Migrants return in droves, trigger infection scare

| | NUAPADA
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Migrants return in droves, trigger infection scare

Wednesday, 01 April 2020 | AJIT PANDA | NUAPADA

Hundreds of migrant workers of Nuapada district have returned from their work places in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak triggering apprehensions about infection among the villagers.

They demanded health checkup of the migrants.

Over 50 migrant workers belonging to Liad village of Sinapali block returned home on Sunday and Monday. 38 of them reported their arrival in GP office at Makhapadar, but the rest did not inform.

According to the Sarpanch, eight of the workers were suffering from cough and cold. Tension prevailed inside the village for sometimes. The Sarpanch wanted to shelter them in the school building, but the people of a Dalit basti located near the school opposed. The workers had to stay near the river overnight until the health check up of eight persons was conducted in the Sinapali CHC the following day.

The workers are now living in their houses. Most of these workers returned from Mumbai. Others returned from Chennai and Telengana. Two of the workers were working in brick kiln and fled their work places. They had taken their payment in advance before leaving the village from a labour contractor. Rest were working in construction sectors on daily wage basis.

In Badi village  of Khariar block the people said that, they were scared after the return of one migrant and informed the block authority. Later on, when the ASHA and Anganwadi worker visited the house and checked the worker, the villagers were pacified.

As many as 16 workers returned to their villages in Gudal Panchayat of Sinapali block. A team from Sinapali CHC along with the ASHA and AWW visited Makhapadar and Gudal villages of the GP and conducted health check up of 12 workers and found them safe. Two workers of Palsapada village of the GP went to the CHC being advised by the villagers and got confirmed about their health status by consulting the doctor.

A rumor spread that ten workers of Bamniguda village of Sinapali block who returned to village on Saturday last had gone to the VIMSAR, Burla for check up. When contacted, the BDO, Sinapali informed that it was a rumor. "A team had visited the village and conducted health check up. Our ASHA and AWWs are alert everywhere. They are in touch with each and every migrant and informing the COVID-19 nodal officer regularly," informed the BDO.

In Prendrawan GP of Komna block, the Sarpanch listed 33 persons who returned from Mumbai, Delhi, Raipur, Debgarh and Chennai. In Komna and Bhela Panchayats, the number of migrants who returned in past three days is 40. All are living in their respective houses after having health checkups in the CHC, Nuapada.

Meanwhile, the Nuapada police informed that the return of workers from outside the State has completely stopped since March 21 night, because the border has been sealed at Khariar Road (bordering CG). But according to reports from villages, the labourers working in Raipur continued to return till Tuesday. Plying of buses and other passenger carriers stopped; so the people got down on the border from vehicles and crossed the border on foot before taking vehicles to return to their villages. Most of the workers belonging to the villages of Sinapali block preferred the route that runs from Mainpur to Sinapali to avoid surveillance. "However, the return of migrants has completely stopped since Wednesday", said the people of Kusmal village of Khariar block. Five workers of this village, who were working in different construction sites in Mumbai had returned on Wednesday to the village. The villagers alongwith the ASHAs were seen pursuading the migrants to register themselves in the Panchayat and to have health check up in the Khariar CHC.

Fifteen workers of Juebahal village of Rokal GP working in Mumbai in different construction sites talked to their family members at home to consult whether they should return. The family members advised them to stay in their work sites.

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