Country witnessing reverse migration in COVID 19 second wave

With the rising cases of COVID 19 from all over the country and restrictions imposed in Maharashtra and Gujarat, among other states, India is seeing reverse migration once again.

After the extension of the lockdown announced by the Centre last year, states like Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Punjab saw reverse migration in huge numbers with labourers from the industrial and construction sector, along with those from the unorganised sector returned to states like Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.

A similar situation is being witnessed in Gujarat, Punjab and Maharashtra in the second wave of COVID 19.

Maharasthra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray appealed to migrant workers to remain in the state, assuring them of all possible support, however, thousands of them thronged to the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus to board outbound trains.

Reports from different states, show that workers from Jharkhand seem to be returning to their state in large numbers.

Jharkhand government has made elaborate arrangements to help those returning to the state. A control room has been setup with enough staff to handle telephone calls from people from the state, currently staying in other states. The government has also set up a few Whatsapp accounts to help the migrant population.

Officials attending the calls, counsel the migrants and tell them not to panic. Those insisting on returning are told to follow the protocol for travel from one state to another.