SC pulls up Maharashtra govt on plight of migrant labourers

The Supreme Court on Thursday pulled up Maharashtra government for filing an affidavit stating that all is fine in the state.

A Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MR Shah was hearing the suo moto cognisance the apex court took and some PILs filed on the plight of migrant labourers who are stranded in different parts of the country.

The top court stated that it cannot accept Maharashtra's approach that all migrants are provided food and that it has no knowledge of any deficiency in dealing with migrant workers and none of them are left to be sent home.

It further observed that it is obligation of the State government to identify migrant workers in need and not getting food and, who want to go home.

The Supreme Court has asked Maharashtra government to file proper affidavit and adjourned the matter for further hearing on next Friday.

During the hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal told the Bench that a national plan for COVID-19 is needed.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that the national plan for COVID management as sought in a petition filed by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) through advocate Prashant Bhushan is already on record.

Mehta stated that government has COVID-19 containment plan also.

The apex court stated that the same issue had come up earlier also and at that time, national plan was not placed on record, now they've placed it.

Supreme Court told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to supply the affidavit detailing the issues to other parties.

Mehta stated that the latest affidavit was filed on July 6. He said that in the affidavit it was stated that the migrants who wanted to leave earlier have now decided to stay back in the cities of their employment as the state opened up employment opportunities. From May 1, around 3,50,000 workers came back to work again, Mehta informed.

Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, representing Bihar government, said, "In Bihar reverse migration is happening. Trains from Bihar to other cities are full. They are now going back to their jobs."

-ANI

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