The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the police and the authorities to treat migrant workers journeying home in fear of COVID-19 in a humane manner.
“We expect those concerned to appreciate the trepidation of the poor men, women and children and treat them with kindness… The anxiety and fear of the migrants should be understood by the police and other authorities. As directed by the Union of India, they should deal with the migrants in a humane manner. Considering the situation, we are of the opinion that the State governments/Union Territories should endeavour to engage volunteers along with the police to supervise the welfare activities for the migrants,” a Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde, said.
Also read | Lockdown displaces lakhs of migrants
The court ordered the government to ensure that migrant workers stopped from crossing the inter-State borders were given food, shelter