CUTTACK: With families of unscreened migrants not cooperating in disclosing information, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and Anganwadi workers engaged for the door-to-door surveys are on their toes to identify and quarantine them at temporary medical camps (TMCs) in the district.
Sarpanchs and Ward members are also unwilling to pursue and lose their vote bank by disclosing facts about the presence of the unscreened migrants in their respective localities. As a result, the much-needed survey has been stopped for 40 days.
Meanwhile, the influx of unscreened migrants has posed a challenge in coronavirus fight in rural areas.
Two days back, acting on a tip-off, the local ASHA and Anganwadi worker had gone to a house at Brajarajpatana village of Katikata panchayat under Nischintakoili block to inquire and report about a female migrant worker who reportedly returned from Khurda district. Though they tried a lot to sensitize them, the family members were not in a mood to listen apparently due to lack of awareness and picked up an argument and opposed them in performing their duty. Later, they returned empty-handed as they did not want more animosity by reporting against them officially. This is not an isolated case and such a scenario prevails in several parts of the district.
Till April 1, the ASHA and Anganwadi worker had conducted the survey to identify migrants who had returned home after March 15 and submitted the report. Since then, no survey has been conducted.
Despite several attempts, CDMO and District Project Manager of NHM could not be contacted for comments.