Over 1.33 lakh migrant workers return Odisha

Bhubaneswar, May 16 (IANS) The Odisha government said, here on Saturday, around 1.33 lakh migrants had returned to the state. "So far, 1,33,245 Odias have returned through various means, including train, bus, and other vehicles. 55,567 migrants have returned to Ganjam, 11,368 to Balasore, and 8,198 to Cuttack district," said Additional Chief Secretary (Health P.K. Mohapatra.On Saturday, 17,855 Odias returned to the state, which is expecting over 500,000 returnees.Meanwhile, keeping in view the cyclonic situation, the Health Department has taken various measures. The Collectors have been asked to shift the temporary medical centres, situated within 3 km of the seashore in the coastal districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapada and Jagatsinghpur, to safe locations.Odia migrants are being kept at institutional quarantine in the temporary medical centres.Hospitals in these districts have adequate stock of fuel, generator, medicines, anti-venom and bleaching powder. Special medical teams have been set up to oversee the situation.The state government has set up 15,043 temporary medical centres in 6,798 panchayats for the migrant workers. In these centres, 6,66,915 beds have been arranged.
--IANS cd/pcj