Centre issues guidelines to ferry stranded persons
All states to follow bus transport protocol
Screening before boarding, quarantine after arrival
NEW DELHI:
The Central government has come to the aid of migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists and students stranded at different places in the country after the nationwide lockdown, and has disseminated guidelines for all states to follow in the matter.
The revised guidelines have been issued by the Home Secretary in his capacity as chairperson of the National Executive Committee.Among other things, they call for mutual consultations between sending and receiving States, sanitisation of buses used to transport these persons, and screening/quarantining of the persons concerned.The following are the detailed guidelines in toto:
In continuation of Ministry of Home Affairs’ Orders No.40-3/2020-DM-I(A) dated 15th April, 2020, 16th April, 2020, 19th April 2020, 21st April 2020 and 24th April 2020 and in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 10(2)(l) of the Disaster Management Act, the undersigned, in his capacity as Chairperson, National Executive Committee, hereby orders to include the following in the consolidated revised guidelines for strict implementation by Ministries /Departments of Government of India, State/Union Authorities:
Sub-clause (iv) under Clause 17 on Movement of Persons:
iv. Due to the lockdown, migrant workers, pilgrims, tourists, studentsand other persons are stranded at different places. They would be allowed to move as under:
a. All States/ UTs should designate nodal authorities and develop standard protocols for receiving and sending such stranded persons. The nodal authorities shall also register the stranded persons within their states/ UTs.
b. In case a group of stranded persons wishes to move between one State/ UT and another State/ UT, the sending and receiving States may consult each other and mutually agree to the movement by road.
c. The moving person(s) would be screened and those found asymptomatic would be allowed to proceed.
d. Buses shall be used for transport of groups of persons. The buses will be sanitized and shall follow safe social distancing norms in seating.
e. The States/ UTs falling on the transit route will allow the passage of such persons to the receiving State/ UT.
f. On arrival at their destination, such person(s) would be assessed by the local health authorities, and kept in home quarantine unless the assessment requires keeping the person(s) in institutional quarantine. They would be kept under watch with periodic health check-ups. For this purpose, such persons may be encouraged to use the Aarogya Setu app through which their health status can be monitored and tracked.
The guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Home Quarantine, dated 11.03.2020, may be referred to in this regard, which are available at  https://www.mohf.gov.in/pdf/Guidelinesforhomequarantine.pdf
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