Migrant Workers Returning to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar Amid Coronavirus Lockdown to be Quarantined For Two Weeks
Migrant workers returning to their homes in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar will have to undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine in state-run camps.
Lucknow, March 29: Migrant workers returning to their homes in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar from Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and other states will have to undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine in state-run camps. Thousands of migrant workers are returning to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar from different parts of the country amid a nationwide lockdown over coronavirus or COVID-19. Both Uttar Pradesh and Bihar governments have decided to quarantine such workers to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Coronavirus Outbreak Live News Updates on March 29.
In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday directed all the district magistrates to trace over 1.5 lakh migrants who have returned to the state in the last three days and quarantine them in state-run camps. District magistrates have been asked to ensure all essential services for migrant workers at the relief camps. Village heads have been told to make quarantine arrangements for migrant workers returning to UP. Don't Leave, State Will Help You: Maharashtra CM to Migrant Workers.
"All of these migrant labourers have to stay in government camps for 14 days. They would not be allowed to return to their homes," Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said. Last night, however, some migrant workers were allowed to go to their villages in UP's Deoria district after a thermal scanning, NDTV reported. In Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ordered officials to set up relief camps in the bordering districts to quarantine thousands of migrant workers returning from northern states amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Kumar ruled out running special buses to bring back stranded workers. "This entire exercise to send back people to their (native) states by special buses will defeat the purpose of lockdown. It will lead to an increase in the spread of virus in the next few days," he told NDTV. "It is better to organise camps locally, instead of trying to send people back home. The state government will reimburse the costs of these camps organised by anyone," he added.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 29, 2020 09:45 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).