GUWAHATI: In yet another preemptive step to ensure systematic quarantine facilities for people entering the state from other states as and when the lockdown is withdrawn, the Assam government is contemplating issuing temporary entry permits, “on the lines of ILP” to both residents and non-residents.
Transit passes will be issued to vehicles passing through Assam from Meghalaya or the other Northeast states after consultations with the respective state governments of the region.
Addressing reporters here on Monday afternoon, Assam health and family welfare minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma said that there are other challenges awaiting the state once the lock down is withdrawn.
“One such challenge is the regulation of people entering the state from other states post lockdown, as we have to quarantine them at the designated centres or put them under home quarantine for 14 days. As such, we have to adhere to sequencing and allow people to enter the state in batches for restricted entry. In the next two or three days, we plan to start the registration process so that we have the data of people returning to the state after the lock down,” Sarma said.
“We are also seeking suggestions from people as to how we regulate the entry of such returnees to the state once the lock down is lifted,” he said.
The minister said that the geographical location of the returnees would also have to be known to set up quarantine camps across the state.
Currently, the city has a 700-bed quarantine centre at Sarusajai which is already catering to a number of returnees from the religious congregation at Nizamuddin Markaz.
Sharing data, the minister informed that altogether 75981 persons are under quarantine till date and not all are in camps but under home quarantine after adhering to all norms of the government.
“The next three days before they are released after health check-up will be crucial. We have asked the respective deputy commissioners to provide reports on their health and tests,” Sarma said.
Regarding the lock down period, he said that chief minister was “in touch with various people in regard to the mode of the withdrawal process.”
“We will tell the Centre that we want to adhere to a scientific and systematic withdrawal of the lockdown so that the benefits accrued during the past 21 days do not go in vain. The details will b made known to the Centre in due course,” he said.
Website for medicos
The minister further informed that a website for registration of doctors, nurses and paramedics willing to return to Assam from other states render voluntary service in the state has been launched so that they can be quarantined on arrival.
Insurance scheme
“The state government has informally decided to extend the Rs 50 lakh insurance scheme to all doctors, nurses and paramedics of private hospitals that have recently inked MoUs with the government” Sarma said.
On Sunday, the scheme was extended to Assam police personnel. Recently, the government had announced the same insurance cover for employees of 108 Ambulance, 104 Sarothi helpline and mobile medical units of tea gardens.