'This Is National Emergency': Over 200 Academics, Activists Ask Centre To Help Migrant Workers

The lockdown decision 'completely overlooked the disastrous impact it would have on 90 per cent of our labour force,' they said

Outlook Web Bureau

Updated on: 28 March 2020 7:38 pm

More than 200 academics, economists, activists and other concerned citizens have issued an appeal to the Centre on Saturday urging immediate assistance to migrant workers who are unable to reach their homes because of the nationwide lockdown.

While appealing the Centre to address the plight of the migrant workers who are stranded in several states and are trying to go back home by traveling hundreds of miles on foot, the note said the decision of the lockdown was taken without proper planning. The government's decision "completely overlooked the disastrous impact it would have on 90 per cent of our labour force," it said.

In a televised address to the nation on Tuesday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown with just four hours' notice to break the chain of coronavirus spread.

The note of appeal said, "The government must use the network of anganwadis, panchayat bhavans, government schools, government colleges, railway stations, bus stations, community halls, block offices, district headquarters etc to set up feeding centres to arrange free cooked food, medical care and sanitation."

They have also urged the government to arrange for sanitised bus and train services for the workers to reach home safely and give the workers stranded in different cities "secure living space with enough food, soap, sanitary pads and medical care."

"This is a national emergency and lakhs of people are in danger of perishing in hunger and trauma. We therefore make this urgent appeal for an immediate response to the humanitarian crisis, to prevent it from snowballing further," they said.

Among the signatories were economist and social scientist Jean Dreze, social activist and Mazdoor Kishan Shakti Sangthan member Nikhil Dey, academic Rajendran Narayanan and so on.

Meanwhile, the Centre asked the state governments and Union Territory administrations to utilise the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for providing food and shelter to migrant workers.

Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs Punya Salila Srivastava said the central government has also asked the states and UTs to set up camps for migrant workers fleeing cities and carry out their health check-ups.