Chennai: The Tamil Nadu district collectors have commenced a survey on guest workers in the state after Chief Minister M.K. Stalin sought information on their population along with an assessment of the working conditions.

According to a rough estimate, there are around 6 lakh guest workers in the state who are employed in various sectors.

The respective district administrations have been directed to get an exact data of the guest workers in their jurisdictions and to get a proper assessment of the working conditions.

The survey is being conducted with the support of volunteers and social organisations who provide the data based on a questionnaire. The district administration already has a list of the migrant workers in their respective jurisdictions.

However, there has not been any update in these registers after the Covid -19 pandemic gripped the state.

The district administration supported by the volunteers will conduct door-to-door surveys of the companies and small-scale industries where the migrant workers are employed.

A health survey of these workers will also be conducted along with the survey on the number of workers. The officials will also extract maximum information on the migrant workers who have reached the state along with those who are employed in factories and other sectors.

State Labour Minister C.V. Ganeshan is monitoring and coordinating the survey. The minister has also directed all the district administrations to create awareness among the guest workers from North India not to believe in fake videos that are circulated.

Erode, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Nilgiris, Salem districts have a large congregation of guest workers and a team of officers from Bihar had visited Tiruppur and found the living conditions of the guest workers satisfactory.

After the survey, the district administration will be providing the details to the state labour department and a high-level meeting of officials will decide on the necessary changes required for the welfare of the guest workers.

It is to be noted that for the past few days, the Tamil Nadu state government has been taking stringent measures against those involved in spreading fake news on guest workers.

Chief Minister Stalin has already said that the guest workers who are in Tamil Nadu need not fear and that the government would be providing all support to them.

The state police have registered a case against the Editor of Dainik Bhaskar, Hindi daily, Tanveer Ahmad, a journalist, Bihar BJP Spokesman, Prasanth Kumar Umrao for spreading false news regarding attack on migrant workers from North India working in Tamil Nadu.