Kumar monitors isolation centres at block level

NEW DELHI: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Friday started personally monitoring arrangements at block-level Covid-19 quarantine centres in various districts, in an apparent attempt to wrest back the political initiative at a time when opposition parties have targeted the state government for alleged mismanagement of these centres.

In the first round of interaction with migrant workers through videoconferencing (VC), Kumar reached out to at least 20 block-level quarantine centres located in 10 districts. He collected feedback on problems they face, if any, at the centres.

The 10 districts — Purnea, East Champaran, West Chamaparan, Begusarai, Gaya, Rohtas, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi and Sheohar — were tasked with making VC arrangements at two block-level quarantine centres in their respective areas. Kumar is expected to continue the exercise in all 38 districts of the state.

“During his interaction with some migrants, the chief minister asked them about their skills and the cities they have worked in. He also asked whether they would stay in Bihar in case his government offers them jobs here. Besides, he collected feedback about meals at the quarantine centres,” a source in Purnea told ET over phone.

Banmakhi and Srinagar blocks in the district were selected for the exercise. According to a source in East Chamaparan district, Kumar was shown basic arrangements like kitchens and toilets at quarantine centres. On Friday, the Bihar government also decided to change its earlier strategy of keeping all migrants from other states at quarantine centres.

As per the new plan, migrants coming from cities — Surat and Ahmadabad (Gujarat), Mumbai and Pune (Maharashtra), Delhi-NCR, Kolkata (West Bengal) and Bengaluru (Karnataka) would be kept at quarantine centres after medical screening. “Those migrant workers coming from rest of the places would be home-quarantined after medical screening,” a source said on the basis of the government’s new order.

“The idea is to undertake the massive exercise of door-to-door screening of those migrants who are allowed to choose home quarantine. The administration will be able to identify if any migrant has symptoms of Covid-19,” a source added.