Balangir villagers set up isolation centres to keep migrant returnees

Balangir: Realising that it may not be easy for people to spend seven days in home isolation after their release from government quarantine centres owing to lack of space, four villages under Badtika panchayat in Agalpur block of Balangir district have pulled in their resources to start isolation centres of their own to house the returnees.
As many as 25 migrant workers have been staying in the isolation centres at Burobhadi, Sahaj Chapar, Larambhamunda and Ghunghutipali villages after spending seven days in government quarantine centres.At present, the isolation centre at Burobhadi village has 10 returnees, Sahajpadar 4, Larambhamunda 6 and Ghunghutipali 5.
Ashok Kumar Ray, a resident of Burobhadi village, said home quarantine is impractical in rural areas because many of us stay only in one room without toilet and water supply. “If a migrant worker stays in home isolation, here’s a risk of other family members getting infected,” said Ray.
“The government decision to allow migrant workers (those not showing Covid-19 symptoms) to leave institutional quarantine centres after seven days and spend the next seven in home isolation got the villagers worried. We convinced the migrants to spend seven days in a village school and they agreed to it,” said Ray.
A meeting was called by villagers where all agreed to this method to keep the virus from spreading, said Ray.
Hemanta Bag, a migrant worker who has recently returned from Hyderabad and spent seven days in quarantine at the Badtika panchayat high school, said he and nine others voluntarily stayed in the isolation centre at Burobhadi village. “We were provided with all assistance by the villagers,” Bag said.
“We did not want to cause trouble for others in the village as we had not been tested and we don’t know whether we were carrying the virus or not. Besides, we don’t have a separate room to stay at home. So, we decided to spend seven days in the village isolation centre,” Bag added.
Villagers of Burobhadi collected more than Rs 10,000 to facilitate water and electricity supply and other amenities to the returnees. The village provides one meal to the migrants while the other is provided by their respective families.
Bijaya Kumar Hota, block development officer of Agalpur said he was not aware of the village isolation centre and urged the returnees to bring the matter to the notice of the administration if anybody is denied entry to the village.
“The returnees were advised to stay in home after their release from the government centre. They were taught to wash their hands frequently and maintain social distancing,” Hota said.
“We are following government instructions that has been served from time to time. We are telling the villagers to treat the returnees well and that the administration will take necessary action against the violators,” he added.
As many as 57 people were staying in institutional quarantine in Badtika panchayat high school out of which 40 has been allowed to go home.
“I got information about the local isolation centre being run by the villagers. Though it is not legal, but if the returnees are voluntarily staying there to keep others in the village safe, then I don’t have any objection to it,” said Badtika sarpanch Sangeeta Behera.