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Dimapur, April 2 (EMN): Though Nagaland has no confirmed positive cases for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) so far, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Thursday urged the people of the state to be prepared for any eventuality.
Rio stated this while speaking to the deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and chief medical officers on the status and preparedness on Covid-19 of the different districts through video conferencing at his official residence on April 2, a DIPR report stated on Thursday.
Rio specifically asked about the response to the enforcement of lockdown, preparedness on Covid-19 related matters, Covid-19 hospitals and status of receiving medical equipment from the department and availability of other essential commodities in the districts.
It was reported that the enforcement of lockdown in the districts was by and large peaceful and successful. Rio was told that separate places have been identified for quarantine purposes, while hospitals in the districts have been kept ready in the event of any detection.
It was also reported that medical equipment sent by the department have already received by the districts except for one or two districts which was yet to receive ventilators. The DCs also stated that the availability of essential commodities in the districts continued to remain normal.
Rio has suggested on the importance and necessity of home delivery especially LPG by the agency itself in order to avoid crowding and maintaining social distancing at this crucial juncture. He also asked the law enforcing authorities to allow movement of people in the villages, keeping in mind the importance of sowing season for the cultivators.
He, however, stated that people coming from outside to the villages should be stopped and kept for quarantine. He also mentioned about the wellbeing of the migrant workers, if any, and urged the concerned authorities to support and protect them in the form of giving shelter and other essential commodities.
Rio also suggested that districts like Kohima and Dimapur should have colony markets for shopping in order to avoid crowding and maintaining social distancing. Rio thanked the tribal hohos, NGOs and other civil society organisations for actively supporting and helping the government in all possible ways.
He further informed that government would give INR 10 lakh ex- gratia to any health worker(s), who are inflicted by Covid-19 in the line of duty.
Minister of Planning and Coordination and state spokesperson for Covid-19 Neiba Kronu, health minister Pangnyu Phom and other senior government officials were present during the video conferencing.
Meanwhile, chief secretary Temjen Toy also asked all the DCs to work out on the status of the actual number of migrant and daily wage earners and see how many of them have been availing shelter and food.