A collection of news Bulletins published by CRDO on Covid-19.

DC, Changlang interacts with the Chakma migrant workers of Tiruppur, TN.

Today, Dr Devansh Yadav (IAS), DC, Changlang connected with the Chakma migrant workers stranded at Tiruppur virtually via video conferencing call. The meeting was triggered after the submission of CRDO Survey Report to the DC directly this morning. The meeting was convened to address and mitigate the growing anxiety and desperation of our stranded brethren and most importantly assure them of the Government’s plan to address all those concerns.

Few key takeaways from the meeting:

1. To provide ration supplies to the stranded in the next two days, especially those who are in critical needs. (It may be noted that the Administration has already provided ration supplies yesterday)
2. To arrange train for the safe return of the stranded in the next week two weeks. Train will be scheduled and will be informed in advance.
3. He reiterated not to fall prey to the fraudulent market token agents and to trust official communication from the SDM, Tiruppur for token distribution.
4. To allow financial help through CMRF to those who could not avail benefits last time.
5. He advised them not to return by bus as going by the present circumstances it is not all feasible physically, mentally and financially.
6. The DC gave a patient hearing to all the concerns and queries raised by the stranded brethren.

CRDO convened, moderated and oversaw the whole virtual meeting from start to finish. The icing on the cake was that our stranded brethren are now much relieved off stress and anxiety, most importantly reassured after having a face to face interaction with their own honourable DC of Changlang. As for CRDO it was worth every bit of the painstaking efforts. CRDO would like to sincerely thank the honourable DC for taking his valuable time out despite being a Sunday today.

Administration supplies food and essentials to Chakma migrants of Arunachal Pradesh stranded in Tiruppur, TN.

CRDO’s multilateral approach to address and find the best possible solutions for our stranded brothers and sisters is paying off with tangible results. A testimony to this is this- we recently rolled out a google form in consultation with the District Administration with an intention of procuring information about our migrant brethren, which helped us understand the challenges faced by them and thereby mitigate accordingly.

We have submitted the preliminary findings and taking cognizance of the same, the Administration acted swiftly. Today, the local authorities have distributed food and other supplies (Dal, Oil and 10 quintals of rice) for 100 people living in 50 Compound, Karuvapalyam, Tiruppur. CRDO comprehensive data procuring effort has for sure brought relief to the lives of many and we hope that many more will benefit in days to come, while we continue to raise the level of our efforts.

CRDO resolves issue of harassment of stranded migrants

A distress call was made to CRDO at around 8.40 am today informing us that the landlord is again harassing/ and asking rental from the stranded brethren at 50 compound, Karuvapalyam, especially those who left their earlier rooms hoping to go by home by train the other day on 30 May(about 30 of them)and took refuge in the rooms in the 50 Compound building, Karuvapalyam.

The matter was immediately reported to the officials. Action was taken swiftly enough.

Major issue resolved with regards to stranded migrant workers

We are glad to share with everyone that CRDO has been able to resolve today’s issues that had arisen and escalated quickly.

Here is the series of events that have unfolded today:

10:00 am: CRDO received a distress call that a large number of stranded migrant workers have gathered in one school and are being chased away by the police.

10:10: am: Various calls made to stranded workers revealed that they were told to report to the Railway Station by the police. Upon reaching the Railway Station, they realised that it was a false information as no such train is arranged. Source of it is unknown. Some say it was a ‘verbal communication by the police’- leading to utter confusion and commotion on the ground.

11: 30 am: Reports have come in that all the stranded migrant who have earlier vacated their rooms are not being allowed to enter into their rooms.
12:00 noon: CRDO constituted a SWAT team to tide over the crisis. The immediate task was to identify all the possible stranded migrant workers, thereby to help them to get back to their rooms without any fear and harassment.

12:15 pm:CRDO’s team swung into action.

1:00 pm: Reports have come in that around 160 Chakmas who have earlier vacated their rooms at 50 Compound are facing the wrath of the landlord-to the extent that he even started throwing their bags/ belongings out of their rooms forcefully.

1:15 pm: CRDO tried speaking with the landlords, it didn’t help in most of the cases. However, few landlords did understand the issue and allowed them to re-occupy their rooms, however with some advance rental fees. In the meantime, the landlord at 50 Compound, Karuvapalyam was adamant and even forcefully started throwing their bags/ belongings out of their rooms. CRDO made direct contact with the Local Administration top brass-SDM, SP, Nodal Officer and pressed and urged on them to resolve the crisis as a top most priority.

3: 30 pm: Police team, led by the SP herself reached the spot, summoned the landlord.

4:30pm: Matter is resolved.

CRDO thanks all the volunteers and the local administration and the police department for their timely action to avert aggravating the already tense scenario with respect to the migrant workers who have been jobless since the lockdown.

CRDO helps apprehend runaway QC inmate, averts potential spread of Covid-19

Today CRDO’s team tracked down and apprehended an inmate of a quarantine center who had escaped the village quarantine center. His escape and mingling with the community members could have potentially led to disastrous consequences for the community. It may be noted that there are not enough police personnel to properly guard most quarantine centers. Under the circumstances, community members help guard and maintain the quarantine centers.

As per sources, the inmate may have been under mental distress. He was handed over to the local authorities with a request to have the Medical Officer check his physical and mental health.

CRDO’s quick response helps avert a potentially dangerous situation.

CRDO has finally delivered drinkable water gallons to the quarantine centre at Govt Hr. School Diyun, since the quarantined persons were facing shortage of drinkable water. There have been complaints that the inmates of the QCs had to to drink tap water – a perfect recipe for sore throat and a host of other water borne diseases.

Quick action taken by CRDO to troubleshoot the issue of drinking water has diffused a potentially dangerous situation.

First batch of migrant workers from Arunachal Pradesh stranded in Tiruppur return home

Glad to share with you all that the first batch of our migrant returnees from Tiruppur are already on their way back home by Tiruppur-Dibrugarh superfast train. The train left Tiruppur town at 1.45 pm today, the 28th of May 2020.

Just to give you a little background as to how the whole series of events unfolded and how CRDO was (and has been)with our brethren to guide and support t hem all throughout thick and since yesterday night.
Series of events:

1. At around 11 am (Wednesday,27 May), CRDO received a call from one cluster leader from Mudalipalyam informing us that they have been asked to collect tokens from a local Panchayat office. When asked about the purpose of the distribution of tokens, he said apparently tokens would be given to those who would like to back home by train. It created confusion and why not as it was a late night impromptu decision out of nowhere to distribute tokens. CRDO swung into action and asked the brethren to maintain calm until we are able to verify the authenticity of the report(because earlier we had few similar incidents which turned out to be hoax call). The tokens were hard to read as it was sealed and signed in Tamil! Frantically we tried our Tamilian friends to help us decipher the written contents as written on the tokens. Alas, we couldn’t as it was late night, understably our Tamilian friends were fast asleep. We got in touch with the nodal officer, he was not of any help either as it was late night past midnight. We then tried to get in touch with DC office contact, but it didn’t help.
   Finally, we backed our instincts and we trusted it (Proactive decisive leadership). We then got into a huddle and asked our brethren to keep themselves ready to report to the pick up points as instructed by the Panchayat officials.
2. At 5 am, the ones who have their tokens religiously reported to the pick up points and to their pleasant surprise they saw two to three buses and a large number of police personnel at stand by mode to transport them to the nearby screening center. So finally everyone thought atleast for REAL “Now finally we are going home”.
3. At around 11am they were taken to a different facility for medical screening.
4. 12 noon: boarding began. They were also given packed lunch, water bottles, soap, masks.
5. 1.45 pm: Train departed

The ordeal is far from over, CRDO is tracking and monitoring their homecoming journey so that every possible assistance can be given throughout their journey. That said, CRDO has also apprised the DC, Changlang about the returnees. He expressed his happiness and is ready to extend all possible help to make their transfer from Tinsukia to their their quarantine centres smooth and hassle free.