SAMBALPUR: Notwithstanding the tall claims of the State Government of making proper arrangements for migrant workers returning to Odisha, inmates of quarantine centres under Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) have been deprived of basic facilities.

Apart from substandard food, inmates of different quarantine centres have complained about poor sanitation in the toilets.    There are 28 quarantine centres in the SMC area. As of now, 39 persons have been lodge in the centres and the number is likely to increase in the coming days. An inmate of a quarantine centre in Sambalpur city, who has been lodged there since April 27, alleged that there is no fixed timing for breakfast.

“There are days when breakfast is served at 10 am and at times, it is given to us at 12 noon. The quality of food is very poor. Rice cooked for lunch is being served to inmates during dinner as well,” he said. Currently, nine persons are staying in the quarantine centre. However, no one comes to clean the premises. The inmates claimed that they are forced to clean the toilets themselves. Medical check-up is also not being conducted regularly, he alleged. 

Another man, who left a quarantine centre in the city after completion of his 14-day quarantine period and currently under home isolation, also levelled similar allegations. “I was staying in the quarantine centre with 14 other inmates. The food was substandard and we used to get only rice and dalma both for lunch and dinner,” he said. 

SMC Commissioner Jugaleswari Dash, however, said proper care is being taken of the inmates in the quarantine centres. Self-help groups (SHGs) have been entrusted to provide food to the inmates. “I will ask the food inspector to check the quality of food being served at the centres,” she added.