Porvorim: As the country fights back COVID-19, the villages of Calangute, Baga and city of Mapusa which is known as tourism hotspots is witnessing a gesture of good Samaritan by Goa Police.
After stopping several hundred migrant labourers from crossing the border walking to reach to their villages due to lockdown, Goa Police have taken up task of providing them food and other essentials by putting them in the state government recognized shelter home.
The Porvorim Sub Division of Goa police which mans the North Goa’s coastal belt has set up supply chain through policemen and other well-wishers to provide food to these migrants who are more than 200 in number lodged in different shelter homes.
“Superintendent of Police Utkrisht Prasoon is leading the entire drive which serves timely meal to the migrant labourers who were all set to walk hundreds of kilometers to reach to their villages after the lockdown,” Deputy Superintendent of Police (Porvorim) Edwin Colaco said.
He said that the migrants were intercepted by police teams as state government has sealed the borders, prohibiting any movement, except of essential services in or out of the state.
“The major issue was about their food as they had got exhausted after walking so much. Many were with the families and infants along with them,” Colaco said.
At the instruction of Prasoon, the police force swung into action pulling in all the available resources.
The migrants were put in the camps set up at Agarwado, Gauravado and Porbawado in Calangute village area, Baga and Peddem near Mapusa.
“Issac Fernandes, a hotelier from Baga has volunteered to supply milk and food to the stranded migrant labours. He has set up community kitchen to help them,” Colaco said.
“He will supply breakfast to 180 persons and boiled milk for toddlers who are staying at Shelter Home, Peddem.
“He also supply free food to migrants at Baga area,” he added.
“Local distributor of Hatsun Milk, Mohit has volunteered to provide milk free of cost to the toddlers for next one month,” he said.
“We have managed to procure groceries and established a supply chain for procurement of fresh milk for the toddlers for the next one month,” said the DYSP adding that several people came ahead providing financial help to this initiative of Goa police.
“All police inspectors within the division have been directed to identify clusters of migrant labourers who are facing hardship in accessing food or groceries on account of loss of income and due to their precarious position here,” he said.
Colaco said that most of them think of running away to their hometown hoping that they would atleast be fed a meal.
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