Published 03:13 IST, May 23rd 2020
Over 18.24 L migrant workers have returned to UP amid lockdown, says Addl Chief Secretary
Awanish Awasthi, Additional Chief Secretary, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday said that over 18.24 lakh migrants have returned to the state during the lockdown period.
Additional Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh Awanish Awasthi on Friday said that over 18.24 lakh migrants have returned to the state during the lockdown period. Among them, over 12 lakh migrants have availed the special Shramik trains to return to their home state.
Over 18 lakh workers have returned to UP
Addressing the media, Awasthi said, "Over 18.24 lakh labourers have returned to Uttar Pradesh from other States during the lockdown. Over 12.33 lakh people have returned by 930 'Shramik Special' trains. The government has approved 1,199 trains to bring back migrant workers."
"On the return of migrant workers, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered that infrared thermometers should be arranged at quarantine centres. It will help in identifying persons, who have corona symptoms. Such persons will undergo institutional quarantine and then medical care," he added.
Essential Services Maintenance Act
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government imposed the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), which gives the government the power to prohibit strikes in workplaces for the next six months, after which it may be extended for another six months. Under ESMA, if any person strikes, it will be considered illegal and may face imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees or both. Any police officer may arrest without warrant any person who is reasonably suspected of having committed any offence. Orders issued under this law will be in effect in spite of being inconsistent with any other Uttar Pradesh Act for the time being in force, essentially overriding other acts.
SP alleges quarantine centres as torture camps
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav on Friday alleged that the quarantine centres in Uttar Pradesh are so bad that they have become "torture camps" due to the "apathetic attitude" of the Yogi Adityanath government.
He also demanded that the government makes public the account of its expenditure in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
"The chief minister used to make big claims about arrangements in quarantine centres. But the reality is that, now they have become torture camps, whose situation is very bad," Yadav said in a statement.
"The officers have put migrant labourers as animals in quarantine centres made in ponds and secluded places. The BJP government is highlighting these as 5-star arrangements. At various places labourers, doctors and nurses had protested against it also," he said.
Updated 03:13 IST, May 23rd 2020