The High Powered Committee on COVID-19 on June 10 decided to allow opening of religious places in the State subject to adherence to the provisions of standard operating procedures (SOPs). (Image Courtesy: Pixabay.com)
Kohima, June 10 (MExN): A review meeting of the High Powered Committee (HPC) on COVID-19 held today under the chairmanship of the Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has decided to allow opening of religious places in the State subject to adherence to the provisions of standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The meeting reviewed the status of the existing lockdown measures in the State.
Providing updates on the meeting during the daily briefing on COVID-19, Principal Secretary, Home, Abhijit Sinha informed that the HPC decided that the “relevant orders in this regard should mention all the conditions/provisions that need to be followed at the religious places.”
BSL 2 lab in Dimapur nearing completion
According to Sinha, the Principal Director, the Health & Family Welfare Department gave a briefing of the COVID-19 status in the State and informed that the testing capacity of the BSL 3 lab in Kohima was increasing steadily. About 90% of work at the BSL 2 Lab in Dimapur has been completed, the meeting was informed.
He further apprised that work for the BSL 2 Lab in Tuensang is in progress and within this month all the districts in Nagaland will have testing facilities. The Principal Director also informed that 45 numbers of ventilators have been dispatched by the MoHFW for Nagaland and is expected to arrive soon.
Mechanism for state’s migrants
Meanwhile, Sinha further informed the HPC deliberated the issue of stranded people who were working outside and have returned to the State due to the on-going pandemic.
In this regard, the Department of Labour & Employment has been asked to register all such people with full details, so that appropriate training and skill development programmes could be run for them to help them get gainfully employed.
The Commissioner & Secretary Labour & Employment updated that it is working with the IT Department to come out with an App where the returnees can register themselves along with their skill set and work experience. The data collected will be used by the Government to work on an action plan to utilise the available human resources in the State.
The Principal Secretary, Home, apprised the HPC about the provisions of the SOPs for the returnees to the State and the measures being taken for facilitating the District Task Forces and ensuring that there is complete adherence to the concerned SOPs.
It was also informed that the Home Department will examine and come out with a separate SOP for engineers, technical experts, skilled labourers etc. from outside the state, who are required to come to the state from time to time, to perform specialized and essential works in the power, telecom and other vital installations for short durations.
There could be provisions made in the SOP for testing such people by Truenat machines on their entry, and on negative results, they could be allowed to proceed for work, while following all the social distancing norms, Sinha stated.
Over Rs 15 crore paid as one-time assistance
The Principal Director, School Education, apprised the HPC about the applications received for one-time assistance of Rs 10,000 by the State Government to those staying outside and voluntarily opting to stay back. He informed that after proper verification it was found that only 15,899 persons were eligible for this scheme and a total of Rs 15,89,90,000 has been incurred for this purpose.
Meanwhile, it was informed that the HPC has decided to run a Special Train from Delhi to Dimapur on the June 14 to bring stranded citizens of Nagaland.
