Labourers stranded in other states due to lockdown will be brought home: UP CM

The Uttar Pradesh government will bring back labourers stranded in other states because of the coronavirus-forced lockdown, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Friday, and directed officials to prepare an action plan in this regard.

At a review meeting with senior officers here, Adityananth asked them to prepare a list of people stuck in other states and have completed 14-day quarantine there so that they can return home in a phased manner.

"Uttar Pradesh will bring back its labourers stuck in other states. The labourers who have completed 14-day quarantine there should be brought back in a phased manner," an official release quoted the chief minister as saying.

"The labourers, after being brought up to UP border by the states concerned after screening and testing, will be sent to their villages. But first, they will be kept in quarantine in their districts for 14 days. For this, arrangements should be made and the places should be sanitised," the chief minister said.

Those who have completed 14-day quarantine in the state should be sent home with ration and Rs 1,000, he said.

A decision has been taken to send two senior officers to districts which have 20 or more coronavirus cases. These officers will camp there for a week and ensure that lockdown is strictly followed, Adityanath said at the review meeting.

Stressing that spread of infections in hospitals and medical centres should be prevented, the chief minister said personal protective equipment kits, N-95 masks and sanitisers should be made available to check this.

He said that the "identification of hotspots" and policy regarding it is proving effective and this "Uttar Pradesh model" is becoming popular in the country.

"It should be ensured that public movement is totally restricted in hotspot areas and, only medical teams and sanitisation workers should visit," Adityanath said.