Responding to the needs of beedi workers after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

As the nation-wide covid-19 lockdown was implemented, a large number of workers who were engaged in beedi work (tobacco manufacturing industry) lost their daily wage work. These people had migrated to metro cities almost ten years ago for their livelihood, working in this perilous industry. Soon thereafter, though, they felt that they had no choice but return to the hazardous beedi work. This narrative tells the story of the formation and development of a small group that aimed to provide relief for the beedi laborers and their families.

KEYWORDS:

• Lockdown
• India
• covid-19
• pandemic
• beedi work
• informal sector
• reverse migration
• hazardous occupation
• tobacco manufacturing
• group
• social work