Uttar Pradesh: Migrant workers scramble for bananas in Prayagraj
In a scene that should collectively shame all, desperate migrant workers were seen scrambling for bananas in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj from behind iron gates. Locked inside, they extended their hands to be handed over one fruit. The viral video naturally earned criticism for the district administration. Later, the authorities said they took corrective measures. Here's what went down.
Migrants were kept at college in Prayagraj
The incident happened at CAV college where migrants coming from Madhya Pradesh have been put up before being sent to their native districts in UP. In the last couple of weeks, thousands of migrant workers started walking towards their homes as the nationwide coronavirus-linked lockdown rendered them jobless. States have been taking precautions and screening them to ensure they are free from infection.
Tired from journey, migrant workers didn't even get food
The arrangements at the facility were careless to the say the least. Migrant workers complained of not getting proper food. And in the video, they can be seen asking for bananas from a man who wore a mask. Later, an official gave a clarification that the college is not a quarantine point but a place where migrant workers are staying before their transit.
Later, they were given bananas on buses: Official
"Bananas were distributed among them when this chaos started, so distribution was stopped immediately. Later it was distributed in the buses when they all sat on their seats," the official said.
You can watch the video here
They slept on empty stomachs
A migrant worker who came from Bhopal and intended to go to Rae Bareli complained of the mismanagement at the resting place. "Food is not being arranged properly. We are not allowed to go outside and we got nothing overnight (to eat). Now we have received biscuits, and bananas are being distributed. But drinking water is a problem," he said.
Earlier, inmates at quarantine facility in Agra faced something similar
This incident comes days after another worrying video surfaced. At a quarantine facility in Agra, inmates had to reach out for biscuits, tea, and other items from behind a robust iron gate. "This is what is being done to isolated people. We were told we will have a medical check-up done at some point, but this has not happened," a woman had said then.
Government finally took cognizance of migrant workers' sufferings
On a related note, the government has finally taken note of the plight of workers and arranged trains to ferry them home. Yesterday, the first such train started its journey from Telangana towards Hatia in Jharkhand. As of now, six such Shramik special trains have been green-lit by the Union Home Ministry and more could be allowed in the coming days.
