CPIML MLA Inspects Quarantine Centers
THE Tarari MLA Sudama Prasad led a team that visited and inspected 20 quarantine centers including those at Sahar, Chauri, Fatepur, Rajdev anagar, Khaira, Karbasin, Peur (in Sahar) and Tarari, Sikarhata, Bagar, Sedahan, Bhakura, Akaranj, Badkagaon and Piro (in Tarari).
After the fact-finding visit, MLA Sudama Prasad said in a Press statement that the Nitish government’s quarantine centers are tantamount to torture houses where their lives have become an intolerable hell. To make matters worse, they have to face stigma because of unscientific and bigoted false propaganda rumour mongering around ‘social distancing’ by BJP-RSS machinery.
There is an appalling lack of basic facilities in these quarantine centers. No physical distancing is maintained at these centers. There is a serious shortage of drinking water, bedding and nutritious food. They get only rice and dal at both meals.
Thus, the migrant workers are suffering like outsiders even though they have come home. Sudama Prasad demanded that the government should bring out manuals regarding these quarantine centers. The conditions in these centers should not be made as bad as or worse than in jails which at least do have manuals. Arrangements should be made at all quarantine centers for clean drinking water, nutritious food, sanitizers, masks, soap, mosquito nets, fans, newspapers etc. Arrangements should also be made for maintaining physical distancing. Living and bathing space for women should be ensured and milk should be provided for children.
Migrant Workers Volunteer to be Quarantined but Government Takes No Heed
A CPIML fact-finding team visited the Quarantine Center Chaiyachak Utkaramit Middle School in Shivpur village in Bhojpur district. There were 35 workers at the school but nobody to take care of them or their needs. These workers were checked up at the Hospital and told to go to the Gadhani High School, but when they went there they found nobody. They then came to their own village and voluntarily climbed over the wall of the school and stayed inside. The Government of India has declared this to be a Red Zone. All these migrant workers have come back from Gujarat.
When no one from the administration turned up, the villagers informed the CPIML, after which the team arrived at the Middle School. The Bhojpur DDC was informed and the BDO was also called. It was only after that the workers got a kit each (soap, sanitizer, mask, lungi, banyan, towel, plate, bowl, glass, comb, bucket and mug).
The BDO came to the spot and assured CPIML activists that arrangements for food would be made from the next day. He requested to manage their food for one day. Accordingly, the party arranged food for them through the efforts of the villagers.
