UP CM asks officials to prepare action plan for return of migrant workers

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday asked officials to keep ready quarantine centres, shelter homes and community kitchens as the state prepares for the return of migrant workers stranded in different parts of the country due to the coronavirus-forced lockdown.

The chief minister's office also put out the names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of nodal officers appointed by the state government for facilitating the return of the migrant workers.

The Union Home Ministry, in an order issued on Wednesday, allowed migrant workers, tourists, students and other people, who are stranded in different parts of the country, to move to their respective destinations with certain conditions.

The order stated that buses shall be used for transport of such groups of stranded people and these vehicles will be sanitised and will have to follow safe social distancing norms in seating.

On Thursday, CM Adityanath appealed to those stranded in other states to be patient and not start walking towards their homes.

"Maintain patience that you have shown till now. A detailed plan is being prepared after contacting states concerned to ensure that all return to their homes safely. Therefore, stay where you are and remain in contact with the respective state governments. Do not start moving on foot," he said in a tweet.

An official spokesperson said the state government has written letters to different states seeking detailed data on migrant labourers and workers of UP along with their names, mobile numbers and addresses as well as medical reports.

The spokesman said workers stranded in Madhya Pradesh will be brought back on Thursday and those in Gujarat on Friday by buses.

The UP government had on March 28-29 facilitated the return of around 4 lakh people from Delhi.

The government has also ensured the return of about 50,000 people from Haryana and Rajasthan. Around 13,000 people are being brought back from Haryana.

Earlier the government brought back 11,500 students of the state from Kota in Rajasthan and ensured that 15,000 students from Prayagraj return safely to their homes in different districts of the state, the spokesperson said.

In a meeting with senior officials, the chief minister said an effective work plan should be made to bring back migrants from other states.

He instructed officials to seal state borders so that no one can enter the state without permission. The chief minister also asked officials to prepare quarantine centres, shelter homes and community kitchens to facilitate 10 lakh people.

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Adityanath suggested that these quarantine centres and shelter homes could be set up in college buildings and must have a proper facility of community kitchens, toilets and security among other things

He directed setting up committees to maintain a vigil on those in home quarantine for which help of Nehru Yuva Kendra, NSS and NCC could be taken.

Assistance of women self-help groups could be taken for preparing food. Proper medical examination of these migrant labourers must be conducted before sending the migrant labourers back home from quarantine centres or shelter homes, the chief minister said.

Besides bringing back students from Noida, he said a list of the students returning to different parts of the state from Noida, Ghaziabad and Aligarh must be prepared. Different state governments must be contacted to facilitate the return of students from there to Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath said.