Tuensang incident: Pangnyu apologises on behalf of State Govt

Kohima, July 8 (MExN): Nagaland Health and Family Welfare Minister (H&FW), S Pangnyu Phom, on behalf of the Government and the Department, today issued an apology to the people of Tuensang and Eastern Nagaland over the “unfortunate incident” of shifting returnees from Kohima to Tuensang. 

“I, as a member of the State Cabinet as well as the Minister in charge of the Health & Family Welfare Department tender my apology and express my sincere regrets over the unfortunate incident relating to shifting of 168 returnees of Chennai from the Quarantine Centre at Kohima to Tuensang,” the Minister stated in apology letter to the Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation (ENPO) President. 

Attributing the incident to “communication gap,” he said it was matter of deep concern. It is “indeed a matter of deep concern and regret that due to this, the people of Tuensang had to undergo a time of anxiety and understandable anger,” he added. 

“Soon after the incident though, proper SOPs were put in place to overcome such gaps,” he added.  

While tendering apology, on behalf of the Government and the H&FW Department, Pangnyu also appealed the “people of Tuensang and Eastern Nagaland to condone the error in the spirit of forgive and forget and extend support as Members of Team Nagaland in our combined battle with the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

The incident refers to transportation of  returnees to Tuensang from Kohima on the May 26 without waiting for the mandatory COVID-19 test results. One of the returnees was later found to be positive on May 27.

Meanwhile, when contacted, an ENPO member informed The Morung Express that the organisation will take a decision on the matter in its next sitting.