States can't charge fare from migrant workers, must provide food, says SC

The Supreme Court Thursday ordered that no fare for travel either by train or bus be charged from the migrant workers stranded across the country and they be provided food and water.

The apex court, which passed interim directions, said all migrant workers who are stranded at various places shall be provided food by concerned states and Union Territories (UTs) at places which shall be publicised and notified to them for the period they are waiting for their turn to board a train or a bus.

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan said that the originating state shall provide meals and water at the station and during the journey while the Railways would provide the same to the migrant workers.

It said that food and water be also provided to them for travel in buses.
 

The bench, also comprising Justices S K Kaul and M R Shah, directed that states oversee the registration of migrant workers and ensure that they are made to board the train or bus at the earliest.

The top court said that complete information in this regard should be publicised to all concerned.

The court observed that it is presently concerned with the miseries and difficulty faced by the migrants workers who are trying to get to their native places.

It said though there is no doubt that concerned state governments and UTs are taking steps, several lapses have been issued in the process of registration, transportation and providing food water to the migrants.