Labour Ministry Doesn't Have Data on Migrant Deaths
Union Labor Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar admitted to not data on migrants who lost their lives while on their way home during the lockdown.
When the nationwide lockdown was announced by PM Modi on 24th March migrants suffered the most. They had no jobs and had to walk thousands of kilometers toward their homes, as all modes of transportation were suspended. On the way, some died due to heat, some lost their lives to road accidents, and some were crushed by trains. Monday 14 th September was the first day of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament. During the proceedings, the Labor Ministry was asked if it had a count of how many workers returned home. Union Labor Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar admitted that one crore migrants moved from bigger cities to their homes and that it had no data on migrants who lost their lives while on their way home during the lockdown. Since there was no data, financial compensation to the families Is not possible for their families.
The ministry also did not keep a count of job losses of migrant workers. Finally after seeing so many people walking to their homes and dying on the way, the government started Shramik Special Trains from May. But about 80 migrants died on Railways premises, mostly due to heat or lack of food/water. After their poignant situation, the Supreme Court asked Railways to see to it that the migrants get food/water on trains. It was shocking to know that there were cases against some migrants for breaking the lockdown rules. In June the SC asked the government to take a compassionate approach and drop cases.
