GUWAHATI: The All Apex Bodies Co-ordination Committee, a conglomeration of six tribal and four non-tribal apex bodies in Dima Hasao, has appealed to the district administration to implement effective measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 post lockdown.
In a memorandum to the Dima Hasao deputy commissioner, the committee said that given the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country and the Northeast, it was imperative for the district administration to adopt “certain sagacious steps” once the nationwide lockdown was lifted.
“The most vulnerable time would probably be after the nationwide lockdown is lifted when people from other districts/states would start entering Dima Hasao in large numbers,” the committee stated in its representation to the deputy commissioner.
It proposed to make effective use of the four entry/exit points of the district post lockdown and convert them into strategic check posts for people coming to/passing through the district from other places. “The entry gates should be equipped with the requisite screening equipment to detect COVID-19 or other contagious diseases,” the committee stated in the memorandum.
The committee also proposed setting up of four quarantine centres for non-residents coming to Dima Hasao. “Every individual coming by road should stay in the quarantine centres according to government norms before they join work under any contractor/establishment/company in the district,” it stated.
“To make Dima Hasao a COVID-19 free district, we propose to set up four quarantine centres at strategic locations which it has identified close to each entry point – Manderdisa, Harangajao, Umrangso and Diyungmukh,” it added.
The committee suggested that railway commuters to the district too should be properly screened and quarantined.
It further recommended that permanent residents entering the state must furnish original certificates of police verification and submit xerox copies of police verification certificates to the team deputed at the concerned entry gate.
“The certificate issued from the police station must have his/her permanent home address and also certify that the holder is involved in any criminal activity,” the committee stated in its representation.
Besides, other proposals include submission of address proof documents along with medical certificates by non-residents to the teams entrusted at the entry gates; mandatory screening and quarantine of permanent residents/residents coming from outside the state and declaration of tenants’ details by house owners.