Centre orders quarantine camps for migrant workers

New Delhi: The Centre on Sunday directed all states to quarantine migrant workers reaching their borders in temporary shelters for a mandatory two-week period after proper medical screening. The government estimates that close to 300,000 migrant workers have breached the lockdown and hit the roads.

Further, to stem the tide of migrant labourers leaving their places of work in major cities, the order has made it mandatory for those running commercial establishments, factories and shops to pay wages to workers “on the due date, without any deduction, for the period their establishments are under closure due to the lockdown”.

It also says that landlords of properties where migrants are staying will “not demand payment of rent for a period of one month”. Any landlord forcing labourers to pay rent, according to the order, will be liable for action that can lead to a maximum six-month prison sentence or a suitable fine under Section 188 of the IPC.


The home ministry, which issued the order hours after PM Narendra Modi apologised for the hardship caused to the poor in his Mann ki Baat programme, also advised states to set up relief camps.

DMs, DCPs & SSPs ‘Personally Liable’
States have been advised to set up tented accommodation along highways for stranded workers to stay through the lockdown period.

“I extend a heartfelt apology to all countrymen. And I strongly feel from the core of my heart that you will forgive me — since certain decisions had to be taken, resulting in myriad hardships for you. And when it comes to my underprivileged brothers and sisters, they must be wondering what kind of PM they have, who has pushed them to the brink? My wholehearted apologies, especially to them. It is possible that many are annoyed with me for their confinement in their homes. I fully understand your situation, I can feel what you are going through,” he said.

GROUPS OF SECRETARIES
The PM has ordered that 11 empowered groups of secretaries be set up. Elaborating on this later, joint secretary (health) Lav Agarwal said these groups will look at different aspects of the Covid-19 crisis such as medical emergency management, availability of isolation beds and quarantine facilities.

On Sunday, Union cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba and home secretary Ajay Bhalla held video conference meetings with state chief secretaries and DGPs over the exodus of migrant workers. The district magistrates, deputy commissioners and senior superintendents of police were cautioned that they will be “personally liable for implementation of the directions and Iockdown measures”.

The home ministry has authorised all state governments to use their State Disaster Response Funds for building temporary shelters, camps and providing other relief measures to migrants.

‘NO OTHER OPTION’
The PM, in his Mann Ki Baat programme, once again emphasised there was no other option but a lockdown to battle Covid-19. “The fight against coronavirus is one between life and death itself… we have to win.”

Modi also said it was unfortunate that some people suspected to have the coronavirus and asked to stay in home quarantine, were being ill-treated by others. “I am greatly pained to learn of these instances. In the current circumstances, we need to ensure social distance, not human or emotional distance. These people are not criminals. They are merely suspected to be infected with the virus. These people have isolated and quarantined themselves to protect other people from getting infected.”