Once-bitten twice-shy about wrong propaganda. The Central government seems to have taken special care of the migrant labourers, who may move homewards as the third wave of the pandemic is sweeping in metros. But there is no such movement this time. In March 2020, the media had amplified the migrant labourers’ homeward journey after their worksite closure and the consequent transit crisis immediately after the declaration of the national lockdown. This time there is no such crisis. The government is closely monitoring the situation. Beware of the wrong media propaganda.
Considering the prevailing pandemic situation, Sunil Barthwal, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment chaired a coordination meeting with States and Union Territories to take stock of the preparedness in respect of workers in general and migrant workers in particular. State governments informed that barring night curfews and weekend curfews at a few places in some States/UTs where the number of Covid-19 cases is rising, there were no restrictions on construction activities, business activities, running of shops and industrial activities in the country. There is no report of unusual movement of migrant workers at present owing to the limited restrictions imposed by the governments. Some media reports of a mass exodus of migrant workers to their home States are baseless and untrue. Such news reports carry old photographs to misguide people. The business situation is normal throughout the country except for 50 per cent of restrictions on the workforce in some places.
Some State Governments have already made plans for distributing dry rations to needy labourers. Some have made preparations to provide financial assistance from the Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) cess fund and social security fund available with the States. Railways are also keeping a very close watch on the situation, particularly at the major railway stations like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Secunderabad etc, a government release said. All the States and UTs have been advised to keep a close liaison with the local railway authorities.
State Labour Commissioners have confirmed that the functioning at construction sites, factories and establishments has remained undisrupted and there is no exodus of workers, especially migrant workers, back to their home states.
The Director of the Department of Food and Public Distribution informed that there is no unusual spurt seen under the One Nation One Ration Card as far as ration pick up is concerned. The States and UTs were also requested to maintain records of returnee migrant workers if any. The States have also been asked to be wary of rumour-mongering on exodus and take quick steps to counter such rumours.
