SHILLONG/ TURA: Moving in swiftly to prevent any possibility of COVID-19 infection spreading from Assam into the state, the chief secretary issued an order to seal all inter-state border and permitted transportation of goods only through five entry points — Ratacherra in East Jaintia Hills, Byrnihat in Ri Bhoi, Dainadubi in North Garo Hills, Tikrikilla in West Garo Hills and Garodoba in South West Garo Hills.
All car passes and orders issued to bring essential commodities, mainly vegetables, from Assam and other parts along the border have been cancelled.
At the same time, inter-district movement of all types of vehicles within the state and within the districts has also been restricted by the government.
“Multiple positive COVID-19 cases have been detected in Assam and despite the lockdown there is movement of vehicles from that state within our districts. Therefore prohibitory orders have been passed to seal all inter-state border roads,” announced West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh on Thursday.
The order restrains movement of all inter-state vehicles and people except for Food Corporation of India trucks, oil tankers, LPG tankers, medicine suppliers and those vehicles for which specific permission has been issued.
However, carrying of essential commodities like rice, dal, salt, onion, potato etc will be allowed only via Bajengdoba-Tura route in the north and Tikrikilla route in the West after strict checking by medical staff and police teams who have been deployed on the field.
In place of entry by Assam vehicles ferrying vegetables from that state into Garo Hills region, the Meghalaya government’s iTeams 1917 vehicles have now been authorised to lift the vegetable stock and bring them into villages in Garo Hills for distribution and sale.
Border crossing banned
The administration in Garo Hills has directed all headmen and Nokma of villages to restrict their residents from crossing the inter-state border to procure essential commodities and vegetables from Assam.