UP readies quarantine centres as migrant workers pour in

LUCKNOW: In the wake of the influx of migrant workers to Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath government has directed all district magistrates to open quarantine centres and kitchens.

A large number of migrant labourers belonging to eastern UP have already arrived in their home towns without being quarantined and testing for Covid-19.
All trains coming from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab and other states are overloaded with workers.

The CM has issued directives to DMs of all 75 districts to open quarantine centres to house migrant labourers. Like May 2020, kitchens will be set up at these quarantine centres to provide food free of cost to migrant labourers and their families.

Directives have also been issued to conduct RT-PCR tests on them and allow only those to travel for their final destinations after their report is negative. Those who test positive will be quarantined for 14 days and those without any symptom will be quarantined for a week at the quarantine centres.

The CM has also directed officials concerned to open counters for their registration and skill mapping so that they are provided job opportunities in their hometowns and villages. Orders have also been passed to make available ration kits for them.

It may be recalled that a recent study by Harvard University lauded the efforts of the Yogi Adityanath government in dealing with the migrant labourers’ crisis in May 2020.

As per the government sources, Havard university had lauded the efforts of the UP government in making available timely and free transportation facilities, ration kits and setting up medical centres for the migrants.

UP had received over 35 lakh migrants from across the country as they covered thousands of miles to reach home after losing jobs due to the announcement of lockdown in March 2020.

The migrants kept coming along with their luggage and baggage much after the lockdown and even during the unlocking period.

The model of the Yogi government was appreciated in developing a mechanism for the sustenance of affected families, employment generation by skill mapping, and prevention from the pandemic.