The Odisha government on Monday said about 1.2 lakh Odia migrant workers are stranded in other States.
“The State government has set up a control room led by 12 senior bureaucrats who are assigned to coordinate with their counterparts in other States. The government is making all effort to provide assistance to all stranded Odia people,” said Subroto Bagchi, Odisha’s chief spokesperson on COVID-19, here.
“As of now, 4,700 calls have been received from people in distress. We are in close contacts with others States about the safety of 1.20 lakh people. Most of them are now stranded in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala,” he said.
Helpline calls
Mr. Bagchi pointed out that among all the calls received through the helpline number, 200 pertained to groups having 100 or more people stranded in other States. “All help is being extended to them through the respective State governments.”
“It is matter of concern that people are stranded away from their homes. Till the situation is normalised, they will have to wait there. All assistance is being extended to them through highly placed Odia officers and Odia organisations,” said Mr. Bagchi.
The State government had earlier announced that it will bear the expenses incurred for all migrant workers stranded in other States.
Meanwhile, the Naveen Patnaik government has ordered government officials to treat workers of other States stranded in Odisha as guests.
Till now, about 18,000 labourers have been sheltered in 252 temporary camps.
