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Business News/ News / India/  Covid-19 lockdown: Centre assesses situation amid migrant workers' exodus
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Covid-19 lockdown: Centre assesses situation amid migrant workers' exodus

States have been asked to ensure medical and social assistance to migrant workers at the earliest
  • Cabinet secretary and home ministry are in constant touch with state chief secretaries and directors general of police
  • (Photo: PTI)Premium
    (Photo: PTI)

    NEW DELHI: As thousands of migrant labourers continue their exodus after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown to contain the coronavirus outbreak, the Union home ministry has taken stock of the current situation.

    The Centre’s assessment comes in the wake of its directive instructing states to ensure medical and social assistance to migrant workers at the earliest, even as the national capital has been grappling with a swelling crowd of labourers who are leaving for their villages.

    “Cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba and the home ministry are in constant touch with state chief secretaries and directors general of police. It was noted that, by and large, there has been effective implementation of guidelines across all states and union territories," the Union home ministry said in a statement.

    After issuing a series of guidelines earlier to unclog the supply-chain management in the wake of shortage of essential commodities across the country, the Union home ministry stated on Sunday that, “Essential supplies have also been maintained. Situation is being monitored round the clock and necessary measures are being taken as required."

    While e-commerce conglomerates such as Big Basket and Amazon have resumed operations in the country, police in the national capital said that several e-passes had been issued and suppliers and delivery chain operatives with valid IDs and passes were no longer stopped.

    The police said, despite all measures, implementation of the lockdown was proving more challenging in slum areas.

    “We patrol these areas across all zones and districts in Delhi. We have found that a majority of the people are abiding by the lockdown but those in slum clusters are not following it. We keep urging them to go back inside but they don’t listen," said a senior Delhi police officer in the capital’s south Delhi area.

    With concerns growing over mass gathering of migrant workers, state governments too have stepped up efforts to provide food and temporary shelter to these people.

    Even as inter-state borders have been sealed to prevent an influx of migrants, the Centre has instructed state police personnel to keep a strict vigil on any attempted movement between state borders.

    “There has been movement of migrant workers in some parts of the country. Directions were issued that district and state borders should be effectively sealed. States were directed to ensure there is no movement of people across cities or on highways. Only movement of goods should be allowed," the home ministry said, adding that district magistrates and superintendents of police “should be made personally responsible for implementation of these directions which have been issued under the Disaster Management Act."

    “It has been advised that adequate arrangements for food and shelter of poor and needy people including migrant laborers be made at the place of their work. The Centre had yesterday (Saturday) issued orders for use of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) funds for this purpose," the Union home ministry has said.

    While states have been instructed to ensure timely payment of full wages to labourers at their place of work during the period of lockdown, landlords have been instructed to not demand house rent from them during this period. The government has warned of penal action against landlords who ask labourers or students to vacate their premises.

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    Published: 29 Mar 2020, 04:24 PM IST
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