NHRC notices to UP, Punjab chief secretaries, Agra DM
LUCKNOW: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh and Punjab chief secretaries and the Agra district magistrate after taking suo motu cognizance of media reports about a migrant woman pulling a suitcase with her child sleeping half hung on it on the Agra highway during the Covid-19 lockdown.
A spokesperson for NHRC said the woman was walking all the way from Punjab to Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh when she caught the attention of media persons.
“The commission is aware of the unprecedented situation due to the Covid pandemic, that the central and the state governments are working sincerely to address every issue coming up during the lockdown, but it is strange that the pain of the child and the family could be seen and felt by many people en route, except the local authorities,” the spokesperson said.
If the local authorities had been vigilant, some relief could immediately be provided to the aggrieved family and others facing similar hardship, the spokesperson said, adding that the incident amounted to violation of human rights and required intervention by NHRC.
Issuing notices to the chief secretaries of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh and the Agra district magistrate, NHRC called for a detailed report within four weeks in the matter, including the action taken against the responsible officers/ officials and relief/ assistance provided to the victim.
The commission further observed that several news reports about miseries of people had come to its notice during the lockdown, forcing it to intervene in order to sensitise the Central and the state authorities to deal with the situation with an approach of respect to human rights of the public at large, particularly the vulnerable sections of the society.
However, media reports suggested continuing sufferings of the people, particularly the migrant labourers, whose long journey, was not coming to a halt, the spokesperson said.