分类： bharat

Migrant workers stuck in Odisha capital Bhubaneswar due to the countrywide lockdown are facing a nightmarish situation, going without food for several days and left with no money in a place far away from home. About 50 migrant workers are sleeping in the open near the Nayapalli Durga Mandap waiting for food and cash aid from the authorities. With all forms of transport suspended, they are unable to return to their homes.

Odisha was already under lockdown before Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day countrywide lockdown on March 25.

Most of these workers are from different parts of the state who had migrated to the capital in different points of time to do daily labour for their livelihood. One among them, who identified himself only as Rakesh, broke down as he begged for food and financial support. “I have not eaten for the last three days,” said Rakesh, who is from Ganjam district.

In normal days, they offer their labour in an informal market in the Crown Hotel-Durga Mandap service road. Even though some of them are working here for several years, they have preferred not to spend money on accommodation but to save for their families back in their villages. Thus they end up sleeping in the open.

As per the census 2011, the number of homeless in Bhubaneswar is 1,245. But this is a gross underestimation. A study conducted by the NGO, ActionAid, in 2017 puts the number at 6,559. The city is not equipped with enough night shelters to provide asylum to these people.

After the lockdown, these migrants have multiple burdens to face. The immediate impact is the loss of income, as hardly anyone needs their labour now. They cannot go back due to the suspension of transport. More importantly, as they have no homes, they are vulnerable to coronavirus. And finally, the hunger. On a regular day, they would either eat in the Aahar centres or in a restaurant–all of which are shut down now. Some may even cook in the open. But now, the police are not allowing them to cook as the location is beside the golden quadrilateral connecting Chennai and Kolkata.

The labourers also complained of police excesses. Rakesh said, “The police are chasing us away. They are saying to leave the place. Where shall we go? We do not have a house here.” Other labourers said that they have exhausted their savings. “Our income is very meagre. We need food and money. Otherwise, we will die,” said another labourer who is from Kandhamal district.

The number of positive novel coronavirus cases in India surged to 830 on Friday, the third day of the 21-day lockdown imposed to combat the Covid-19 outbreak, while the death toll rose to 20. Almost 100 new cases were reported across India after the health ministry on Friday morning said that the total number of cases stood at 724.

Out of the total cases reported in India on Friday, 39 new Covid-19 infections were reported from Kerala, 28 from Maharashtra, out of which 15 were from Sangli district alone, two from Andhra Pradesh, seven from Uttar Pradesh and several more from other different parts of the country.

Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday introduced a barrage of relief measures to alleviate financial difficulties arising due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. From boosting banks’ liquidity to providing relief to their customers, RBI came out all guns blazing to tackle the economic disruptions caused by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The most important takeaway from RBI’s press conference was a three-month moratorium on term loans and equated monthly instalment (EMIs) payments. The RBI allowed banks to defer EMI payments on loans by up to three months.

In Delhi, the issue of migrant labours was taken up by the home ministry on Friday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to chief ministers of some states and asked them to look into the issue of mass exodus of migrant workers from different parts of the country after the announcement of the 21-day lockdown.

Special flights dotted the Indian airspace as foreign nationals were ferried out to their respective countries in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

Social distancing became the ‘it’ thing in the nation on Thursday as Indians settled into the second day fo 21-day lockdown. Several interesting cases of social distancing means came forward, while good samaritans made headlines for helping out poor and needy during the lockdown in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The central and states governments continued to make efforts to sort of glitches in the home delivery services for essential goods like groceries and dairy. MPs and MLAs cutting across party lines, celebrities, business heads and Bollywood celebs came forward to pitch in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, which has claimed the lives of over 22,000 people across the globe.

Fresh casualties reported from Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan took India’s total toll to 17, while the number of cases confirmed as positive for Covid-19 reached 694. It is a jump of 88 cases in one day. During the lockdown, heartbreaking reports of migrant labourers leaving for their homes on foot have emerged. Chief ministers of different states have pleaded others to help these migrants in times of crisis.

The health ministry said that the lockdown has been successful in breaking the chain of transmission as is ‘evident from the stability in the rate of increase in numbers’. However, a ministry official said, that everyone will have to stick to lockdown guidelines issued by the government to ensure that we come out of the lockdown victorious.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a G20 meet via video conferencing. During the meeting, PM Modi pitched for developing a new crisis management protocol to deal with the global health crisis and urged the powerful G20 grouping to work towards addressing shockwaves triggered by the pandemic. As per MEA briefing, G20 leaders have agreed to take all necessary measures to contain the Covid-19 pandemic and protect people.

Total number of cases

The number of coronavirus cases climbed to 694 in India on Thursday. According to the ministry data, the number of active COVID-19 cases in the country stood at 633, while 44 people were either cured or discharged and one had migrated.

The total number of 694 cases included 47 foreign nationals, the ministry data said.

Maharashtra has reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases so far at 124, including three foreign nationals, followed by Kerala, where the number of cases has climbed up to 118, including eight foreign nationals, according to the ministry data.

The number of cases in Karnataka has gone up to 55 while cases in Telangana rose to 44, including 10 foreigners.

The number of cases in Gujarat has climbed to 43, including a foreigner.