A large number of migrant workers returned to Odisha’s Ganjam district due to the rising threat of COVID-19 and its negative impact on the economy in States including Gujarat, Maharashtra and Kerala.
Around 3,000 migrant workers reached Berhampur railway station in the past 24 hours by the last trains that ran before passenger transportation was shut down by Indian Railways. They had returned from Surat, Ahmedabad, Ernakulam, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
Screened at station
All these workers were medically screened at Berhampur railway station and then transported to their respective villages by buses arranged by the administration.
According to Ganjam District Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange, after medical screening, around 2,000 of these migrant workers were directed to remain in home quarantine for next 14 days.
All these workers had to provide their personal details, phone number and home address during screening.
Panchayat bodies concerned have been informed to keep a watch on the persons directed to remain in home quarantine.
“Around 70% of the migrant workers from Ganjam district are expected to have returned home during the past few days, while the rest for various reasons are stranded at their work places,” said Lokanath Mishra, involved with ‘link workers scheme’, a project of the Odisha government and NACO related to migrant workers of Ganjam district in Surat and Mumbai.
Keeping vigil
The workers’ peer leaders at villages have also been alerted to keep a watch on them, said Mr Mishra.
Most workers who have returned were from Surat where they worked in textile industries.
Workers from Ganjam district worked at construction sites in Kerala and various industries in Mumbai.
