TURA: Tura MP Agatha K Sangma on Friday held a meeting with district officials, community leaders and members of the Church to plan and discuss necessary steps to be taken post the COVID-19 lockdown at the District Auditorium in Tura.
The meeting was attended by Selsella MLA, F C A Sangma, West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh, TMB Chairman J D Sangma, Superintendent of Poice, M G R Kumar, members of development committees and other citizens.
Speaking during the meeting, Agatha expressed her appreciation to the district administration and all others involved in handling the situation so far in the district for the containment of the disease, adding that it is the responsibility of everyone to cooperate for the containment and prevention of the spread of the disease in the district. She said that the meeting was very important since there is a need to plan and formulate what steps to take post lockdown as the disease is not going to end and necessary advisories still need to be followed even though the lockdown may be lifted in the coming days.
Mentioning about the IEC activities of the district, she said that even though it is being done widely, the concerned authorities need to sensitise the people aggressively about hand hygiene, wearing of mask, social distancing among others since various activities are likely to resume once lockdown is lifted.
Further, in order to maintain cleanliness in the area, she suggested that the Tura Municipal Board should continue to carry out proper waste disposal and sanitise the town area regularly.
Moreover, she also suggested calling a meeting with the school principals before opening of the schools in the district.
During the meeting, the Deputy Commissioner informed that the meeting was necessary in order to discuss matters relating post lockdown and said that there is COVID Management Committee in every locality comprising Executive Magistrates, Medical Officer, ASHAs, Anganwadis including the relief team who would be monitoring their respective localities. He also informed that about 650 people stranded outside have registered and will be coming to the district after May 4 . However, he said that nobody can enter without permission and that the entry points have been set up at Tikrikilla and Bajendoba where people should follow entry protocol like health check up
and testing by medical officers, present travel history and undertake strict quarantine which would be monitored through IVRS, mandatory mobile app and geo tracing, district ISDP monitoring, etc. With regard to the apprehensions faced in some localities earlier, he said that the people coming from outside are not necessarily positive cases and urged everyone not to stigmatise them since they would be undergoing necessary protocol as directed by the Ministry of Health department.
Informing that certain provisions would be relaxed in the district post lockdown, he cautioned that necessary advisories should be continued and added that other precautionary measures will depend on the notification issued by the state government.
Superintendent of Police, M G R Kumar said that even though strict action is not being taken at the moment, all activities of the people are being monitored closely and cautioned that violators of the order with regard to COVID-19 will be dealt with once the disease subsides. He further advised everyone not to come out unless it is necessary and to use cloth face mask, maintain social distancing among others and to make use of the helpline numbers available 24X7 if need arises.
With regard to the query posed by Pastor, Tura Baptist Church Rev. W R Marak for resuming of Sunday church services, the DC informed that it would depend on the directives issued by the state government soon.