T’malai dhobis seek help from government

They live in abject poverty and in one room houses at Velankanni Nagar in Tiruvannamalai town. “The closure of dhobi ghats in the town due to the pandemic has rendered them jobless. As there are no alternate avenues to earn their livelihood they are practically starving,” said Tamil Nadu Dhobi Community Integration Committee coordinator TM Prakash.

Asked if they were supplied rations by the government fair price shops, he said, “Many lack this facility and even those who received rice cannot eat it for three meals. If we eat the rice thrice a day, we end up with stomach pain as it is not of good quality.”

When asked about this, Collector KS Kandasamy said, “We are in the process of handing over free rice, dal and oil and the Rs 1,000 cash to registered members of the unorganised sector, who are mainly construction workers. The same will also be extended to dhobi community if they register themselves immediately.”