It Is Impossible To Monitor And Stop Migrant Workers, Says Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court on Friday heard the case of migrant labourers. The court said, it is impossible to monitor or stop the activities of migrant labourers across the country. The court said the government should take necessary action in this regard. The central government told the court that transport is being provided to migrant workers across the country to their destination but they have to wait for their turn instead of walking.
A bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao, refused to consider an application seeking directions from all the district magistrates to identify the stranded migrant workers, provide shelter, food before ensuring free transport for them. The application was filed recently on the incident in Aurangabad. In which 16 labourers died when they came under a goods train. The bench, which heard the migrants ‘ plea, also included Justices SK Kaul and BR Gawai.
The bench asked Solicitor General,Tushar Mehta whether there is any way to prevent these migrant labourers from plying on the streets. Mehta said that the states are providing inter-state transport to migrant labourers but nothing can be done if people start walking on foot instead of waiting for transport.
He said that the authorities can only request the migrants not to walk on foot as it would be unfavourable to use any kind of force to stop them. On a bench hearing through video conferencing, Mehta said that under the agreement between the state governments, everyone will get a chance to go to their home state. The petition was filed in the court by lawyer Alakh Alok Srivastava. He mentioned the recent incidents in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh where migrant labourers were killed in accidents on highways
