Hassan officials provide food, shelter to workers

The Hassan district administration has provided 105 workers, who are natives of different districts, with shelter and food at hostels run by the Social Welfare Department in the district. The hostel staff are preparing food for them. Besides that, the department has been providing food for 143 more workers residing at rented buildings.

With construction activities coming to a halt following the lockdown, many had attempted to leave for their native places.

While a few succeeded, many were stopped midway. The administration decided to provide them with food and shelter here. Many of the beneficiaries were working in garment units, quarries, coffee estates, and construction sites. Those in rented buildings get food packets supplied by the department.

The workers, though getting food, look depressed with no earnings. Many were in tears when media representatives went to meet them at a hostel in Hassan on Wednesday. They said they would have reached their native places if public transport facility was available.

Sridhar, Deputy Director of the Social Welfare Department, said the department had been taking care of the basic needs of the workers in the hostels. “We will take care of them till the lockdown is lifted,” he said.

No positive case

So far, samples collected from 36 people have been tested in the district and none are positive. The district has done health check-up of 468 people, including 109 foreigners.

As many as 68 are still in quarantine and 279 people have completed the quarantine period, said a communiqué from the district administration.