NPF legislators urge government to evacuate stranded Nagas

Dimapur, May 23 (EMN): Alleging that “little” has been done on the ground for the safe return of all the stranded Nagas from outside the state, NPF legislature party has appealed to the chief minister to take serious note of their sufferings and arrange appropriate mode of transportation at the earliest.

An appeal to this effect was taken during the meeting of NPF legislature party held in the residence of the leader of opposition on May 23.
“While our neighbouring states have been doing a commendable job to bring back their people, our state is still in a state of confusion and lacks vision and will. It is a very sad to learn that people in the cities are making their own arrangement and travelling by road,” an update from the NPF legislature party stated.

It alleged that public is facing untold pain and suffering due to the inefficiency of the state government. Even as the restrictions were lifted and inter-district travel was permitted, it accused the government of failing to make adequate arrangement for safe travel of the people stranded within the state.

While the affluent section of the people could move in their private cars, it stated that the poor, who availed public transport, had no arrangement as public transportations were halted. In this regard, it has appreciated all the tribal bodies and individuals for stepping up and taking necessary steps to help people reach their homes.

It also stated that numerous SOPs, which keep changing at regular intervals, have confused everyone including officers at the state and district levels. It added that the directives in the SOPs were not specific and as such have given rooms for speculation which is aggravating the already poor management.

The NPF legislature party also demanded that the funds received for Covid-19 from the central government should to be used judiciously by maintaining transparency and accountability.

It has termed the passing of the burden of implementing and maintaining home quarantine to the village councils, which are not medically sound to follow the protocol in managing people in quarantine centres, as “distressing”. As the state government has not allocated any fund to them, apart from the meagre amount received as 50% grant in aid, NPF stated that it would be impossible for villages to manage on their own.

NPF legislature party also reminded the Food and Civil Supplies department to look into the proper implementation of the National Food Security Act and the PMGKAY. It hoped that transparency and accountability are maintained so that the ration card holders receive their due share without manipulation.

NPF also urged the government to take testing of those returnees with all seriousness and keep them under strict observation and not to sent to their respective districts before ascertaining their status. It stated that thermal screening alone should no longer be the basis on which a person is determined as negative or positive. With the presence of the BSL-3 in Kohima, it added that the facility should be capable to test everyone so that the state remained safe and protected.