UP government starts bringing back stranded native workers, over 2,000 arrive from Haryana

The Uttar Pradesh government has begun bringing back State’s native workers stranded elsewhere in the country amid the COVID 19 lockdown and has ensured the return of 2,224 of them in the first phase, said a senior official.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had issued directions to bring back labourers belonging to UP from other states in a phased manner.

Additional Chief Secretary of Home and Information Awanish Awasthi said, the first batch of workers was brought back in 82 buses from Haryana yesterday, and 11,000 workers will return today.

Orders have been issued to prepare shelter homes in the state in a major way so that the returnees can be quarantined there. All the workers will be kept in a 14-day quarantine. Instructions have been issued to install public address system at the shelter homes, and make arrangements for food and toilets, said Awasthi.

It has also been directed that once the quarantine period of labourers returning from other states ends, preparations should be made to provide them employment near their village, said the official said. Awasthi said the government would give employment to 15 lakh people at the local level as per the order of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.