Amid the nationwide lockdown owing to the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic, homeless people and daily wage workers, who migrate to big cities from their home towns in search of jobs, are combating hunger for survival as the fast-spreading disease has now created a panic situation across India.
The situation had gone from bad to worse and during this crisis, celebrities, entrepreneurs, businessmen rose to the occasion by doing their best to help the country combat the pandemic.
Meanwhile, in an extraordinary tale of grit and determination, a youth travelled 1,800 km from Mumbai all the way to his hometown in Odisha’s Jajapur district amid the 21-day nationwide lockdown.
It is cognisance of the fact that the lockdown was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which in turn led to a temporary suspension of passenger trains and inter-state bus services.
A local resident of Badasuar village in Jajapur district, identified as Mahesh Jena was plying his trade as a mason in Mumbai city during the time of the lockdown. The 24-year-old youth only had less money and no job to pay for his house rent.
With no option left, Mahesh Jena made up his mind to go to his hometown. He knew that there are neither train nor bus services but he covered a long journey on a bicycle. On April 2 Mahesh started his journey with a few hundred rupees.
The man with stamina cycled each day for 10-12 hours every single day, covering around 230 km each day. Mahesh told India Today that locals and policemen he stumbled upon along the way helped him by providing food and water.
“Many a time, I would barely find anyone with food, I remained hungry and thirsty but continued my journey while thinking about my family,” Mahesh said.
Mahesh finally reached the destination which is his native village in Odisha’s Jajapur district on April 9. Upon his arrival, he was quickly put in quarantine by the district administration as confirmed by Jajapur Collector Ranjan Das.
The condition across the country is critical now. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said India’s current death toll from the coronavirus pandemic stands at 239, with the nation reporting 7,447 confirmed cases and out of them, 643 people have recovered from the disease. It is also to be noted that these confirmed cases are related to the Tablighi Jamaat meet in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area.