I clicked on this story wondering what madness would entice people to migrate to India. And it doesn't sound like there are migrant workers, just Indians who have relocated from different part of India, didn't see a mention of foreigners.

I dont know why they are being framed as 'poor migrants', other than I suspect trying to drum up unearned sympathies.

It seems short-sighted to leave the cities, where you have a job that doesn't pay enough to buy cooking fuel... and go back to the countryside, where you won't have a job + can't afford either food or cooking fuel.

I guess you can take the time spent not working to search for firewood to use as cooking fuel, and maybe forage for food to eat. That's great until everyone does it... in which case foraging for food becomes really difficult and everyone quickly burns up the supply of available firewood.