New Delhi: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court which seeks directions to the central government to ensure the immediate and safe evacuation of migrant workers to their hometowns and providing a sufficient number of trains and buses for that purpose.
The petitioner also prays for directions to the government to advertise and disseminate all the relevant information regarding the evacuation so that it reaches even the lowest strata of the society.
The PIL has been filed by a Mumbai-based advocate - Sagheer Ahmed Khan who contends that despite the various announcements of schemes, actions taken for the migrants the situation on the ground remains grim leading to a humanitarian crisis.
He alleges that the assurance given by the government to the apex court regarding the steps taken is not seen on the ground and is not enough to protect the migrants' "right to live with dignity".
"Had the state authorities acted on their assurances given to this Hon'ble court, there would have been no reason for the migrants to put their life at risk by adopting to travel on foot by private trucks in deplorable conditions," argues Khan.
He further contends that the "migrants more particularly are feeling insecure and helpless due to the circumstances beyond their control and have started walking through the highways on foot or by private trucks and mini trucks. Needless to say, that had the Respondents (government) taken appropriate steps to repatriate them, there was no reason for migrants to risk their lives in this scorching summer heat. It is in the public domain that various migrants have died while walking and Union Government and the state governments have failed and neglected to ensure their safety and security resulting in loss of lives like in the case of the Aurangabad Train accident."
Also read: PM’s conference over COVID-19: Which CM said what?
Khan further said that the constitution mandates protection to the poor and weaker sections of the society which currently is not happening where the migrants are begging and borrowing to survive.
Khan also adds that the ones set out on foot have been ill-treated by the police and have been transported back to the cities.
140 people have died in road accidents across the country and 30% deaths, i.e, at least 42 casualties were of migrant workers who were trying to reach their native places.
For the Shramik Special Trains which have been running for evacuation, Khan contends that there was no proper dissemination of information to ensure that the schedule of trains, the procedure for booking and other modalities are communicated to these migrant workers.
Assuring that he will cooperate with the government, Khan offered the help of Rs 25,00,000 for safe evacuation and transportation of migrant workers from Mumbai belonging to Sant Kabir Nagar (his home town).
