SHILLONG, May 23: The Dorbar Shnong under Shillong agglomeration are undecided on setting up community isolation care centres in their respective localities, as sought by the government.
A section complained that the government is yet to get back to them, after they had conveyed their inability to set up such centres due to space constraints and the lack of funds.
Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong Nongthymmai Pyllun (SKRSNP) president, Bantylli L. Narry said the system put in place by the state government is not right this time around.
“There was better coordination last year during the first wave of the pandemic. We learnt only through the newspapers about the steps taken by the government. We are not aware of anything,” he said.
According to Narry, also the Rangbah Shnong of Nongrim Hills, the district administration has not reached out to the 15 localities under the SKRSNP to seek their cooperation for setting up the isolation care centres.
He said the Dorbar Shnong had expected the government to have some kind of a dialogue on the steps needed to be taken to contain the spread of the virus.
Insisting they were not engaging in a blame game, the SKRSNP president said the appeal on the part of the government to seek the support of the Dorbar Shnong on the community centres has only been through the media.
He said the Dorbar Shnong of Nongrim Hills had written to the state government for permission to use the District and Commerce Industrial Training Centre as a corona care centre.
“But this request was turned down on the ground that they are planning to shift the directorate to this building which houses the training centre. This is just an excuse since shifting office during the pandemic is unlikely,” he said.
Narry said the government’s refusal to used its own buildings to be converted to corona care centres puts a question mark on its seriousness about fighting the pandemic.
Mawlai Town Dorbar (MTD) coordinator, Herlambok War said a majority of the localities under Mawlai are still undecided on the request of the government to create the corona care centre.
“Most of the localities in Mawlai do not have space to create such centres. It will be difficult to convert educational institutions into quarantine centres. The government at any point in time can decide on partially reopening the schools like last year. If that happens, it will put the Dorbar Shnong in a difficult situation,” he said.
War, also the Rangbah Shnong of Mawlai Iewrynghep, felt facilities that can be utilised as and when the situation demands would be best for setting up such centres.
He, however, said Mawlai Kynton Massar and Mawlai Mawroh have already gone ahead with setting up community isolation centres since they have the space. “I don’t think we will face problems in getting volunteers to man these centres. The major problem is space,” War said.
Lummawbah Rangbah Shnong, Everest Thangkhiew said they are yet to discuss the proposal in the locality.
He said that the situation it will be difficult to get volunteers for these centres because of the prevailing situation.
“A majority would be hesitant after seeing the surge in the positive cases and the number of deaths. As the Dorbar Shnong, we cannot take responsibility for the safety of these volunteers,” Thangkhiew said.
He added there was an informal discussion on the possibility of a corona care centre for the whole of Upper Shillong close to a government health centre in case of any emergency.
“But this will need to be jointly decided by the Dorbar Shnong of the localities in and around the Upper Shillong area,” he said.
