'UP CM has appealed to migrant workers not to travel back to state on foot': Sr Official

Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish K Awasthi on Thursday said that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has appealed to migrant workers stranded in various parts of the country amid the coronavirus lockdown not to travel back to the state on foot.

People will have to undergo medical screening

"Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has appealed to migrant workers not to travel back to UP on foot. The government is making arrangements to bring them back. Chief Secretary and Home Department will hold discussions with States to bring workers in a staggered manner," said Awasthi. Awasthi said that people will have to undergo necessary medical screening before boarding the buses for Uttar Pradesh.

"A total of 100 buses have left Madhya Pradesh to bring back people to Uttar Pradesh and we are sending people to Madhya Pradesh in 40 buses. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also instructed senior officers to make arrangements for bringing back students from Noida, Delhi, and Aligarh if they want to return to their homes during the lockdown," he said.

Awasthi informed that around 4 lakhs migrant labourers and workers from Delhi, 12 thousand labourers from Haryana, 11, 500 students from Kota Rajasthan have been brought back to the state. "Similarly, more than 15,000 students preparing for competitive exams in Prayagraj have been sent to their homes safely in different districts of the state," he said.

Coronavirus pandemic in India

The Centre has issued orders to states/Union Territories to facilitate the inter-state movement of stranded people, as per guidelines laid down by MHA and as per protocols developed by states. According to Uttar Pradesh Health Department, as many as 77 more people have been tested positive for COVID-19 in the state on Thursday, taking the total number of cases to 2211. Out of the total cases, 551 patients have been cured while 40 others lost their lives due to the infection.

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The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday said that 1,823 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the last 24 hours taking the total count of coronavirus cases in the country to 33,610. As many as 67 persons died due to the pandemic on Thursday. The total cases are inclusive of 8,372 cured and discharged patients, one migrated, and 1,075 deaths. At present, there are 24,162 active COVID-19 cases in the country.

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(With agency inputs)