'No deaths in Shramik Trains due to lack of food, water': Centre tells SC

The Central government on Friday told the Supreme Court that no deaths of migrant workers had occurred in any Shramik trains due to lack of food, water, or medicines being provided to the people.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta representing the Centre before the Supreme Court 3-Judge Bench said that all the deaths that had occurred were due to previous illnesses and not due to negligence on part of the Railways.

The Solicitor also gave details of the number of migrant workers that had already been transported back home. “Over 1 crore stranded migrants have been sent back to their home states,” the Solicitor General told the Supreme Court, “that’s 90% of the migrant workers, most of whom have been sent back to either Uttar Pradesh or Bihar”.

READ | SC Proposes States To Transport Remaining Migrants Within 15 Days, Order Reserved

States' submissions

Several States were also represented before the Supreme Court through their respective counsels. The States of Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu told Supreme Court that in the next 15 days, they will ensure that all the migrants who are willing to still travel back will be transported.

READ | 35 Migrants Injured As Bus Falls Into Ditch In UP

Steps taken for speedy movement of migrants

The Centre also apprised the Supreme Court on the steps that were being taken by them to ensure the speedy movement of the stranded migrants.

“We have written a letter to the Chief Secretaries of all States asking them to submit their demands for how many trains are required by them. We have made it a point to arrange the trains for which demands are raised within 24 hours of receiving the request from the States," Tushar Mehta said.

The Supreme Court after a course of arguments, reserved the order today for Tuesday.

READ | Sonu Sood Shares 70,000 Migrants Are On Waiting List, Says 'Their Smile Fills My Heart'

READ | No Death In 'Shramik' Trains Caused By Starvation, Issue Being Politicised: BJP