DC directs tracing of visitors to EKH containment zones

MAWKYRWAT: In the aftermath of the state breaching the 500-mark and the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner declaring various localities in Shillong agglomeration as containment zones, South West Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, Isawanda Laloo, on Sunday directed Sordar or Myntri and Chairman of Community COVID-19 Management Committees (CCMC) of all villages to trace the persons who had recently travelled to the locations which are now containment zones.
“Since many residents of South West Khasi Hills travel to and fro from Shillong on a daily basis for work, trade, market purposes, hospital visits, etc, and may have visited these areas and since the East Khasi Hills District Magistrate had stated that these vulnerable and affected areas require aggressive contact tracing, etc, therefore, in order to be able to monitor such persons effectively in case they happen to be high-risk contacts, you are requested to assist this office in the identification of such individuals who have frequented these areas for the last one week and ask them to report to the District Control Room or to contact the Zonal Magistrate and Sector Officer concerned,” Laloo said in the letter to CCMCs of villages.
Laloo also said that similar reporting may be done for persons with travel history to other affected districts in the past one week. “As a matter of precaution, such persons are advised to stay at home and restrict their movement till further details are obtained and the concerned officials and health team follow up on them,” Laloo said.
Directing the Sordars and Myntris to ensure that people are not stigmatised, the DC reminded them that matters of personal information are to be kept confidential and are to be shared only with the designated officials and not circulated on social media, etc. Laloo has also barred people from visiting the zones.
“Since curfew had been imposed in all of Shillong Urban Agglomeration and its adjoining areas from midnight of July 26 till midnight of July 29, there is to be no movement to or fro from the areas under curfew without permission,” Laloo said, adding that passes for visiting Shillong on essential services duty or on emergency medical grounds, etc. may be applied online from the state portal or from the DC’s office.