Tamil Nadu government unsure of sending off migrant workers

Despite the Union government’s approval for the movement of stranded migrant labourers to their native states, Tamil Nadu seems to be unsure regarding the move.

Speculating that the state would need workers after a few relaxations will be provided in orange zones and some industries will start operating after May 3, the government here hasn’t cleared the air regarding migrants’ movements.

According to the Ministry of Home affair (MHA)’s recent order of extending the lockdown for two more weeks from May 4, as many as 22 districts including the major industrial cities like Coimbatore, Karur, and Erode have been categorized under the orange zone where minimum relaxation will be given.

Earlier in a meeting with district collectors, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K.Palaniswami was also of the opinion to relax the certain restriction in the rural parts of the state barring Chennai after May 3 for the operation of industries.

Following the MHA’s orders of transportation of stranded labourers, the state government appointed Atulya Misra, additional chief secretary for Revenue and Disaster Management as the nodal officer to facilitate the transportation of the people.

However, there has been no action plan initiated until Friday to facilitate their transportation.

Related news: How the COVID-19 lockdown changed the course of a migrant worker’s life

“As of now, we are looking after stranded pilgrims, tourists, students, and migrant labourers. But currently, we can only help those who can move to their corresponding states themselves,” Misra said.

For instance, a Gujarati family who came in their own car, have been stranded in Chennai since the lockdown without knowing whom to approach for a travel pass.

After the collector’s help, they did get an e-pass but that permits only three people in a car including the driver and they are a family of four.

“Now we do not know how to get them a pass and send them back home in their own vehicle. But, we are working on formatting a regulation to transport these people as well,” Misra explained.

Regarding the state government’s plan to ferry the migrants via ‘shramik special’ trains started by the Centre, Misra said they haven’t even looked into the issue and maybe in a day or two a mobile application or a website would be launched by the officials where people can register for transportation.

A few collectors, The Federal spoke to were of the opinion that the labourers should not be sent back home as in a few days some industries will start operating and will need manpower.

“If the state government relaxes the restriction and approves for the functioning of the industries complying with social distancing norms and other precautionary measures, then the industries will face a staff shortage. So, we did not want to encourage migrant workers by reaching out to them without any pre-plan for free functioning of industries,” said a district collector in the Western Region, on condition of anonymity.

When asked regarding the surety of job, wages, and other essentials, the district collector said, he did not want to risk giving them any commitments as the state government itself is yet to decide on it.

“Now, we have left it to the discretion of the migrant labourers and their corresponding states. If the labourers are interested to move and if their native state is also requesting us to send their people, we will facilitate transportation but the cost and other arrangements should be borne by the respective states,” the collector said.

Another district collector from the southern region in Tamil Nadu, however, was confident that the migrant workers would stay back if the industries open.

“Since they have come a long way to work here, they would not leave their earning to go to their native where they had no employment opportunity,” the collector said.

Saying the final call on the issue will be taken after the state’s relaxation norms are out, another district collector also from the western Tamil Nadu said, “To send them through any mode of transportation, we need the state government’s order. Since there is no clear communication to the districts in this regard, we are on the wait and watch mode.”

Even though he agreed that the state would suffer without enough manpower in the industries, he also said that the labourers can’t be held here for long as the supply of essentials is becoming tough.

Related news: As lockdown extended by 2 weeks, Centre lists red, orange, green zones

Resonating with him, some industrialists also felt that even if the migrant labourers are ensured of their wages and essentials, they would only be willing to go to their native instead of staying back and working here.

K.P.Ramasamy, KPR Mills chairman who housed nearly 17,500 migrant labourers in his industry hostel said, “Despite providing them the salary during the lockdown and supplying them with all the essentials they required, over 30 per cent of them still wanted to go to their native place.

We cannot complain about them. It’s several months since they have gone to their native and during such uncertain times, it is the nature of any human being to move to their native place,” he said.

Regarding the effect on production if labourers went away Ramasamy said, it depends on the orders that they get and that can only be after the relaxations are in place.

Despite the hearsay news of the prospective relaxations to be given to industries, stranded migrant labourers in Chennai, who were all housed in the relief camps have expressed their willingness to travel to their native place.

Following their demand, the Greater Chennai Corporation officials are in the process of collecting the details of the labourers to give it to the government to arrange for special trains.

Meanwhile, the Puducherry government has also sought the help of the Tamil Nadu’s State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) to transport the stranded people from Odisha and Madhya Pradesh to their corresponding states.

A top official in the SETC told The Federal that they do not have any issues in ferrying people to such long distances in buses and they can depute two drivers for the task.

“They can drive for 15 hours but, after that, both the drivers should be given the rest of a minimum of eight hours. Since it is a lockdown period, the corresponding state governments should ensure a place of rest en route for the drivers. It can even be a school or college,” he said.

Related news: MHA approves ‘Shramik Special’ trains to ferry stranded migrant workers

However, the Tamil Nadu government is yet to respond to the Puducherry government’s request.