Zeliangrong students serve seven-day ultimatum to government

Our Reporter
Dimapur, June 10 (EMN): Following the June 3 incident in which a Covid-19 positive patient along with other 16 returnees was sent to Peren district, the Zeliangrong Students’ Union Nagaland (ZSUN) has served a seven-day ultimatum to the state government beginning from June 10 for redressal failing which it threatened to resort to its own course of action.

This was mentioned in a memorandum addressed to the chief minister of Nagaland, which was submitted through the deputy commissioner, Peren, after a consultation meeting held at Jalukie town women welfare hall on June 10. ZSUN had earlier decided to hold a public rally. However, in compliance to the direction from the deputy commissioner, Peren, the proposed rally was cancelled and instead a consultation meeting was organised in the presence of journalists.

In the representation, ZSUN expressed disappointment and resentment over the state government for ignoring and disregarding the appeal made by both the Joint Action Committee(JAC) for Covid-19, Peren district and the students’ union.

ZSUN has demanded the state government to initiate prompt action against the erring officials pertaining to the June 3 incident. It has also demanded to establish a 100-bedded Covid-19 hospital in the district with modern facilities at the earliest. The student body has also demanded to immediately provide adequate tools and machineries along with a makeshift ICU in the District Hospital and to deploy adequate medical personnel to man the hospital.

The memorandum also warned that failing to meet the demands within seven days beginning from June 10 would compel the union to resort to its own course of action. It added that any untoward incident arising in future, as a result of the brazen negligence of the state government towards the people of Peren district, the government of the day would be fully held responsible.

The memorandum jointly appended by ZSUN president Dithuibo Newmai and general secretary Adona Herie alleged that ignoring the representation of the JAC, a conglomeration of NGOs, tribal bodies and church organisations, spoke volume of the government’s seriousness in taking the demands and wishes of the public of Peren district.

It alleged that the irresponsible attitude of the government in handling the returnees on June 3 and subsequent silence on the part of the government to address the grievances of the people of Peren district was nothing but an insult to the people.

“The gross violation of SOP by the government has put the lives of its citizen at risk,” the memorandum stated. While pointing out the current scenario of the District Hospital, the memorandum went on to state that Peren district did not have enough space to accommodate and facilitate the returnees. Further, taking into account the number of returnees from outside Nagaland, it stated that the district needs urgent basic equipment to meet the growing demand of the situation.

Elsewhere at Peren town, a public rally was organised at the town square where the people displayed placards expressing resentment on the apathy of the state government. The public also demanded immediate installation of adequate machineries to treat the Covid-19 illness.

Officials from ZSUN, mothers’ association, Zeliangrong Baudi, churches organisation, traders’ union, Jalukie town youth organisation were present during the interaction with journalists.