Kerala: Migrant worker found staying inside kennel near Kochi

Thiruvananthapuram: A migrant worker was found to be staying in a kennel at Piravom on the suburbs of Kochi in Kerala.

The incident has brought to light the poor living conditions of migrant workers yet again.

West Bengal native Shyam Sunder was staying inside a kennel of a house at Piravom, around 25 kilometres from the city of Kochi, over the last few months. He was paying a monthly rent of Rs. 500.

The kennel remained unused for quite some time. The side grills of the kennel were covered using cardboards. Sunder also performed his cooking chores inside the kennel.

The owner reportedly told the authorities that only the house was rented out to migrant workers and the worker could have been voluntarily staying inside the kennel owing to congestion in the house.

Following reports of the migrant worker staying inside the kennel, the Piravom municipal authorities and police visited the spot. The municipality decided to arrange an alternative accommodation for him. The house owner may also face action if he is found to have rented out the kennel.

Many regions of Kerala, especially the suburbs of major cities, are witnessing an increasing number of migrant workers staying in congested and unhygienic conditions. Providing accommodation to migrant workers has also become a lucrative business in Kerala. The state is estimated to have around 30 lakh migrant workers.