The Ministry of Home Affairs, through the National Executive Committee, on 29 March 2020 issued an order (no. 40-3/2020-DM-I(A)) acknowledging that the movement of a large number of migrant workers taking place in the country to reach their home-towns is in violation of the lock-down measures on maintaining social distance as notified by the Ministry. (Refer to “21-day nationwide lock-down – Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs” for the details of containment measures)
To deal with this situation and to ensure effective implementation of the containment measures prescribed by the Ministry, the Order directed the government and the authorities of the states and the union territories to take necessary actions and issue orders to implement the following;
- The government of the states and the union territories shall ensure and make arrangements for proper temporary shelter and food etc. for poor and needy people, including migrant labourers, stranded due to the lock-down measures.
- The government of the states and the union territories shall properly screen the migrant labourers who have moved out to reach their home towns, for a minimum period of 14 days as per the standard protocol, and to keep them in the nearest shelter by the respective state/ union territory government’s quarantine facilities.
- All employers, whether an industry or a shop or a commercial establishment, shall pay wages to their workers on the due date at their work places, without any deduction for the period during which the establishment was closed due to the lock-down measures.
- The landlords of any property at which workers, including migrants, are staying on rent shall not demand rent for a period of one month.
- If any landlord forces the labourers or students to vacate the premises, such landlord shall be liable for punishment under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
Further, all violations of the abovementioned order shall be liable for action under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
