Former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday released Rs 5 lakh from Usha Kamal Gogoi Trust, a family trust set up in memory of his parents for the distress stranded workers of Assam.
In a video message, the veteran Congress leader said the state government has not done enough to help the distressed people and migrants to the “pathetic” condition of lakhs of stranded people of Assam in different parts of the country. “I have also received many distress calls almost everyday from such people from others part of the country seeking our assistance to return to their respective places. Responding to their plight, I have released Rs 5 lakh from the trust which will be used to buy bus tickets for the stranded on humanitarian grounds.”
Gogoi said the migrants had not only lost their jobs but also spent whatever savings they had in the last one-and-a-half months.
“It is the duty of the state government to bring back the stranded workers as they have lost their jobs and work. But the state has failed to implement appropriate steps to bring them home,” Gogoi said.
Dhubri MP and AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal on Tuesday also wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah to pass instructions regarding the arrangement of food and water for migrant workers, students and stranded persons during their travel to their home state. “The stalls at railway stations are closed and there are no proper arrangements for food or water throughout their journey. People who have travelled recently informed me that several aged persons and children fainted due to the lack of availability of food and water. Most dhabas along the highway remain closed which is causing trouble for all those travelling by buses, private vehicles, as well as drivers and staffs of trucks and vehicles,” he said.
Subhanan Chanda, the chief public relations officer, NF Railway, said 13 Shramik Special trains arrived in various states like Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Assam till Monday with about 17,000 stranded. Another six to seven trains will be arriving within the next two to three days.
“As on Tuesday, 110 Shramik Special trains reached NFR areas with around 1,10,000 stranded people. Passengers were given free meals, water and necessary medical help by railways as and when required during the journey,” Chanda said.