State Cabinet discusses arrangement, feasibility of centres
Morung Express News
Kohima | May 19
As arrangements for the return of stranded citizens from other parts of the country were being made, the Nagaland Government witnessed a shortage of quarantine facilities prompting district administrations to requisition schools, colleges and other facilities for the purpose.
With more than 14000 applicants registered to return to the state and with weak infrastructures and inadequate medical personnel and facilities in the far flung areas, some senior ministers have reportedly suggested the use of Ganesh Nagar, Dhansiripar, under Dimapur district as a quarantine centre with an intake capacity of about 8000 people.
The suggestions were reportedly made during the cabinet meeting held here on May 19.
According to a legislator who spoke to The Morung Express on condition of anonymity, “quarantine centres are one of the major issues where emphasis is required towards improving and strengthening it.”
The Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister are said to have taken the suggestions and have entrusted the COVID-19 War Room to check the feasibility and work out required facilities such as water supply, electricity, bathrooms, bedrooms etc.
With trains arriving soon, the legislator viewed that the government should “focus on the risk factor from the source itself.”
Reasoning that “Segregation of people at the source from different zones and putting them into different bogeys will help reduce the risk which will also make things easier to identify people in quicker and more systematic way,” he maintained that the Ministry and the respective state governments will definitely help the state if the state government requests. This, he said, would reduce the risk factor drastically.
Expressing his views on the quarantine centers in the interest of safeguarding public health, he opined that it would be better if quarantine centres can be arranged in the outskirts of Kohima and Dimapur. This, he reasoned would mean better management and monitoring as returnees would be concentrated in fewer centres as opposed to being spread out in different centres across the state.
If the respective districts give preference to their own district people, he maintained that “it will send a socially wrong signal and create divisions, ill feelings and mistrust among Nagas.”
The legislator also suggested that the people should lend a helping hand to work together, reach out and accommodate each other and look beyond party and tribal lines to find the best ways to safeguard and protect each other like their own family.
While the government has been blamed for the poor infrastructures and preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic, the legislator maintained “we can’t blame the PDA government of two years; it’s a successive accumulation and let us be humble and accept the fact that we have failed the system for so many years.”
Dismissing the misconceptions that the state government has huge amount of funds for COVID-19 response, the legislator termed it as a “total misnomer” and said the government is judiciously utilizing whatever it received.
Another legislator also suggested that the Indira Gandhi Stadium and The Heritage Village, Kisama, can be explored and utilized as quarantine centres. The infrastructure is already there and the basic requirements can be put in place, he said, adding that “There are ample spaces to even maintain social distancing.”
Meanwhile, in his daily briefing on COVID-19 status, Principal Secretary, Home, Abhijit Sinha said that the State Cabinet held a meeting and received briefings from the Home Department on the various lockdown measures presently in force in the State. He also said that quarantining arrangements being made for the citizens of Nagaland returning to the State were discussed but however, did not provide any details.
