JAGATSINGHPUR: In a relief to 40 hapless persons from Madhya Pradesh stranded in Jagatsinghpur due to the Covid-19 lockdown, the district administration on Thursday provided dry ration and groceries to them. The migrants were also shifted to a school building.
The move comes in wake of publication of a news report titled ‘Stranded in lockdown, 40 natives of MP starve’ in TNIE highlighting the plight of the MP natives.
The migrants were stranded at Krushak bazaar in Jagatsinghpur town without food and money since the lockdown was imposed last month. They had come to the district in January to sell bangles and bracelets in rural areas.
On the day, a team of municipality officials led by executive officer Ashok Kumar Karan rushed to Krushak bazaar and provided them dry ration, masks and sanitisers. The migrants were shifted to SK Academy high school after proper sanitisation of the rooms.
Twenty-two-year-old Rani Sahi, a migrant, said, “We are grateful to the administration for providing us food and shelter. All of us including children were struggling to survive due to the lockdown. The administration has given us adequate grocery items which will last for many days.”
Other migrants Amitabh Singh, Biren Singh and Binita Bai also expressed their gratitude for the help. They requested the administration to take steps to vaccinate the women and children in their camp.
Nodal officer of Jagatsinghpur municipality Saroj Sarangi said all necessary facilities have been provided to the MP natives.
“We are yet to take any decision on vaccinating them,” he added.
Many petty traders from MP including women and children come to Jagatsinghpur every year to earn quick money during Raja and Sabitri festivals.
They visit door to door in rural areas and sell their wares. But this year, their business came to a grinding halt after the government imposed lockdown to contain the second Covid wave.