Haryana DGP asks his Pb counterpart to stop entry of migrant workers entry from that state: Vij

Haryana's Home Minister Anil Vij on Thursday said the state DGP has spoken to his Punjab counterpart to prevent entry of migrant workers to Haryana from the neighbouring state.

Vij said that in the recent days there have been cases where a number of migrant workers who set out on foot from different parts of Punjab, including Ludhiana entered Haryana by various routes.

He said that the state government is now stopping the migrant labourers who are crossing into Haryana on foot and is taking them to relief camps where all arrangements are being made to provide food and shelter to them.

"Our DGP has talked to his Punjab counterpart and told him that in recent days a number of migrants have been entering Haryana and they should be stopped in that state as they have to get themselves registered from there to be sent to their native states," said Vij.

He said that Haryana, on its part, has been making arrangements and has already sent a large number of migrant workers, who registered themselves with the state, back to their native states.

"We have sent over one lakh migrant workers from Haryana who wanted to travel back to their native states. In all, nearly eight lakh have registered so far with us. Those who have registered with us, we can only send them and this is why we are asking Punjab to prevent movement of migrants from their state," he said.

He also said that the states from where the migrants hail also need to give a no-objection certificate before they board trains and buses for onward journey.

"We cannot send these migrants if their native states do not give an NOC. The railways have told us that they are ready to make available as many trains needed as soon as all formalities are completed. We can send all those migrants who want to go, but a process has to be followed and it mainly depends on NOC from their states," he said.

He said that Haryana wants migrant workers to stay, but it cannot stop those who want to leave.

The migrant workers in Haryana mainly come from UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh while some are from Chhattisgarh, he said.

Officials said migrant workers are being sent only after they have registered with the district administration and after their home states have given approval to receive them.

Special helpdesks have been set up at railway stations and officers of the district administration are present when the workers board the trains.

With economic activities resuming in Haryana, barring in containment zones, a number of migrants who registered themselves for going back to their states have now expressed a desire to stay back and work in units in the state, officials said.