E-Paper
UP govt appoints nodal officer to take care of migrant workers
NOIDA:
NOIDA:
The Uttar Pradesh government has appointed Greater Noida authority chief executive officer Narendra Bhooshan as nodal officer to look after operations to take care of people from the state who got stuck in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh due to the nationwide lockdown. If needed, the state government is ready to bring the stranded people, mostly daily wagers, back to their native places, officials said.
“We have set up a call centre and released the helpline numbers at which people from UP, who are in these regions, can call and get help immediately. We are helping them get food and motivating them to stay right there and maintain social distancing. But if they want to go to their native places, then we will help them too. Our objective is that they stay safe, healthy and do not panic in this time of crisis,” said Bhooshan.
Bhooshan was appointed the nodal officer on March 27. On Sunday, he visited Anand Vihar bus terminal at Delhi-Ghaziabad border where thousands of migrant workers from UP and Bihar had gathered a day before. But most of them, who left Delhi to reach their respective native places, were shifted to Lal Kuan on Delhi-Meerut Expressway in Ghaziabad.
People from UP can call the helpline numbers 0120-2336001, 0120-2336003 to get assistance from the state government. They can also get in touch via WhatsApp number 8920827174 or email id upcovid19help@gmail.com.
“We have sent the helpline numbers to top officials in Union territories of Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. We have communicated UP government’s message that we are ready to provide help to those citizens from UP, who are working there and staying in these regions. We will provide immediate help to these people after receiving their calls,” said Bhooshan.
According to the officials, they have received 300 complaints from Delhi till 6am on Sunday after the helpline became functional. While five complaints were received from Jammu and Kashmir, where 60 people from UP are stuck. From Ladakh, no complaint has been received so far.
“From Delhi, people mainly complained that they are unable to get food and we immediately arranged food for them. We motivated them to stay where they are in order to maintain social distancing and honour lockdown orders. We will continue to provide them with food and other essential items,” said Bhooshan.
The UP government has deployed at least 1,000 buses to ferry those who want to go to their native places in the state. For the purpose, Lal Kuan in Ghaziabad has been made the pick-up point.
According to the officials, many people from Bihar stuck in Delhi are also calling at these helpline numbers, but they have been asked to call the national helpline numbers.
