Bijaya Kumar Ragada vs State Of Odisha

The Registry of the Court moves the issue for appropriate direction to the Government of Odisha relating to prevention of COVID-19 pertaining of

transportation of migrant workers from different States to the State of Odisha.

A serious problem is taking place involving movement of labourers/working class and their family from neighboring states as well as neighboring

districts. There is no system in place to check if any of them is already ‘Corona’ affected or not. Such large scale movement may aid the

spread of Corona and again it also becomes difficult to attend such persons at thousands and thousand destinations. Providing vehicles to such large

scale movement is also an uphill task. Keeping this in view and in an attempt to restrict spread of ‘Corona’, the movement of such large number

of persons during lock down period in the entire nation and as the Government is preparing to provide food and water to all such persons at their place,

this Court taking this issue under PIL jurisdiction directs the State Government to give direction to all bordering district Collectors and

Superintendent of Police to make arrangement of stay, food and sanitation arrangement including medical check up of all such persons in the bordering

districts itself. In the event of shortage of space they can take over closed college and school premises having toilets for the above purpose. Similarly,

involving district level shifting similar arrangements can also be made by all concerned district Collectors and Superintendents of Police. This

arrangement can continue at least till lifting of lock down. Urgent copy of order be handed over to Government Counsel for immediate instructions.