Migrant labourers quarantine themselves outside their homes

Prayagraj: As large number of migrant labourers have returned to the district from various parts of the country, reports are coming in from different blocks of the district that they have voluntarily quarantined themselves for at least 14 days. While some have found shelter in a cowshed, others are passing the two-week quarantine period in an orchard located on the outskirts of their village.

At Kotwa village in Bahadurpur block of the district, 38-year-old Vipin Singh has returned from Kaithal (Haryana) where he worked as a foreman in an industry. He managed to reach his village on May 23 but the family of Vipin were worried as to how he could be quarantined in a small two-room house.

Since Vipin’s quarantine was not only essential for him but also for his family members to wade off the risk of coronavirus, everyone decided that Vipin would quarantine himself in the cowshed outside the house. He has been given a few essentials and is prepared to brave the two weeks in the cowshed despite the scorching heat.

“I know it’s a difficult thing to do, but this is the only way to keep my family from getting infected. Even though I have no symptoms of Covid, I don’t want to take any risk,” said Vipin.

Likewise, a group of young men reached Dharam Gajapati village of Manda block of the district. The group including Yogendra Kumar, Ghanshyam, Vijay Kumar, Anil, Brijesh and Akhilesh, have also come from Kaithal (Haryana) where they were employed in a factory. Unable to arrange a transport, these young men purchased bicycles and reached their village after cycling for around 900 km.

Owing to the apprehensions of their family members about catching possible infection, the group decided to quarantine themselves for three weeks at an orchard on the outskirts of the village.

“It’s extremely hot in the orchard, but at least we are happy to reach our village. Our families provide us with ration and we prepare our own food as we had been doing back at Kaithal,” said Anil, one of the group members.