Migrant Return Tough Test For Covid-Hit States

Arrival of 75 lakh workers triggers corona spike, states struggle to screen & isolate suspects, Centre redraws region-wise battle plan.

- Snehanshu Shekhar

Ferrying lakhs of stranded migrants in trains and buses became a necessity after heart-wrenching images of the lockdown-induced exodus went viral.

Some went inside truck-mounted concrete mixers, used bicycles, carts and hand-driven tricycles, while others trudged along highways to get home, before the government woke up to their plight.

But here’s another crisis. Coronavirus cases have shot up, with a rapid spread in rural India. States such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha are struggling to screen and isolate suspected cases, besides treating those found infected, as about 75 lakh workers have reached home.

This includes nearly 35 lakh ferried by 2,600 Shramik Special trains, which started on May 1, and 40 lakhs in buses, the government has said.

On Sunday, India saw its biggest spike of Covid-19 cases with 6,767 new infections, forcing the Centre to redraw region-wise battle plans, with a massive focus on containment, due to sheer and sudden numbers.

With lockdown norms relaxed, limited domestic flights taking off today and 36 lakh more migrants reaching states in trains and buses over the next 10 days, cases are likely to go up even further. Arranging food and shelter is also a challenge for governments.

Punya Salila Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Union Home Ministry, said, “The Centre has advised all states and Union Territories (UTs) that the issue of migrant workers should be handled with sensitivity and it should be ensured that they don't move during the lockdown.” There are four crore migrants engaged in different works across the country.

UTTAR PRADESH