Congress MLA asks govt to safely bring back all stranded citizens

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 14, 2020

Congress legislator from Mawsynram Himalaya Shangpliang on Monday urged the state government to take necessary steps to bring back all citizens including students, who are stranded in the different parts of the country due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

In his letter to the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Shangpliang said, “It is my sincere appeal to the cabinet through your office to reconsider the decision and initiate appropriate steps to bring back the stranded sons and daughters safely home immediately without further delay.”

“The government may mandate the parents and the 2192 young people to abide by all necessary protocol in place required to be followed for the safety of the citizens of the state as well as the stranded citizens,” he said.

His appeal came after the state government’s advisory to stranded citizens to refrain from returning home till April 30.

Shangpliang while expressing the pain and agony of the parents said in his opinion this (decision) has created a sense of uncertainty on the return of their sons and daughters to the state beyond the present period of lockdown.

Stating that it is a known fact that vehicles carrying essential commodities from different parts of the country are entering the state daily, the MLA said, “However, it is regretted to note that these children whose desire to enter the state are being asked to delay their entry…till end of the month.”According to him, even the Government of India during the height of the pandemic at the epicenter namely Wuhan, Italy and other countries, had evacuated its own citizens to return home.