MIGRANT LABOURS: WORKERS RIGHT AND COVID- 19 CRISES

Indian migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic have faced multiple hardships. With factories and workplaces shut down due to the lockdown imposed in the country, millions of migrant workers had to deal with the loss of income, food shortages and uncertainty about their future Following this, many of them and their families went hungry. Thousands of them then began walking back home, with no means of transport due to the lockdown.In response, the Central and State Governments took various measures to help them,and later arranged transport for them.Many migrants also died due to the lockdown, with reasons ranging from starvation, suicides, exhaustion, road and rail accidents, police brutality and denial of timely medical care.

                         As the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic continues to have widespread impacts on workforces globally, migrant workers are among those bearing the brunt of the crisis. Human rights groups and construction associations have warned that migrant workers are disproportionately at risk from the impact of the pandemic, due to inadequate and crowded living conditions, lockdowns and harsh containment measures, limited access to healthcare and basic services, poor working conditions and explotiative labour systems. This section will feature the latest news on the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak in relation to migrant workers.