Mukhiya Khurshid left Goa after exhausting every means of survival and trudged to the road with his families to cover thousands of kilometres to reach his home in Jharkhand.

As all modes of inter-state transport were prohibited, he along with his family joined the caravan of thousands of labourers making their way back home on foot. The distance between Goa and his hometown being more than 2000 Km, it would take 15 days to reach his village.

It took him 2 days to cross into Maharashtra state from Goa using the by-roads to avoid the state police check-posts.

Khurshid was working in Goa as a construction worker to meet the needs of his family but after the lockdown, all his savings and resources were exhausted. He was forced to evict his rented room due to no money. Khurshid found himself helpless in this situation.

“I tried to manage somehow in the first phase of the lockdown but after the extension, all my savings and resources were exhausted. I had to vacate the room as I was not in any condition to pay the rent. So, I had no other option but to make the journey back home”, shared Khurshid while talking to Fr. Melwin Pais, Director of Sindhudurg Diocesan Development Society (SDDS).

SDDS is one of the partners of Caritas India in Sindhugarh, Maharashtra which is actively supporting the migrant community during this lockdown. The organisation is providing tea, refreshments and packaged water to the people travelling by the roads.

“I don’t know, if I can do this, but cannot think of anything else. We met one driver, who has a mini-bus, and has offered to take 13 of us. He would drop us somewhere near to our villages. We all are from Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. He is asking for an amount of Rs 70,000 from us, which will cost at least Rs 5500 per head”, shared Khurshid during a course of conversation with Fr. Melwin. SDDS contacted the driver who stated that he has applied for an e-pass for his vehicle and would take this journey only if he is granted the pass. He cannot risk his vehicle being impounded. He said that if everything goes well, he would start the journey by late evening.

Later that day, SDDS contacted the driver to check the status. He informed that since his application for e-pass got rejected, he would not be going to Jharkhand. When SDDS tried to contact Khurshid, the number was unreachable. The next day, SDDS staff visited the highway site to distribute the refreshments and food but Khurshid was not there. There are thousands of people making their journey home, just like Mukhiya Khurshid.

Several NGOs, CBOs and likeminded individuals have become the foundation of hope for many, especially the daily labourers, migrant workers, students, differently-abled. The list is endless, but support is limited. Everyone has their own stories of anguish. Many such untold stories and miseries might not even see any mention in the history of humankind when COVID-19 pandemic would be talked about. One would realize that the bigger threat of this pandemic is not the virus but the fear of starvation.

Caritas India and her partner organisations across the country are serving the people in distress with food, water, and hygiene support. Lakhs and lakhs of people are being provided with food support either through community kitchen initiative or through dry ration support. The mass exodus has created a vacuum which is difficult to fill. The pressure on the rural economy has doubled due to reverse migration in the villages. Caritas India and the partners through various deliberations are planning to provide livelihood options for the people affected by COVID-19.