Kailashahar, Anupam Pal: Keeping pace with time, humanity is advancing rapidly. Technology is revolutionizing every aspect of our lives. Today, we stand at a juncture where machines are no longer just companions to human labor but have become competitors. In this competition, laborers are the most affected, and this reality is becoming evident even in the simple task of breaking bricks.
Once, the sound of breaking bricks filled construction sites. Bricks would break one after another under the hammer’s blow. Workers toiled in the sun, drenched in sweat, earning their living through hard labor. It was their effort that lit lamps in their homes and brought smiles to their families. But today, that scenario has changed. Sophisticated brick-breaking machines have taken their place. These machines can break countless bricks quickly and cost-effectively, rendering human labor, once indispensable, unnecessary.
A sense of sorrow is evident in the eyes of an elderly worker. He said, “Earlier, at the end of the day’s work, I felt satisfied knowing I could provide for my family. But now machines are taking our jobs. I can’t even manage my children’s school expenses, and running the household has become extremely difficult.” His words carry the echoes of pain.
It cannot be denied that brick-breaking machines are a technological boon. They reduce construction costs and increase efficiency. However, the lives of those dependent on this work tell a different story. Hunger and uncertainty have crept into their lives in subtle yet devastating ways.
Experts suggest that technology is a demand of the times. It has made life easier but has also exacted a price. If laborers fail to adapt to technology, their future will grow darker. Creating alternative employment opportunities is now an urgent necessity.
Government policymakers must take swift and effective action. Providing training for laborers, equipping them with new skills, and creating alternative job opportunities are essential. Additionally, the use of technology must not lead to the death of humanity, and this must be ensured.
Technology symbolizes progress. But on this journey of progress, no one’s life should descend into darkness. Each machine that takes work from a laborer does not just displace one worker but leaves an entire family directionless. Ensuring coexistence between technology and humanity must be civilization’s new challenge. To tackle this challenge, we must all work together.
