As a large number of citizens from Andhra Pradesh currently stranded in various other states and also abroad are expected to return home in the coming days, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday directed authorities to prepare quarantine facilities with at least one lakh beds.
The Chief Minister held a high-level review meeting in Amaravati and discussed measures to be taken following easing of restrictions on movement of migrant workers and other stranded people.
The meeting also discussed the latest guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on easing of lockdown restrictions with different zonal classification.
The Chief Minister, a release from the CMO said, suggested that the village secretariats in each district be taken as a unit and converted into a quarantine facility with 10-15 beds. He wanted the Panchayat Raj Department and Anganwadis to oversee the quarantine facilities in villages.
The Chief Minister also directed that 500 State Road Transport Corporation buses be modified into cargo carriers to move essential commodities. Freezer facilities could be provided in the buses to the extent possible to transport dairy products, eggs, vegetables and fruits.
He asked the officials to identify COVID-19 containment zones as per the MHA guidelines and follow all protocols.
Jagan said movement of people in the containment zones should be strictly restricted. The Standard Operating Protocol should be followed at all shops, he added.
Deputy Chief Minister (Health) A K K Srinivas, Agriculture Minister K Kanna Babu, Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney and other top officials attended the meeting.
Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday, held discussions with his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik.
During a video conference on Saturday, the two Chief Ministers discussed the issue of shifting migrant workers from Andhra to Odisha and vice-versa. The two bordering states have extensive business and trade interaction between people of the two states.
A large number of migrant workers from Odisha are employed in the agricultural and aquaculture sector of Andhra Pradesh. Many of them are employed in construction projects as well. Jagan raised the issue of the return of Andhra migrant workers, students, professionals, pilgrims, and tourists stuck in Odisha, due to the 40-day lockdown.
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With IANS inputs