Over 35,000 migrant labourers arrive in Vijayapura

Over 35,000 people from the district, who had migrated to different districts and states to eke out a living, have returned home after the coronavirus lockdown left them without livelihoods.

Deputy Commissioner Y S Patil told DH, "About 25,000 labourers working in from different districts including Bengaluru, Mysuru, Chikkamagaluru and Mangaluru, have returned to the district. Also, about 10,000 labourers have returned home from Maharashtra and Goa. Another 10,000 to 15,000 migrant workers are likely to return home in a week or two."

Apart from those, who returned home registering their names on Seva Sindhu portal, thousands have sneaked into the district through unauthorised routes, he said adding that a total of 2,485 labourers from different states working the district, have left to their homes.

The migrant labourers, upon their arrival, are being sent to a compulsory 14-day quarantine at the schools, community halls or hostels.

With the locals resisting the administration's move to quarantine the labourers, fearing the virus spread, the district administration is faced with a daunting task in ensuring the welfare of the families of the migrant labourers who returned home.

Migrant labourers, who returned from Sindhudurg in Maharashtra, poured out their woes to DH, "We had migrated to Maharashtra two decades back. We took up masonry and odd jobs to eke out a living. With a decent earning, we settled down in Maharashtra. But the coronavirus-enforced lockdown left us without work and income. Also, many towns and cities there are turned into COVID-19 hostpots. Fearing infection, we decided to return to our native places."