Odisha: Man charged Rs 3000 for staying at govt quarantine centre!

Khordha: A foreign-returnee allegedly had to pay Rs 3000 for accommodation and food at a government quarantine centre in Jaripada panchayat of Odisha’s Khordha district.

According to reports, Manoj Behera (28) of Jagannathpur Sahi in the panchayat was kept at the quarantine centre for 16 days from July 10 after he returned from Oman. After the conclusion of his stay period, Panchayat Executive Officer (PEO) Ajay Kumar Rayguru asked him to pay Rs 3000 towards his food expenses and usage of bed and other articles. A video of the incident has gone viral on various social media platforms.

However, an official of the district administration said that as per norms, Behera, being a foreign returnee, should have undergone home quarantine or paid quarantine for 28 days. However, due to the lack of both, he urged the PEO to stay at the quarantine centre. The PEO had then told him to pay for his stay at the quarantine centre, the official said.

As inmates at a government quarantine centre can’t be charged for their stays, the PEO should have consulted with the district administration in this regard, the official added.

The District Collector has ordered for a probe into the matter.