CHENNAI: A day after migrant workers staged protests in Chennai demanding to leave to their home States, Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash said the civic body would ensure the workers return to normal work routine again in the city.
Addressing reporters here on Sunday, Prakash said there are 5000 workers in Corporation camps and almost 90 percent of them will be taken care of.
“We have to take a decision in view of restarting the industrial and economic activities. Normal life has to resume too. We will help workers to resume their life and still if someone wants to leave, we will take a call on that,’’ said Prakash.
On Saturday, hundreds of migrant workers involved in construction activities staged massive demonstrations in Velachery, Pallavaram and Guindy. Many had also thronged to Ripon Buildings, the headquarters of Chennai Corporation.
Prakash said that tourists and stranded students would be permitted to leave the city first and reinstated that life for migrant workers would return to normal in the city soon.
The Commissioner has advised all the house owners to get work passes for the domestic workers. “The domestic workers may not be aware of how to apply for the passes. So the house owners shall help them,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, the Chennai Corporation is set to add 50,000 beds by May end as part of the quarantine facilities to keep asymptomatic patients.
“Currently we have 4,000 beds. We have taken up 750 marriage halls and higher education institutions will be prioritised to be converted into COVID19 quarantine centre,’’ said the commissioner.
The civic body has taken up Loyola College, DG Vaishnav College, Kannika Parameshwari College and Bharathi Women’s Arts College so far. “Process of taking over government and private schools is on too,’’ said Prakash.
As hospitals are getting full, the future course of the health department may be to shift asymptomatic patients to Corporation’s quarantine facilities, only keep serious symptomatic patients in the hospital.