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Business News/ News / India/  NHRC asks Centre to prepare database, provide interim aid to stranded migrants
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NHRC asks Centre to prepare database, provide interim aid to stranded migrants

The commission has proposed short term and long term measures to decrease the plight of the workers
  • 'It should be ensured that medical facilities and nutritious food are available in shelter homes,' the NHRC said
  • A migrant worker covers her child with a scarf to protect it from the heat, as they wait to get on a bus for a railway station (Reuters)Premium
    A migrant worker covers her child with a scarf to protect it from the heat, as they wait to get on a bus for a railway station (Reuters)

    New Delhi: In wake of major violation of human rights of migrant labourers during nationwide lockdown, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked centre and states to come up with measures to protect their health, employment and dignity during and after the covid-19 pandemic.

    The commission has proposed short term and long term measures to decrease the plight of the workers.

    For mitigating the miseries of the migrants, the commission said that in order to estimate the in-flow of migrant workers, states should collect the data of workers at the point of departure in the originating states as well on arrival in the destination tates for effectively planning their quarantine and relief measures, the commission said.

    As several migrants including women and children travelled to their homes afoot or by trains, the commission proposed that menstrual hygiene products should be provided to migrant women and adolescent girls across the country.

    In focussed interventions for women, the commission said that each state should be directed to ensure proper functioning of shelter homes especially for the accommodation of pregnant women, lactating mothers, children, and elderly person. “It should be ensured that medical facilities and nutritious food are available in these shelter homes," the NHRC said.

    States must ensure medical facilities for check-ups for migrants before and after the journey, as well was availability of food and medical care during the journey. For migrants who are walking or travelling on bicycles, food and water should be made available both at the originating and destination states, as well as en route, it said.

    The commission also said that a State-wide and Nation-wide database should be prepared and each State should be directed to identify the industry in which the migrant labour is working i.e. construction, agriculture, brick kiln, etc.

    Considering the poor financial conditions of the migrants, the commission said that the originating States should take steps to identify the destitute among the migrant labour and provide some quantum of compensation to ensure that they do not resort to begging after reaching their destination.

    As several trains carrying the migrants were either delayed or lost direction, the NHRC said that railways in consultation with the respective State Governments should ensure that such delays do not take place and the trains do not reach wrong destinations.

    “A mission similar to that of the dedicated Vande Bharat Mission should be started in a phased manner to help migrant workers reach their source destination. A fund should be created for payment of ex-gratia relief by the concerned DM, which will provide fixed compensation to every migrant returning home," it said.

    The NHRC has filed an application for intervention and directions along with a suo motu writ petition in the Supreme Court of India on the problems and miseries of migrant labourers, who had been stranded in different parts of the country after the nationwide lockdown.

    The Court on Friday admitted the intervention application of the Commission. The Commission has sought directions from the Supreme Court for consideration of implementation of its proposed short term and long term measures for safeguarding human rights of the migrants.

    As a long term measures, the commission said that A special provision to be inserted in the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 to deal with emergency situations like Covid-19, natural disasters etc. The commission also proposed Compensation to family members of those who died while migrating to their respective states, funds allocation to states from centre, Universal Ration Card and extension of maximum benefits as provided for under the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008. The NHRC also said that the government should implement its scheme, that it had announced to launch, for affordable rental housing complexes for migrant workers and urban poor as soon as possible.

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    Published: 05 Jun 2020, 10:57 PM IST
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