SHILLONG: “If anything has to happen to me let it happen at home and not away from home”.
Relief was writ large on his face as the elderly man waited for his name to be called out before he began the second and final leg of the journey — to home.
He was among the first batch of 38 returnees from Assam, who arrived at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which is the designated dropping point here, at around 5.30 pm on Wednesday.
“I thank the government for bringing us back. I am glad that I am back as it was getting difficult staying away from home”, he said.
A lady echoed him. “I am very happy to be finally back as I was stranded for over a month,” she said. She works in Guwahati and hails from East Jaintia Hills.
The sense of relief among them was palpable as they waited eagerly to board tourist taxis arranged by the government and head home. They did not have to wait too long.
They were earlier screened and cleared from Byrnihat check point and on arrival here had to register themselves.
Meanwhile, Health department officials said that two persons showed some symptoms in Ri Bhoi district and their samples were taken. “If the reports are normal, they would be allowed to go home”, an official said.
Close to 1000 citizens of Meghalaya, who were stranded in different Northeastern states, returned in the last two days after the government gave the go ahead.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said 955 people arrived in the state since Tuesday and all were screened at the designated entry points. Of them, 649 returned on Wednesday.
He said that 277 were screened at Bajengdoba, 557 at Byrnihat, 76 at Ratacherra and 45 at Tikrikilla.
All who have arrived in the state will have to undergo home quarantine for 14 days.
Meanwhile, SP City, Bikram Marak, informed that they are expecting around 250-300 people to reach the state capital by Wednesday night.
Twenty-one buses were arranged by the state government to ferry the stranded with each carrying 10-15 passengers only while maintaining social distancing protocol.
Our Nongstoin Correspondent adds: Meanwhile, 19 people arrived in West Khasi Hills from Assam. Of them, 14 are from Mawshynrut, one from Nongstoin and four others from Mairang.
On the other hand, 33 more people including, students and workers, are expected to arrive on Thursday.
Speaking to this correspondent, several of those who are returning on Thursday and their families said they should be quarantined at the official centres and not at their homes.
The district administration, however, wants them to self-quarantine at home.
Nongstoin has three quarantine centres.