BHUBANESWAR: With the Centre allowing movement of migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists and students amid Covid-19 lockdown, Odisha Government on Sunday appointed a three-member committee headed by Development Commissioner Suresh Mohapatra to coordinate safe return of stranded labourers from other states to their homes.

While Labour Commissioner Tirumala Nayak, who has been appointed as the State Nodal Officer, will coordinate with his counterparts in the receiving states over the issue, Principal Secretary in Home department Sanjeev Chopra will be responsible for implementation of a decentralised system for issue of passes through the district and municipal administrations. He will also finalise a standard format for the passes.

Besides, the State Nodal Officer will coordinate with the Collectors/Municipal Commissioners for screening of such workers and issuing authorisation/vehicle passes to asymptomatic persons. The Collectors/Municipal Commissioners will then intimate the vehicle and passenger details, and date/time of journey with route chart to the Nodal Officer, who will inform the states concerned for further necessary arrangements.

Official sources said the stranded persons will apply to the respective Collectors/Superintendents of Police/ Municipal Commissioners/ Police Commissioner for permission to travel, giving their details including destination state and district. Then, they will issue appropriate passes with intimation to Home department and counterpart district authorities in the destination state.

The standard operating procedure (SOP) issued by Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Jena said prior approval of recipient states is a must before departure of any train/bus from any district/municipal corporation in Odisha. The SOP said for road journey by means of bus/vans, the transit pass will be provided by the authorities here.

The counterpart Collectors/municipal commissioners /state coordinator in the recipient state should be informed with the details of passengers, destination and their mobile numbers.

One of the passengers having a smartphone may be designated as the group coordinator whose mobile number may be passed on to the recipient Collector/municipal commissioner/coordinator.

There are around 90,000 guest workers in the State who are staying in 2,610 shelter camps opened by Odisha Government.