumbavoor surrounding panchayats the in live workers Authority. Mission Literacy State Kerala India: Thiruvananthapuram, Municipality. Perumbavoor Survey (2017). Report on Migrant Labourers Authority. at Mission Literacy State Kerala Another major residential pocket of migrant workers is is workers of migrant pocket residential major Another based workers also live in Karimugal. Residential facilities for for facilities Residential Karimugal. in live also workers based 2 An estimated 1,50,000 1,50,000 estimated An

Savanan R.S.

Savanan R.S. Savanan R.S.

Savanan R.S. Road near the Angamaly mosque, Pezhakkappilly in Muvattupuzha, Muvattupuzha, in Pezhakkappilly mosque, Angamaly the near Road Kalady, in TB Mekkalady Pradesh. Uttar in Saharanpur from sector furniture the in of hub workers is aresidential Nellikuzhi Assam. and West Bengal from men single mostly workers, speaking Bengali 2016-17. year academic the during Kandanthara School, Primary Upper Government in enrolled were found Assam, and West Bengal from predominantly workers, of 100 migrant than children More clustered. are families including Assam, and West Bengal from workers the where areas such are Kuttippadam and Vattakkattupady Kandanthara, facilities. rented in live construction in engaged are who those premises, factory the on live industries by the engaged of Tamil workers Bihar. and While districts Odisha several Nadu, from and Assam in Nagaon West Bengal, in Murshidabad from are of them Most Mudakkuzha. and Asamannoor Kanjoor, Okkal, toscale not map, Indicative Migrant Pockets in Ernakulam 2016-17 District, Minor Pockets Major Pockets Adivadu near Kothamangalam is another residential pocket of of pocket residential is another Kothamangalam near Adivadu u M r a o t u p u n i p i l a v a l u i n n m m p g

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d g a a a u e l on the pavements in Kaloor. in pavements the on sleeping were found women and men 80 Approximately stand. bus Kaloor the as well as inside Road Kaloor-Kadavanthra the on junction at Kaloor pavements the on sleeping were found Pradesh Andhra and Tamil from workers Nadu Several . in Canal Champakkara near families their with live West Bengal and Odisha from Gardeners seen. be can states of the most from migrants where area an also is city of Kochi in stay. place Thevara as their colony Udaya reported apparel sector. and textiles the in work who states Indian eastern from workers Pradesh. Uttar and Bihar Odisha, Assam, West Bengal, from of areas workers residential other of the some are Mudickal and Manjappetty Pattimattom, at Airapuram, Park Rubber a b l a l m i b a e u p these workers. productsget from the native places of Ambalamugal where caneven one infunction Perumbavoor and Sunday markets for migrant workers Workers from Anantapur at the Kadavanthra naka Kadavanthra at the Anantapur from Workers migrant of female pocket is aresidential Kizhakkambalam r u p

l i a l i l a m d r i v a d u u k k i in Kochi Kochi in Migrant fisher families from Hunsur in Mysuru district were found engaged in inland fishing in their coracles in Chittoor, Vaduthala and Thoppumpady areas in Ernakulam district. Benoy Peter

October 2017 Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development

CMID is an independent non-profit think tank devoted to migration and inclusive development, advocating for and promoting the social inclusion of migrants. CMID provides evidence informed solutions for mainstreaming inter-state migrant workers in India. This district brief was prepared based on a qualitative research undertaken by the authors across the 14 districts in Kerala during November 2016–May 2017. The study was funded by Thummarukudy Foundation. CMID also acknowledges the fellowship provided to the authors by Aajeevika Bureau during the period January to June 2017.

P.M.C. V/223A, Thuruthiparambu, Perumbavoor, Ernakulam, Kerala, India - 683542. +91 484 2595256 [email protected]