Senior officials in Kancheepuram district have said that they have taken several measures to ensure the welfare of migrant workers. According to them, from medical check-ups to food and mental health services, all necessary arrangements have been made.
Kancheepuram Collector P. Ponniah told The Hindu on Saturday that over 38,000 migrant workers were living in 163 places in the district. “We found that they were living in congested areas, and took steps to redress it. We have also provided accommodation to 490 of them,” he said.
Mr. Ponniah said the district administration had received undertakings from 62 companies and 165 labour contractors that they will provide food and accommodation to their workers and also pay their salaries.
“Some private companies have come forward to donate dry ration kits, and we have been distributing them to migrant workers,” he said. The district administration had conducted health camps for all migrant workers in two phases, he added.
In response to a report on the plight of migrant workers, published in these columns on Sunday, Assistant Superintendent of Police of Sriperumbudur K. Karthikeyan elaborated on the steps that local police personnel were taking. They were going out of their way to help migrant workers, he claimed. “We conducted health camps for these workers twice. In all police stations, we have a separate help desk for migrant workers’ issues. The police are working 12 hours [a day] on a rotational basis to address their issues,” he said.
Mr. Karthikeyan said the control rooms had received eight pregnancy cases so far, and action was taken within 10-15 minutes of receiving calls. He said a third of the personnel in the stations were dedicated to addressing migrant workers’ issues.
“We are going to buy these workers carrom boards and chess boards. We will also make arrangements for them to watch the Prime Minister's ‘Mann Ki Baat’ and films. We have hired auto-rickshaws to announce awareness messages on COVID-19 in Bhojpuri, Odia, Hindi and Bengali,” he said.
