In an urgent Sunday hearing, the Orissa High Court asked the State Government to direct the bordering district authorities to make arrangements of stay, food, sanitation and medical checkups of migrant workers coming into Odisha from different States.
A Division Bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Kumari Sanju Panda gave the direction after suo motu taking up the issue under PIL jurisdiction and expressed deep concern over the movement of the migrant workers in the midst of a national lockdown to check coronavirus.
“In the event of shortage of space, the district authorities can take up closed college and school premises having toilets for the purpose of erecting shelter homes for the migrant workers,” the High Court said, adding that these arrangements can continue at least till lifting of the lockdown.