SHILLONG: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has asked elderly people and senior citizens not to venture out as they are a vulnerable group.
“We have seen throughout the world that the virus affects the elderly more and I urge our elderly, our senior citizens to refrain from going out to crowded places. They should keep themselves safe because this virus is something that we have seen throughout the world affects the elderly more,” the chief minister said in his daily media briefing on Monday.
He also urged parents and guardians to ensure that their children/wards do not venture out in the localities and engage in outdoor games in locality streets.
Conrad said so far 838 samples have been collected and 714 were tested negative.
While the state continues to have active cases, Conrad informed that the government is awaiting the results of 113 tests.
“All the active cases are stable and the patients under quarantine”, he said.
The chief minister, while speaking about stranded labourers from other states in Meghalaya, said that that daily wage earners, who are stranded in the state are taken care by the state government through respective DCs.
“It is very clear that every state government in every part of the country is supposed to take care of all migrant labourers. Like followed in other states, Meghalaya government has been supporting and taking care, providing food and shelter to all migrant daily wage earners from different parts of the country stranded in our state,” the chief minister added.
Camps in mining areas
On setting up of relief camps in mining areas of the state, the chief minister said there are some suggestions that relief camps should be set up in the mining areas, where many labourers are stranded.
The government is helping the labourers in those areas, and if there are any areas which are left out, the government will take necessary action, he said.
For the distribution of financial assistance under the Chief Minister’s Special grant for individuals stranded across the country, the government has selected the workers’ group first from a category of students, professionals and others.
Other categories of people will also be given money under the special grant
Support to stranded workers
“The money for supporting them which is a lump sum amount of Rs 3000 will be transferred to 1617people stranded in different parts of the country”, he added
The state government has received the applications of 10287 persons stranded outside the state and is in the process of verifying the applications.
On drivers involved in supplying of essential commodities in the state, the chief minister said they are being screened and tested. “We are disinfecting the trucks and the vehicles that are coming in to our states. There is delay in the transportation of products because these processes and protocols are being followed,” the chief minister added.
Food quota
Informing that the food quota for April for NFSA as well as non-NFSAs has already been distributed, he added that the Food Corporation of India has transported 38,000 MT of food grains to Meghalaya under PDS and Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY).
On body management protocol, the chief minister said the government has prepared the modalities and they have already been circulated to the DCs for necessary intervention at their level.
