Plea in SC for use of ICWF to repatriate economically weaker Indians stranded abroad

A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Centre to utilise the Indian community welfare fund (ICWF), aimed at assisting overseas Indian nationals in times of distress and emergency, for repatriation of economically weaker citizens who are stranded abroad due to COVID-19 pandemic.

New Delhi: A Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the Supreme Court which seeks directions to the government to make appropriate use of Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) to repatriate the stranded migrants and economically weaker Indian citizens stranded abroad without any charge.

The PIL has been filed by Pravasi Legal cell in the wake of charges which are being levied for travel by flights and ships on the people who wish to come back from abroad.

The PIL contends that a "vast majority of Indian Expatriates in the Gulf countries are involved on low skilled labour, who are going through challenging times and are struggling to meet even their basic needs in dire jobless situation arising out of the COVID pandemic." Charging them for return would further burden them forcing them to live in vulnerable conditions abroad.

The petitioner also contends that the situation of labour accommodation camps where they have been quarantined in the Gulf countries, is also poor. They are overcrowded as hundreds of thousands of men live in cramped dormitories, there is lack water and sanitation, kitchens and toilets are shared by them posing a great risk to their health and contracting corona.

It also cited the apex court's judgement where it has held that the fundamental right to life is the most precious human right and it forms the ark of all other rights therefore should be interpreted in broad and expansive spirit.

In Francis Coralie Mullin v Union Territory of Delhi(1981), the apex court had observed that right to life under Article 21 can not be restricted to mere "animal existence" and is more than physical survival and includes feeling and thinking.

"The migrant workers are very much citizens of India and the respondents are under constitutional obligation to protect their interest in this extraordinary time which has threatened the very existence of the human race," read the PIL.

ICFW was set up the central government in 2009 for critical support in emergency evacuation of Indian nationals from conflict zones, countries affected by natural disasters and other challenging situations. It has been used earlier as well.