Thousands of migrant workers stranded on inter-state border in Jhargram

For the last 13 days, unofficial sources claimed that at least 16000 migrant workers have come from Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand while the administration has provided vehicles for about 9000 workers to reach their villages.

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

MIDNAPORE, 17 MAY: Thousands of migrant workers are stranded at various inter-state border points adjacent to the Jhargram district of Junglemahal, while the district administration is reportedly not paying much attention to bring back the native residents at their villages.

Adding to the woes, temporary make-shift camps made with tarpaulins have been set up at various places inside the forests for quarantining the migrants.

Even, a considerable number of migrant workers have been asked to stay under road-side trees inside the Bengal territory along the Jhargram border until the district administration provides vehicles for them to reach their native villages. At a few places, these workers had to wait for two or three days under the trees along with their families.

For the last 13 days, unofficial sources claimed that at least 16000 migrant workers have come from Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand while the administration has provided vehicles for about 9000 workers to reach their villages.

Jhargram shares borders with Odisha and Jharkhand and there are few inter-state checkpoints like Hatibari and Panda Chacha with Odisha and Baharagara, Chichra and Banshpahari with Jharkhand.

“Hundreds of migrant workers gather every day from the Odisha side at Hatibari check point every day. After going through a thermal checking process, they enter into the territory of our state. We then provide them food and shelter. Every day we arrange vehicles for most of them to reach their villages. But, the district administration is not paying much attention to providing vehicles for them. As a result, many migrants are to stay in the night under trees or temporary make-shift camps”, said Abani Ghosh, a social worker.

When asked, Kumar Hembram, a BJP MP from Jhargram said, “The district administration has kept me in the dark about sharing information related with coronavirus or migrant workers. The district is now enjoying green zone status, but I think the district administration is trying to go in red zone status in hopes to restrict the movement of me and my party workers. As a result, they are not paying any heeds to make inter-state co-ordination about the return of the migrant workers. If they are not properly examined or quarantined, they can spread the virus among the tribal community”.

The BJP’s district president Sukhamay Satpati said, “Our party workers are trying their best to make arrangements for migrant workers so that they can safely return to their homes”.

None of the district authorities agreed to make any comment on this matter.

Meanwhile, the district administration has provided a job to Niyati Mahato, wife of Chhatradhar Mahato, the well-known leader of the Maoist-backed Peoples’ Action Committee against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) during this pandemic situation.

She has been declared as a member of Tajya Samaj Kalyan Parishad in a border area of Jhargram district centering her own village Amlia.  

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