Supreme Court asks Centre and States to move all migrant workers within 15 days
The Supreme Court of India today, i.e., Friday, June 5, 2020 suggested that the Centre and the States must move all the stranded migrant workers to their respective States within 15 days.
A bench of 3 judges including Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice S.K. Kaul and Justice M.R. Shah observed that 15 days are enough for moving all the stranded migrant workers. The bench was hearing in suo motu a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) over the plight of migrant workers.
The Supreme Court also said that it will pronounce its complete order on Tuesday, June 9, 2020.
The Supreme Court observed, “What we intend to do is we will give you and the states 15 days’ time to transport all migrants. All states will bring on record how they will provide employment and other kind of relief. There should be registration of the migrants.”
Appearing on behalf of the Central Government, Solicitor General – Tushar Mehta told the Court that the Government has transported an approximate of 1 crore migrant labourers so far. Around 57 lakh workers have been moved via train and around 41 lakh workers have been moved via road.
Additional Solicitor General – Sanjay Jain, who was representing the Delhi Government, told the court that around 2 lakh workers are still in Delhi and have chosen not to go back. Appearing for Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) Government, Senior Advocate – P.S. Narasimha said that at no point U.P. Government charged the migrant labourers. He informed that 104 special trains were organized to send back 1.35 lakh people.
Meanwhile, India recorded the highest ever single day spike of 9,851 Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and 283 casualties in the past 24 hours. Maharashtra, the most affected State, recorded the highest number of 139 casualties in a single day. 2,436 fresh cases were recorded in the day. The total number of cases in the State have now reached 80,229 and there have been 2,849 casualties.
Tamil Nadu, the second worst hit State witnessed 1,438 new cases and 12 casualties. The total number of cases have now reached 28,694 and there have been 232 casualties. Delhi, the third worst hit State, reported 1,359 fresh cases. The total number of cases in Delhi are now 25,004 and there have been 650 casualties.
Karnataka reported 515 fresh cases, taking the total tally to 4,835. The total number of cases in U.P. have surged to 3,828 with 502 fresh cases. Kerala reported 111 new cases, taking the tally to 1,697.
In other developments, the Minister of Health & Family Welfare – Dr. Harsh Vardhan has advised the Delhi Government to ramp up testing, surveillance, contact tracing and stringent containment and perimeter control. The Calcutta High Court has asked the Central & West Bengal Governments to file affidavits by June 11, 2020 to inform the Court as to whose opinion was taken into consideration before announcing the withdrawal of lockdown.
The MoHFW has issued guidelines for safe practice of Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Doctors to minimise the spread of COVID-19 infection among ENT doctors, nursing staff, support staff, patients and their attendants. As per the guidelines, suspect patients should be treated in a separate ward and should be shifted to ENT ward only after confirmation negative for COVID-19.
As per the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), there are 2,26,770 cases and there have been 6,348 casualties.
