PERNEM: Around 80 migrant labourers, who were trying to go back to their States, were dropped back, at Patradevi checkpost by Maharashtra Police, on Friday morning.
Sources informed that these migrant labourers, native of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, were staying at various places of Pernem, Colvale, Mapusa and other places.
Since the lockdown is in place and there are no employment opportunities, these daily wage migrants tried to go back to their State by walking and used hidden routes to cross the border.
Pernem Deputy Collector Chandrakant Shetkar informed,” These people are scared and are trying to go back to their States. Since Uttar Pradesh is totally under lockdown, the UP government is not allowing anyone to enter into their State. With a hope that they will find bus or train to go back to their States, they left from Goa and crossed the border through hidden routes. However, when they reached Ratnagiri, the Maharashtra Police caught them and dropped them back at Patradevi Checkpost. These people will be further dropped back to their respective areas where they were staying on rent.”
Meanwhile, the Pernem Block Congress Committee accused the authorities for not conducting medical check up of these 80 migrants.
“These people went walking so there are possibilities that they must have come in contact with COVID-19 infected persons. These migrants should have been medically examined and quarantined instead of leaving them free while risking other people’s life,” President Umesh Talavnekar said.
