Had gone to Kathmandu to work in power project, family in shock; Return to homeland and appeal for help He had gone to Kathmandu to work on a power project; the family is devastated and has pleaded for help to bring him home.

When the havoc of nature comes to the fore in its monstrous form, the world inhabited by humans turns into ruins in a moment. The recent natural disaster of severe and dreadful floods and landslides in the neighboring country Nepal has caused huge devastation, in which painful news of hundreds of casualties and thousands of people being made homeless are coming out. Meanwhile, a very touching and shocking news has come to light from Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, which has created an uproar in the entire area. A common laborer named Ramprasad, resident of Ranchi, who had gone to work as a laborer in a hydroelectric project near Kathmandu to earn his livelihood and feed his family, is said to be completely missing after being hit by this terrible flood. Even after several days of the incident, when no trace of him was found, his family members became tearful and appealed to the Government of Jharkhand and the Government of India for immediate help in bringing back their son safely or searching for him.

Ramprasad’s journey to Nepal and the compulsion for livelihood

For any ordinary family head or youth, going away from home to another country or state to earn money is no less than a big risk, but the fire in the stomach makes a person do everything. Ramprasad, who belonged to a small rural or urban family of Ranchi, had also gone to Nepal a few months ago in the hope of alleviating the financial crisis and plight of his home. He got a job as a laborer in a big hydro power project running near Kathmandu, through which he was regularly supporting his family’s expenses. His family members say that Ramprasad was a very hardworking and straightforward person, who used to call his home every week to inquire about the well being of the family. But after the sudden change in weather and rain from the sky in Nepal, his phone suddenly got switched off and the connection was completely lost, due to which the family members lost sleep at night.

Horrible scene of massive flood and destruction in Nepal

In the neighboring country Nepal, due to indifference of monsoon and continuous heavy torrential rains in recent times, rivers had overflowed, causing severe floods in many areas and massive landslides. In the mountainous areas, the cracks in the mountains and the strong flow of water engulfed the big bridges, roads and projects under construction. The situation in Kathmandu and its surrounding areas had become so bad that it proved extremely challenging even for the administration to carry out relief and rescue operations. The power project site where Ramprasad was working is also said to be very close to the epicenter of the disaster. According to local media and international reports, in this deluge, many laborers and employees were either swept away by the strong current of water or buried under the debris, which has spread panic among the families of other migrant laborers working there.

The pain of the family members and the request for help from the administration

As soon as the family members of Ram Prasad living in Ranchi got the news of this terrible disaster in Nepal and the disappearance of their son, there was an outcry in the entire house. The elderly parents, wife and small children are in a miserable condition, crying, and they are pleading with every person passing by that somehow the lamp of their house should be returned safely. The family members have written a letter to the District Administration of Jharkhand Government, the Chief Minister’s Office and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of the country, appealing that the search for Ramprasad should be started as soon as possible by coordinating with the Government of Nepal and the local agencies there. The family members say that they are not able to get any concrete information whether Ramprasad was able to reach a safe place at that time or became a victim of this natural disaster, and this uncertainty is hollowing their hearts from within.

Expectation of role of Foreign Ministry and Embassy

In such international disasters, when a citizen of the country goes missing abroad, the responsibility of the Central Government and the Indian Embassy in Nepal becomes most important. Local public representatives and social organizations of Jharkhand have also taken cognizance of this matter and demanded from the Ministry of External Affairs that the list of Indian workers stranded or missing in Nepal should be made public and relief operations should be expedited. The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu is in constant touch with the Nepal administration and is trying to identify the missing people from the disaster affected areas. The eyes of this family of Ranchi are always fixed on the television screen and phone to see when any official gives them the good news that Ramprasad is absolutely safe and the process of bringing him back has started.

This accident shocked human sensibilities

This incident of Ramprasad’s disappearance is not just a personal tragedy of a family, but it also speaks to the harsh reality of millions of migrant laborers who are forced to work in difficult conditions in the country and abroad to earn their living. Whenever a major natural disaster occurs, the worst hit are the poor and workers who do not have adequate means of protection. The tears and hopes of this victimized family of Ranchi are testifying to the fact that for a human being, there is nothing more important in the world than the safety of their loved ones. The whole of Jharkhand is currently praying for the safe return of Ramprasad, and everyone’s prayer is that this family can get their happiness back once again.