Amaravati: High court issues norms to government to deal with migrants

Nelapadu (Amaravati): Expressing serious concern over the plight of migrants who were seen walking long distances to reach their native states and places, the division bench of Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday issued guidelines to the state government to take suitable action for the safe travel of the migrant workers.

The bench comprising Justice D V S S Somayajulu and Jusitce Lalitha Kanneganti, reacting to a public interest litigation petition filed by K Ramakrishna, said that though the state government said that it had set up food counters and relief centres for every 50 km to feed the walking migrants, it would also be needed to take up some supplementary measures with immediate effect.

The division bench suggested to the state government to provide medical assistance to the migrants at the food centres. They should be provided with good drinking water, oral dehydration salts, and glucose packets. The trained paramedical volunteers, or physicians, should be posted at every centre with ambulance for assisting the migrants to reach nearby hospital or medical centre.

The division bench also said that since a large number of women were walking, temporary toilets should be provided for them. The High Court said that it had been noticed that a large number of volunteers are distributing food and water to the migrants, the state government must week the help of industrial and business houses to provide food to these migrants under CSR activity.

The division bench suggested that the patrol vehicles of the National Highways Authority and the police could be used to transport the migrants who face difficulty in walking to the nearest shelter. The state government was directed to print pamphlets in Hindi and Telugu with the phone numbers which could be contacted in case of emergencies. The migrant workers should be sensitised to maintain protection distance at the food centres.

The division bench directed the government to appoint a nodal officer of a rank of tahsildar or DSP to supervise the each of the shelters. The state could avail the services of the District Legal Services Authority in case of shortage of staff for rendering any service. It was also suggested that the services of paralegal volunteers, NSS, NCC, Scouts and Guides, Red Cross, Lions Clubs and Rotary Clubs to man these shelters and to ensure food and medical help.

The court said that these interim measures are suggested till all the labourers are picked up and transported by the state. It suggested that efforts should be made to convince the migrant labourers to stop walking and to take the transport being provided by the state government.