KOCHI: The labour department has drawn out an action plan to help guest workers during the statewide lockdown. It has also decided to use social media platforms effectively to spread awareness among the migrant population in Kerala. As part of the plan, the department will circulate voice clips and video messages of lead actors and prominent personalities in Assamese, Bengali, Odiya, and Hindi on Covid preventive measures on WhatsApp groups. YouTube links of the messages will also be released. Department officials said a message by State Police Chief Loknath Behera in Hindi and Odiya has already been circulated among guest workers.
They said the aim is to avoid the spread of fake news through social media platforms like WhatsApp. Last year, during the nationwide lockdown, guest workers in large numbers had come out on the streets after being frightened by fake messages. Authorities want to avoid the repeat of such instances, particularly as the state is experiencing a more potent second wave of infection.
As per the action plan, call centres will be set up in all 14 districts. Services will be available in Assamese, Bengali, Odiya, and Hindi languages. The Labour Commissionerate will monitor whether the grievances and complaints are addressed on a day-to-day basis at each call centres, an official said.
The department has also sought the support of police to monitor areas like Perumbavoor where the number of the migrant population is high. As per the plan, district-level monitoring cells will have district collectors and officers from local bodies as members. These cells will monitor the functioning of special camps. During the nationwide lockdown last year, Kerala had sheltered 4,34,280 guest workers in 21,556 camps across the state.
The labour department has also recommended the Railways open facilitation counters at major stations. This will help track the number of guest workers who want to leave the state individually or as a group during the lockdown, an official said. During the last year’s lockdown, 3,07,138 guest workers had left for their native places in 216 Shramik Special train services. The labour department has also requested the cooperation of local bodies for the implementation of welfare programmes for guest workers.