HC seeks report on migrant workers status from TN government

The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Tamil government to file a detailed status report on distribution of ration materials to migrant workers in the state.

A Division Bench of Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice M Nirmal Kumar issued the directive after a PIL by People's Watch, a human rights organisation, came up for hearing through video conference.

The public interest litigation (PIL) alleged migrant workers were starving without any access to food.

The petitioner claimed that for the past 30 days not a single government authority from either the revenue or labour department of the state has come to the assistance of the inter-state guest workers community except for some random visits and generous hospitality of some NGOs.

When they approached their respective factories for their back wages and for dry rations or cooked food they were turned them down saying they were helpless, it was submitted.

Government Pleader Jayaprakash Narayan said there were 4,30,309 inter-state migrant workers in Tamil Nadu and dry ration food commodities kit have been sanctioned and being supplied to them.

It was further submitted that with regard to migrant workers in Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu districts, a total number of 86,844 workers had been identified and ration materials were supplied to all of them on April 7.

The migrant workmen employed in automobile manufacturing factories like Hyundai, Daimler, Renault Nissan, Royal Enfield, among others around Chennai have been distributed with the relief material kits.

After hearing the submissions from the government and the petitioner, the bench sought a detailed status report and posted the matter for further hearing to May 26.