“The pradhan has not made any arrangements for our stay here. We informed him about our arrival and he asked us to stay for 14 days in this school. But, for how long can I stay here when we are getting no food and bedding. For how long can I sleep on the ground?” asked Mohammad Sahban, 18, a migrant worker, who came recently from Delhi to his village Pipri Sadipur, which is in Sitapur district, around 90 kms from Uttar Pradesh’s capital Lucknow.
Along with him, there are 20-25 other migrant workers who have come to this village and are just waiting as no arrangements have been made for them.
“If we go to our homes, the police would beat us up. If we stay here, we will have nothing to eat,” said Sahban.
Amid mass exodus of migrant labourers from cities to villages in states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar after a 21-day nationwide lockdown was announced, the Centre has advised a 14-day quarantine for migrant labourers at government quarantine facilities.
On March 29, the Union Home Ministry directed state governments to provide temporary shelters, food and other essentials to the stranded and needy people, including migrant labourers.
The decision was taken after it was reported that thousands of migrant workers were walking along the highways and railway tracks to go back to villages as they no longer had jobs or shelter in cities. As per the reports, around one lakh labourers have moved to their native places from cities in the last few days.
As these labourers from coronavirus-hit cities started walking into Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, the state chief minister, directed all the district magistrates to trace these migrants and made a 14-day quarantine mandatory for them.
As per a report, Keshav Prasad Maurya, deputy chief minister of the state, said: “All these migrant laborers have to stay in government camps for 14-days. They would not be allowed to return to their homes.”
The state government has asked the gram pradhans (village heads) to make a list of these people and set up camps in government buildings, such as primary schools, where they would be provided with food and essential amenities, such as bedding and handwash.
Gaon Connection spoke to some heads of the villages to understand how prepared they were.
“No one has informed us this. Nothing has changed here since that day. People from Delhi and Haryana have been coming here and they are going straight to their homes. No tests are conducted. Everyone is living here like they used to live before,” said Om Prakash Verma, gram pradhan of Pipri Sadipur village (where Mohammad Sahban lives).
“We have not set up any camps. There is nothing that we have done in this
regard. Nothing is happening at the ground. I have informed the lekhpal
(accountant) and the secretary yet no one has come here to check the
situation as of now,” he added.
The situation was no different in Barabanki district, around 96 kms from Sitapur. Balram Rawat, gram pradhan of Tandwa village in Suratganj block, informed us that he had no idea of this decision taken by the Centre and that arrangements have to be made for migrant labourers arriving in villages.
“I don’t know that those who are coming are to be kept outside the village in
some camps. Neither have I got any calls from the secretary regarding this, nor have any information from the hospitals. The ANMs (auxiliary nurse midwife) are visiting the homes of those who have come back and are advising them to remain at homes for 14 days. Apart from this, nothing has been made available to them.” The pradhan informed us that many from Punjab, Delhi, Noida, and Lucknow have come back to the village.
Across India, there over 1,117 coronavirus positive cases in the country and 32 people have lost their lives as on March 31. Considering the grave situation, people, especially those living rural pockets, need to be vigilant about the spread. However, only a few pradhans have made arrangements to deal with this.
Suraj Singh, son of gram pradhan of Lakauda village, which is in the same block, informed us that no such camps have been set up so far in the village. “What we have done is that we have asked them to isolate themselves in their homes. People from Pune, Bihar, and Lucknow have come to our village and everyone is staying in their homes.” Suraj informed us that he takes care of all the responsibilities of a pradhan.
When Gaon Connection reporter asked him if they are observing self-isolation, he said: “Who is going to check that they are following this or not?”
However, there are a few pradhans who are doing their bit. Dilip Tripathi, gram pradhan of Hasuri Ausanpur village in Siddharthnagar district of the state, said: “The district magistrate has directed us to make necessary arrangements at government buildings for those who are coming to the villages. I have asked the sweepers to clean the school premises so that we can house labourers there. We are screening people at the state borders,” he added.
The plan is that the administration will provide food to the needy. Family members would be allowed to bring food, the only condition being that they have to maintain social distancing. “We have provided them with bedding, mosquito coils and handwash. We keep making announcements that those who have come from Mumbai and Pune or any other city should inform us about their arrival. People understand that those coming from outside could be infected. People are scared. They come and inform us,” said Dilip.
