Migrants At Quarantine Centre In Odisha Demand COVID-19 Test

Berhampur/ Bhubaneswar:  Amid reports that thousands of people are being allowed to go home from quarantine centres without swab tests, protests and demonstrations have been witnessed at some places in Odisha.

The Radha Charan Das Girls’ High School at Baghasala in Gajapati district saw 80 migrant workers staging a dharna. After demonstrating the whole of Sunday, the migrants finally relented in the evening on getting the administration’s assurance that tests will be conducted on those showing symptoms. The issue that has left the administration, migrants and local communities worried is, however, the fact that most COVID-19 cases detected have been asymptomatic.

At the school in Baghasala, the migrants pointed out that though they had already spent 15 days in the quarantine centre set up at the school, their swab samples are yet to be collected.

“We have to go to our respective villages after the quarantine period is over and we are preparing for the same. But we fear that villagers will not allow us to enter the village till we test negative for COVID-19,”  said one of the agitating migrants.

They withdrew their stir after Gajapati Collector Anupam Saha deputed a team to the quarantine centre. The team held discussions with the irate migrant workers and convinced them to withdraw the dharna.

“The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) specifies that swab samples of only those with COVID-19 symptoms and in some other cases will be collected. The test is not recommended for healthy persons and there will no problem if they go to their respective villages after the quarantine period is over,” he said.

Sarpanchs of every panchayat are being sensitised to accept people returning from the quarantine centres, the Collector added.