It's highly dubious as to why media is not permitted to cover the arrangements made at the Coimbatore raiiway station to send the migrant workers home, questioned MP PR Natarajan
Coimbatore: "While it's obvious that a faulty person/department will not want press/media around them, but the recent aversion showed by the Coimbatore railway officials towards media is highly dubious", told MP PR Natarajan in a statement.
Citing the recent incident were media personnel were stopped by the guards at the railway station, the MP slammed that the officials cannot not stop the media reporting the arrangements made by the district administration and the railways in sending the migrant workers to their hometowns.
"Among the frontline warriors who are working tirelessly in this pandemic period, the role of the media in keeping the people informed of the happenings is indispensable. Hindering their reporting is unfair. Ever since the process of sending the migrant workers home commenced, the reporters in Coimbatore have been facing restrictions in coverage", he noted.
"Whilethe district administration and the railways are working towards sending back the migrant workers back home, it is important that the media be allowed to cover the arrangements made inside the train, preliminary testing for passengers, social distancing and other norms proposed by the government", the MP stressed.
He pointed out that only those who have something to cover-up will be skeptical of allowing the media, the reluctance showed by the railways towards the media raises several questions.
The MP in the statement noted that allegations are rife that proper sanitation, water facilities and arrangements were not made by the railway department.
Coimbatore railway junction being an award winning station should not indulge in such activities of hindering media reporting, he opined.
He said, "The Railway Administration should ensure that all migrant workers travel without any difficulty and ensure all basic facilities at the railway station. I request that journalists be allowed into the railway station for reporting the travel arrangements and compliance."
The MP has expressed that it is heart-wrenching to see the migrant workers walk with their luggages and children for miles together on roads towards the railway station. Migrant workers from outskirts like Annur, Mettupalayam, Karamadai, Kovilpayam, Sulur and Pollachi are seen walking to reach the Coimbatore railway junction.
He urged the district administration to make apppropriate travel arrangements for these people to reach the railway station.
The MP also stressed that the district administration and the railways should ensure that the distressed migrant workers who have already lost their jobs, income, and carrying the burden of hunger should be made to leave to their hometowns in a dignified manner with all basic needs.
Citing the recent incident were media personnel were stopped by the guards at the railway station, the MP slammed that the officials cannot not stop the media reporting the arrangements made by the district administration and the railways in sending the migrant workers to their hometowns.
"Among the frontline warriors who are working tirelessly in this pandemic period, the role of the media in keeping the people informed of the happenings is indispensable. Hindering their reporting is unfair. Ever since the process of sending the migrant workers home commenced, the reporters in Coimbatore have been facing restrictions in coverage", he noted.
"Whilethe district administration and the railways are working towards sending back the migrant workers back home, it is important that the media be allowed to cover the arrangements made inside the train, preliminary testing for passengers, social distancing and other norms proposed by the government", the MP stressed.
He pointed out that only those who have something to cover-up will be skeptical of allowing the media, the reluctance showed by the railways towards the media raises several questions.
The MP in the statement noted that allegations are rife that proper sanitation, water facilities and arrangements were not made by the railway department.
Coimbatore railway junction being an award winning station should not indulge in such activities of hindering media reporting, he opined.
He said, "The Railway Administration should ensure that all migrant workers travel without any difficulty and ensure all basic facilities at the railway station. I request that journalists be allowed into the railway station for reporting the travel arrangements and compliance."
The MP has expressed that it is heart-wrenching to see the migrant workers walk with their luggages and children for miles together on roads towards the railway station. Migrant workers from outskirts like Annur, Mettupalayam, Karamadai, Kovilpayam, Sulur and Pollachi are seen walking to reach the Coimbatore railway junction.
He urged the district administration to make apppropriate travel arrangements for these people to reach the railway station.
The MP also stressed that the district administration and the railways should ensure that the distressed migrant workers who have already lost their jobs, income, and carrying the burden of hunger should be made to leave to their hometowns in a dignified manner with all basic needs.