A massive survey is being carried out by the State government to assess how many migrants wish to leave the State.
Additional DGP (Law and Order) Jitender, who is also the nodal officer for movement of persons stranded due to lockdown, said that there are over 3.5 lakh migrant workers across the State. “We will get to know how many people want to live or stay back in Telangana,” the officer said.
However, officials presume that not more than 30% of these migrants are desperate to go back home, as work is resuming in phases and food and other relief measures are being provided by the State. The massive exercise is aimed at making the whole arrangement hassle-free, the official said. “We want to do everything in a systematic way, so that they won’t face any problems even after reaching their destinations in trains or buses,” Mr. Jitender said. Authorities are looking to arrange trains more than buses, as many will need to travel far and bus journeys can deprive them of food and lavatories. However, after reaching their respective States, the travellers will be under government-provided quarantine for 14 days. “We have to contact the respective State governments and inform them about the journeys, and they will in turn make arrangements further,” the top police brass said.
“For instance, if 50,000 people from Telangana wish to travel back to their native place, they cannot be sent at one time. They have to be sent in phases, after making adequate travel and food arrangements,” he said. He also expressed concern for those who are taking to the streets, as it defeats the purpose of the lockdown and leaves the people exposed to coronavirus infection. “Workers should have patience for their own safety. We are taking up their issues on top priority. The State is providing stranded workers with ration, money and even cooked food,” he added.
The officer also said that workers are being asked not to gather at police stations so as to avoid the risk of virus transmission. “The government officers will go to the worksites, camps and other places, where the migrant workers live, to collect their details, including their contact numbers and destination. They should not come out on streets or go to the police stations,” he said.
