Bhaichung Bhutia offers his own residence to migrants in Gangtok, Sikkim

Ritu Yadav
At a time when the lives of India’s poorest people is in disarray due to the 21- day nationwide lockdown to contain the deadly virus, former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia has extended aid to the migrant workers. He has offered his building to the workers in Sikkim to get to grip with the ongoing crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bhutia has offered shelter to migrant workers in Sikkim, mostly from Bihar and West Bengal at his new building in Lumsey, Tadong in Gangtok.
“The people who are affected the most during the lockdown are migrant workers. There was a huge cue at the Sikkim border yesterday. I’ve got a new unfinished building in Gangtok (Lumsey, Tadong). It should accommodate about 100 people,” Bhutia told PTI.
Due to the lockdown there is an unprecedented surge in the migration of workers, who are trying to get back to their homes in rural areas across the country, since there is no prospect of earning and shelter in the big cities.

Bhutia, is in constant touch with the government authorities to ensure that the migrant workers are assisted in these stressful times. He is also working with the local authorities to spread the word and aid the migrant workers. The state hasn’t had a single positive case of the virus as of now.
Bhutia has taken the help of United Sikkim Football club, co-owned by him. He has also posted a message on his official Facebook account with contact details.