Migrants give school a makeover during quarantine

A group of migrant workers have painted the chipped walls of a school-turned-quarantine centre in Rajasthan to express their gratitude for the arrangement made for them at the facility.

Seventy-four workers, who harvest crops in Behror area of Alwar district, had decided to walk down to their homes in Madhya Pradesh after the lockdown was extended till May 3.

The workers were stopped at Kotputli in Jaipur district and were taken to a quarantine centre set up at a government school in Paniyala. In response to the good care taken during quarantine, workers expressed the desire to give a makeover to the school.

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Former village head Ravindra Meena and former Mandi chairperson Mahesh Meena made available paint and other necessary items worth Rs 20,000 to the workers, who have started painting last Thursday without charging a single penny.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned about the work in his 'Mann ki Baat' on Sunday. He said some people were making masks, whereas migrants staying at quarantine centres set-up in schools were giving makeover by painting walls.

"The work of migrants is appreciable as they themselves painted the school premises," Paniyala government school principal Kishorlal Verma said. "The school looks new now."

Recently, about 54 workers from Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh had added colour to their temporary abode in Palsana town of Sikar district.

Wall paint and other necessary items were made available to them by the villagers. The schools were not painted from last nine years. Teacher had agreed to offer funds from their salaries and workers happily took the task without taking any money.