Odisha allows stranded labourers to move within state after completing 14-day quarantine

In a relief to the stranded labourers, the Odisha government on Saturday allowed movement of the labourers within the state. The government stated that those who have completed their 14-day quarantine period can move to their respective places and resume jobs. The state has so far reported 94 positive cases. While only 1 death has been witnessed in the state, 33 individuals have recovered from COVID-19.

READ | Covid Lockdown To Be Extended In Mumbai & Pune Beyond May 3, Likely Till June: Sources

The state government's Revenue and Disaster Management has issued some guidelines to be followed by those who wish to travel within the state. These are: 

1) Industries or agencies labour contractors will be allowed to transport their labourers in dedicated and designated buses from camps to the workplace within Odisha, maintaining social distancing and other relevant safety protocols prescribed by the government.

2) Such industries agencies contractors will report the details of such labourers, destinations and buses to the concerned district collector, through the district labour officer. The concerned district collectors will issue movement pass to such contractors for the purpose.

3) In such cases where the stranded labourers do not belong to any particular industry or agency contractor the concerned block development officers/district level officers shall bring it to the notice of the district collector, who will make arrangements for such labourers to travel to the destination of their work in groups.

READ | Centre Adds Clarification: All Rural Shops Except Malls Allowed; E-commerce Still Limited

4) Since these stranded labourers have already completed the recommended quarantine period of 14 days in their respective camps, the recipient local authorities shall not insist upon further quarantine of such arriving labourers, to facilitate their immediate joining of the workforce.

5) A high-level committee chaired by APC-cum-ACS with PS Labour and ESI and PS Commerce and Transport as members will review and monitor the movement on a daily basis.

READ | Coronavirus Live Updates: MHA Orders Reopening Of Non-essentials; Cases Soar To 24,942

Relief for migrant workers in Gujarat 

Earlier in the day, the Gujarat government now announced that the migrant workers who have their own vehicles will be allowed to leave for their hometowns even amid the ongoing nationwide lockdown. BJP leader and Lok Sabha Member of Parliament CR Patil revealed that hundreds of migrant workers were stranded in Surat after the factories and industries were forced to shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that the state government had requested Home Minister Amit Shah to allow the workers, who had their own means of transport, to travel back home keeping in mind the uncertainty of the pandemic. 

READ | 'Surat Migrant Workers Who Have Their Own Vehicle Allowed To Travel Back': Gujarat Govt