Published 16:00 IST, May 14th 2020
Om Birla urges Lok Sabha members to make arrangements for migrants passing through
Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla requested parliamentary representatives to pay attention to the needs of the migrant workers passing through their constituencies.
Amid the state governments scrambling to arrange transportation and facilities for the stranded migrant labourers to go back to their native place, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla requested each parliamentary constituency to pay attention to the needs of the migrant workers that had decided to take the journey back home on foot. Urging public representatives to arrange food and water for the migrants, Om Birla stated that it was their responsibility to support them amid the COVID-19 crisis.
"I urge all honourable members of Lok Sabha to make proper arrangements for food, water and other necessary arrangements for migrant workers passing through their respective parliamentary constituencies. As public representatives, our responsibility in providing support and support to each person increases even more," said speaker Om Birla.
While the Centre has started hundreds of Shramik trains daily to ferry the stranded daily wage workers home, many have decided to take the journey on foot, trekking or cycling for hundreds of kilometres. Accidents involving migrants on the move are also being reported daily from various states.
In order to cater to the needs of more migrants, the Centre on Monday said that the Railways will now run 100 'Shramik Special' trains daily, adding that 468 such trains have been operated since May 1 ferrying home over five lakh migrants stranded in various parts of the country.
The Railways also decided to carry around 1,700 passengers on these trains instead of the current 1,200 and the railway zones have also been asked to provide three stops in the destination state other than the terminating station, at the request of the state governments.
(With PTI inputs)
Updated 16:00 IST, May 14th 2020