Odisha govt’s stamp for migrants leaves them with blisters, skin rashes

In May, the state government had ordered that all those returning to the state will have to be stamped with indelible ink on their right inner forearm at the border check point, receiving station or designated quarantine centres.

The Odisha government’s decision making it mandatory for all those returning to Odisha from outside the state to be stamped on the right inner forearm with indelible ink has left many people with burnt skin and rashes.

Officials in Panchayati Raj and the housing and urban development department did not comment on why some people were getting skin rashes after being stamped with indelible ink. (HT PHOTO.)

Last month, the state government had ordered that all those returning to the state will have to be stamped with indelible ink on their right inner forearm at the border check point, receiving station, temporary medical centres and designated quarantine centres. The stamp showed the date of arrival with the slogan “I am also a Covid-19 fighter”.

On April 29, Panchayati Raj secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh in a notification had ordered application of indelible ink on any finger on the left hand. The indelible ink mark was expected to last for three days when applied on the skin. However, 4 days later the decision was tweaked and a decision to stamp on the inner side of the right forearm using indelible ink, was taken.

However, since then there have been numerous complaints of returnees suffering skin rashes and burns after they were stamped with indelible ink.

Sristi Ray, who is doing her MA in English from Delhi’s Ambedkar University, had arrived at Bhubaneswar Airport on June 10.

After her arrival at the Biju Patnaik Airport at Bhubaneswar she was stamped for quarantine. Soon after the stamping, she had an infection on her skin with blisters erupting. “The ink is of extremely bad quality and does not seem to be made for topical use,” she said.

Similarly, Prakash who travelled from Pune to Bhubaneswar on June 7 and got stamped with the indelible ink at Bhubaneswar airport too suffered skin burns. “I think the ink contains some acid content which resulted in the skin burning after one day,” said Prakash.

Another traveller Rajesh Kumar, who landed at the Bhubaneswar airport on June 5 too complained of skin infection.

Officials in Panchayati Raj and the housing and urban development department did not comment on why some people were getting skin rashes after being stamped with indelible ink.

Dr Satyadarshi Patnaik, professor of dermatology at the MKCG Medical College of Berhampur said it was basically an allergic reaction of the skin towards such ink. “As the indelible ink contains silver nitrate, there is possibility of it causing some reaction on the skin of people who are sensitive to chemicals. Anyone who gets such rashes should see a dermatologist,” he said.