The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that all migrants should be identified and sent home within 15 days and further asked states to drop all cases of lockdown violation against them.
All cases registered against migrants for alleged violation of lockdown orders are to be considered for withdrawal under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the court said.
The apex court further directed the Centre and states to prepare a list for identification of migrant workers in a streamlined manner. Employment relief is to be mapped out and skill-mapping to be carried out for migrant labourers, the Supreme Court ordered.
The top court, in its order, said that in the event of demand for Shramik Special trains, the Railways has to provide trains within 24 hours. Also, the Railways will have to provide all schemes to migrants and publicise them.
The court also asked the Centre to identify existing schemes to employ returned migrants.
The Supreme Court furthee asked all the states to submit their detailed affidavits on schemes, job creation etc. and fixed the matter for further hearing on July 8.
On June 5, the top court hearing the migrant crisis, had granted the Centre and states 15 days’ time to transport all migrants who wanted to return to their natives.
The court further directed the receiving states to generate employment for the returning migrants.
The apex court had told states to get all migrant labourers registered at block and district-level and added that states will have to generate employment for them and also facilitate their movement if they want to go back to other states for work.
In its hearing on June 5, senior lawyer Indira Jaising had requested the Supreme Court to quash all FIRs against migrant workers for violating lockdown conditions by stepping out of houses, proceeding on foot or by cycles. The apex court had said that it will consider the request.
Following the orders, the Centre next day filed a detailed affidavit in the top court regarding the matter, stating that it has, along with the support of NHAI, facilitated shifting of these workers, found walking on roads, by providing them requisite transport to the nearest railway stations.
The Government further said that whenever necessary, the migrants are provided with food, drinking water, medicines, clothes, slippers and other essentials free of cost, depending upon the requirements.
In its affidavit, the Centre has said that states and the Railways have been providing food and water free of cost to the labourers travelling back to their native places. “Till 1st June, Railways has served 1.63 crore meals and over 2.10 crore packaged drinking water bottles, apart from services provided by respective state governments,” the affidavit read.
On May 28, the Supreme Court issued interim orders regarding the migrant crisis across the country, two days after it took suo moto cognizance of problems faced by the labourers who are stranded in different parts of the country due to the nationwide lockdown to contain the Coronavirus outbreak.
Dictating the orders, the apex court said that no train or bus fare should be charged from migrants travelling back to their homes. It directed that the migrant workers should be provided food by the concerned state and UT at places. During train journey, originating states will have to provide meal and water.