Mysore/Mysuru: Hundreds of people sheltered in temporary shelter homes across the city following the COVID-19 lockdown have started returning to their native places after the lockdown curbs were relaxed last week. While some of them have returned to their villages, others have returned for labour.

Subsequent to the announcement of nationwide lockdown in the last week of March, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) had set up Shelter Camps at various places in the city. While 32 of the 93 sheltered in Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry on Vinobha road have left either to their native places or for work, 8 have left from Neramballi Kalyana Mantapa, 6 from Nityotsava Kalyana Mantapa in Krishnamurthypuram, 39 from Hoysala Karnataka Sangha Bhavan and 8 from Youth Hostel.

MCC Assistant Engineer Shivappa, who is in charge of the Shelter Camps, said that the MCC has planned to send back all of them either to their native places or workspots before the lockdown ends on May 17.

Pointing out that some of them have returned to their earlier jobs or profession, he said that the MCC in association with city-based CREDIT-I, has been in touch with several private companies on providing permanent employment to others who do not have jobs.

CREDIT-I’s M.P. Varsha said that there are elderly and disabled persons too in shelter camps who cannot work and that his organisation was trying to find them other suitable places of shelter post lockdown.

Pointing out that all the abled persons in shelter homes were trained in a few crafts, he said that the inmates made more than 8,000 paper bags and envelopes, totally earning Rs.24,000 during their stay.

Stating that it is happy to note that a competition has arisen among those trained in making paper covers, Varsha said that his organisation had worked towards ensuring that no inmate leaves the shelter home penniless and added that efforts will be made to provide employment to those who do not find jobs or work.

MCC Additional Commissioner N.M. Shashikumar said that the Labour Department is providing vehicles to the inmates leaving the shelter homes to reach their workplaces or farms.