Nagpur:- 51,733 migrants were sent home from Nagpur by trains, state-owned busses, and those ‘donated’ by educational institutes and private tour operators by the end of May. While migrants still stream in shelter homes or move through the district, the numbers have declined sharply due to gradually ease travel restrictions.
When it came to logistics, NGOs and private educational institutions played a key role in helping the government cross the gap. Nilesh Bharne, the deputy police commissioner, said, “When a green signal was issued to migrants’ movement, their number was too high, and there were not enough public transport facilities. We reached out to tour operators and private educational institutions. They have made hundreds of buses available to us, “Bharne said.
These buses helped migrants safely reach their homes from far away places like West Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. “MP and Chhattisgarh were not a big problem, because within a few hours buses would get there. We needed assistance for the long-distance travel, “Bharne said.
One such person, Sunil Raisoni, chairman of Raisoni Group of Institutions, sent buses for this purpose. “We were all part of a WhatsApp group and DCP Bharne would provide details of the help needed. Each member of the group would volunteer to do the task to the best of his ability. There were others who have done more than me, including group Meghe and Abhijit Wanjari, “Raisoni said.
Between March 27 and May 31, more than 53 lakh food packets (ready-to-eat) and 1,5 lakh ration kits were distributed with 157 NGOs, according to data compiled by Nagpur police.
Rajendra Raman, who is associated with the Annamrita from ISKCON, said Bharne’s good coordination helped them reach out to the poor. “We are delighted to be able to support those in need. There was almost like a type of 24X7 call center set up here to make sure that resource-intensive NGOs and needy migrants can connect with each other, “he said.
