Chikiti: As many as 39 migrant workers who were stranded in mid -sea, managed to reach Ramyapatna beach under Chikiti block in Ganjam district Monday afternoon, after covering over 1000 kilometres on sea.
Sources said that following the path of 38 migrant workers who reached Patisonapur beach in the district Saturday, these 39 migrant workers had also started their journey to Odisha’s Ganjam district with the help of a fishing dinghy on sea as they were stuck for days without basic necessities in their working places amid the ongoing lockdown.
All of these 39 migrant workers are fishermen who were working with a fishing merchant in Chennai. They were struggling for survival after the fishing operation came to a halt post lockdown. Sealed road borders meant that they were not able to return through roadways.
With no job left, the group of 39 fishermen decided to buy a fishing boat for Rs 70,000 and started a sea voyage April 23 towards Odisha after packing some rice and other eatables.
Meanwhile, during their journey, the fishing boat ran out of fuel in mid sea in between Palasa and Kabati near Andhra Pradesh border. Out of the 39 members some members have their relatives at Palasa village. So, they called them over phone and the villagers reached out to them and provided them with diesel.
The migrant workers thanked the villagers and resumed their journey to Odisha.
Around 3.00 pm, Monday the villagers reached Ramayapatna beach.
Berhampur Sub-Collector Sindhe Duttatraya, Chikiti Tehsildar Haraprasad Bhoi, BDO Falguni Majhi and Golanthara Marine Police along other government officials of Ganjam district rescued the migrant workers from the beach. They were taken to a nearby quarantine facility after the initial medical screening.
Notably, the officials had prior information about their journey.
PNN