People returning home ‘flout’ stay-indoors order

Jamshedpur: Several villagers in West Singhbhum, which is so far a green zone, are apprehensive that the return of large number of migrants to their hamlets will expose them to the threat of the novel cornavirus. So far, over 4,000 migrants have returned to the district and several more are expected to arrive in subsequent days.
Locals have complained that many migrants are breaking home quarantine norms and asked the district authorities to take stern action against such persons. Villagers of Manjhari, Kumardungi, Majhgaon, Bandgaon, Jagannathpur blocks of the district told TOI that some migrants were even visiting local rivulets and ponds to bathe.
Madanmohan Birua, former mukhiya of Kundrubhatu panchayat in Manjhari block, said, “East Singhbhum district reported its first Covid-19 cases when two persons who returned home to Chakulia from Kolkata tested positive. We apprehend that a similar thing might happen here if migrants coming from red zones don’t adhere to rules.”
Sanom Hembram, a traditional village head in Kumardungi, said migrants argue with villagers when they are asked to stay in home quarantine. A villager, Subhash Tamsoy of Majhgaon, said some migrants who have been put in institutional quarantine, sneak out of the centres at night and visit their homes and family members.
West Singbhum DDC Aditya Ranjan said the district administration has launched a drive along with village pradhans to ensure that the migrants follow the guidelines.