NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed a Mumbai-based practicing lawyer to deposit Rs 25 lakh in the Apex Court registry to ensure that those migrants from Mumbai can travel to their respective states, including Uttar Pradesh, during the COVID-19 crisis.
A bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan, and also comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M R Shah allowed the petition filed by Mumbai-based lawyer Sagheer Ahmed Khan.
He submitted to the Apex Court and pleaded for donating Rs 25 lakh as train fare to enable the Mumbai migrant workers, to go back to their home towns in Uttar Pradesh.
The Apex Court fixed the matter for further hearing till June 12.
Khan, in his writ petition, sought a direction from the Apex Court to the Union of India (UOI) and other concerned authorities to ensure that the migrant workers in Mumbai, particularly those hailing from Sant Kabir Nagar, Uttar Pradesh are safely transported home in a humane manner.
The lawyer stated that the concerned authorities and the government should ensure that these migrant labourers continuous and unfortunate suffering in their various attempts to reach home (which has in certain cases even cost them their lives) be put to an end.
The petitioner sought a direction that the respondents, including the UOI, should appoint designated officers in each district, sub-divisional and tehsil level to facilitate the evacuation of migrant workers.
He further sought a direction that such officer appointed at the district, sub-divisional and tehsil level ought to undertake all formalities on behalf of migrant workers, including the booking of tickets as the migrant workers are illiterate and have no means to make such booking.
Khan further sought that a direction be made to the officer appointed at the district, sub-divisional and tehsil level to ensure the safe transportation of all migrant workers from his district in a humane manner.
The petitioner also sought a direction from the Apex Court that the Respondents, UOI and others, should widely publicize all such steps so that the information is disseminated to the lowest strata of the society, including the migrant workers.