As many as 17 members of the 34 belong to one extended family. (File)
A TEAM of doctors from the department of psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH)-32 examined the inmates housed in the shelter home in Maloya and said that boredom, anxiety and insecurity about the future was plaguing them.
A team led by Dr Arzoo, clinical psychiatrist, examined all 34 inmates including four women and six children, who have been at the shelter home for six days now. Doctors suggested the introduction of drawing material for sketching cartoons for children, knitting material for women, and a TV/FM radio etc in the shelter house, but on the condition of maintaining social distancing.
As many as 17 members of the 34 belong to one extended family.
The occupants were provided vernacular newspapers on Saturday morning which were turned down as most of them are illiterate. Nine men in the shelter home are eager to return to their native villages in UP to start farming. Sources said the level of anxiety is high among the men and a sense of boredom is plaguing the women and children.
“We have decided to introduce constructive activities for them. Drawing of cartoons for children, knitting material for women, TV screens/FM radio speakers for the entertainment for these people. Most of them have smart phones, but the team of doctors advised us to engage them in some activities to lower the level of anxiety, boredom among them. All these people are contractual labourers who can not afford to sit idle, without work for more than two days. They are desperate to do something. We have allowed them to walk in the open veranda whi;e maintaining social distancing. A yoga session was also introduced from today,” said Rajeev Tiwari, nodal officer of the shelter home.
These people were advised by someone to go to Una district suggesting that they would get a train for Delhi from there and from Delhi, they can be easily entered UP. On March 30, they were intercepted in Chandigarh when they were on their way to Una.
Two shelter houses were set up at Maloya for the stay of interstate migrant labourers with the capacity of around 155 persons. Initially, there were 74 people lodged in the home, but 40 persons had their own accommodations in Chandigarh.