TURA/SHILLONG/NONGSTOIN, May 12: Dozens of people broke COVID-19 containment protocols put in place in Phulbari market on Wednesday and when asked to disburse became violent and pelted stones injuring three people and damaging a shop.
The incident happened at around 10:30 in the morning when a group of shopkeepers running non-essential stores along with customers gathered in the market area with an intention to open up their shops despite a standing order that was in place for several days making it a containment zone in view of the detection of a considerable number of COVID-19 positive cases.
When a team of police personnel along with the magistrate and block development officer arrived on the scene directing them to return home, some among the crowd became agitated and started hurling abuses and even stones at other nearby shops.
Three persons sustained injury from the stone pelting while one of the closed shops also received minor damage.
Police were later able to disperse the crowd and additional deployment was put in place. An FIR is also being registered against the incident.
It is worth mentioning that there has been a phenomenal rise in the number of infection cases in the plain belt region and despite government regulations put in place to contain the spread, some citizens are refusing to comply and violating the rules.
Nongkseh village in 3rd Mile containment zone
In the wake of an escalating scenario in Nongkseh village, 3rd Mile, Upper Shillong, the entire village has been turned into a containment zone by the District Magistrate of East Khasi Hills, who on Wednesday ordered a number of restrictions including movement to and fro the site.
In an order, the district magistrate informed that in the past three weeks, there has been a rapid increase in the number of infections in Nongkseh with the caseload mounting to 39 and three deaths being reported till date.
It was also informed that after random sampling using Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT), the positivity rate was pegged at 5 per cent.
“Therefore, in order to prevent further transmission among the susceptible population, early detection through active house-to-house (H-T-H) search for persons with symptoms, comorbidities and contact tracing of high-risk and low-risk contacts is required,” the district magistrate said in the order, which will come into effect stating 5 pm of May 13.
Two Tura localities under containment
Authorities in Tura have declared two localities of the town as micro-containment areas and placed restriction on movement following the detection of a large number of COVID-19 cases during random sampling on Wednesday.
The two localities designated containment zones are Beldarpara locality of Tura Bazar under Dobasipara Urban Health Centre and Darenbibra in Jail Road under Matchakolgre Urban Health Centre. in Beldarpara, 17 positive cases were detected, while in Darenbibra Jail Road 10 positive cases were found during testing on the same day.
Health officials have begun mass contact tracing and testing in both localities to contain any possible spread of the infection during the containment period.
Order for movement of vehicles, opening of shops
The West Garo Hills district administration on Wednesday put in place restrictions on the movement of vehicles in the entire district which will come into effect from Thursday.
According to the order issued in this regard by West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh, the movement of vehicles will be on odd/even basis on alternate days beginning with odd numbered vehicles from Monday throughout the week. However, vehicles are allowed on the streets as per the arrangement only from Monday to Friday and on Saturdays and Sundays there will be total closure.
Meanwhile, in order to check overcrowding in market places of South West Garo Hills like Garobadha, Ampati and Mahendraganj, shops in the district have been directed to open on odd/even basis on different days of the week.
As per the order, odd-numbered shops are to open on Mondays, Wednesday & Fridays while even-numbered shops will open on Tuesdays and Thursdays while total closure has been ordered on Saturdays and Sundays.
Garo Hills MLA pushes for better health infra in plain
With coronavirus cases now surging in West Garo Hills, Phulbari legislator SG Esmatur Mominin has stressed on the need to develop better health infrastructures in the plain belt to tackle COVID-19. West Garo Hills as per official data on Tuesday had 280 active cases.
Admitting that the plain belt lacks proper health facilities and hospitals, Mominin said that the district administration and health teams of West Garo Hills are leaving no stone unturned to contain the spread of the virus.
He added that the government should rigorously think about developing better health infrastructure in this part of the state as it is located farthest from the state capital.
Containment zone in WKH
The Sub-Divisional Officer, Mairang Civil Sub-Division, West Khasi Hills, on Wednesday declared Mairang Mission as containment zone till further orders after 9 positive cases were detected in the area with large number of high risk contacts.
Awareness programme organised in Nongstoin
With an objective to spread the message about the dangers of the COVID-19 virus and stop community spread in the district, the office of the Block Development Officer, C&RD Block, Nongstoin in collaboration with the Health department, Social Welfare department and Nongstoin Town Committee, organised an awareness campaign on Wednesday at the New
Nongstoin Market Complex.
During the programme, Nongstoin BDO CP Mawkon prompted the citizens to strictly adhere to the protocols and SOPs issued by the Health department and urged persons in public services like local taxi drivers, tourist cab drivers, auto rickshaw drivers, bus drivers and shopkeepers to come forward and get vaccinated in order to avoid the severe attack of the virus and total lockdown in the area.