State may take liberal stance on quarantine cost of NoRKs

This may put to rest the political row triggered by the Opposition over COVID-19 containment

Taking the sting out of the Opposition criticism against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s announcement that repatriates will have to bear their quarantine expenses, the government is learnt to have identified those who are eligible for availing themselves of the facility free of cost.

The State government is understood to have reached a broad understanding on adopting a benign approach on footing the expenses in the case of repatriates who were rendered jobless post lockdown, job-seekers who had gone overseas on visiting visa, and those who were compelled to return in a state of penury.

The United Democratic Front (UDF) that sought to put the government on the mat on the basis of Mr. Vijayan’s announcement raised a political debate and offered to sponsor the quarantine expenses of the indigent Non-Resident Keralites (NoRKs). The UDF also chose to ignore the Central guidelines in this regard.

Central guideline

The Central government guidelines issued for international arrivals had specified that before boarding all travellers should give an undertaking that they would undergo mandatory quarantine for a fortnight, a week’s paid institutional quarantine at their own cost followed by a week’s home isolation with self-monitoring of their health. Though the State government had been diligently following the Central government guidelines on COVID-19 containment, it had taken a more benign stance on issues concerning the poor and the weaker sections. Hence, it was favourably inclined in bearing the cost of quarantine of the indigent repatriates.

This was despite the fact that the government was funding the containment activities from the spartan resources at its disposal. The UDF bid to reap political mileage by accusing that the commitments made by the government to ensure the safety and security of the Non-Resident Keralites have all turned hollow, seems to have stirred the government into action and it has resolved to clear the air.

Order soon

An order specifying the details of the repatriates who are eligible for free quarantine would be issued soon. This is also expected to douse the political row triggered by the Opposition that was trying to pick up holes in the government’s COVID-19 management.