Over a 100 migrant labourers back from Gujarat’s Surat escaped from two quarantine centres in Kodala block of Odisha’s Ganjam district on Sunday.
It happened while thousands of migrant labourers from outside the State started arriving in Ganjam district by buses and trains.
The escaped migrant workers had been kept in the quarantine centres at Janata High School of Beguniapada and Odisha Adarsh Vidyalaya at Ragapur in Kodala block.
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According to sources, the Janata High School quarantine shelter had 221 returnees from Surat, while the Ragapur quarantine centre had 179. Most of them had reached Ganjam district by buses on Saturday night.
Alleging lack of proper amenities and bad food, over a 100 migrant workers escaped from these two quarantine centres on Sunday morning. They tried to reach their homes through agricultural fields and orchards.
Receiving information about the escape, police and administrative officials, including Ganjam Collector and Superintendent of Police, rushed to the spot. The officials held discussions with the rest of the migrant workers at the quarantine centres to persuade them to stay back for 14 days to save themselves and others from COVID-19 infection.
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Till evening most of these escaped workers had been rounded up by police. But search was on to track down 36 workers of Janata High School quarantine centre. All escapees of Ragapur quarantine centre were caught.
Meanwhile, for the first time two COVID-19 cases were reported in Ganjam district on Sunday morning. Both were Surat returnees. Return of thousands of migrant workers from Surat has increased the threat of rise in COVID-19 cases in Ganjam district.
Special train
A special train with 1202 Odia migrant workers from Surat reached Jagannathpur station on outskirts of Berhampur in Ganjam district on Sunday.
After initial medical check up at the station, arrangements were made to take them to their respective panchayats in Ganjam district to be kept in institutional quarantine for 14 days.
Three more special trains have started from Surat on Sunday for Ganjam district. They will arrive on Monday.