Does the District Administration, Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) and the Police Department Care about Migrants & their Social Distancing? 1464 Migrants Boarded Train to Prayag City-Allahabad-Uttar Pradesh from Mangaluru Junction Railway Station at 4 pm on Tuesday, 12 May
Mangaluru: Since few days after announcements were made by the government and district administration that trains will start moving from Mangaluru to various North India destinations, especially Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand, we have been seeing thousands of suffering and devastated migrants storming into the City, either walking or taking a ride by vehicles, desperately trying tom get out from this so called “HELL”, they are talking about, after they had faced all the agony, humiliation and suffering due to neglect from their employers or other issues. But one thing, Team Mangalorean had noticed that the guidelines of Covid-19 had been totally abused by these migrants, especially when it came to SOCIAL DISTANCING and WEARING FACE MASKS.
And even when they have been openly disobeying these Covid-19 guidelines, neither the officials from the District Administration, nor MCC nor the police had taken any action in advising them to correct themselves. We saw such situation of not adhering to social distancing, when hundreds of migrants- men, women and children had gathered near Town Hall few days ago; then we saw the same situation at the Mangaluru Central Railway Station when thousands of these migrants had gathered and raised their voices and holding placards saying “We Want To Go Home/Jharkhand”- and the concerned officials nor the police said a damn thing, for their act.
And this morning, Team Mangalorean once again noticed thousands of migrants scattered around the State Bank Bus Stand, Nehru Maidan, Football stadium, and in the surrounding areas-totally not following Social Distancing nor 90% of them not wearing Face Masks. This shows that the district admin, MCC and other health dept officials are least bothered what these migrants do- but only penalize the citizens of Mangaluru if they disobey the Covid-19 guidelines. It doesn’t make a sense to me, by ignoring these migrants and care only for the health safety of the Citizens of Mangaluru. Bah humbug!
I don’t blame the district admin fully, for the fact, these migrants are not suppose to travel to Mangaluru to catch their trains to their respective native places, unless they receive information about their travel date and time on their mobile. But being illiterate and also being ignorant, I guess, these migrants take a chance and walk down to Mangaluru from various parts of the City and also from outskirts, and then create chaos and disturbances- like what it happened today. The migrants who had gathered at State Bank bus stand and Nehru maidan, had no clue as to whether there are or is a train going from Mangaluru to other states, or the timings. These migrants just sit, ask questions with strangers or cops- but with no proper reply.
There were migrants who had not eaten for days, since they had no money left with them after lockdown. Many of their employers had not paid salary for weeks or months- and due to that kind of treatment they got from their employers, many of these migrants just want to go back to their native places and never come back again to this coastal city. Among the migrants who had faced most of humiliation and neglect was from some of the builders in town, who not only abandoned them after lockdown, they also didn’t pay few weeks salary too. Who would rejoin now or come back and work for such builders?
Apart from these unlucky migrants who had gathered at the state bank bus stand and Nehru Maidan who thought they would travel to their native place by train today, but all in vain- but on the other part of the City in Padil, where Mangaluru Junction Railway Station is located, 1464 lucky migrants who came to the station by 26 KSRTC buses, boarded the ‘Shramik Special Train’ at 4 pm, which took them to Prayag City-Allahabad-Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, 12 May- and they will reach their final destination in 1 day and 18 hours.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Deputy Station Manager Kishan Bangera said, “All the required arrangements have been made by the railway department. These 1464 migrants had to pay Rs 40 for KSRTC bus to drop them at the railway station from their pick-up, point, and Rs 950 for train ticket. Today’s lunch comprising of Veg Pulav, biscuits and 1 litre water is free, provided by the district administration. Proper care will be taken of the migrants till their final destination. At their next stop in Palghat-Kerala, they will be provided with dinner. Before boarding the train, all the required health checks have been done, for the safety of everyone traveling on the train”.
At the time of departure Ms Wilma Tauro-the labor officer at the Dist Labor dept, who had toiled hard all these days, making all the necessary arrangements for the safe travel of the migrants was present; along with DCP (Crime and Traffic) Laxmi Ganesh, ACP Manjunath Shetty, concerned authorities from Revenue dept, police personnel from Railway dept and Mangaluru Police dept were present. Wishing these 1464 migrants a safe journey to reach their hometown, which they had been waiting since lockdown.
Now, coming to the point- Why Some People won’t Practice Social Distancing?”- even when they are aware of the virus and its deadly impact, and ignore government advisories, and media warnings because of their obsessive need for instant gratification. Probably they are all groomed with the “Chalta Hai” attitude, and that no one can stop them. Many don’t ever think about how to behave in public life, and what are their duties and responsibilities towards the society. Many are thinking that what is happening will not affect them. It is not their disease. It has happened in China, and will not affect them, I suppose. Or people are not responding to social distancing is it because they are not fully aware of the seriousness of the problem.
When DC has implemented strict guidelines on social distancing and staying at home policy, they should depute authorities and police on streets and take control of the people who abuse the guidelines. Just by implementing and not enforcing the guidelines will be useless, since these migrants, and for the fact, even our Mangaloreans, even though they are educated, many are still ignorant and lack common sense in adhering to covid-19 guidelines. Authorities and police need to be patrolling the streets even in the early morning, and not after 9 or 10 am?
There need to be strict law enforcement to further secure the rights of safety for all. Inspirational messages/stories coming from the national icons will pace up the awareness and acceptance and action. It may be beneficial to point out how social distancing has offered everyone a time to relax, reflect, recognize and resurrect. Team Mangalorean makes a humble request to the District administration and Police Force, in order for people to strictly follow Social Distancing, there need to be more City Officials and Police on streets, to straighten up bunch of these Ignorant Migrants and also the Citizens or call them “COVIDIOTS”- so that the spread of Covid-19 is prevented. And if the administration and law enforcement is taking it easy on the citizens regarding Social Distancing, then we are looking at CORONAVIRUS spreading to higher numbers.
Hello Alfie. I think your articles are generally unbiased but in this case you have missed the mark completely. The plight of these poor people is terrible. Calling them names lie ‘Covidiots’ when they have lost any sense of right or wrong or public good is uncalled for. What would you do if your family was starving and suffering for a disease which no one had a cure for and you did not create.
‘Social distancing’ a western catchphrase is possible when you can afford distance between people. Not when you have to sleep rough and don’t know where your next meal is coming from.
The police has done enough of ‘Straightening up’ these people. Let them go home with dignity. Please don’t demonise or dehumanise them. I have read your previous articles. You are better than that.
I think Alfie goes over board at times and uses inappropriate language. I must say he has improved over a period of time. But again he is Alfie and nit Aravind Adiga.