South Dinajpur opens 24x7 helpline for migrant labourers

BALURGHAT: South Dinajpur administration has opened a 24x7 helpline number (03522-255020) for the migrant labourers of the district, who have been stuck because of the 21-day nationwide lockdown.

District Magistrate Nikhil Nirmal said the migrant labourers are stuck everywhere and the district administration in association with the state government will help them out.

"We are getting a lot of calls and taking it up with higher authority as well as with the local administration of concerned states where they are stranded. It goes out to all those daily wage labourers or the ones who had gone for any personal work/medical treatment and even students from this district who are now in other states. I must tell them not to panic as the state government cares for them as does the district administration," Nirmal said. Delivering a message to them through Millennium Post, Nirmal said: "Reach out to us on the mentioned helpline number and we will try our best to ensure your safety and your return to your home state as early as possible."

Meanwhile, the officials had recently received a call from one Akalu Hussein, a resident of Kushmandi block of the district, who along with seven other labourers had gone to Odisha but got stuck without food and adequate financial resources.

"Our district's IAS officer trainee Suresh Kumar Jagat got in touch with his counterpart posted in Odisha and took initiative so that they get essential commodities and money for buying vegetables," said an officer.