At the time when the neighboring State Governments of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi have begun the process of sending back the stranded migrant labourers to their home states, the contentious issue has put the Chandigarh Administration in a quandary.
The Administration has sought clarification from the Central Government as to who will pay for the travelling fare of the migrant labourers. Also, the Administration has written letters to State Governments of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar among others to seek their consent on sending back the stranded migrants belonging to their respective states.
The UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore has directed the Deputy Commissioner to coordinate with the receiving states, so that the stranded labour and other persons desirous of going to their home states could do so after necessary medical screening.
With the Central Government allowing the movement of migrant workers, students and tourists during the lockdown, the Chandigarh Administration had created a portal for registration of those stranded in the city and residents stranded in other states.
A stranded person can either register on the portal or call on the helpline number 1800-180-2067 where the details can be provided telephonically.
“We are finalizing the list of migrant labourers who wants to go back. The Administration has written letters to concerned states seeking their consent to send back the migrant labourers belonging to their state,” said a senior UT officer.
He said that the Administration has also written to the Central Government seeking clarification regarding the fare payment of those who wants to go back. Accordingly, arrangements will be made to send the stranded migrants back, the officer added.
A day before, the city MP Kirron Kher had made an appeal to the UT Administration to make arrangements to send all the migrant workers of other states stranded in Chandigarh to their home states as soon as possible.
Kher had said that migrant workers of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and many other states are stranded in Chandigarh and they want to return home. The Administration should prepare the list of these workers as soon as possible and make arrangements to send them to their home states through special trains with full respect, she had added.
However, Chandigarh BJP president Arun Sood had urged migrant labourers to cooperate with UT Administration and stay back in city as industrial units will be opened soon.
Chandigarh Congress, on the other hand, had written to UT Advisor Manoj Parida to take responsibility for the payment of return rail tickets for all needy workers and migrant labourers wishing to travel to their homes.