Bihar Minister and JDU leader Ashok Chaudhary on Thursday stated that it is not possible for the state government to send buses for lakhs of migrant labourers and students stranded in different states and bring them back. The Minister's remark came after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) allowed, with conditions, movement of people including migrant labourers, workers, students, tourists and others who are stranded in other states due to the ongoing lockdown.
"We have information about 25 lakh migrant labourers. If we follow social distancing norm then 15-20 people in one bus. According to this calculation, around 1.70 lakh buses will be required to bring back 25 lakh registered labourers. There are lakhs of unregistered labourers and students also," Chaudhary told ANI.
"A nodal team has been constituted. They will coordinate with other states. But it will not be possible for the Bihar government to bring all of them back. It will take a long time. It is not feasible now," he said. The Minister said that quarantine centres are being set up at block level for those coming back to the state.
When asked about RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav's demand that the state government should bring back all Bihar people stranded in other states, Chaudhary said: "He is not politically mature. He is asking the Bihar government to send buses for 25 lakh people. How will we do it? He should tell us if he has any formula."
