Shillong, March 12: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Sunday apprehended and pushed back over 90 illegal migrant workers at Umsning area, who were travelling in two buses enroute to Jaintia Hills.
A statement issued by the union said that activists of the KSU Umsning circle intercepted two buses having registration number plates – AS 01 GC 7338 and AS 01 KC 5638 – at Umsning area while they were carrying the illegal migrant workers.
The union activists demanded valid documents from the workers, but they failed to produce them, violating the Inter-State Migrants Workmen (Regulations of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2011, it said.
According to the Union, the workers were on their way to cement factories in the East Jaintia Hills District. They had reportedly paid Rs 4,000 to enter the state. The officials responsible for the infiltration check gate failed to perform their duty, said the union.
The KSU said it has from time to time stressed on the need for both the Centre and State governments to strengthen the existing laws to check unabated influx into the state.
The union also issued a warning to employers who bring in migrant workers without valid documents, urging them to comply with the Inter-state Migrants Workmen (Regulations of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2011.
The apprehended workers were handed over to the Umsning police for further action.