On learning that 22 senior citizens from Madurai, who are on a pilgrimage to North India, are stranded in Gaya in Bihar, the District Legal Services Authority has made efforts to ensure that they were provided basic amenities. It is in constant touch with its counterparts in Gaya.
The senior citizens had left for the pilgrimage on March 11, prior to the national lockdown. They are staying at Nattukottai Nagarathar Chathiram in Gaya. Sub Judge and secretary of DLSA V. Deepa said advocate K. Sami Durai had approached the DLSA for help after he learnt that his junior’s mother was one among the stranded.
Ms. Deepa got in touch with her Gaya counterpart Vivek Bhardwaj on March 27 seeking assistance to the senior citizens. The Gaya people have provided them food and medicines. They were also tested negative for COVID-19.
Advocate Sami Durai said they were psychologically affected, staying far away. But they have understood the situation and are co-operating with the authorities there and were in touch with their families over phone.
In Mumbai
Over 100 men in and around Pandalgudi, all roadside garment vendors, want to return home from Mumbai because of the lockdown. Virudhunagar MP B. Manickam Tagore has sought the intervention of Minister of State for Civil Aviation Hardeep Puri for giving them priority to fly them back home whenever flight services resume.
M.K. Murugan, 44, told The Hindu over phone that they were without any income. “Our family members back home are very worried about our well-being due to the prolonged lockdown,” he said.
Mr. Murugan, who has been living in Mumbai for the past 28 years, says 106 of them were living in small rooms in Dharavi.
