'Don't lock down humanity', Odisha govt tells landlords after 2 nurses evicted from rented houses

Bhubaneswar, Apr 7 () Two nurses working in aprivate hospital were evicted from their rented houses here onTuesday, after which the Odisha government urged landlords notto "lock down humanity" during the nationwide lockdown imposedto contain the spread of novel coronavirus.

State government spokesperson on COVID-19, SubrotoBagchi said that two nurses providing home-based critical careor post-hospitalisation care to a patient were evicted fromtheir rented houses by their landlord with support of theirneighbours, fearing that the women might be carriers of novelcoronavirus.

"Please do not lock down humanity even as human beingsare locked down due to COVID-19 outbreak," Bagchi said, whileexpressing concern over the behaviour of house owners inBhubaneswar, which has emerged as the coronavirus hotspot inOdisha after 34 cases were reported in the state capital.

Bagchi, also the chairperson of the Odisha SkillDevelopment Authority, said the two young nurses wereproviding post-hospitalisation service to an elderly person.

The nurses vacated their rented house and shifted toanother place, he said.

"People might suspect infection but this fear shouldnot lock down humanity and lead to eviction of personsproviding yeoman service like nursing," Bagchi said.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had on April 3 appealedto the landlords to be compassionate to poor tenants and waiveoff or at least defer their house rent for three months.

Through this gesture, it can be demonstrated that thepeople of Odisha care for each other at a time when the entirecountry is under lockdown, he had said. AAMACD ACD