Following a tweet from Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav requesting the safety of migrant labourers from Bihar in Tiruppur amid the lockdown, the Tiruppur district administration swung into action and conducted inspections to check on their status.
On Friday evening, Mr. Yadav tweeted, “Respected @CMOTamilNadu, Diligent workers from Bihar, stranded in West Gowdan, Near Sumathi Hospital, Angeripalayam, Tirupur. Request you to kindly help them out with food and ration during the lock down time. @mkstalin (sic).”
In a similar tweet, he said that workers from Bihar are also stuck at Kozhipannai on Mangalam Road and attached a list of names. Responding to this tweet, District Collector K. Vijayakarthikeyan said that the district administration will follow up and “take necessary action.”
Speaking to The Hindu on Saturday, Mr. Vijayakarthikeyan said that officials from the Revenue Department visited Angeripalayam and Kozhipannai in the city on Friday evening. Nearly 400 workers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal were found to be living in these two areas. “They had all the commodities, but not vegetables. That has been arranged,” he said.
Most of these workers are employed in garment companies across the district. While some companies have come forward to assist the workers during the lockdown period, the district administration “will fill in the gaps” by helping out the rest, Mr. Vijayakarthikeyan said.
Apart from the city, migrant workers from Jharkhand were found to be living in Uthukuli. It is estimated that nearly 700 migrant workers are stranded across Tiruppur district. “I have instructed all the Tahsildars to keep vigil,” Mr. Vijayakarthikeyan said, adding that the migrant workers could contact the district administration for assistance.
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, through his official twitter handle, responded to Tejashwi Yadav by tweeting: “We have already informed the concerned officer. They are in safe hands. Thank you!”
