The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday has issued a Standard Operating System for the movement of stranded labourers within the States/UTs. According to the guidelines, the migrant labourers shall be screened and the asymptomatic ones shall be allowed to move within the state to reach their place of work. However, it clearly states that there shall be no movement of labour outside the States/UTs from where they are currently located.
This decision comes in the wake of the Centre permitting slew of activities from April 20. "Due to the spread of COVID-19 virus, workers employed in industry, agriculture, construction and other sectors have moved from their respective places of work, and are housed in relief/ shelter camps being run by State/ UT Governments," read the order.
The order further stated that since these activities, outside the containment zones, have been permitted, the workers engaged in industrial, manufacturing, construction, farming and MNREGA works shall be allowed to move within the state to reach their place of work.
Here are the guidelines in order to facilitate their movement within the States/UTs:
1. The migrant labourers currently residing in relief/ shelter camps in States/UTs should be registered with the concerned local Authority and their skill mapping be carried out to find out their suitability for various kinds of works.
2. In the event, that a group of migrants wish to return to their places of work, within the State where they are presently located, they would be screened and those who are asymptomatic would be transported to their respective places of work.
3. It may be noted that there shall be no movement of labour outside the State/UT from where they are currently located.
4. During the journey by bus, it would be ensured that safe social distancing norms are followed and the buses used for transport are sanitized as per the guidelines of the Health authorities.
5. The National Directives for COVID-19 Management issued under the consolidated revised guidelines dated 15th April 2020 shall be strictly followed
6. The local authorities shall also provide for food and water etc. for the duration of their journey.
The Centre has already made it clear that the activities permitted from April 20 won't be allowed in the containment zones.
Meanwhile, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases in the country rose to 15,712 (including 12974 active cases, 2230 cured/ discharged/ migrated people and 507 deaths), said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday morning.
