IMD issues red alert for several districts in Kerala

Bengaluru, May 7: Fear and anxiety gripped migrant workers who lined up at police stations in the city on Wednesday to register for train services without knowing that the state government had cancelled the train facility.

Senior officials in South Western Railway said they were ready to run special trains for migrant workers. On Tuesday evening, the state government decided to withdraw the requests made for 13 such trains to north India after realtors said they need the labourers here.

Migrants continued to stream into the railway station at Majestic, Bangalore International Exhibition Centre and even the bus station hoping for some travel arrangement. Many who were aware of the government web portal, stood in front of the BBMP ward office or police stations for enrolment.

In Varthur, over 100 migrants stood in front of the police station and sought to know what happened to the forms they had submitted four days ago. "We first went to the BBMP office and were shooed away by an official who directed us to go to the police station. We want to go home and demanded that the police help us. There was no response first. Then they came out and beat us," said Pintu Kumar from Mohanpur of Bhagalpur district in Bihar.

Though a video clip accidentally shot by Kumar showed two police personnel charging the cane at them, a police officer from the Varthur station, however, disputed the claim. "The video doesn’t show the cane landing on any person. We were beating the seat and tyre of two-wheelers to send the migrants away," he said.

At Mahadevapura, the workers came in groups and submitted the forms at the police station.

At the railway station in Majestic, a group of labourers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand had walked from several areas in south Bengaluru only to be told that there is no train. Mahendra, a labourer from Jharkhand, said they received 5 kg rice and nothing else in the last 45 days. "Now, I don’t want food. I don’t want the job or money. I can't get stuck here. I want to go home,” he said.

'Restore dignity'

Activists and leaders wrote an open letter to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa questioning the decision to cancel trains without consulting labourers and protesting the violation of their fundamental rights.

The letter had support of 522 organisations and individuals, including Dalit rights organisations and trade unions. It urged the government to restore the dignity of the migrant workers. "We demand recognition of the autonomy and dignity of the migrant workers to decide their travel plans. No one should be forced either to stay back or to return to their home states," it said.

Bengaluru, Jul 22: Yellow alert has been issued for Karnataka's Shivamogga, Chikmagalur, Hassan, and Kodagu for July 23 and 24.

Some areas of Bengaluru may receive light rainfall today, said CS Patil, Director, IMD Centre, Bengaluru.

He added that coastal areas of the state are very likely to experience rainfall from on July 23 and July 24, and that rainfall may increase July 24 onwards. Widespread rainfall is predicted for July 24th, 25th, and 26th.

Mangaluru, Jul 15: A septuagenarian from Bantwal taluk died due to coronavirus infection at a hospital in the city taking the covid-19 death toll in Dakshina Kannada to 54.

The deceased was a 73-years-old and a resident of Kasaba village in Vittal, Bantwal. Recently eight members of his family were tested positive for covid-19 including his son.

He was admitted to a hospital in Mangaluru where he was tested positive for the virus. He did not respond to the treatment and breathed his last, sources said.

The final rites were carried out by a team of trained activists of Popular Front of India (PFI) at a designated graveyard. All necessary precautions were taken by the authorities concerned and police during the funeral.