GUWAHATI, March 30 - Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly Debabrata Saikia has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help evacuate people of Assam who are stranded in some neighbouring states on account of the ongoing nationwide lockdown.
Saikia has written to the Prime Minister in this regard and sought help from the Central government. �With a view to stopping the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in India you called for a three-week nationwide lockdown starting from the late evening of March 24. It goes without saying that each and every member of the Congress party is with you in this endeavour to thwart the threat posed by the pandemic,� stated Saikia.
He added that as the lockdown commenced with immediate effect, crores of citizens across the country were unable to prepare properly for it. �This is especially true of the economically challenged sections of our society. Although petty vendors and daily wage earners have been adversely affected, the worst hit appear to be migrant labourers who work on a contractual basis in states other than their home state,� said Saikia.
He said that numerous such labourers have not only been rendered unemployed, but are also left stranded thousands of miles away from their homes.
He added, �I would, therefore, like to request you kindly to mobilise Army vehicles to transport these stranded and cash-strapped people to their respective homes. In case healthcare imperatives pertaining to the lockdown preclude their transportation at this stage, then I request you kindly to issue instructions to ensure that all the stranded people are housed in vacant schools and colleges till such time as the lockdown ends, with adequate provision of food, water, medicines, sanitisers, etc. In this context, the Army may use the trains also under supervision and arrange quarantine facilities before letting these people go and join their relatives in villages.�
