New Delhi, Jul 9 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed its displeasure over the way the state of Maharashtra handled migrant crisis arising from COVID-19 pandemic and asked it to file a proper and detailed affidavit on the issue.
"When you are the state (Maharashtra), it is your responsibility to find out which group of migrants are getting food and other things. Please file a proper and detailed affidavit in the case" a three-judge bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan said.
The Apex Court had taken suo motu cognisance of the miseries and difficulties faced by the migrants after the coronavirus-induced lockdown.
Justice MR Shah, another judge on the bench warned it is not an adversarial litigation.
Solicitor General, Tushar Mehta Mehta appearing for Maharashtra said, "whoever wanted to shift has been shifted and those who went back may not be getting jobs as per their skills, like a carpenter cannot work as a labourer in an agricultural field."
Mehta said the migrants who wanted to leave earlier have now decided to stay back as the state opened up employment opportunities and since May 1, around 3,50,000 workers came back to work in Maharashtra again.
Advocate Ranjit Kumar, senior lawyer appearing for the state of Bihar, told the Apex Court that the reverse migration was taking place in Bihar. "Trains full of workers are leaving Patna now for other cities and in search of work and their livelihood," Kumar told the court.
Mehta said it is a positive sign as the reverse migration taking place. Industries and business are now opening up, the SG said.
"We cannot accept the State’s claim that there is no problem in the state of Maharashtra.The state of Maharashtra had to find out what are the problems related to migrant crisis," the bench noted.
"An application states that a certain section of migrants are waiting to be transported," the Apex Court said.
A bench also comprising of Justice SK Kaul asked the state to file a fresh affidavit and fixed the matter for further hearing to July 17, Friday.
UNI XC PS 1641