Govt. to foot quarantinebill of needy returnees

Centre’s directive caused confusion: CM

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday clarified that the government would underwrite the institutional quarantine expenses incurred by non-resident Keralites (NoRKs) arriving in the State from within the country and abroad.

The State would soon decide the criterion for determining which category of returnees required government assistance for board and lodging.

The Opposition had criticised Mr. Vijayan for having stated that returnees should afford their quarantine cost irrespective of their income status. At an all-party meeting chaired by Mr. Vijayan via video link, leaders of the Congress, Indian Union Muslim League and Kerala Congress (M) had batted for charge-free institutional quarantine for all arrivals.

The CM’s explanation also came on a day when two Congress-ruled local self-governing institutions in Kozhikode had written to him seeking permission to pay for the quarantine cost of returnees under their respective jurisdictions. Mr. Vijayan said the misunderstanding had crept up because of the insistence of the Central government that all arrivals go into institutional quarantine mandatorily for seven days regardless of whether they had flu symptoms or not.

The State government had argued in vain that home quarantine had worked well for Kerala. Moreover, the containment strategy put no extra burden on the returnees. Mr. Vijayan said the matter of paying quarantine fee should not alarm those wishing to return home. However, they should inform the government in advance.

The conference also decided to observe Sunday as ‘monsoon preparedness day.’ Mr. Vijayan urged the public to sanitise their homes and surroundings. Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala attended, among others.