Industry associations urge district administration, police, and the State government to allay fears of migrant workers

COIMBATORE Groups of migrant workers were seen waiting at Coimbatore railway junction on Saturday ev

Groups of migrant workers were seen waiting at Coimbatore railway junction on Saturday evening to board trains for their home towns.

A worker, employed at Palladam and going to Bihar, said he and his friends were leaving for their home town for Holi and will return. Another labourer was waiting to board a train to Howrah and was working in the construction sector at Karamadai.

“I am going home for the festival,” he said. Though these workers had also received several messages on the social media and WhatsApp, they asserted that they were leaving Coimbatore only for the Holi festival.

“The number of workers at the station is relatively less today compared to other days. For the last one week, several workers have been returning to their home States. But it is mainly for Holi,” said a policeman at the station.

In the midst of rumours and fake messages spread on social media about migrant workers in Tamil Nadu, industry associations here urged the district administration, the police, and the State government to allay the fears of the workers and assure protection to them.

The textile industry in the State employs nearly 10 lakh workers from other States. If the workers start going home in panic as they did during COVID-19, the industry will be hit badly, Ravi Sam, chairman of Southern India Mills’ Association, said here on Friday.

The Federation of Coimbatore Industrial Association on Saturday submitted a memorandum to District Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati and sought announcements in Hindi at places where the migrant workers stay and at shandies. It also suggested formation of local committees to interact with migrant workers.