A few meters away, the family of 35-year-old Jasoda Devi says they do not know what they will do now as Jasoda Devi is not among them. Her daughter, Rinki, recalls the day of the fire: “Someone in the neighborhood told me that my mother’s factory was on fire. I called him twice but he didn’t pick up. Then I went to the location. I saw many other people coming out of the building but did not see my mother.
Nineteen-year-old Nisha took up a job to support her family of nine. Her father Guddu Prasad said, “Nisha used to look after the entire house. I do not have any permanent source of income. So Nisha took over the job.”
Nisha leaves behind six sisters, a brother and her parents. Her youngest sister is two months old.
Similarly, Santosh, who has lost his wife, says that he does not know how to raise his children alone. “I have three kids, I don’t know what to do now. I have many relatives coming but no one can replace my mother.”
Jasoda Devi has three children. His daughter Rinki said, “My mother used to take care of us and the house. My father does not live here. He works as a laborer in Haryana.”
Most of these families were facing financial troubles during the lockdown and only then some of them took up jobs.
Thirty-six-year-old Musrat’s brother, Mohammad Imtiaz, said, “During the lockdown, her husband, who works as a painter, was struggling to find work. At the same time, her children were growing up. That’s why he joined the company.”
A similar situation inspired Jasoda Devi to take up this job. his daughter said,
However, despite working eight hours a day and sometimes long hours, most women were paid only Rs 6,500. The old employees were getting around Rs 7,500.
Santosh said that his wife had taken the job because he had promised better salary.
He said, “Before that, she used to work in a nearby godown. She used to earn Rs 3,000-Rs 4,000. She took the job for a little more money. They were giving her Rs 6,500. What more can I say? That’s what happened to us.”