New Delhi: The Centre has reiterated that all states and Union Territories need to enforce the provisions under the Disaster Management (DM) Act and complete lockdown in letter and spirit.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday asked to ensure adequate arrangements of temporary shelters and provision of food for the poor and needy people, including migrant labourers, who were stranded due to lockdown measures in their respective areas, under the DM Act.
‘The migrant people, who have moved out to reach their home states or home towns, must be kept in the nearest shelter by the respective State or Union Territory Government quarantine faculties after proper screening for a minimum period of 14 days, as per the standard health protocol,’ the MHA said.
Referring to the earlier orders issued on March 24 and 25, the MHA has directed that the migrant people, who have moved out to reach their home states or home towns, must be kept in the nearest shelter by the respective State/Union Territory Government quarantine faculties after proper screening for a minimum period of 14 days as per the standard health protocol, Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla wrote to the Chief Secretaries and Administrators of States and UTs.
All the employers, be it in the industry or in the shops and commercial establishments, shall make payment of wages of their workers. at their work places, on the due date, without any deduction for the period their establishments are under closure during the lockdown.
Wherever the workers, including the migrants, are living in rented accommodation, the landlords of those properties shall not demand payment of rent for a period of one month and if any landlord is forcing the labourers and students to vacate their premises, they will be liable for action under the Act, Bhalla said in the new order.
The MHA also said the District Magistrate or Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police or Deputy Commissioner of Police will be personally liable for the implementation of lockdown measures and provisions, made under the Disaster Management Act.
The Centre’s fresh direction came after the ongoing movement of a large number of migrants in some parts of the country, so as to reach their home towns due to nationwide lockdown for 21 day, in the wake of COVID-19.
This is a violation of lockdown measures on maintaining social distance, it said. (UNI)
