Mohali, May 7: Even as 1,288 people left for their home town Hardoi in Uttar Pradesh around 25 per cent people who had earlier registered themselves with on the online portal of the Punjab government later changed their mind and are staying back.
Deputy Commissioner Girish Dayalan said 35 per cent less than those who had registered themselves on the government portal turned up for departure.
He said 1,188 people were contacted a day before for confirmation of departure plan but 25 per cent declined to go while another 10 per cent did not turn up at the railway station even after confirmation. Therefore, the administration mobilised the ones in reserved/waiting list and facilitated their departure, he added.
Dayalan said, “It is a good omen as refusal of people to go back is an indication that we are limping towards normalcy; permission to resume labour-intensive construction work and industrial operations has reduced the threat of losing an earning opportunity and will check mass exodus.”
Dayalan appealed to the migrant workers that since normalcy is being restored gradually, any migrant except those in acute distress, who don’t want to go back, are welcome to stay back in the district. He said the registration on the portal doesn’t imply that they have to compulsorily leave and added that they can always choose to stay back and work.
Meanwhile, 1,288 workers who had come from Hardoi district of UP, for working in Mohali district, headed for their native district in the non-stop train with no intermittent stoppage before Hardoi.
Dayalan, ADC Ashika Jain, SDMs and other officers gave a send-off to the labourers.
The DC said the 24-coach train left Mohali Railway Station at 10 am running right on schedule and the staff deployed at the railway station ensured that workers adhered to social distancing while boarding the train. The administration ensured drinking water and food for all on board.
He said the workers were screened thoroughly at the designated collection centres before they boarded the train. They were ferried via buses from the eight collection centres to the railway station, he added.
