Look into migrant workers’ exodus: Shah to CMs

Asks states to provide adequate support, ensure students, working women from various states not harassed

Union home minister Amit Shah has spoken to some of the chief ministers and asked them to look into the issue of mass exodus of migrant workers from different parts of the country after the announcement of the 21-day lockdown.

The Union home secretary has written to all states and Union Territories to immediately ensure that adequate steps are taken to provide adequate support, including food and shelter, to migrant agricultural labourers, industrial workers and other unorganised sector workers during the lockdown.

There have been reports of a large number of migrant workers leaving their work places in different parts of the country and walking down to their native places, hundreds of kilometres away facing hardships on the way.

Similarly, the MHA has also directed the states to ensure that students, working women or other working professional from other states are also allowed to continue in their existing accommodation and do not face any kind of harassment.

The advisory suggests that in order to mitigate the situation for unorganised sector workers, particularly stranded migrant workers, all states need to explore measures by involving various agencies, including NGOs, to provide food and shelter with basic amenities like clean drinking water, sanitation and other facilities.

Further, the ministry has asked the states to make these vulnerable groups aware of the measures taken by the government, including provision of free foodgrains and other essential items through PDS. This would help prevent avoidable movement of such people, according to the advisory.

All the states have been directed to ensure that hotels, rented accommodations, hostels continue to remain functional and delivery of essential items is streamlined so that students, working women hostel inmates etc., are allowed to continue in existing facilities while observing precautions.

The states have once again been directed to enforce the lockdown strictly and take action against violators.

— PTI Medical team members during their door-to-door visit to screen people at Ramganj Bazar in Jaipur on Friday in wake of the coronavirus pandemic.