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The Hindu
The Hindu
National
Omar Rashid

Without physical distancing, migrants scramble for bananas

Migrant labourers riding bicycles from Rajasthan on their way to their native places in Bihar. (Source: PTI)

A short video that emerged on Friday of migrant workers bunched together closely without any physical distancing being given bananas by an official in Prayagraj district of Uttar Pradesh caused an outrage on social media. But the district administration said it was not a quarantine centre. “It’s CAV college where immigrants from Madhya Pradesh are taking rest during their transit,” it stated.

State-wise tracker for COVID-19 cases, deaths and testing, and a map of confirmed cases in India

Bananas were given to them but when “chaos” started, the distribution was stopped immediately. “Later, they were given the fruits in buses after they sat on their seats,” said the administration.

Prayagraj, along with Jhansi, is the exchange point of migrants coming from Madhya Pradesh and those going back to their homes in that State. On Thursday, around 3,000 migrant workers started towards their homes via Prayagraj district in 1,000 buses, said an official.

Returning migrants a threat to rural areas: MHA

A video had emerged recently, purportedly from Agra, of people at a quarantine centre scrambling for food and water near a gate.

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