DIMAPUR, JUNE 19 (MExN): The Nagaland Government has issued a notification laying down special Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for “special categories of persons entering Nagaland for urgent essential works or for 'unavoidable' reasons."
The notice issued by the Nagaland Chief Secretary informed that these persons include Government servants, both State and Central, who are required to enter the State for reporting for duty and to immediately start performing his/her duties in the public interest. It also includes skilled labourers, mechanics, technicians, engineers etc, who need to enter the State for short durations for providing their services for maintenance/repair/construction etc. of essential/emergency services like power, telecom, transport, upkeep of medical equipment/labs etc., or “for some other unavoidable reasons.”
It was observed that these categories of persons face deterrence/obstacles on account of the mandatory 14 days facility quarantine followed by 14 days home quarantine which is the standing guideline.
As such, a special Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been put in place.
In the case of Government Servants, both State and Central, permission will be obtained from the Home Department in advance, and the concerned Deputy Commissioner & Chairman District Task Force will be informed.
Regarding any person, other than a Government Servant desirous of entering the State, the permission will be sought from the Deputy Commissioner & Chairman District Task Force of the destination district, mentioning the purpose of the visit and detailed itinerary: point of entry, the places to visit, with date and time, till the date of departure.
Application for entry permit should be submitted at least 5 days before the intended date of travel. The Deputy Commissioner on being satisfied of the urgency of the proposed visit will submit with clear recommendations to the Home Department, for seeking its clearance. After obtaining the clearance of the Home Department, the Deputy Commissioner will give permission and wherever applicable, the Inner Line Permit, mentioning clearly the duration of visit and other details.
All such persons will be subject to thermal screening along with other returnees to the State at the designated point of entry.
If symptomatic, the Government Servant/person will not be allowed to proceed further and the usual SOP for the returnees to the State will be followed. If asymptomatic, on producing the permit, the Government Servant/person may proceed to the destination district for sample collection and testing using TrueNat.
The SOP further stated that transportation within the State has to be arranged by the Government Servant/person concerned. The driver and all occupants should wear mask at all times with distance maintained between occupants in the vehicle. Stopping by the roadside at restaurants and shops will not be allowed.
On reaching the destination district sample collection centre, the Government Servant/person will be tested using TrueNat. For persons on official Government duty the testing will be free, whereas others will be charged at Rs. 1,500 per test.
Only if tested negative will the concerned person be allowed to proceed to his/her place of work, while following all safety precautions of wearing mask at all times, frequently sanitizing hands, and maintaining physical distancing. If tested positive, the person will be placed in an appropriate COVID facility and due protocol will be followed.
The District Task Force has meanwhile been directed to issue the number of permissions/permits per day considering the per day testing capacity of TrueNat in the district. The permission/permit will also contain information on location of the designated sample collection centre (s) and other information guide as required. The District Task Forces of the other districts which the person will pass through should also be informed beforehand.
Besides these, the concerned persons are directed to mandatorily register in the nCOVID Nagaland Visitors App at the point of entry and submit status of symptoms twice daily till 14 days, or till the time of departure from the State, whichever is earlier.
Meanwhile, in the case of a Government Servant, the immediate family members accompanying the former while entering the State will also be covered by the provisions of this SOP.
