'Opening shops in public interest but monitor them strictly', HC upholds Union Territory order

The Orissa High Court on Sunday expressed concern over unchecked movement of migrant workers from different states to Odisha and directed the Government to make all arrangements for them.

Registering a suo motu PIL, the division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanju Panda and Justice Biswanath Rath asked the State Government to direct all bordering district Collectors and SPs to make arrangement of stay, food, sanitation and medical check up facilities for all such persons in the bordering districts itself.

“In the event of shortage of space, they can use closed college and school premises having toilets for the purpose. Similar arrangements can also be made by the Collectors and SPs concerned for district level shifting of migrant workers. This arrangement can continue at least till lifting of lockdown,” the bench ordered.

The Court said the direction on the PIL is an attempt to restrict spread of coronavirus and movement of large number of persons during lockdown period.

The Court felt that, “A serious problem is taking place involving movement of labourers/working class and their family from neighbouring states as well as neighbouring districts. There is no system in place to check if any of them is already Covid-19 affected or not. Such large scale movement may aid the spread of the virus and again it also becomes difficult to attend such persons at thousands of destinations. Providing vehicles to such large scale movement is also an uphill task.”

Picture Courtsey: अमर उजाला

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