(LEFT) Left to Right: Dimapur COVID-19 in charge, Kikheto Sema; DCP Zone II, Aotula Imchen; Convenor, COVID-19 Core Committee, Honje Konyak and Commissioner of Police, Rothihu Tetseo at the Railway Station in Dimapur on June 9. (RIGHT) A returnee to Nagaland along with her pet at the Dimapur Railway Station on June 9. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 9
Another special Shramik train carrying people of Nagaland from Gujarat and Maharashtra arrived at Dimapur Railway Station on June 9.
The Dimapur COVID-19 control room released data stating that the train carried 963 returnees.
A DIPR report meanwhile informed that the train carried 357 people from Dimapur, 91 from Tuensang, 73 from Mon, 9 from Longleng, 45 Kiphire, 63 from Phek, 57 from Zunheboto, 41 from Mokokchung, 41 from Wokha, 67 from Peren, and 89 from Kohima.
They were received at the railway station by Kikheto Sema who is also in-charge of COVID-19 activities for Dimapur; Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies, Honje Konyak; DC Dimapur, Anoop Khinchi; Commissioner of Police, Dimapur, Rothihu Tetso and other government officials.
The train reached Dimapur at around 1:00am on June 9 and officials were at the station since June 8 night till the early hours of June 9 as the train was delayed by several hours.
Returnees from Dimapur district were transported to NER Agri Expo, 4th Mile, followed by filling up of forms and medical screening before being sent to their designated quarantine centers.
Returnees from the rest of the districts underwent thermal screening at the Railway station Dimapur and were transported to their respective districts after food packets and bottles of water were provided.
In addition to this, the Control Room informed that a further 212 people arrived till 3:00 pm on June 9 via other trains, buses and private vehicles.
Kikheto urges districts to accept patients
Meanwhile, following reports that some districts were reluctant to receive COVID-19 patients, Dimapur in charge for COVID-19 activities, Y. Kikheto Sema, IAS has urged upon all districts to accept and receive their respective patients whether asymptomatic or not.
He reminded of the latest state government’s Standard Operating Procedure directing asymptomatic persons to be sent to their respective districts.
“However, we are trying to accommodate as many patients as possible whether asymptomatic or not and since our COVID-19 hospital is already full, we will have to send all patients to their respective districts whether the patients are asymptomatic or not,” he said during a press conference at Commissioner’s Guest House, Dimapur on June 9. He said most of the patients are asymptomatic and the authorities were expecting more recoveries.
In this connection, he appealed the districts, especially Peren and Mon, to cooperate and be prepared to receive the patients as Dimapur would be sending asymptomatic persons initially as far as possible.
Kikheto also said that the very purpose of designating COVID-19 hospitals in all the districts would be rendered meaningless if the respective districts refuse to accept the patients.
Meanwhile, Kikheto also reiterated initiating strict action against those colonies/wards/villages refusing to accept returnees who have completed mandatory 14 days institutional quarantine.
Further, he appealed the private schools and colleges in Dimapur to continue extending their support and cooperation to the authorities acknowledging that 50% of the quarantine centres were being utilized in their infrastructures. He also thanked the private doctors for coming forward and extending their assistance to the government.
“Out of the 60 quarantine centres in Dimapur including paid ones, around 3300 beds are already occupied which excludes the returnees transiting to the rest of the districts,” the incharge added.
Kikheto said that quarantine centres in Dimapur have 5250 bed capacities as of now including those occupied.
