TURA: A meeting to oversee the arrival of students from outside the state into Garo Hills was held on Thursday. It was led by Tura MP, Agatha Sangma along with the district administration and members of COVID-19 Management Committee at Circuit House, Tura.
Agatha said the meeting was organised in order to bring better coordination between all political representatives with district administration to work together and take necessary steps for those who have arrived from other places of the North Eastern region.
She also mentioned that the respective public representatives can play an important role in strengthening the IEC activities including sensitising of Nokmas, church leaders, who in turn can further sensitize other people in their respective areas, The MP urged the people not to stigmatise those returning to their homes saying that they are not carriers of the disease and are being quarantine as per instructions.
Stating that various activities have been relaxed after the complete lockdown in various areas for economic reasons, she said that people need to be more careful since movement of individuals and essential commodities is taking place and to continue to maintain social distancing, personal hygiene and other necessary advisories issued by the Ministry of Health department.
Sensitisation a must
North Tura MLA, Thomas A Sangma said people need to be sensitised about the disease and that information is not reaching the rural masses which needs to be addressed keeping in mind the safety and security of the people in the region. Socializing of people needs to be restricted, he added.
Rongrengre MLA, Marcuise Marak said that similar activities are being conducted in East Garo Hills and cited the case of a student fleeing from quarantine. He urged the concerned authority to look into such cases.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills Ram Singh
informed that at the moment the district administration is focusing mainly on the issue of transmission of the disease in town areas since people live in close proximity and population is also more in these area as compared to the rural areas.
Moreover, he requested those who have houses in their respective villages to stay there till the containment of the disease becomes better.
Registration, screening centres
With regard to the arrival of about 700 people coming from outside the state, he informed that proper registration, screening centre has been set up at Bajendoba and Tikrikilla and ISBT and added that all these persons have been shifted to their homes for home quarantine while few others at community quarantine centres in their respective localities.
In spite of identifying various institutions and hotels for corona care and quarantine centres in the district, he informed that quarantine centres are of limited capacity which will be catering only for those positive case patients, and people coming from outside the state have to be quarantined in their homes or community quarantine facilities in their localities.
The meeting was held in the presence of members of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Thomas A Sangma, Brening Sangma and Marcuise Marak.
