Home Ministry strictly directs states & UTs to seal borders amid Coronavirus lockdown

The Union Home Ministry has issued strict orders asking states and Union Territories to effectively seal borders amid the 21-day COVID-19 lockdown. The Home Ministry's orders come at a time when thousands of stranded migrant workers have taken off on a journey to their states. This came despite the Centre and the state government's numerous advice to avoid travel and stay put at the current location.

Read: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Appeals Migrants To Stay In Delhi, Reassures Basic Facilities

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in a press release had informed that the Centre had directed states to enforce a strict lockdown. While the Centre had appreciated the states for maintaining the lockdown effectively by and large, it had expressed its concern over the migrant exodus happening across state borders.

"Directions were issued that district and state borders should be effectively sealed. States were directed to ensure there is no movement of people across cities or on highways. Only the movement of goods should be allowed," read pointers from the press release.

Read: Centre Takes Up Worker Migration With States; Holds Them Responsible For Ensuring Lockdown

The centre has also urged states to arrange adequate food and shelter for the poor and needy including migrant labourers amid the lockdown It has directed states to use the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) fund for this purpose. Apart from that it has also stated that those who have violated the lockdown and travelled during the period of lockdown including migrant labourers will be subjected to a minimum 14 days of quarantine in government quarantine facilities. 

Read: Migrant Workers Who Arrive In Bihar Will Be Quarantined For 14 Days: Bihar Govt