With reconstruction work under way in flood ravaged Kerala, skilled plumbers from Odisha's Kendrapara district are making a beeline to the southern state.
The services of Kendrapara plumbers are being sought to set right the damaged drinking water and sewerage pipelines, an official said.
Kendrapara is known in the country and abroad for its skillful plumbers. Placement agencies and firms in Kerala are intent on seeking the services of Kendrapara lumbers, he said.
"Batches of plumbers from the district have begun leaving for Kerala. The process has started in the past two to three days. We have received reports in this regard from the native villages of these skilled workforces," said Rajnagar Tehsildar, Nihar Ranjan Mallick.
The plumbers who were engaged elsewhere have also left their workplace to head for Kerala.
"I was engaged in a plumbing firm in Kolkata. I have taken a month's break from my job to return home. We a batch of plumbers will leave for Ernakulum very soon. My employer in Kolkata was gracious to grant my leave for working in Kerala, said Raghav Parida, a 38-year-old plumber from Taradipala village under Pattamundai tehsil.
"As far as I know around 500 people from Kendrapara have left for Kerala for restoring drinking water pipelines. Many more are expected to head for Kerala in the coming days as the state badly requires skilled workers like us for speedy restoration," he added.
In major areas of Kendrapara, plumbing is a significant economic activity that has been providing income sources to thousands of families, an official said.
This has been in vogue for generations. Besides major urban centres, plumbers mainly from Pattamundai, Aul, Rajnagar, Rajkanika regions have spread their network in various places across the country, he said.
Many have even made their way to the Gulf and Middle east countries for their dexterity in plumbing, he said.
There are 20000 plumbers from the district overseas as per an official estimate, he added.
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