JAGATSINGHPUR: When the lockdown was announced in view of the Covid-19 outbreak, thousands of migrants made it back home under exceptionally difficult circumstances. One such experience was that of Smruti Ranjan Biswal of Gorada village under Kujang block in the district. Stranded in Chhattisgarh where he was working for past few months, he decided to return home at any cost.
However, his wife Laxmipriya’s delivery was due when they left Chhattisgrah on May 16. As the latter’s sister and husband were accompanying them till Erasama here, Biswal took a bus whose last stop was at Sohela (Bargarh) along Odisha- Chhattisgrah border. When they reached the border on May 20, Laxmipriya developed labor pain and was rushed to Bargarh Government hospital. But she was denied admission.
As she lay in the hospital porch writhing in pain, Biswal, managed to contact Jagatsinghpur administration’s helpline through a local legislator.
Jagatsinghpur Collector Sangram Kesari Mohapatra got in touch with the migrants and coordinated with his counterpart in Sambalpur. Laxmipriya was then shifted from Bargarh to Sambalpur in an ambulance and admitted to a Covid hospital where she delivered a baby boy. The other members put up at Ainthapalli quarantine centre.
“While Bargarh administrative staff did not offer any help, those at Sambalpur were very considerate. Apart from help at the hospital, the doctors even rented a private vehicle and sent us back to Jagatsinghpur,” said Biswal’s relative Pralay who was also returning with them.
The five returnees along with the baby completed home isolation last week after being released from quarantine and was declared Covid-19 negative.