Arun Lata Sharma
Sitamarhi : The Shramik special train from Charlapatti (Telangana) arrived at Sitamarhi railway station on May 7, 2020, morning, carrying 1,100 migrant workers. The migrants workers were in cheerful mood after reaching Sitamarhi.
The Platform No.1 on which the special train arrived was decorated with flowers and balloons and the migrant workers were given a rousing welcome. Food packets and water bottles were supplied to them. Sitamarhi DM Abhilasha Kumari Sharma, SP Anil Kumar, DDC Prabhat Kumar and other senior officials were present at the station.
The District Magistrate herself took the job of making announcements on the public address system when the train reached the station as to how to follow the lockdown restrictions and medical obligations. Masks were distributed among unmasked migrant workers. While maintaining social distancing and sanitisation process, a list of workers was also prepared including their cellphone numbers. Thermal screening of every migrant workers by a large contingent of medical team.
Altogether 755 migrant workers from Sitamarhi and Sheohar districts in North Bihar were sent to their respective block and panchayat level quarantine centres by buses. The remaining 345 workers of East Champaran and West Champaran districts, also in North Bihar, were also sent by buses, of course, following social distancing. Sitamarhi district administration has set up 1,224 Panchayat and 73 block level quarantine centres with all facilities.