The Supreme Court has issued an interim order directing the government to rescue migrant workers stranded in vulnerable conditions and to ensure WHO standard health services based on the situation. 

The court does not explicitly talk about the Nepalis stuck at border points but lawyers say the interim order was meant for them as the government is under fire for not allowing them to return home. 

Responding to a writ filed by advocate Shom Prasad Luitel, a single bench of Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla on Thursday asked the government for necessary homework to rescue the stranded Nepalis. 

Luitel had demanded an interim order to the government to rescue all the migrant workers stranded abroad and also to bring all those stuck at border points without hindrance to Nepal and keep them in quarantine. 

The government on Wednesday decided to evacuate Nepalis working in Afghanistan for the United Nations following the UN request but has not taken any move for evacuating those living in other countries. 

At least 20,000 Nepalis wishing to come home and be with their families have been caught in the lockdown and are unable to return home. On Saturday, at least 800 Nepalis from various parts of India flocked to the Nepal-India border in Darchula but due to the lockdown in both countries, they have been forced to stay on the Indian side without provisions of shelter and food. 

“The government should prepare a report on the health status of migrant workers in the countries affected by coronavirus and ensure they receive WHO standard health service without discrimination and rescue those who are at high risk ensuring the individual rights of citizens and taking the interest of the larger population into consideration,” states the interim order. 

“Not only their mental and physical health, the government’s indifference would put those dependent on the migrant workers at risk.” 

The KP Sharma Oli government has come under fire, including from his own party supporters, for leaving Nepali migrants high and dry during the pandemic. 

Thousands of Nepalis working in India, most of them doing menial jobs, have been put out of work in the wake of the lockdown in India. 

The Indian government has extended its lockdown period to May 3 to stop the spread of coronavirus, severely affecting tens of thousands of daily wage workers, including Nepalis, who are now scrambling to get back to their homes. 

India and Nepal have agreed to take care of and feed each other’s citizens stranded on the border until the crossings between the two countries are opened. 

Many Nepali migrant workers have been urging the government to rescue them while some countries have threatened to deport them.

Published on: 17 April 2020 | The Kathmandu Post