SHILLONG: The state machinery is prepared and geared up as thousands of citizens of the state who were stranded in different parts of the country particularly in the Northeastern states would start arriving in the state from Tuesday.
The government has initiated the exercise of bringing back the citizens in two phases.
Firstly, the citizens who are stranded in the Northeastern states will start arriving from Tuesday.
To ensure that the process of bringing them is smooth, the district administration of East Khasi Hills on Monday held a meeting with the headmen and different civil society members in the city.
East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner M War Nongbri told reporters that a sizeable number of citizens hails from the district and the administration in close coordination with the local authorities has formed local level COVID management committees.
The committees have magistrates, gram sevaks and medical officers and they will work in tandem with the district administration and ensure that the citizens who come back follow all protocols besides they will be under continuous surveillance for their health status.
She also informed that 1564 citizens from the district who are stranded in the Northeastern states would start arriving and around 4000 citizens of the district who are stranded in other parts of the country would also arrive at a later stage.
Refusing to admit that it would be a challenge for them as several measures have been taken for their entry to the state, she added that the locality level community management teams and village health awareness teams have been activated besides containment and micro containment plans.
She added that medical teams have also been planned in different CHCs and PHCs.
She also said that a lot of measures will be taken for the citizens who are coming back to the state and a spot testing would be held at the entry of the state and these protocols will safeguard Meghalaya to a large extent.
She urged everyone to ensure that those who come back are not stigmatised as they deserve to be treated in the best possible manner.