Bhutia offers shelter to migrant workers

Indian football icon Bhaichung Bhutia on Monday offered shelter to migrant workers of Sikkim to tackle the ongoing crisis arising out of the 21-day nationwide lockdown in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Migrant workers of unorganised sectors, desperate to return home, have been badly hit after the lockdown was imposed from midnight on Tuesday.

"The people who are affected the most during the lockdown are migrant workers. There was a huge cue in Sikkim border yesterday. I've got a new unfinished building in Gangtok (Lumsey, Tadong). It should accommodate about 100 people," Bhutia told PTI.

"I've offered any migrant worker who does not have any house to stay there. We will also provide them some basic ration. I'm also working with the local authorities to see how it can be done. We can support and work together."
"Not a single case of corona positive as of now. So that they (migarant workers) are safe from corona. Doctors can also check. We are trying to request the government. At least they will be safe from the coronavirus in the house when the borders have been shut and locked. They are badly hit they don't have anywhere to go."