As citizens stay indoors, cops laud public cooperation

Our Correspondent/Reporter
Kohima/Dimapur, May 16 (EMN): People continued to remain indoors in Kohima on Sunday following imposition of state-wide total lockdown to contain the transmission and surge of Covid-19 positive cases.

A patrolling commander who was deployed at Razhu Point area with his jawans informed Eastern Mirror that they hadn’t encountered any person or vehicle violating the Covid-19 norms during the afternoon in the area on Sunday. He said that the public have cooperated so far and that the day was going on quietly.

A police officer also informed this newspaper in the evening that except those exempted from the purview of the lockdown, there had not been any report of non-essential movement of both vehicles and people in the streets.

“The lockdown has been peacefully implemented and there has not been any report of lockdown violation,” he said this concerning the situation on the highways, streets and town areas of Kohima.

The officer also shared that citizens have been “very cooperative” this time.

However, he shared that he was not able to ascertain how lockdown rules were implemented in municipal colonies as those localities were not in their control since they were only monitoring and checking the streets.

However, as shops would open on Monday in all the localities, he said, “tomorrow will be a bit challenging”.

According to the order issued by deputy commissioner of Kohima and chairman of district task force on Covid-19, shops selling essential commodities, groceries, etc., would be allowed to open from 6 am to 12 noon on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for public purchase.

Meanwhile, Thejao Sekhose, acting president of Association of Kohima Municipal Wards Panchayat (AKMWP) informed this newspaper that there was no report of violation from any colony and that lockdown regulation has been implemented in the wards as per the guidelines issued by the district administration.

‘So far, there is no hussle-tussle anywhere,’ he said, adding, “Even today (Sunday), everything went peacefully.”

“Everybody was cooperating,” he stated and shared that even the administrative and police department “are doing their best”.

Meanwhile, a few organisations have been lately coming forward and giving away food parcels to frontline workers in Kohima during the ongoing lockdown.

On Sunday too, staff from Rutsa hotel in Kohima delivered lunch to police and security personnel from PR Hill to Razhu Point. The personnel stationed at Razhu Point area expressed gratitude to those who have been reaching out to them personally despite the lockdown and handing over food items to them.

AKMWP sources also informed that some wards were also serving refreshments to the frontline workers in the state capital.

Furthermore, a traffic police officer in Dimapur also expressed that the citizens were ‘co-operating well’ with the state government’s lockdown order this year.

“Unlike last year, it is good, and people are also aware”, he said on Sunday. He also appealed to citizens to stay home and be safe. “It is a blessing to have a home and so stay at home”, he added.

Another police officer also expressed that unlike last year, this time the citizens are complying better with the lockdown situation.

“Citizens are also getting information about how people are dying and so I think the public also understands the situation,” he added.