39 Indian labourers in shelter camps in western Nepal

Around 39 Indian labourers are stuck in Nepal due to the closure of India-Nepal border after the coronavirus outbreak and are living in shelter camps in western Nepal's Jhapa district for the past two weeks.

The labourers had entered Nepal to earn livelihood after celebrating Holi festival in India. However, they got stuck in the border area as both the countries closed their borders to check the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Nepal government on Sunday intensified lockdown in western districts bordering India after two people who returned from India tested positive for coronavirus.

On Monday, the government extended the ongoing nationwide lockdown by another eight days till April 15 to contain the spread of the virus in the country. The novel coronavirus has so far infected nine persons in the Himalayan nation.

We are staying in small groups of five- six people in the quarantine camps sharing kitchen and we cook the food turn by turn, said Sixty-year-old labourer Asaru Rishi from Katihar, Bihar, who has been provided shelter at a school building in Jhapa district.

Since both sides of the borders were closed, we had no other option than taking shelter in the Nepalese side, as the local authorities asked us to stay therem, he said.

The local authorities have arranged them meal for two times a day and tea and snacks in between in the school building where they have been quarantined.