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Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged other state governments not to charge train fare from migrant labourers as the state government was bearing their fares while being evacuated to their native places in UP.
He also directed that more trains be run to bring back the migrants from other states.
Reviewing lockdown arrangements at a high-level meeting in Lok Bhawan in Lucknow on Tuesday, Yogi said that his government had already ensured safe and secure return of about 16 lakh migrants so far.
“Out of a total of 914 trains arranged, 656 Shramik Specials have brought back 8.52 lakh migrants while 258 are scheduled to arrive in the next two days. Besides, 12,000 buses were pressed into service to send these workers to their home districts. In addition, 200 buses in all 75 districts were kept at the disposal of district magistrates,” he added.
The chief minister said on the return of 16 lakh migrants, adequate arrangement of quarantine centres and shelter homes was required to be made.
“Migrants being sent to home quarantine from quarantine centres should be provided ration kits. No one should be left hungry and their families should also be provided food grains,” he said.
Yogi also directed officials that the staff working in quarantine centres and shelter homes be provided protective gears.
He stressed that the problems of migrants be solved by the nodal officers sent to various districts.
The chief minister also said that work under MNREGA projects be increased to employ as many persons as possible.
Yogi said home delivery of essentials in containment zones should be continued. “Every house in hotspots has to be sanitised. Houses of those who stayed in quarantine centres and shelter homes, should also be sanitised,” he said.
Directing that patrolling be intensified during lockdown, Yogi said that PVR 112 may be roped in for patrolling on highways and expressways while foot-patrolling could be done in markets. He also suggested that services of home guards, PRD personnel and ex-Army men under 60 years of age be taken for extensive patrolling in rural areas.
The chief minister said that every district should have testing lab and this would be looked into by medical education and health ministers. He said that the testing capacity should be augmented and pool testing of 10 samples each should be done.
Underlining the importance of prevention of infection, Yogi said that medical staff should be trained with all seriousness and no medical college should have shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) kits.
He asked senior officials to get regular report about availability of all logistics such as PPE kits, N-95 masks, triple-layer masks, gloves, sanitiser, medicines, bed sheets from all districts and ensure availability of thermal scanners and pulse oximeter.
The chief minister sought to clarify that only the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) approved labs could test COVID-19 infection, failing which testing labs would be punished.
He said that a senior health official be sent to every district to assist the chief medical officer of that district.
Yogi further said that mandis should run in open and large areas to prevent infection and sanitiser should be arranged there. Also, traders and customers in mandis should wear mask compulsorily and ensure social distancing, he added.
The chief minister also said that Transport department and police should work in tandem to avoid road accidents. He said that vigilance/monitoring committees in rural and urban areas should be in touch with CM Helpline to get regular inputs on surveillance work.