Over 30,000 Nepali migrant workers have entered the country via the Gauriphanta border point in the last month
DHANGADHI, APRIL 18
Nepali migrant workers are returning home in large numbers in Sudur Paschim after losing their jobs in Indian cities severely affected by the new wave of Covid-19, with the sharp rise in number of infections induced by even more contagious variants of the virus, in recent days.
With prohibitory orders, curfew, weekend lockdown and complete lockdown clamped in multiple Indian states, Nepali migrant workers have started their journey back home. The rising number of infection in India has started the closure of multiple industries and factories causing the the workers to lose their jobs.
India is grappling with the second wave of coronavirus with record high numbers of daily cases on almost an everyday basis wherein 261,500 new cases were reported on Sunday alone.
The number of Nepalis returning is likely to increase exponentially as migrant workers are opting to return home in the fear of being stuck in foreign lands without jobs and any means of bringing food to their tables.
"I lost my job two weeks ago, going home is better than dying here of hunger," said Sukadev Dagaura, of Kailali who was returning from Maharashtra of India.
Over 30,000 Nepali migrant workers have entered the country via the Gauriphanta border point in the last month, informed Ganesh Saud, in charge of the Health Desk at border point.
Through Chaitra 3 to Baisakh 3, only 8,856 Nepali returnees have been tested through the Antigen method and among them, 605 people have been tested positive for Covid-19, Saud claimed. 17 of them are children, he added.
With the rapid increase of coronavirus infection in the bordering cities and lack of test on all the returnees, people are raising concerns over the possibility of sharp spread of coronavirus in the province.
However, Santosh Mudbhari, Spokesperson at the Dhangadi Sub-Metropolitan City claimed that pre-preparation is being made for the control and management of the coronavirus.
On contrary, locals have alleged that the preparation for the management of the returnees and control of coronavirus in the province is close to zero.
