NONGPOH/SHILLONG: The state government has imposed lockdown in areas under Byrnihat, Jorabat till Khanapara.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma tweeted on Monday that the government has decided that the locations in Meghalaya bordering Guwahati will be under lockdown due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in Assam.
“Inter-state movement continues to be restricted”, the chief minister said.
The Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner issued an order under section 144 CrPC imposing lockdown in several areas of the inter-state border so as to contain and reduce the possible spread of COVID-19 in the district and the state.
Besides Byrnihat, Khanapara and Jorabati-Baridua, the areas under lockdown from 6 am of June 30 to 6 am of July 13 are Ampatama, Umshru, Sukhoinijira, Iewmawroh, Bakhlapara, Hawla, Jimbrigoan, Lyngkhung, Patgoan, Umsen, Jyrmang, Bernongsau Nongkhlaw, Bernongsai Nongspung Umsaliang, Gunapati, Meirapur, Nongkyllang, Rani Jirang, Umshalani, Ranibari, Balakhawa, New Balakhawa, Bilpara, Halher, Akhoinijira, Garobhanga and Ulubari.
The prohibited activities in these areas are assembly or gathering of more than five persons in public area and premises beyond individual households, operation of public and private transport all along the inter-state border and operation of markets and commercial establishments. The movement of individual is strictly prohibited besides spitting in public places.
Another direction is that not more than twenty persons will be allowed to attend funeral.
However, the order will not affect arrangement of fair price shops, identified wholesale traders and identified local retailers which will open as per a schedule which will be released from time to time.
The local headmen in coordination with the district administration and police will regulate the operation of shops in their respective localities and villages and also ensure due compliance to the advisories of the government regarding health protocols.
Speaking to reporters, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said shops other than notified by the deputy commissioner and located along the roadside bordering Assam starting from Byrnihat to Rani will be closed down from Tuesday.
The government took the decision in its daily review meeting chaired by the deputy chief minister on Monday.
Tynsong said the government would further extend the restrictions depending on the situation.
Tynsong said the decision to close down the shops from Byrnihat to Rani all along the road which are inter-connected with Assam has been taken in view of the situation in Guwahati.
“The deputy commissioner of Ri Bhoi district has been directed to further regulate the shops located along the roadside,” he said.
According to the deputy chief minister, the government took the decision since one side of the road is in Assam and the other side is in Meghalaya and people from the state are bound to get infection if the government allows the shops to open as people from Assam would come to purchase things from these shops due to lockdown in Guwahati.
To a question if the government is exploring the possibilities of carrying out testing of all the people residing along the inter-state border, he said the government will examine carrying out universal testing if they receive any proposal from the district vigilance committee headed by the deputy commissioner. “Government is always there to help them out,” Tynsong said.