Migrants on foot Neither print or electronic media highlights the pitiable woes of those trudging on foot to their destination ,hundreds of miles Thanks that only one channel continuously focusses on this issue .The action to provide them transport is now and immediate .Young Children walking, children carried on shoulders, pregnant women.wives. ,elderly are undertaking this perilous journey back home. The lack of facility of food, drinking water ,shelter is aggravating their desire to return. There are those without proper foot. wear and developed blisters on foot .Some were mowed down on railway tracks in their sleep .A break beneath the trees is only way to rest .Even bullocks are used to pull the contrivance of travel .Lucky are those who have cycles, rickshaws as the distances involved are between 400km to 1100 km. A seat in open trucks costs rs 1500 to 4000/ per head and they are crowded with some sort of mask and no social distancing at all .The trucks have no permits yet the border check post purposely turn a blind. eye to these irregularities .The opening of train is mitigating their woes but it is too little too late. The state Govt is forced to foot the travel costs in advance and there is no refund if Central Govt is contributing 85 percent as they proclaim . Why are our leaders from States and centre ignoring the sorry plight of these migrants ? Let not these poor migrants die of exhaustion on the way .The migrants are in no omood to stay put and are determined to leave at all costs, even assuming that at the other end the prospects are bleak and are not welcomed with open arms .The bait of re opening of economy does not enthuse them at the moment .Hence it is dutyof authorities to provide rapid transport on humanitarian considerations Action , sympathy and transport to migrants is the first priority, but the cause of poor is dispensable The Govt is saddled with enormous exodus unprecedented even during wars or partition, but that is no justification of lethargy and ignoring it for their voice is not audible in the corridors of power
Nelson Lopes Chinchinim Sent from my iPhone Sent from my iPhone
