Rajasthan to organise passage for migrant workers: Gehlot
Ashok Gehlot said the state government wants to send all migrants workers to their homes safely and expected their support.
Migrant workers will now be able to go out of Rajasthan and those in other states can come back in a phased manner after his government coordinated with others, chief minister Ashok Gehlot said on Saturday evening.
Ashok Gehlot said the state government wants to send all migrants workers to their homes safely and expected their support.
“If anyone violates rules, there will be strict action," the chief minister said.
The comments came after Gehlot addressed a high-level meeting on this issue from his residence through video conference.
Chief secretary DB Gupta said he was coordinating with his counterparts in other states to ensure safe passage to migrant workers.
Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana have already initiated the process to bring back migrant labourers stranded in other states after the lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus pandemic was imposed in March till April 14 and then extended till May 3.
Also read: UP starts bringing back migrant workers
Union cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba met chief secretaries of the states on Saturday to talk about the thousands of workers, currently in migrant labour camps around India who want to return home, among other things.
With no interstate travel being allowed and passenger trains not running, several states have suggested running special trains to transport these workers.
At Saturday’s meeting, some states including Punjab, Gujarat, Bihar and West Bengal asked the Centre to set a protocol for such movements.
Registration
Gehlot said the migrant workers will have to register themselves on emitra.rajasthan.gov.in portal, e-mitra mobile app or e-mitra kiosk, or at helpline number 18001806127.
After registration, his government will seek permission from the respective state and will make arrangement for their return on a particular day and time according to the number of workers, said a release from chief minister's office.
Migrant workers or other emigrants coming from outside in their private vehicles with curfew pass will be allowed into Rajasthan after registration at the entry points and will be quarantined after reaching their destinations.
Also read: 19 buses to take 653 migrant workers to their hometowns from Gurugram
Similarly, collectors in Rajasthan will issue curfew passes to people of other states going back in their private vehicles.
Gehlot said it was a challenge to send migrant workers to their states and protocol will have to be followed. He directed officials to ensure that migrants followed social distancing and other health norms as they leave for home in the next few days.
He said the quarantine period and curfew rules should be implemented strictly without any discrimination on the basis of caste.
Also read: After month’s wait, migrants in Haryana finally on way home
He appealed to villagers to inform local administration about people coming from outside so that quarantine rules can be ensured and 'tapasya' of Rajasthanis for so many days doesn't go waste.
Following protocols
The chief minister directed officials to ensure sufficient arrangement for screening the workers for influenza-like symptoms such as fever and cold and cough.
The transport department should ensure enough buses and district administrations should make arrangements for temporary shelter and food etc state's borders, Gehlot said. Buses and shelters should be sanitised.
The chief minister said migrant workers coming in from outside should stay under home quarantine as much as possible. For those who cannot follow this, the district administration should organise institutional quarantine facilities, he said.
Gehlot said everyone should keep all identity documents and documents related to Covid-19 tests, if done, with them, and should produce them when asked, without any fear or hesitation.
"Don't hide information about contact with a Covid-19 positive patient or any symptoms of the disease," he appealed to the people.
The government is tracking everyone in quarantine through the Covid-19 info app. If anyone goes outside the quarantine area, they will face action
Rajasthan reported 49 new cases on Saturday, taking the state's Covid-19 toll to 2,083. There have been 34 deaths in the state even as 513 people recovered from the disease.
