Meghalaya Divides Inward Movement of Stranded Citizens into Two Phases

Shillong, May 5, 2020:

Conrad K Sangma, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, announced that the state will now be dividing the inward movement of stranded citizens into two phases.

In the first phase, the Government will facilitate the movement of people from within the Northeast Indian states who wish to return back to Meghalaya. In the second phase, the Government will see how to bring back people from other states of India.

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Sangma said that the Government has gleaned data that there are as many as 3,000 people from Meghalaya who are stranded in other NE States; most of them from Assam "We are following very very strict measures while these individuals come back into the state", assured Sangma.

Firstly, Sangma said, the ones coming into the state have to mandatorily register. "Till now, we have got registrations of 2,000 of them already", Sangma said.

He added further that those who do not have smart phones can register by calling a number. For the citizens who do not even have a cell phone, the Government has facilitated registration at the check points.

Sangma further informed that are four entry points to gain re-entry into the state: Byrnihat, Ratyachhera, Bajengdoba, Tikrikilla.

Sangma also said that all these locations are being manned by teams of doctors, health workers, police officers, magistrates to ensure that the process if followed.

All the returnees, Sangma said, will be screened, and the ones with any symptoms indicative of the coronavirus shall be transferred to the coronacare facilities within the state.

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For those who do not have any symptoms, Sangma said, they will be advised home quarantine. He further added that the entire house of returnees will be 'quarantined' and all the family members will be kept indoors for a period of time.

Sangma said that all the returnees will not be put into institutional quarantine because the number of people coming in could potentially be very high. "Once we have people coming in from the rest of the country also -- maybe close to twelve to thirteen thousand to fifteen thousand will be there", Sangma said.

Sangma further urged the citizens of the state to "come together as a society" and "take care of the situation" when the people do come in. He further urged the local leaders to ensure that the people are adhering to the home quarantine.

"Only if we all work together as a Government and as a society will we be able to get through this", Sangma further added, assuring that that the "utmost security measures" are being adhered to.

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