Meghalaya Govt seek Centre’s help to bring back stranded citizens

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 7, 2020

The state government has sought the Centre’s intervention to bring back its citizens stranded outside the North East India due to the national lockdown to combat COVID-19 pandemic.

“The state government under the leadership of the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has taken up the issue with the Government of India. He (CM) is also in touch with the union home minister, road transport and railways minister and civil aviation minister,” Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong said.

Tynsong told reporters that the issue was discussed at length during the cabinet meeting held here on Thursday.

“We are still putting pressure on the Government of India to provide us special flights or trains (for facilitating the return of our stranded citizens especially those who cannot arrange their own transportation to return to the state),” he said.

He said that the earlier decision to bring back such stranded citizens only after the end of this month therefore has been revoked. “Our message to our people staying in the differet parts of the country is please do not lose hope, be patience and cooperate with the government as we will not leave you,” he added.

Tynsong also announced that the state government has decided to allow stranded citizens who can arrange their own transportation to return to the state.

“We are ready to receive them from May 11,” he said while adding that such citizens are requested to inform the nodal officer of the government before entering the state.

Asked, the deputy CM said that the returnees cannot enter the state without proper screening. “We have the support of the village authority to detect all returnees to the state,” he said.

Assuring that the government is taking extra precautionary measures, Tynsong also assured by saying, “The state is still safe even if people are returning to the state from different parts of the country.”

He reiterated that all returnees are subjected to go for home-quarantine and strictly follow the protocols and advisories issued by the government.  “We are ready to support families which have to go for complete isolation upon arrival of their wards till the quarantine period is over,” Tynsong stated.

Lauding people of the state for extending full support to government in tackling the situation arising out of the pandemic, the deputy CM said that the citizens of the state have contributed up to Rs 8 crore to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF).