TS workers recognised for labour at FIFA World Cup venues

Adilabad: Migrant workers from Telangana, estimated to be about 20,000, are among those featured in mosaics at the 80,000-seater Lusail Stadium in Qatar, where the knockouts and finals of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 will be held.

Amid ongoing criticism of indentured labour, workers being denied human rights and allegations of over 6,500 workers' deaths, the Qatar government recognised workers’ contributions to the construction of stadiums, laying infrastructure, from roads to sewers, and undertaking other works necessary for hosting the world event since its award in 2010.

The services of workers who died in the country were yet to be recognised, with families, rights organisations and international bodies, including Amnesty International, seeking compensation packages for the victimised.

Most of the workers from Telangana are from Adilabad, Warangal, Nizamabad, Nalgonda and Khammam. Around 30 of them are estimated to have died over the past seven years.

Swadesh Parikipandla, state president of Pravasi Mitra Labor Union, said the Qatar government should pay compensation to the workers who died while working there. He said still the families left behind by the deceased are in dire straits due to crumbling debt, having lost their breadwinners.

Parikipandla appealed to the Qatar government to set up a workers' memorial wall, with photos of all the workers who died during construction.

Maddi Thirupati, a migrant worker in Qatar. 

Among those still in Qatar are Maddi Tirupati, of Gullakota village in Endapalli of Jagtial, Naveen of Thandra village in Sarangapru mandal of Nirmal and Srinivas of Nalgonda, who are engaged in various services.

While the Telangana workers did not complain, there have been allegations that workers were unable to leave the country as well, as their passports were seized by the companies they were working for.

In this regard, Building and Woodworkers International (BWI) and its affiliated trade unions are campaigning for the rights of migrant workers, seeking the support of football players and FIFA.

Tirupati said he was working for Al Jaber construction company, which was involved in constructing the Al Thumama Stadium.