687 migrant labourers living at shelter homes in Ambala district sent back to native places in UP

A month after the Ambala district administration housed thousands of migrant labourers at shelter homes amid the Covid-19 lockdown, 687 of them were sent back to their native places in Uttar Pradesh, in 23 roadways buses, on Saturday.

Deputy commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma said, “As per instructions of the state government, the process of sending all migrant labourers back to their native states has been initiated. Municipal commissioner Partha Gupta has been entrusted with the task. A police officer and government official have also been sent along with the bus driver and conductor. The administration has also checked conducted a health check-up on the travelers.”

The district administration has provided them masks, sanitisers, food packets, biscuits, fruits and water bottles, so they don’t face any inconvenience during their journey, he added.

MC commissioner Partha Gupta said the batch includes 22 migrant labourers from Agra, 52 from Aligarh, 12 from Amroha, one for Bhagpat, 147 from Badaun; 36 from Bulandshahar, 27 from Firozabad, 8 from Shamli, 12 from Hatharas, 45 from Kasganj, 21 from Mathura, 49 from Meerut, 63 from Moradabad, 67 from Rampur and 125 from Saharanpur.

As many as 3,600 migrant labourers are living in 21 shelter homes at various religious places, schools and community centres in the district. The administration provides them with three meals a day and tea, with the help of several social organisations.

Along with conducting health check-ups regularly, the administration is also holding yoga sessions and has installed LED projector screens for their entertainment.

Workers painting school building in Kakar Majra village

At a shelter home at Government Senior Secondary School in Kakar Majra village of Naraingarh block, where 113 workers are staying, some of them are beautifying the school building.

Naraingarh sub-divisional magistrate Aditi said, “While some of the migrant labourers are voluntarily painting the school building, others are clearing the empty space and planting fruits, vegetables and flowers. The flower pots of the school are also being painted. This effort is commendable.”

“I asked officials concerned to motivate them to make masks, engage them in grain market for wheat procurement and paint the walls of the shelter homes. I asked to beautify the place where they were living for the last one month,” DC Sharma said.