New Delhi: The Centre issued fresh directives to the States and UTs on Sunday asking to ensure 14 days quarantine of migrant labourers.
The directives have been issued in the wake of mass movement of migrant labourers in different states across India, amid nation-wide lockdown.
The directives issued by Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla also made District Magistrate, Deputy Commissioner, Senior Superintendent of Police, Superintendent of Police and Deputy Commissioner of Police personally liable for the implementation of the lockdown measure.
The development took place following two back to back meetings of the National Executive Committee.
The meetings were presided over by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba and Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla.
State Chief Secretaries and UT administrators took part in the meeting over video conferencing.
Home Secretary Bhalla also issued a letter to all Chief Secretaries and UT administrators.
In the letter, Bhalla said that although, movement of a large number of migrants has taken place in some parts of the country so as to reach their hometowns, "this is a violation of the lockdown measures on maintaining social distance."
He also said, "To mitigate economic hardship of the migrant workers in the exercise of the powers, conferred under Section 10(2) (I) of the disaster management Act 2005, the undersigned in the capacity of the chairperson, National Executive Committee hereby directs the states and UTs to take necessary action and to issue necessary orders to their district magistrate, deputy commissioner, senior superintendent of police and deputy commissioner of police to take strong measures."
The directive said that states and UTs shall ensure the adequate arrangement of temporary shelters and provision of food for the poor and needy people including migrant labourers stranded due to lock the measured in their respective areas.
It further said that the migrant people who have moved out to reach their home or towns must be kept in the nearest shelter by the respective states and union territories at the government quarantine facilities after proper screening for a minimum period of 14 days as per standard health protocol.
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