Mamata writes letter to 18 CMs; requests aid for stranded Bengal workers

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to 18 chief ministers on Thursday, seeking aid for workers from the state who are stranded in different regions of the country due to the lockdown over the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The letter comes amid reports that migrant workers across the country were trying to walk back home due to unemployment, lack of shelter and food.

According to Census 2011, there are around 5-lakh migrant workers from the state who are working in different parts of the country.

"Bengal has many workers - semi skilled and unskilled, working in different parts of the country," Banerjee said in the letter. "Due to complete lockdown in the country for COVID- 19 pandemic, many Bengal workers could not travel back and are stuck at different places."
"We have received information that many such workers who are ordinarily resident of Bengal are stuck in your state too," Banerjee said. "We are getting SOS calls from them."