Lucknow: Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, on Friday has urged all migrant workers of the State living in Maharashtra to stay put where ever they are.
“Considering the threat of corona virus, it is for the betterment of yourself, your family and even those at your hometown that you stay in the city where you work,” Yogi made an appealed Friday to all those people working in Maharashtra and even in other states.
He also spoke to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray over phone asking him to take care of all migrant workers of Uttar Pradesh amid the lockdown which has left most workers high and dry.
Yogi made similar calls to CMs of Andhra, Telangana, West Bengal, Rajasthanm Haryana, Bihar, Karnataka, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi, the States where UP workers are in large numbers.
To help them in these difficult times, the Yogi Adityanath government on Friday appointed one senior Indian Administrative Services Officer Nitin Gokarn and one Indian Police Service officer SB Shiradkar as “nodal officers” of Maharashtra.
Both officials have been tasked to address the issues which the migrants of the State are facing at present in Maharashtra.
Nitin Gokarn, who is currently posted as Principal Secretary Public Works Department, told FPJ, “We will coordinate with Maharashtra officials and ensure that the migrant workers of UP get quick assistance with regards to food, shelter and even in case of any atrocities against him. However, we can’t offer transportation to them as services have been shut to contain the disease.”
Mr Gokarn said that he (Nitin Gokarn 7007304242, pspwd208@gmail.com) and Mr Shiradkar (SB Shiradkar: 9454400177, shripadshiradkar@gmail.com) both can be contacted for the help.
The State administration has no data so far with regards to number of migrant workers working in Maharashtra and how many of have already reached hometown.
Lakhs of UP migrants are working in industrial units, commercial establishments, run road side stalls and also work in informal sector across Maharashtra. Since all activities ceased, they are left with no earning and those in formal sector stare at job losses.
Many of them already rushed to their hometown in packed trains last week before trains were suspended, which made them more vulnerable for the deadly disease. Many of those who couldn’t are anxious to back home anticipating the job losses.
