COVID-19: Migrant influx worry for rural population of Odisha

Massive influx of migrant workers has become a cause of worry for residents of Ganjam, particularly those residing in rural areas of the district.
(Image Used for representation only) Odisha-based migrants on their way to Central to board the train in Chennai on Sunday. (Photo | P Jawahar, EPS)
(Image Used for representation only) Odisha-based migrants on their way to Central to board the train in Chennai on Sunday. (Photo | P Jawahar, EPS)

BERHAMPUR:  Massive influx of migrant workers has become a cause of worry for residents of Ganjam, particularly those residing in rural areas of the district.After getting down from Shramik Special trains, most of the returnees are spending a lot of time outside before being put in quarantine centres. During this period, they are found using village ponds and tube-wells for bath and defecating in open fields. This has sparked panic among people who apprehend that such unhygienic acts could lead to coronavirus outbreak.

Besides, the rising temperature had resulted in water scarcity in many areas of the district. The quarantine centres too have started facing water shortage and are unable to meet the demands of inmates. Sources said on an average, 50 returnees are housed in a quarantine centre. Each centre has three to five toilets which are not enough for inmates.

With the advent of summer, water scarcity has added to the woes. Without adequate toilets and water, the inmates are forced to defecate in the open and use ponds and tube-wells meant for community purpose. Since the returnees are locals, villagers are unable to prevent them. Sources said residents of many villages have stopped using ponds and other such water bodies apprehending the spread of virus.

So far, more than 80,000 migrant workers have returned to the district of which 10,000 have been released after completion of the quarantine period. This apart, incidents of migrant workers getting off trains midway by pulling chain have aggravated the situation. Sources said the workers are pulling train chain before the scheduled stoppage to get down at places which are nearer to their homes. 

As per norms, the district administration provides transport facilities to ferry the returnees to their native places after their arrival at Berhampur railway station. However, with many workers getting down midway, the administration is facing an uphill task to trace them. The returnees, after alighting from trains, loiter in public places before reaching their respective villages, putting locals at risk of contracting the infection.

On Wednesday, Ganjam migrant workers pulled the chain of a Shramik Special train from Surat to Khurda at Humma railway station where 30 of them deboarded. The workers again pulled the chain at Khalikote stationan and 400 of them got down. It took over two hours for local representatives and railway police to trace the migrant workers and send them to quarantine centres.

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