Mass Exodus Of Migrant Workers: Centre Orders Sealing States Border

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Sunday has issued an order to all state governments to seal state and district borders to stop movements of migrant workers during lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

States were directed to ensure there is no movement of people across cities or on highways. Only movement of goods should be allowed. District Magistrates and SPs are asked to look after the implementation of the directions, while adding that arrangements will be made for their food and shelter.

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a nationwide lockdown which began on March 25, thousands of migrant labourers and daily-wage earners from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and other states working across India started leaving the cities. Many set out to their homes on foot and walked hundreds of kilometres as to reach their native places.

It was only after media reporting that on Saturday, the Uttar Pradesh government announced that it will arrange 1,000 buses to ferry the migrant labourers to neighbouring districts.

At the Delhi-Ghaziabad border, scenes were tensed as a stampede-like situation loomed large as many fought to get a seat in the buses. Visuals showed that poeple had outnumbered the seats in the buses as many travelled on rooftops of the cramped buses.

Social distancing or all necessary guidelines to prevent the COVID-19 was nowhere to be seen. While some wore masks, some tied a handkerchief over their noses and mouths. Kids with their families, pregnant women, age ladies all were seen at the roads taking the ardous trek.

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday appealed to migrant workers not to leave for their native places during the 21-day nationwide lockdown in the interest of the country. So far, 49 coronavirus cases have been reported in the national capital. His deputy Manish Sisodia has appealed the same and said that the

AAP government had arranged for buses to ferry them till the borders.Delhi's transport minister Kailash Gahlot said that 570 buses were deployed to drop the workers till the UP border.

Also Read: Migrant Worker Who Walked 200 Kms To Reach Home, Dies Midway