HC questions TS on guest workers

Owing to the government’s non-compliance with its orders, the Telangana High Court posed a scenario to the government: “Imagine you are a migrant labour and asked to live like an animal in a cramped accommodation. How would you feel?”

The court was questioning overcrowding at the shelter house in Regimental Bazaar of Secunderabad. It asked how 350 people live there when the space is for only 120. Moreover, there are only three or four toilets. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy was dealing with a batch of PILs seeking direction to the government to ensure that guest workers and brick kiln workers are shifted to their native places. The Chief Justice observed that it was the duty of the government to look after the guest workers, who cannot be left at the mercy of nature.

Vasudha Nagaraj, amicus curiae, informed the bench that every day, there are about 200 guest workers ready to move from Secunderabad to their home states. However, due to non-availability of Shramik trains, they have remained stranded at the shelter home in Regimental Bazaar. She said Railways have made it clear that they will run only Shramik trains and not earmark bogies for guest workers in other trains.

On this contention of Railways, Chief Justice Chauhan observed: “Are people of the country more important for Railways or the revenue? I think people are more important and they cannot be kept in animated suspension for such a long time”. The court directed officials of either the Social Welfare or Labour department to visit shelter homes, where guest workers are staying, and file a factual report by June 22.