COVID-19 second wave | SC seeks details of welfare measures for migrant workers
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The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed concern over the well being and welfare of migrant labourers in the course of the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic at the same time as a number of States have introduced lockdowns.
A Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and M.R. Shah urged the federal government to think about the “harsh realities” going through the migrant poor and sought the details of welfare programmes in place.
Also learn: Migrant workers weak once more, say activists
“How will migrants survive with no money or work?” the courtroom requested.
The Bench mentioned it would publish its order later within the day.
The listening to was based mostly on an utility filed by means of advocate Prashant Bhushan in search of pressing intervention from the Supreme Court to make sure meals safety, dry rations, money switch and transport facility for migrant labourers at nominal charges in the course of the second wave.
The plea filed by activists Anjali Bhardwaj, Harsh Mander and Jagdeep Chhokar mentioned the chaos, panic and financial disaster which plagued labourers within the months of lockdown final yr had been elevating their heads once more.
“The problems and miseries faced by migrant workers during the lockdown in 2020 have persisted over the past year due to the continued economic distress and now have got aggravated on account of fresh restrictions, curfews and lockdowns being imposed in many States to control the spread of COVID,” the appliance mentioned.
It mentioned there’s an amazing sense of opacity in governance and the meals safety programmes obtainable had been solely for these with ration playing cards. The utility mentioned hunger for migrant labourers amid the spiralling well being disaster was shortly dawning into actuality.
The plea has urged the courtroom to direct the Centre to renew its scheme of offering dry rations below the Atma Nirbhar Bharat scheme to all eight crore migrant labourers not lined below the National Food Security Act (NFSA) or State PDS playing cards and had been recognized below the mentioned scheme final yr.
“Migrant workers are again bearing the brunt of these policies and urgent intervention is required to address the following issues – loss of livelihood and means of income on account of the restrictions and lockdowns resulting in people being unable to pay for basic needs like food, rent, etc, and lack of proper arrangement for safe and free travel back to their hometowns and villages when lockdowns are announced,” the appliance mentioned.
Mr. Bhushan argued that “new restrictions and curfews/lockdowns have caused immense distress in the lives of the economically vulnerable sections of society, especially migrant workers”.
Across a number of States, migrant workers, having misplaced their means of livelihood on account of the restrictions imposed, had been unable to maintain themselves and there was largescale misery migration again to their hometowns.
“No proper relief measures to mitigate the economic hardships being faced by migrant workers have been announced when the lockdowns are put in place, leading to a precarious situation. The loss of livelihood and means of income is causing food insecurity among migrant workers and their families,” the plea has mentioned.
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