SC says will pass directions on community kitchen, transportation of migrant workers

The Supreme Court Thursday said it is inclined to pass directions to the national capital region NCR states to have community kitchens and to facilitate transportation of migrant workers who are willing to return home amid the current wave of Covid19 pandemicThe apex court observed that authorities must ensure that migrant workers returning home are not charged exorbitant fare by private bus operators and the Centre may consider involving the Railways to facilitate their transportationA bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and M R Shah observed this while hearing a plea filed by three activists who have sought directions to the Centre and states to ensure food security cash transfers transport facilities and other welfare measures for migrant workers who are facing distress due to the curbs clamped in several parts of the country amid the pandemicldquoFor the time being we are inclined to pass directions on community kitchen so that nobody starves and also on facilitating transport of those who are willing to gordquo the bench said adding that it would pass the order by Thursday eveningThe bench said that for NCR states Delhi Uttar Pradesh and Haryana it would issue certain directions while for other states it may ask them to file their responses on the issues raised in the pleaAdvocate Prashant Bhushan appearing for the applicants said that due to the pandemic a huge number of migrant workers are again facing distress as they have lost jobs and have no money to look after themselvesAlso Read Mumbaikars who joined police force to fight COVID19 share their experienceReferring to the prayers made in the application he claimed that migrant workers were being charged exorbitantly by private bus operators for travelling to their native placesSolicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench that the country is fighting the pandemic and efforts of all the states is to ensure that industrial and construction activities are not haltedldquoThis year the effort of every state is to ensure that it is not a lockdown in a sense which we have seen last time Industries are working and construction activities are going onrdquo he told the bench adding that all state governments are ldquoelected governmentrdquo and are alive to the situationMehta told the bench that states should be allowed to place all the details before the benchldquoThat we will allow But he Bhushan has raised the issue of NCR He says private bus operators are charging exorbitant rates The police and administration have to take action on thisrdquo the bench observedMehta said facilitation of transportation should not be considered as incentivisation for exodus of migrantsldquoAny direction right now that facilitate their transportation will incentivise migrationrdquo he saidMehta said this application filed in the court is ldquofar from realityrdquo and has been filed from the ldquocomfort of their homesrdquoldquoIf the court is inclined to pass some interim order then it should also ask the petitioners to help the migrant workers and provide funds for community kitchen They should also help the initiatives taken by the state governmentsrdquo he saidBhushan objected to Mehtarsquos submissions and said ldquoI am amazed that Solicitor General is making such submissions The Centre should provide foodgrains to the migrant workers which is rotting in its godownsrdquoDuring the hearing the bench observed ldquoIf somebody is willing to go he should be facilitatedrdquoldquoWe do not agree that this will incentivise itrdquo the bench said adding ldquoSome sustenance must be provided for the time being You have to consider the harsh realitiesrdquoldquoWe are not issuing direction for free ride We are only saying that those who are willing to travel should be facilitated and it must be ensured that they are not charged exorbitantlyrdquo the bench saidAt the outset the top court observed that by and large most of the migrant workers have already returned to their native places and states should highlight the schemes which are meant for their welfare thereThe apex court said last year it had passed several directions in the suo motu case on problems and miseries of migrant labourers amid the pandemicIt said the states should file their responses on the directions given earlier by the courtIn May last year the top court had taken suo motu cognizance of problems and miseries of migrant labourers and had passed a slew of directions including asking the states not to charge fare from migrant workers and provide them food for free till they board trains or busesIt had asked the Centre and states to identify and send back within 15 days stranded migrant workers willing to return to their native places and advocated for their counselling and help to find avenues of employment lost during Covid19 induced nationwide lockdown last yearReferring to the resurgence of Covid19 infections and consequent curbs activists Anjali Bharadwaj Harsh Mander and Jagdeep Chhokar have filed the fresh interim plea in the suo motu case seeking initiation of welfare measures againDirect the UOI Union of India to resume its scheme of providing dry rations under the Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme or any other scheme designed for that purpose to all eight crore migrant labourersstranded or needy persons who are not covered under the National Food Security Act or state PDS cards and were identified under the said scheme last year for at least such time that the Disaster Management Act is in force by issuance of Covid19 ration cards it has saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever