Khattar orders sealing of Haryana borders to stop movement of migrant workers

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday directed deputy commissioners to completely seal all inter and intra-state borders to stop the movement of migrant workers during the nationwide lockdown, an official statement said.

This comes hours after the Centre directed all state governments and Union Territory administrations to ensure there is no movement of people across cities or on highways during the lockdown.

Since the nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24 to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, all business and economic activity has come to a virtual standstill, leaving migrant workers jobless.

With no money to pay rent or buy food, thousands have set out on long journeys to their far-flung native villages, defying lockdown orders.

Khattar directed that DCs that the migrant workers should be stopped wherever they are and not be allowed to move, the statement said.

He gave the orders while presiding over a meeting with the DCs and superintendents of police via videoconferencing here, it said.

The chief minister directed the officers to set up shelter or relief camps and ensure that proper food and lodging arrangements are made for the migrant workers in such camps.

He warned of strict action against those refusing to stay in the camps.

According to the statement, Khattar said a nodal officer should be appointed for every camp in each district who will ensure staying, food and medical facilities for the migrants.

Besides, he asked officials to make sure that social distancing is followed in these camps, the statement said.

Khattar said special relief camps should also be set up along the national highways so that migrant workers who have already set out for their homes can stay in these camps.

He noted that many religious bodies have offered their help to the state government in this hour of crisis and therefore the officers should coordinate with such organisations to use their 'bhawans' as shelters.

He added that special arrangements should be made for the elderly who are staying alone.

Meanwhile, presiding over a meeting of Crisis Coordination Committee with senior officers through video conferencing here, Haryana Chief Secretary Keshni Anand Arora said around 129 shelter or relief homes have been set up in districts across the state and food is being provided to 29,328 migrant workers.

She directed that special health camps should be set up on the state's borders, while migrant labourers should be made to undergo thermal screening along with other medical tests.

Apart from this, she added, the officers should explore the possibility of turning the stadiums in their respective districts into temporary shelters, so that migrant workers who are moving on foot can stay there. No one should be allowed to move on roads.

Arora said a nodal officer should also be appointed to track the number of the migrant labourers staying in the shelter homes.

Over the past few days, hordes of migrant workers have set out on foot from parts of Haryana towards Delhi and onwards to their homes in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Earlier on Sunday, Haryana's Home Minister Anil Vij appealed to them not to leave the state, while assuring them all their needs will be taken care of.

"Don't leave my friends. We will make all arrangements to take care of your needs," he said in a tweet.