SHILLONG: East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Claudia Lyngwa on Saturday regretted the discrimination against frontline workers by residents of various localities and called it “unfair”.
Speaking to reporters, Lyngwa said there were instances of people being stopped just because they work in Bethany Hospital. “If the person is working hard to control the outbreak and then he or she is not allowed to move freely, how will the hospital function,” she said.
“People should appreciate their hard work instead and assist the police in the fight against COVID-19,” she added.
In the context of the corona infection, Lyngwa said, “Today, you may get sick, I may get sick (but) will our locality prevent us from entering? This is not fair. This fear is unfounded.”
Within the city limits, the police are managing but it gets difficult in rural areas where there have been instances of road blockades and ambulances being stopped and police had to intervene, the SP said.
Pointing out that markets were also not allowed to function in certain villages, Lyngwa said, “If you do not allow the bazaars to function in your own villages, don’t you think it is a crime to your own people who have grown vegetables and you are not giving them an opportunity to sell.”
Reasoning that villagers have to earn their livelihood by selling their produce, Lyngwa said if such incidents go on, people will not die of corona but of starvation. “I request all village heads to cooperate and assist each other in fighting this,” she added.
