The Apex Court directed the Central government as well as State governments of Uttar Pradesh, National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi and Haryana to make available dry ration and community kitchens to migrants who are stranded in NCR.
The bench passed these directions in an application filed in the suo moto case, In Re: Problems and Miseries of Migrant Labourers, to highlight the problems which were being faced by the migrant workers due to the announcement of lockdown in various states in wake of second wave of COVID-19.
The bench also directed the authorities to not insist the migrant labourers to show their identity cards. If the migrants don’t possess their identity cards, upon self-declaration the authorities should provide them with the dry ration.
The bench emphasized setting up of community kitchens in well-advertised places and asked the governments to ensure that the migrants are provided two meals a day.
Apart from this, the bench also directed the respective state governments to facilitate adequate transport facility to the migrants who wish to return back to their homes.
Moreover, the bench asked the respective state governments to make suggestions regarding the position of migrants so that their miseries could be alleviated.
This is one of the many suo moto cases wherein the courts have taken a step ahead to limit the miseries of vulnerable migrants who have been subjected to the implications of lockdown imposed to curb the rising cases of COVID-19.
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