The police department has asked its field-level officers to ascertain if migrant labourers employed in various business units and service industry in Tiruchi range were provided with basic facilities, food and medicine.
They have compiled a list of labourers working in Tiruchi, Perambalur, Pudukottai and Ariyalur districts in different category of business units. A nodal officer in the rank of Inspector of Police has been nominated for each district. Over 7,800 were working in these districts. Tiruchi district has 2,800 labourers followed by Pudukottai (2,200), Ariyalur (1,900) and Perambalur (800). Labourers from Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha had been employed in cement units, construction industry, ice factory, rice mills, marble and steel units, hotels and infrastructure industry such as laying of roads.
The pandemic had brought industrial and infrastructure activities to a grinding halt leading to complete suspension of work. This led to a situation where migrant labourers could not carry out their daily work and confined to their respective places of stay in the four districts. With no work and suspension of vehicular movement, an attempt was made by some labourers in Ariyalur district to head back to their homes by engaging a lorry.
However, this was prevented by the police in the wake of prohibitory order.
Nodal officers had been nominated in these districts to ascertain that basic amenities and facilities were provided to the labourers and ensure that they were adequately taken care of by employers or contractors, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Tiruchi Range V. Balakrishnan said. They have been visiting periodically to ascertain if labourers had any grievance to be settled and inquiring about their health condition.
In Tiruchi district, labourers were residing in nearly 48 places including Kallakudi, Manikandam, Musiri and Manapparai, said a field-level police officer.
The nodal officers coordinate with the revenue authorities to ensure that the grievances of labourers and those relating to amenities were addressed, another officer said. Many workers were accommodated in temporary places of stay or near unit premises where they had worked.
The police in association with the district administration and labour department were keeping a tab on migrant labourers and ensure that they were provided with basic amenities and food. The labourers would get rice, dhal and edible oil soon.
The officers convey to the labourers that they would not be able to go back to their States until the lockdown was lifted. The health condition of labourers was being looked into and steps were being initiated to extend medical services. The importance of personal distancing and the need to wear mask as a precautionary measure to check the spread of COVID-19 were also stressed during meetings.
