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Wholesome praise for a small but large-hearted gesture

File photo for representation: Migrants at Kendrapara district in Odisha.   | Photo Credit: Mohd Arif

The quarantined workers pool their meagre savings to help a fellow migrant’s family

Despite their dire economic condition, a group of quarantined migrant workers in Odisha’s Ganjam district have pooled their last bit of savings to contribute to the family of a Surat returnee who died due to COVID-19.

These workers are now housed in a quarantine centre at Sikiri under the Hinjli block. As they are also Surat returnees, they could empathise with the pathetic condition of the bereaved family. They contributed whatever little money they had in hand to the family.

The inmates could raise ₹5,500 which they decided to send to the family through the administration. They have also forwarded a video message through social media to other quarantine centres to do so as the family has lost its only earning member. Their small but great effort is being praised by all.

Prafulla Behera (45) died at a quarantine centre at Polasara on May 8. Tests of the swab samples collected after death had proved that he was suffering from the COVID-19. His wife and four daughters live at Madhupalli village in Polasara block.

Over 50,000 migrant workers have already returned to the district making it a major hotspot with 292 positive cases till Sunday afternoon. Almost all positive persons are migrant workers.

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