Govt sets up three additional check-points for screening returnees: Tynsong

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 14, 2020

The state government has decided to set up additional check points for screening and testing of stranded persons who returned to Meghalaya from states outside the Northeast.

The decision was taken at a review meeting chaired by the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday.

After the meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told reporters that the government has decided to create another three check points in the entire state and all of them will be made operationalize with effect from tomorrow.  

The newly created check points include Polo Ground, Shillong in East Khasi Hills, ISBT, Tura in West Garo Hills and Thadlaskein in West Jaintia Hills.

These are in addition to the existing four check points at Ratacherra, East Jaintia Hills, Bajendoba, North Garo Hills, Byrnihat, Ri Bhoi and Tikrikilla, West Garo Hills.

So far, 4161 of 8000 stranded persons have reached the state as of today. Another 873 stranded persons will be reaching Guwahati by Friday evening.

Tynsong informed that the check point at ISBT, Tura will take care of stranded persons who will return to West Garo Hills, South Garo Hills and South West Garo Hills, while the existing check point at Bajengdoba will cover North Garo Hills and East Garo Hills.  

He said for East Khasi Hills, check point has been created at Polo Ground, Shillong. “Stranded people who are scheduled to return tomorrow do not need to stop at Byrnihat but can come straight to Polo Ground for registration, screening and testing,” he added.

On the other hand, Tynsong said that the existing check point at Byrnihat will now caters to returnees from Ri Bhoi, West Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills.

As far as Jaintia Hills region is concerned, the deputy CM said returnees belonging to East Jaintia Hills and West Jaintia Hills will directly stop at check point at Thadlaskein.

According to him, a dedicated team of doctors, nurses and health volunteers along with magistrates will be stationed at all designated check points.  

Informing that a total of 873 stranded persons will be reaching the state on Friday, the deputy CM also requested all parents and relatives to refrain from going down to Guwahati for fetching them as the government has already made necessary arrangements to bring them back to their respective districts.

“In case parents or relatives wanted to go, the government will not allow  them to cross the check point at Byrnihat. My request is let them receive their sons, daughters and relatives in the respective designated places,” he added.

Of 873, 61 are from East Garo Hills, 36 East Jaintia Hills, 192 East Khasi Hills, 145 North Garo Hills, 73 Ri Bhoi, 27 South Garo Hills, 53 South West Garo Hills, 26 South West Khasi Hills, 125 West Garo Hills, 69 West Jaintia Hills and 66 West Khasi Hills.

Asked, the deputy CM said that all the designated check points are fully prepared to receive the stranded persons who returned to the state from outside the Northeast region.

“We have already decided that in each entry/check point, rapid test is mandatory. If the test shows that they have symptoms of COVID-19, we will segregate such returnees and straight away take them to the quarantine centre where the following day, RT-PCR test will be conducted on them to confirm whether they are positive or negative for the virus,” he stated.

On the opposition expressed by the Sur U Paidbah Ka Bri U Hynniewtrep against decision to home quarantine all returnees, Tynsong said, “They should not be panicky as government and local authority knows better than anybody else. This time the protocol is more stringent through our experience from the last patient (who recently broke her quarantine).”

“This time, the government has decided that those friends coming from outside NE region, they will need to go not only 14 days quarantine  but also follow strictly additional 14 days (which means 28 days),” he said. The deputy CM further reassured that the government and village authority are fully geared up to receive all returnees.