SHILLONG: The Tibetan Settlement Office in Shillong is contributing to the fight against coronavirus by making the community aware of the pandemic and the necessary precautions as notified by the state and central governments.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Tibetan Settlement Officer Pema Dhondup said he has already created a WhatsApp group of the community with over 200 members to share awareness.
“Most of our community members live in rented houses owned by locals. There is nothing called proper settlement and we directly come under the district administration. Nonetheless, we are doing our bit to help the administration as well as the common people in this time of crisis,” said Dhondup, adding that the regional office receives instructions on health protocols from the Tibetan office in Dharamsala. The official informed that there is no record of any community member coming from outside and none has been quarantined so far.
On whether supply of essentials has been ensured by the settlement office, Dhondup said the office is ready with ration but “none approached for procurement”.
“Most of the people have sufficient essential items now, but if the lockdown continues, then 2-3 Tibetan families in the city may face a tough time,” he added.
When asked about the message from the Dalai Lama, Dhondup said the primary advices are “to remain calm and have peace of mind, to strictly follow health protocols and pray for world peace”.
In a recent article published in the portal www.dalailama.com, the Tibetan religious head said, “The outbreak has shown that what happens to one person can soon affect every other being. But it also reminds us that a compassionate or constructive act — whether working in hospitals or just observing social distancing — has the potential to help many”.
He also stressed that prayer is not enough and “this crisis shows that we must all take responsibility where we can. We must combine the courage doctors and nurses are showing with empirical science to begin to turn this situation around and protect our future from more such threats”.
