Coronavirus: PIL filed in Supreme Court to address the issue of stranded migrant workers amid nationwide lockdown

A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Centre to take appropriate steps to alleviate the trouble faced by migrant workers in the midst of the nationwide Coronavirus lockdown..After the announcement of a three-week nationwide lockdown was made on March 25 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a large number of migrant workers were rendered without any place to go or food to eat. These workers, spread across the country, were stranded in places they migrated to for work, with no mode of transport for them to travel back home..Coronavirus: PM Modi calls for 21-day lockdown; essential goods, services excluded; violators charged under Disaster Mgmt Act [Guidelines].Various media reports and video clips have emerged since the announcement of the lockdown, showing fleets of these migrant workers taking on the arduous journey to their hometowns on foot. This petition draws the attention of the Court towards such persons. It prays for addressing the plight of these workers and for basic facilities to be provided to them. It is prayed that a direction be given to the Centre to, ."to immediately identify such moving/stranded migrant workers and to immediately shift them to the nearest government shelter homes/accommodations with proper food, water, medicines and under medical supervision, in a dignified manner, till the present Coronavirus Lockdown continues.".The petitioner submits that the fundamental rights of these workers under Articles 14 and 21 are being violated, and that too, in the most heart wrenching and inhuman manner..It is also feared that these workers will be stigmatized as carriers of the novel Coronavirus and will also face the uncertainty of not being accepted back in their villages. .The petition is filed by Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava, who will seek an urgent hearing in the case before the Supreme Court. Should the request be granted, a hearing on the same will be held via video conferencing. The matter is likely to be heard by the Apex Court on Monday, March 30.