42 migrant labourers in Rohtak leave for UP on foot
Leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said he will take up the issue with CM Manohar Lal Khattar
In the wake of coronavirus scare and 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as many as 42 migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh started moving back to their native places on foot from Rohtak on Friday morning.
A group in Jhajjar district has arranged food for them. 32-year-old Ram Narayan, a resident of Jhansi district in Uttar Pradesh, said he and around 40 others decided to walk back home as they had no source of income as the factory they were working in were shut down.
“ We started walking from Rohtak around 3am on foot and will have to travel for around 600km on foot. We appeal the Haryana and UP governments to not stop us midway,” he added.
Another migrant labourer,Hari Prasad, said he knows the coronavirus poses a risk to life but decided to return home as he could not afford to pay the rent without a source of income.
“I along with my wife and two daughters have decided to go back home on foot because buses and transportation facilities were suspended due to the lockdown. Our company’s owner has asked us to come back after the situation gets normal. Either the Haryana or UP government should arrange a bus for us so that we are able to go home”, he said.
Leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said he will take up the issue with CM Manohar Lal Khattar. “ I have asked Congress workers and MLAs to arrange food for the needy in their respective areas . I have asked our workers in Faridabad to arrange food for migrant labourers”, he added.
Sonepat deputy commissioner Ansaj Singh has issued a notice and told landlords not to pressure labourerers for monthly room-rent till the situation normalises.