SC to hear plea today seeking instruction to Centre to identify, transport every stranded labourer to home

The Supreme Court will hear on Tuesday a petition filed by lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava, seeking instruction to the Union of India to identify and transport each stranded labourer to his or her home in a dignified manner.

Srivastava had filed the petition before the Apex Court, after the tragic incident in which 16 poor migrant labourers were killed in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, in a train accident.

In his petition, Srivastava stated that despite the Supreme Court's earlier direction in his petition, why no concrete action has been taken to avert the heartwrenching train accident, which took place on May 8, 2020, at Gadhejalgaon village in Aurangabad district in Maharashtra.

The incident claimed at least 16 migrant poor workers, who were walking on foot to their respective villages and towns due to the nationwide COVID lockdown, Srivastava had stated in his petition.

Srivastava sought appropriate order to the Union of India to urgently direct the District Magistrates of each and every district of India to immediately identify such moving/stranded migrant workers in their respective districts, immediately shift them to the nearest shelter homes.

He further sought a direction that the Union of India should provide the needy migrant labourers all the basic necessities, including camps, provide them sufficient food, water, medicines and counselling, etc., Srivastava said.

He also said, in his petition, that upon proper medical examination of these migrant labourers, the Centre should ensure them to provide free transportation to them to their respective native villages, with utmost dignity.

( With inputs from ANI )