[Migrant crisis] From facilitating buses, air travel to providing food and logistical support: NALSAR Team undertakes relief initiatives

Witnessing the plight of migrant workers owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, alumni and students of the NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad have come together to contribute to the ongoing relief efforts in India..A press release informs that the NALSAR team has partnered with multiple civil society organisations and individuals to support stranded migrant workers with nutritious food, water, sanitation kits with also in making travel arrangements for those who wish to travel to their homes..Raising total of Rs 25 lakhs through its fundraiser, the NALSAR Team has undertaken various projects such as the following:.Call to aid: NALSAR students and alumni raise funds to aid Migrant Workers stranded amid COVID-19.Bus travel from Bhilwara, Rajasthan to Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh.In collaboration with Jai Bhim Vikas Seva Sanstha and Akhil Bharatiya Samaj Sewa Sansthan, the team has facilitated the travel of 9 migrant worker families comprising of 20 adults and 25 children, employed in a brick kiln, from Bhilwara district, Rajasthan, to Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh..Due to the persisting lockdown crisis, the brick kilns had been closed and the workers had lost their jobs which left them stranded on the road, with little to no money, no shelter, water or access to basic amenities. .The total allocation for this project was Rs 1.2 lakhs, which covered their travel expenses, food. This apart, an amount of Rs. 1,000 per person was transferred to sustain the migrant workers when they get home. .On reaching the destination, they were all screened for COVID-19 in the quarantine centre, given food on arrival along with ration from the State Government. However, 5 among them with slight fever have been quarantined for further treatment..Flight travel from Bengaluru to Raipur.In collaboration with Loving Migrant Workers Network and Samerth Charitable Trust, the team had organised and funded a chartered flight for the travel of 174 migrant workers including four infants from Bengaluru to Raipur via Indigo Airlines. .It was further informed that the team had arranged for these passengers to reach the Bangalore airport from various places in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, including Karwar, Bylakuppe, Kolar, Hosur, etc, by organizing 12 buses. .The migrants were also provided with an amount of Rs.1,000 per person as an immediate relief measure. An approximate total of Rs. 16 lakhs was spent on this project, the release informs. .In its press release, the NALSAR team also expressed their gratitude to their transport partner, Indigo Airlines for making this initiative possible. .Facilitating the journey of 21 migrant workers from Kerala to Jharkhand.In partnership with Goonj, the team had facilitated the home-bound return of 21 migrant workers from Jharkhand who were stranded in Aloor, Kerala via a shramik Train..It is further informed that the local administration in their hometown of Jamtara, Jharkhand had ensured that they reached the screening centre; provided them with meals, besides bread, biscuits and water bottles. .Food aid in West Bengal.Currently, the team is in the process of disbursing a sum of Rs 1 lakh (half of which has already been disbursed) to the National Hawker Federation (NHF) in Kolkata for their community food kitchens. .Further, the team also seeks to collaborate with the Bangla Sanskriti Mancha (BSM) for supply of ration kits to 200 affected families..These apart, the other projects undertaken by the NALSAR team includes allocating a sum of Rs. 1,05,600 for the bus travel of migrant workers from Telangana to Odisha, providing food at Secunderabad Railway Station for migrant workers and their children travelling from Bengaluru to Nagpur and the provision of logistical support for bus travel of migrants from Shillong, Meghalaya to Chandel, Manipur.To visit the fundraising page and make a donation click here..Read press release here: