Assam elections lead to labour shortage in Kodagu district

Madikeri: The impact of the elections in Assam is being felt across economic activities in Kodagu district.Workers from Assam, who have played a crucial role in plantation and construction activities in Kodagu for several years, have returned to their hometowns to vote, resulting in a labour shortage across the district.Most daily operations in coffee, pepper, cardamom and other agricultural plantations were heavily dependent on Assamese workers. Several activities, including weeding, bush clearing, fertiliser application and maintenance of coffee plantations, have been affected due to the shortage of labourers, said Karun Kalaiah, a grower from Chettalli.According to Coorg Planters' Association president Nanda Belliappa, nearly 20,000 labourers from Assam have returned to their home state for voting, creating a temporary scarcity of plantation workers. "This is the peak season for plantation work, and growers are now forced to pay higher wages to the available labourers," he said.District labour officer T Kaveri said that while it may be true that a shortage has occurred due to Assamese labourers returning home for voting, the department does not currently have exact figures regarding the number of workers who have left.Plantation owners fear that delays in completing farm operations could affect production. A similar situation has emerged in the construction sector, where several projects have slowed down as workers engaged in residential, commercial and roadside works have returned to their hometowns.In some areas, contractors have been forced to temporarily halt work, leading to increased costs and missed deadlines.The impact has been particularly severe in the business sector as well. Assamese workers were widely employed in shops for unloading goods, handling loads, warehouse maintenance and other daily support work.As a result, several shops are unable to open on time in many areas, with some remaining temporarily closed due to the labour shortage.CAPTIONS1. Board indicates closure of shop due to labour shortage2. Shops closed due to labour scarcity