Having lost jobs, workers urge Shivamogga administration to send them back to West Bengal
May 15, 2020
Shivamogga (Karnataka) [India], May 15 : Workers from West Bengal residing here on Friday demanded that they should be sent back to their native places in special trains as they have lost their jobs due to coronavirus-induced lockdown.
These workers, who gathered here in the office of the Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate, claimed that the administration has told them that they are not getting "green signal" from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for their return.
Aashiq, a worker from Howrah, said: "We don't have any work now. What will we do here? If we reach our village, then it will be very good for us. How will we survive here? We have no money left. We are told that Mamata Banerjee is not giving the green signal. There are 120 people with us."
"Two trains from Bengaluru went to West Bengal. Two trains are scheduled to go to West Bengal on May 18 and May 24. The administration should send us back in those trains," Aashiq told ANI.
The Indian Railways is running Shramik special trains in coordination with States to transport migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places to their native places.
Earlier, Railways Minister Piyush Goyal alleged that several States including West Bengal are not giving enough permission for 'Shramik special trains' to enter their States.
He also urged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government to allow 105 trains every day for migrant labourers, and not in 30 days.
"Indian Railways has provided 1,200 trains exclusively earmarked to run the 'Shramik Special trains' for our migrant labourers to take them back to their homes. It pains me that while Uttar Pradesh has already given permission for 400 trains, Bihar 200 trains which have departed for their respective states, there are several states such as West Bengal, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, are not giving enough permissions for 'Shramik special trains' to enter their states," Goyal said.
