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Our Reporter/Correspondent
Dimapur/Kohima May 7 (EMN): One hundred and six buses were pressed into service to ferry a total of 2,434 persons stranded in Nagaland to their respective districts, on the first of the three-day inter-district travel window (May 7 to the 9th) announced by the state government.
The statewide exercise was conducted under the supervision of the ‘Empowered Group’ headed by the additional chief secretary and finance commissioner.
A total of 1297 stranded passengers from Dimapur left for their respective districts and hometowns/villages from the Badminton Stadium in Dimapur at around 10.30 am.
The Dimapur district administration had arranged 52 buses on the first day at the facilitation centre for inter-district movement, free of cost.
Those buses travelling through Assam were provided with security personnel.
The president of Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU), Sedevilie Angami, told Eastern Mirror that on the first day of assisting at the facilitation centre, the main concern was social distancing among the travellers.
He said that repeated announcements to maintain social distancing were ignored, and some of the applicants were not even wearing facemasks.
“Not a single person was following social distancing, even in the market it is the same. We are yet to develop the sense of social distancing,” he lamented.
When the district administration officers, who were detailed for the exercise at the facilitation centre, were contacted for details since morning, they were unable to respond to calls or were either switched off till filing of this report.
There was also complaint that the contact number of officers provided for the exercise were either “switched off or not reachable”.
The Covid-19 Dimapur health officials informed that from May 2 to the 7th, a total of 14,491 medical certificates or clearances have been issued in the district.
From the state capital Kohima, 1109 persons left for their respective homes in 38 buses.
People from Mon, Tuensang, Mokokchung, Wokha and Dimapur were sent to their respective districts through the transportation arranged and provided by the state government.
The additional deputy commissioner (ADC) of Kohima, Lithrongla Tongpi Rutsa, in an interaction with media persons at Kohima local ground informed that the stranded persons reported to the venue on Thursday morning, and underwent a screening process before being sent home.
She also maintained that the travel arrangements were made according to the distance of journey from the state capital; wherein people going to Mon district headquarters via Assam consisting of 12 buses were sent with police escort, and five buses to Tobu sub-division via Tuensang, totalling 520 persons.
Rutsa shared that 52 migrant workers from Assam, housed in relief camp, were also dropped till the inter-state borders of Assam, following all necessary formalities.
She informed that on Friday, stranded people in Kohima hailing from Longleng, Phek, Kiphire and Zunheboto will be sent home.
Later an update from the district administration, informed that on Thursday, eight buses (three for Longkhim HQ and five for Tuensang HQ) ferrying 250 persons left for Tuensang; three buses carrying 90 persons to Mokokchung; three buses with 76 passengers to Wokha; and seven buses with 173 persons bound for Dimapur.
The minister for Housing and Mechanical, who is also the minister in-charge of Kohima district for Covid-19, Tongpang Ozukum, was also present at the camp and appreciated the effort of the district administration and all volunteers for rendering their services towards helping the stranded persons.
“Kohima, we are facing more problems than other districts, as we have 6,688 stranded persons (registered) and it keeps increasing till now, and definitely the number will increase. We are doing our best, but the problem is transportation—we are trying to requisition all the available buses of the government that are in good condition and we have all also made an appeal to the private bus owners for necessary assistance and added that everyone is giving their best,” he said.
Meanwhile, a mason from Assam named Jacob, who was leaving for his home in Udalguri district, shared his gratitude to the government of Nagaland for enabling stranded persons ‘to go back after a long lockdown’.
He also expressed gratitude that the government is providing transportation to drop him and his friends till the Assam-Nagaland border.
Another student from Wokha also shared her happiness that she is finally going home to meet her family.