By Archana Sharma

Jaipur, May 23 (IANS): At a time when stories of migrants flouting the quarantine guidelines are pouring in from different parts of the country, in Dungarpur, a small town in Rajasthan, returnees are opting to stay under the open sky on their charpais (cots) or in hutments during the mandatory 14-day home quarantine.

The number of coronavirus patients has risen in this district in the last one week with inflow of migrants. Of the 18,043 migrants who came to Dungarpur, 277 have tested Covid-19 positive. According to health officials, the district has 312 Covid-19 cases.

Besides, them, other migrants coming from different states have also been advised to stay under 14-day home quarantine.

According to District Collector Kanaram, they are sincerely following all protocols and staying under the open sky to abide by the guidelines.

One such man is Rakesh (name changed) who came to Rajasthan from Ahmedabad recently where was working in a hospital. Before coming home, he informed his family about his visit, and also called village patwari Virendra Singh Rao and the administration. After reaching the Ratanpur border, he cooperated with the district administration and got himself screened.

He went for self-quarantine outside his home in a hutment, Chhaya Chaubisa, assistant director, information and public relations, told IANS. Sub-divisional Officer Sagwada Rajeev Dwivedi said there were many such people, staying away from their families and home comfort as part of home quarantine.

Another man, Vijay (name changed) preferred staying in a hut even though his brothers had constructed a temporary shelter for him using bricks, Dwivedi said.

Surta and Chandarver (name changed) also returned to village Dukan from Ahmedabad and Mehsana, respectively, and went for self-quarantine in small huts to protect their families from Covid-19 infection.

Shantibhai, a migrant, who returned from Mumbai, has quarantined herself in open fields.

Simalwada Tehsildar Jagdish Bamniya and Sub-divisional Officer Kaluram Khod said there were many examples of migrants following the protocol of home quarantine and staying isolated in their fields and huts.

Another migrant Nanki (name changed) who reached her village Chandodiya from Ahmedabad was also staying alone under a tin shed during the home quarantine period, said the District Collector.

The district administration had created several facilities, but aware people were staying outside their houses to break the coronavirus chain, he said.