Twenty-nine-year-old Suganya Saravanan, who is pregnant, was relieved when she landed in Chennai from Dubai a few days ago. Little did she realise that she would have to endure some harrowing days ahead. “The hotel where I am stay quarantined has been providing us with some terrible food. I have been having vomiting and diarrhoea for two days now. I already had a miscarriage two years ago and I’m dreading what will happen to the baby if this continues,” she says.

Air passengers who returned to Chennai in the repatriation flights were given a choice to be stay in quarantine in free accommodation in a private college campus or choose to pay and stay in two hotels — one that would cost them ₹1,500 a day located in Periyamet and another ₹2,500 a day in Guindy. Like Suganya, pregnant women who opted to stay in the hotel in Periyamet allege that they have been suffering from vomiting or diarrhoea due to the food provided.

Shalini Devi Chandrasekhar, 29, who is six months pregnant says they were given dosa and khichdi for breakfast, a variety rice for lunch and chapati and rice for dinner. “Many of us ended up vomiting because the food was poorly cooked, very oily and barely had any vegetables. The rice was almost uncooked. We can stay in quarantine but we need at least good cooked and healthy food; I don’t think that is asking for too much. After all, we are paying ₹1,500 a day. All of us are hungry because the quantity given too is grossly insufficient,” she adds.

Twenty-five-year old S. Saranya says, the hotel provides for only one litre of water bottle for the whole day. “After dehydration from vomiting and diarrhoea, we had to beg them for more water as well. We are ready to even pay them but even then we had to ask for hours. Yesterday, a bunch of us went to the reception and some of us broke down in desperation; after that, we got an additional bottle,” she adds.

Anitha S., 27, a resident of Salem who is nine months pregnant says, this has been one of the most stressful times she has ever been through. “My due date is fast approaching. If something happens at midnight what will do? We have no idea who to contact in case of emergency or any help. We decided to come back to India because we have help here but now, I’m terrified what might happen,” she says.