SALEM: As many as 550 labourers and visitors, who were stranded in Maharashtra owing to the nationwide lockdown, were brought back to the State on Wednesday night. They arrived in Salem, and after thorough screening they were allowed to go to their respective home districts in a bus, specially arranged for them on Thursday evening. Similarly, on Thursday, 120 labourers from Odisha were sent to Chennai from Salem.
The stranded labourers and visitors from Maharashtra first arrived in Krishnagiri in 10 buses, and later taken to the Salem district by the Salem administration and health officials, said a revenue official. They were housed at a private college in the district, and the officials provided all the necessary facilities to them. After screening by the officials, the labourers were sent to their respective home districts in 13 government buses. The officials have also alerted the district health officials concerned and instructed them to put the labourers under home quarantine for 28 days.
When contacted, District Deputy Director (DD) for Health Services J Nirmalson said that out of the 550 people, 13 are from Salem. “We have sent their samples for test and all of them were tested negative. We have instructed them to be home quarantined for 28 days,” he said.Odisha labourers would be sent to their native place in train from Chennai, said the officials.
10 buses
The stranded labourers and visitors from Maharashtra first arrived in Krishnagiri in 10 buses, and later taken to Salem by the Salem district administration