WB govt taking all precautionary measures for migrant workers

West Bengal government was taking all precautionary measures for migrant workers such as putting them under home or institutional quarantine, strict surveillance and daily monitoring in its bid to combat COVID- 19, an official said on Thursday. If any migrant labourer who returned to the state from outside shows any symptoms of the coronavirus, necessary medical tests would be conducted after isolating that person at a special isolation centre of a hospital nearby, the official told PTI.

"We have taken up strict measures in this respect. Migrant labourers are kept in quarantine centres and they are under strict surveillance. Health officials are monitoring them in the quarantine centres. In case of fever or cough or breathing problems, symptoms of COVID-19, we will immediately conduct a test after putting him or her in a special isolation centre of a hospital," he said.

Special isolation wards have been set up in the state-run hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients. All the district administrations have set up temporary shelters for the poor and needy people, including migrant workers stranded due to lockdown measures in the respective areas.

"In case of any violation of home quarantine protocols by any migrant labourer or foreign returnee, the authorities should move them into institutional quarantine facilities for a minimum of 14 days," the official added. Directions from the Chief Ministers Office (CMO) have been sent to all district administration requesting them to ensure strict compliance with the protocols meant for migrant workers returning home to combat the spread of the COVID-19.

Several thousands of labourers from West Bengal district like Murshidabad, Malda, Nadia, Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur, Medinipore besides, other districts work in different other states of the country. Incidentally, the state government on March 29 had issued directives to deal with migrant workers in the backdrop of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In the order, the state government had also directed that landlord of those properties where workers, including the migrants, are living in rented accommodation, should not demand payment of rent for a period of one month..