On June 5th this year, the Stranded Workers Action Network, comprising volunteers from various civil society groups, academics and students enrolled in university education, released its third report entitled ‘To Leave or Not to Leave? Lockdown, Migrant Workers, and Their Journeys Home’. Among other things, the latest report states that nearly four-fifth of migrant workers (out of 5,911) who called SWAN volunteers for help (altogether 821 distress calls were made)...
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How many migrant workers displaced? A range of estimates -Seema Chishti
-The Indian Express Among the states, UP has said 21.69 lakh workers had returned. Bihar has said 10 lakh had returned; Maharashtra has said 11 lakh have left the state. Gujarat said 20.5 lakh had gone back home. A problem in dealing with issues relating to migrant labour after the lockdown was announced on March 25 has been the absence of firm estimates of the number of displaced. Various govt estimates: Last week,...
More »The RTI regime failed India during Covid-19 -Yashovardhan Azad
-Hindustan Times Responses have been elusive on critical issues, including health care infra, PM Cares fund, schemes, and migrants In the lethal jaws of a pandemic, when lives and livelihoods are at stake, the information law of a democracy is expected to live up to its responsibilities — to empower the citizens and to ensure transparency and accountability. Free flow of information is an essential component of crisis management. And this is...
More »Civil society organisations mourn loss of life and livelihood due to COVID-19 lockdown on 1st June
-Press Release by Right to Food Campaign dated 3rd June, 2020 1st June was observed as a Day of National Mourning to highlight the colossal loss of life and livelihood that continues because of the brutal lockdown and utter apathy of the central government and many state governments. On that day, people and civil society organisations (CSOs) across the country demanded accountability for the loss of life and livelihood due to...
More »Punjab: Labour Shortage in Lockdown Reveals Fissures in Farm Economy Ahead of Paddy Sowing Season -Vivek Gupta
-TheWire.in Panchayats and labour workforce unions have openly traded barbs over a move to cap paddy transplant wages in several villages. Chandigarh: “This time paddy transplant rates in our village will not be more than Rs 2,700 per acre. If anyone pays more than what is decided, he will be fined Rs 5,000,” said an elderly man, as he addressed a gathering in Gharyala Kurd village in Punjab’s Taran Taran district, approximately...
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