Onkar Singh / NEW DELHI
In a fresh directive centre today asked states and Union Territories to take measures to prevent movement of a large number of migrant workers to their home states.
It has ordered to ensure the adequate arrangement of temporary shelters and provisions of food and other facilities for poor and needy people stranded due to lockdown.
In its directive, the Home Ministry said, the migrant people, who have moved out to reach their home states, must be kept in the nearest shelters by the concerned states and quarantine them after proper screening for a minimum period of 14 days.
The Ministry has also directed the employers including industry, shops and commercial establishments to make payment of wages of their workers on the due date without any deduction.
The landlords of workers have also been ordered not to demand payment of rent for a period of one month. It warned that action will be taken if any landlord is forcing labourers and students to vacate their premises.
Terming the movement of a large number of migrant workers to reach their home towns as a violation of the lockdown, the Ministry asserted that District Magistrate, Senior Superintendent of Police , Superintendent of Police and DCP will be personally liable for implementation of the direction and lockdown measures.
Earlier in the day, the Centre had asked state governments and Union Territory administrations to effectively seal state and district borders to stop movement of migrant workers. During a video conference with chief secretaries and DGPs, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba and Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla asked them to ensure that there is no movement of people across cities or on highways as the lockdown continues.
The Cabinet secretary and Home Ministry officials are in constant touch with the State chief secretaries and the DGPs. In the meeting, it was noted that, by and large, there has been effective implementation of the lockdown guidelines across all States and UTs. Essential supplies have also been maintained.