By Matters India Reporter

Kolkata, April 30, 2020: TThe West Bengal unit of the Right to Food and Work Network, a group of civil society groups in India, on April 30 urged the federal Ministry of Home Affairs to ensure smooth transportation of migrant laborers stranded in various parts of the country to their home states.

In a letter addressed to New Delhi-based Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, the campaign drew attention of a government order on this matter.

The campaign wants “humane transportation” of the laborers. For this, it suggested that the government use trains instead of buses to take them to their native states as the number of migrants and the distance they have to travel are huge.

Trains, it points out, will be less costly and can be arranged by the federal government on the Indian Railways.

“Full autonomy should be provided to stranded laborers in deciding their travel plans. No one should be forced either to stay back or to return to their home states,” the letter reiterated.

“The costs should be borne by the Central Government and not by the state governments. Further, the costs definitely should not be recovered from the stranded migrant workers,” the letter pleads.

The campaign also wants the administration to provide the laborers food and healthcare facilities during the travel.

The campaign is a platform for NGOs, non-political party unions, and dedicated individuals working in West Bengal’s 28 districts.

It is headed by a steering committee comprising members of the partner agencies.

Social activists Anuradha Talwar, Jesuit Father Irudhaya Jothi, Pawan Baxla, and Tapojay Mukherjee lead the state team.

The campaign says on their return to their villages, self-isolation will not possible or practical.

“Such a step may even expose the resident villagers to additional risks of contracting the infection. Instead, closed school and other government buildings should be utilized for supervised isolation,” it said.

The campaign wants “source states and beneficiary states” to draw up a comprehensive strategy to provide food for the 14-day isolation and migrants’ health checkup.

Copies of the letter were sent to various states that house migrant laborers.