COVID-19: Migrants to be screened free of cost at departure

Details of migrant workers being checked before they board the train back home to Uttar Pradesh. Pic/ Suresh Karkera

The state government on Thursday barred registered medical practitioners in the city from issuing individual medical fitness certificates to stranded people wishing to return to their home states. It instead told local municipal corporation offices to check the travellers' body temperature using a digital thermometer and examine them for influenza-like symptoms at the time boarding the train.

The screening is to be done free of cost by the municipal corporations through civic/government medical officers or by hiring the services of registered medical practitioners. The revised order has asked local authorities to make a single list of people who don't display any symptoms at the departure point.

State Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta issued an amendment on Thursday that would also apply across the state. It reportedly came owing to the inconvenience caused in the process of procuring individual certificates from registered medical practitioners who charged their respective fees in the absence of a uniform policy. There were reports of some private doctors charging up to Rs 1,500.

Delays not welcome

Apart from higher fees and longer queues at the clinics, the government was faced with the delay in travellers' departure. There was always a possibility of an asymptomatic person developing illness before the journey started or onboard vehicles and trains. Some parent states have also been demanding screening at the time of departure.

"Sadly, the fall-out and possibilities were not thought about before the guidelines were issued last week. A lot of people have suffered financially, physically and mentally. Procuring certificates proved to be a task for the distressed people who didn't have money to eat and travel," said a senior officer working in the migrant movement.

April 30
Day first rule on migrants' movement was issued

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