Sending guest workers home: No answer from four states
Kashmiri students and others wait to board a bus to Chikkabanavara station, in Baiyappanahalli
Rajasthan, Odisha , Mizoram , Manipur yet to respond to state’s application
Authorities in Karnataka have reached out to almost all states across the country about sending all “stranded”guest workers back to their home states but at least four states are yet to clear the government’s request, it’s learnt. The endless delay in clearances from the receiving states has pushed many people, especially the workers, who have either lost their jobs or did not receive their salaries, into deep sorrow and utter hopelessness.
Official sources said thatRajasthan , Odisha, Mizoram and Manipur have not responded positively to the application sent by the Government of Karnataka. A total of over 40,000 people from all the four states -- who are currently residing in Karnataka – have applied for the permission to head back home.
“We are waiting to receive confirmation from authorities in Rajasthan. We had sent around 2,000 people on May 5. We wanted to send another batch on May 7 but consent is still pending. They also seem to be worried about the spread of the disease as their administration may not be able to cope up with the number of people coming into their states,” a senior official in the government said.
About 35,000 workers from Rajasthan and Odisha have applied for the permission to head back to their home states. It’s learnt that the authorities in West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh have just issued permissions to send back their citizens from Karnataka.
So far, the government in the state have been sending back migrant labourers to the states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. The state will also be sending workers to Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala in buses soon. All these states, it’s learnt, has allowed the government in Karnataka to send all the people who have sought permission to come back.
Those who are unable to head back to their home states are struggling day in and day out with no access to food and even drinking water. Bimal Singh, a guest worker, who currently stays near Electronics City, said he wants to go back to Odisha as early as possible. “We are stuck here with no food and a job. There is no point in staying here as we do not know any people. None of them here are bothered about us. We are facing so many problems. We will at least find some help and food back in our village,” he said.
Authorities in Karnataka have reached out to almost all states across the country about sending all “stranded”
Official sources said that
As no permission has been given by the receiving state yet, the authorities in Karnataka are unable to make travel arrangements as done to migrant workers from other states. Last week, Rajasthan government had allowed one batch of workers – ferried in a special train from Bengaluru -- inside their state. The State, however, has stopped accepting any more residents as its two districts – Bhilwara and Pali – have reported a sudden spike in the number of Covid-19 positive cases.
We are waiting to receive confirmation from authorities in Rajasthan. We had sent around 2,000 people on May 5. We wanted to send another batch on May 7 but consent is still pending
“We are waiting to receive confirmation from authorities in Rajasthan. We had sent around 2,000 people on May 5. We wanted to send another batch on May 7 but consent is still pending. They also seem to be worried about the spread of the disease as their administration may not be able to cope up with the number of people coming into their states,” a senior official in the government said.
About 35,000 workers from Rajasthan and Odisha have applied for the permission to head back to their home states. It’s learnt that the authorities in West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh have just issued permissions to send back their citizens from Karnataka.
So far, the government in the state have been sending back migrant labourers to the states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand. The state will also be sending workers to Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala in buses soon. All these states, it’s learnt, has allowed the government in Karnataka to send all the people who have sought permission to come back.
Those who are unable to head back to their home states are struggling day in and day out with no access to food and even drinking water. Bimal Singh, a guest worker, who currently stays near Electronics City, said he wants to go back to Odisha as early as possible. “We are stuck here with no food and a job. There is no point in staying here as we do not know any people. None of them here are bothered about us. We are facing so many problems. We will at least find some help and food back in our village,” he said.
