4.16 lakh migrant workers sent home from Karnataka, HC told

The state government on Thursday submitted before the High Court that a total of 4.16 lakh migrant workers had been transported from the state till June 29.

It also told the court that SMSes had been sent to 6.54 lakh migrant workers registered on Seva Sindhu portal, informing them to report immediately at the mustering centre – Tripura Vasini, Palace Grounds in Bengaluru - if they still intend to travel.

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Hearing PILs filed on various issues surrounding Covid-19, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Abhay S Oka directed the government to ensure relief to the workers who chose to continue their stay in the state. The government submitted that around 50% of the workers registered on the Seva Sindhu portal had decided not to go back to their home states.

"If the submission of the state is accepted, broadly it can be said that out of the migrant workers who registered with the portal to return to their home states, about half of them continued to stay in the state of Karnataka. The issue of providing relief to them under various welfare legislations which are applicable to them needs to be considered,’’ the bench said.

The government submitted that in addition to the trains till June 30, another Shramik Special train left Bengaluru for Bihar via Odisha and Jharkhand on July 1. Arrangements will be made for the transportation of the workers if they intend to go back to their states.

"Based on the number of migrant workers who report at the designated places, trains would be arranged for the migrant workers. This is intended to be the last SMS which is to be sent to the migrant workers registered on Seva Sindhu,’’ the state submitted.

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The counsel for the petitioner stated that on July 2 also, there were around 1,000 migrant workers at the Tripura Vasini mustering centre intending to go back to their states.