MALKANGIRI: The State government directive to Collectors of six districts to close their borders with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in wake of emergence of more virulent N440K strain of coronavirus has put the Malkangiri administration in a dilemma.
Hundreds of migrants are reaching the Motu border check point here from the neighbouring States every day and closure of the border would only lead to chaos, the district officials feared, while adding that there is no clarity from governments of Odisha, AP and Telangana about restrictions on inter-State movement of migrants.
“The State government has directed the district magistrates to put up check points at the border. It has also asked the district administration to make provisions for 14-day institutional quarantine in temporary medical centres for people coming to Odisha from these two states. We are confused whether to allow them in or not”, said an official, requesting anonymity.
Meanwhile, the Malkangiri administration has intensified surveillance at the Motu check point. Collector Yedulla Vijay visited the checkpoint on Wednesday and took stock of the arrangements put in place there. The district in the last 24 hours saw 86 new positive cases and till Tuesday, 12,978 migrant workers have entered the district from AP, Telangana and other states.
In another incident, a minor girl who was returning with her migrant parents from Hyderabad died near Kaleru in Andhra Pradesh bordering Malkangiri district. A native of Nuapada district, the girl was ailing for some time. Receiving information, Motu Tehsildar Sashank Mishra rushed to the AP village and received the body. The mortal remains were cremated in Motu with the consent of the father Baluni Kandijal and later a vehicle was arranged by the administration to drop the couple in Nuapada. Mishra informed that the girl and her parents are Covid negative.