SHILLONG: The Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU) War Jaintia Circle has opposed the resumption of Indo-Bangla trade without proper safety guidelines.
In a statement issued here on Thursday, War Jaintia Circle president Eddy Kery Pohtam said the union “opposes the trade between India and Bangladesh” asserting that Bangladesh has high rate of COVID-19 cases.
Pohtam said if the trade started functioning like before then the state would be affected terribly.
While criticising the decision, the JSU has put forward a slew of questions about the safety guidelines.
Pohtam said drivers are afraid of delivering supplies to the land port if no proper protective measures are adopted from both sides of the border.
“Who will be responsible if positive cases increase from this trade interaction? Are there any proper health facilities in the area to cater for patients to fight against the virus? Who will bear for expenditures of these patients,” he added.
He said that though the trade at Dawki Land Custom is mostly of export of limestone from mines from Nongtalang and Pynursla, Pohtam questioned the government on the non-utilisation of funds from the District Mineral Fund to improve health care facilities in the mining areas as per direction from the central government.
Pohtam further said the JSU would not accept the state approval for trade of exporting goods to Bangladesh without proper protocols. “We are uncertain of goods coming from Bangladesh. We also do not want close body contacts between people from India and Bangladesh,” he added.
