SHILLONG: The state government on Thursday received an unfettered endorsement from the opposition Congress of the strategies and multi-pronged action plans it had come up with for thwarting spread of COVID pandemic in the state.
The state government, while briefing the Opposition, explained how it came up with the concept of “micro management strategy” which would make the present situation much easier to handle for the state as a whole.
At a high level review meeting held on Thursday at Conference Room of MLA Hostel, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said, “The only way to be ready is with a quick response system in place so that if anything happens, a particular house or locality is contained so that normal life of other people is not affected, it is nascent stage and it requires refining”.
He said that since it was inadvisable for the government to put the state/city under repeated lockdown and stall economic activities, “micro management concept”, including area-specific micro lockdown, quick response system were being contemplated.
Though a number of cases have gone up in the past few weeks, Sangma said that these are in a controlled environment as it involves only specific clusters that have shown spikes in numbers. It is ensured that the disease will not spread beyond certain cluster limit.
He assured that the government will leave no stone unturned for the safety of the people and will take whatever strict measures are required to ensure the people are safe.
“COVID-19 is here to stay for some time and we will not run away from it or “block/lockdown every time something happens we need to adjust and we need to adapt and learn how to live with the virus”, Sangma said.
Explaining further, he said that the strategies of micro management involves information sharing of not just the positive patient but high risk contacts as well with the traditional heads.
Assembly Speaker, Metbah Lyngdoh said that though the government has put out sincere efforts to arrest the spread of COVID-19 cases, he said that the number of cases has gone up following the arrival of BSF personnel and armed forces from their holidays and the wedding party at Khanapara.
“The number of cases among the non-armed personnel is less as compared to other areas”, he said adding that the people should work together to see that cases should not go up.
Congress leader HM Shangpliang said things were under control and everyone who had been traced had been under quarantine. “We are satisfied with the way the government is handling the pandemic”, he said.
The Congress leader gave few suggestions such as inter-state movement to be stopped except for emergency cases, transit vehicles along the highway should not stop anywhere on the road, the government is to inform about the identity of such persons or let the local authorities know to avoid confusion.
As for the behavioural change strategy adopted by the government, Shangpliang said that the government should make enough publicity and sensitise the people.
