Noida: No Friday prayers, authorities working to help migrant workers

Following the nationwide three-week lockdown, mosques in Noida remained empty on Friday as the public chose to pray at home instead. The police, however, maintained

Following the nationwide three-week lockdown, mosques in Noida remained empty on Friday as the public chose to pray at home instead. The police, however, maintained a vigil. The administration also set up a shelter home for the homeless as well as migrants in Greater Noida.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for a national lockdown on March 24 for 21 days. Places of worship in Gautam Budh Nagar had started to close down even before that.

“People today stayed away from the mosque of their own free will. A couple of individuals did come here but we asked them to return and pray in the safety of their homes. We have also put up a notice outside that the mosque will remain closed to outsiders until the crisis gets over. Only those of us staying inside the premises participated in the prayers today, ensuring that we kept enough distance. We want everyone to stay safe for now,” said Shahid, the cleric at the mosque in Nithari.

He also said that people are following the lockdown guidelines and the local police had been very helpful in creating awareness about the norms.

Officials had also spoken to the cleric at the Sector 8 mosque, the largest in the city, to ensure necessary precautions.

“We didn’t have to ask people to stay at home. They did so of their own violation. There were no gatherings today. Our focus is now to help the migrant labour population and take necessary steps, including making shelter homes, are being taken to help them as much as possible,” said additional deputy commissioner of police, zone 1, Kumar Ranvijay Singh.

The last few days have seen the movement of the migrant labour population from cities to their hometowns and villages. Highways, expressways and borders are dotted with people walking to their towns and villages as public transport continues to remain closed.

The Noida commissioner of police and district magistrate, during an inspection of the city on Thursday night, had themselves encountered several such people, especially around the expressway and DND Flyway.

“Most of these people were from the nearby states of Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan and parts of Uttar Pradesh. Seeing their problem, the DM and commissioner immediately ordered free state bus service starting from Greater Noida’s Pari Chowk to help them out. Besides, orders were also given to provide them with food,” said a police department statement.

The officials also inspected labour colonies in sectors 8 and 62 where people were educated about the lockdown guidelines. The people walking around were asked about their problems and were told that they could contact the police for help at any time.

The commissioner also instructed the local police to not let landlords evict their tenants, especially the daily wage earners.

The police said they have constantly been helping people in need of groceries who can’t fend for themselves at this time.

Following this, the district administration on Friday formed a committee under the additional district magistrate (ADM) of which all sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) are members along with other administrative officers who will identify places where people have problems of food and water.

“People should be provided with food packets at designated spots, which will be shared with the police. Social distancing will be ensured at all such points. Vehicles necessary for this will also be provided by the ADM. The committee will be free to coordinate with the respective authorities for the same,” said the district magistrate in his order.

SDM, Sadar, Prasoon Dwivedi has also converted the Jhandewala temple resthouse in Haldauna Tugalpur, Pari Chowk, Greater Noida, to a shelter home to help the migrant labour force and the homeless faction. They will be provided with food, shelter and medical care at the resthouse from 10 am on March 27 to 10 am on April 15.