Provide food, shelter, healthcare for migrant workers amid coronavirus lockdown: High court to Maharashtra government

The Bombay high court (HC) on Monday directed the Maharashtra government to make arrangements for shelter, food, sanitation, clothing, and healthcare for labourers

The Bombay high court (HC) on Monday directed the Maharashtra government to make arrangements for shelter, food, sanitation, clothing, and healthcare for labourers in the state, both local and migrant.

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Justice SB Shukre took note of the fact that migrant labourers have lost their only source of livelihood due to the nationwide lockdown amidst the Covid-19 outbreak, and are trying to return to their hometowns.

“Owing to such largescale movement of labourers, there is a further danger of the spread of Covid-19,” said the judge, adding, “This is apart from the unfathomable hardship the labourers are going through owing to stoppage of their income.”

“In the circumstances, what looks to be sensible is to provide clothing, medicine, and healthcare, and throwing generally an umbrella of protection around these labourers,” said justice Shukre.

He noted that the Orissa high court had on March 29, directed the state government to make arrangements for shelter, food, and sanitation, including medical check-ups of all labourers till the lockdown is lifted. Shukre said similar arrangements needed to be made in Maharashtra as well for needy local and migrant labourers.

The HC was hearing a petition filed by Nagpur resident CH Sharma in 2000, raising concerns about the quality of healthcare provided at four government medical colleges in Vidarbha region.

On March 18, 2020, Sharma moved the court again, pointing out that the government medical colleges in Vidarbha were completely ill-equipped to handle Covid-19 patients and create isolation facilities. Taking serious note of the grievance, the court passed Monday’s order. It has now posted the matter for further hearing on April 8.