Pune: District Administration has instructed the Tehsildars to provide rest houses, toilets and other necessary facilities to the migrant who are travelling by foot. The tehsildars can carry out the work with the help of the Gram Panchyat officials.
Against the backdrop of COVID-19, a large number of workers from other states and districts are going home on foot via the National Highways passing through Pune district. The hostels or dhabas on the road are shut because of the lockdown. While travelling on foot or by other means, these migrants need to be provided with the rest as well as snacks, meals, toilets and all ancillary facilities.
Considering all these factors, Pune District Collector Naval Kishor Ram has directed Tehsildars to arrange facilities for labourers on Pune-Bangalore highway, Pune-Solapur highway, Pune-Ahmednagar highway, Pune-Mumbai highway and Pune-Nashik highway in different parts of Pune district with the help of local Gram Panchayat. Ram also has suggested using the funds from the State Disaster Management Fund.
The facilities will be provided at regular intervals on the highways at Mangal Karyalaya, Dhaba or other public places. The Tehsildar should immediately approve the proposal sent by the Gram Panchayat. As soon as the proposal is approved, the concerned Gram Panchayat should start the rest house as per the above instructions. The rest house should have tea, snacks, meals as well as toilet and rest facilities. Care should be taken to ensure that the workers are provided with handwashing facilities, sanitisers as well as social distancing etc. at the place of rest.
Ram has also instructed that with the help of local police station, police security should be maintained at the place of this rest house.
The order further stated details of each labourer arriving at the rest house should be recorded in a separate register. Apart from this, instructions have been given to the concerned Gram Panchayat to submit daily reports of labour attendance at rest houses to the Tehsildars and block development officers. Sub-divisional officers, Tehsildars and block development officers must visit these rest houses from time to time and care should be taken to provide quality facilities to the workers.
