Jammu, 15-05-2020: Asserting that the poor labourers were the worst afflicted class during the currency of Corona pandemic, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman-JKNPP & former Minister called for a fair deal to the extremely distressed work force facing criminal apathy of the present regime. “The grief stricken poor labourers had either been stranded in other States in immensely agonizing conditions or had been lodged in extremely unhygienic quarantine centres without proper facilities even medical aid. The labourers who had managed to reach J&K had been confined in huge numbers in selected places with no medical tests being held for weeks together thereby endangering their lives. There appeared to be no takers for their shrill cries for proper food and health care and for timely conduct of their medical tests so as to ensure segregation of suspected or affected cases. This had virtually rendered all quarantined labourers susceptible to infections” said Mr. Singh. Accusing the govt of brazen disregarded for the pathetic plight of work force, Mr. Singh torched the effigy of BJP led central govt and state govt seeking immediate appropriate measures for safeguarding the lives and liberties of the poor labourers.
Calling for a calibrated approach to address the concerns of the poor labourers Mr. Singh sought deployment of additional trains for evacuating the workers and students still stranded in other States as the present arrangements had proved utterly inadequate. “The workers were not only required to be evicted immediately but the govt needed to provide them adequate financial assistance under the newly announced package. Mere two months ration to the workers would not serve the purpose. The govt needed to transfer a minimum of Rs. 5,000/- per month in each worker a/c for the next six months with on ex-gratia of Rs. 50 lacs for each worker who died in other States during the course of Journey. He regretted that the recently announced package had failed to fulfill the aspirations of the workers, farmers, youth and other marginalized sections of the society.