The tragic death of Imtiyaz Ahmad Lone, a 32-year-old daily wager, on June 21 in Imoh Achabal, Anantnag, South Kashmir, is a grim indictment of systemic neglect. Imtiyaz, son of Nazir Ahmad Lone from Hiller Kokernag, fell from an electric pole while performing repair work, succumbing to his injuries at Government Medical College (GMC) Anantnag. As police investigate, this loss underscores a pressing question: how many more daily wagers must die before the government acts to protect them?
Daily wagers like Imtiyaz are the unsung pillars of society, maintaining critical services like electricity and roads. Yet, they work in perilous conditions, often without safety gear, training, or job security, earning wages that barely sustain their families. Imtiyaz’s fatal fall from an electric pole is not an isolated tragedy but part of a recurring pattern of preventable deaths. The government’s inaction perpetuates this cycle of loss.
Despite announcing a committee to address these issues, the government has shown no tangible progress months later. What explains this delay? Is the committee a genuine effort or merely a bureaucratic deflection? Meanwhile, unutilized budgets for capacity building, particularly in the Rural Development Department and Education sector, have languished for nearly five years. According to a 2023 CAG report, Jammu and Kashmir had over ₹2,000 crore in unspent rural development funds, including allocations for skill training and infrastructure. These funds could transform the lives of unskilled daily wagers by providing training in safer, more sustainable roles and equipping them with essential safety measures like harnesses, helmets, and insulated tools. Yet, they remain locked away, gathering dust while workers like Imtiyaz pay the ultimate price.
It is time to honor the sacrifices of daily wagers by integrating them into stable government jobs, especially those in high-risk roles. Permanent employment would offer better pay, safer conditions, and dignity. The government must also act swiftly to utilize its idle funds for capacity building. Programs like the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana, which trained 1.2 lakh rural youth nationwide in 2022, show how targeted skilling can empower workers. Providing daily wagers with vocational training and safety equipment is not a luxury but a basic right. These measures could prevent tragedies like the one in Anantnag, where a lack of safety gear likely contributed to Imtiyaz’s death.
The government has the resources to act. Unspent budgets in rural development and education are a missed opportunity to uplift vulnerable workers. Imtiyaz’s death must be a wake-up call. The committee must deliver results, not reports, and the government must implement policies ensuring safety and job security. Training programs and safety equipment are immediate necessities, while long-term integration into government roles is a moral imperative. How long will these workers be forced to risk their lives? How many more Imtiyazes must we lose?
Imtiyaz Ahmad Lone’s memory demands justice. Let his death spur a future where no worker sacrifices their life for a livelihood. The government must act now—utilize unspent funds, train unskilled workers, equip them with safety measures, and honor their sacrifices with dignity and security. The time for inaction is over.
