Phek villages impose lockdown, set up quarantine facilities

Our Correspondent
Kohima, March 26 (EMN): Joining the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of novel coronavirus (Covid-19), most of the villages in Phek district have issued orders prohibiting visitors, including village members staying outside, from entering their respective villages.

Besides, the villagers have also been restricted from travelling out of the village, except for emergency cases.

For the past few days, respective village councils’ have been issuing these restrictive orders to avoid any eventualities. In compliance with the government directives, villagers have set up quarantine facility at designated places, for people entering after a specific date set by the village councils.

According to Vechohu Chuzho, the chairman of Khulazu Basa village council, “every citizen of the village arriving from other areas within Nagaland, post-March 29 shall be mandatorily quarantined at Government Primary School ‘A’ for a period of 14 days”.

This preventive measure will be subjected to change with more stringent measures based on prevailing situation, he added.

In a notification issued on March 24, the Dzulhami village council stated that the entry into the village will be barred for its citizens from March 26 until further notice. It also restricted mass gathering, meeting, and wedding in an effort to maintain social distancing.

In various places, roads were blocked and checkpoints were set up to restrict entry of vehicles. However, administration officials and those on health emergencies are exempt from the restriction.

The Phek village council, in its notification on March 25, informed that neither vehicles nor visitors would be allowed within its jurisdiction.  Meanwhile, Satheri village in Phek district has banned outsiders from drawing water, washing clothes and vehicles within its jurisdiction.  

The border road that connects Manipur and Nagaland along Zhavame village in Phek district has been sealed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The road was sealed as a preventive measure against the spread of Covid-19 after consultation between the state police, district administration and the village council.

Shops to open from 7 am to 11 am in Phek district

In a revised order issued on March 26, the deputy commissioner of Phek, Sachin Jaiswal has directed all shops/outlets dealing with food grains, vegetables, food items and other essential commodities to keep open from 7 am to 11 am.

However, pharmacies and petrol pumps have been ordered to remain open as normal. The DC has urged the public to do their shopping during the specified period.

“The order is applicable to entire district of Phek untill further notice,” it stated.

Only one person per family should come out for purchase of essential commodities, and minimum of a metre distance should be maintained while purchasing, it stated.

‘Except for procuring essential commodities and medical emergencies, vehicular movement is prohibited. All construction works—government and private, to be closed down. In case of funerals, not more than 20 persons will be permitted to assemble, the order added.

Further, any person found violating will be punished as per the law, the DC warned.