COVID-19 Lockdown: 250 Camps Set Up In Odisha For Stranded Workers From Other States

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Bhubaneswar: Chief Spokesperson on COVID-19 Subroto Bagchi on Friday said that 1.2 lakh workers from Odisha are stranded in states like Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal and Telangana, following the nationwide lockdown since March 24 midnight.

The 20-line call centre in the Odisha capital has so far received nearly 4,700 calls, including 200 calls from groups having 100-plus persons, he said.

A response team with 12 senior officials has been constituted and it is coordinating all relief activities for the stranded migrant workers from Odisha, he added.

Labour Secretary Anu Garg added that 250 camps have been set up in Odisha to accommodate over 20,000 migrant workers from other states.

Meanwhile, Special Relief Commissioner Pratap Jena has written to all collectors to arrange temporary shelter and food for the stranded migrant labourers.

They have been asked to make necessary arrangements for providing food (hot cooked meals and dry ready-to-eat) to all migrant labourers at Rs.60 per adult per day and Rs.45 per child (up to 12 years of age) a day.

“The cost towards this food arrangement shall be met out of State Disaster Response
Fund,” he added.