J’khand flies in 60 stranded workers

The Jharkhand government on Friday flew a second batch of 60 migrant workers stranded in Ladakh to the state. Chief minister Hemant Soren welcomed them with roses and food packets when they arrived at Ranchi airport.

Officials said the state sponsored the journey of workers who were working on a Border Road Organization project. On Thursday, 174 migrant workers returned to Jharkhand on a charted relief flight from Mumbai. A group of National Law School (Bengaluru) alumni had raised funds for the journey.

A third flight carrying 180 workers from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will land in Ranchi on Saturday, said state transport secretary K Ravi Kumar. Over 320 migrant workers from Jharkhand are stranded there.

Officials said the 60 workers flew to Ranch via Delhi. “We are happy to return home. We never thought we will ever make an air journey. I would like to thank Jharkhand government for making our return possible,” said Rajesh Kisku, a migrant worker from Dumka. The workers were later sent to Dumka on buses and dinner was served on-board.

He said his government was committed to bringing back all stranded workers through all possible means. “As per our commitment, we brought 60 migrant workers... We will fly back another group from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.”

Soren said he received no response from Union Home minister Amit Shah after he wrote to him seeking permission to airlift workers from Ladakh and the Andaman and Nicobar Island.

Opposition BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said the government is duty-bound to bring back the workers. “Instead of making it a media event and photo opportunity session, they should concentrate more on rehabilitation.”

Around 200 migrant workers left jobless by the lockdown have died in accidents while walking or cycling back home.