On day-sixth of lockdown in the state of Nagaland, the government together with civil organisations have been carrying out stringent measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 into the state. Many measures are being undertaken by competent authorities for the safety of the citizens.
DC Dimapur issues additional measures for strict compliance: DC Dimapur Anoop Khinchi has informed that in pursuance to the Home department NSDMA Kohima, the following measures are to be strictly adhered to: All the employers, be it in the industry or in the shops and commercial establishments shall make payment of wages of their workers at their work places on the due date without any deduction for the period their establishments are under closure during the lockdown; Where ever the workers, including the migrants are living in rented accommodation, the landlords of those properties shall not demand payment of rent for a period of one month; If any landlord is forcing labourers and students to vacate their premises, they will be liable for action under the Act; Any person violating this order will be liable to be proceeded against as per the provisions of Section 51 to 61 of Disaster Management Act 2005, besides legal action under Section 188 of IPC.
DC Zunheboto announces total lockdown; farmers exempted: Deputy commissioner, Zunheboto, in continuation of the earlier orders, circulars and notifications, has sent out the following notification to all in Zunheboto district: Total lock down of all entry points under Zunheboto district except for movement of essential commodities and those with exemption under special circumstances shall be implemented with immediate effect; Farmers and farm workers are exempted to move to their respective fields in order to engage in regular farming activities. In this regard, shops providing fertilisers, seeds, and agricultural products related to farming activities are also hereby exempted; Timings for opening of exempted shops will be from 8 a.m to 11 a.m with effect from March 31.
No unnecessary movements shall be allowed beyond these timings. Any person/group of persons acting in violation of this order shall be punishable under section 188 of the Indian penal code and also under section 51 to 61 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005; Maintaining a social distance of at least 1 metre while shopping is to be strictly followed by the shoppers both while shopping and at all times.
DC Mokokchung bars all kinds of gatherings: Deputy commissioner Mokokchung has issued an order on March 31 that all kinds of gathering has been barred including religious congregations. All the churches and other religious organizations have been directed to completely refrain from any religious congregation of any kind which may see gatherings of large number of people during the lockdown period.
The order also warned that any religious organizations acting in violation of this order shall be deemed to have committed an offence punishable under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.
DC also expressed profound gratitude to the following for their generous donation/contribution towards assisting Mokokchung district: Mestubo Jamir, minister of Rural Development for donating 5000 masks, 5000 rubber gloves and 100 hand sanitizers; Ao Senden for donating Rs. 1 lakh and Lotha Hoho Mokokchung for donating Rs. 30,000.
MP (RS) K. G. Kenye appeals the PM for VRDL: The lone MP (Rajya Sabha) of Nagaland K. G. Kenye has sought the attention of the Prime Minister to personally intervene with the concern authority to airlift one Portable/Mobile Viral Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) to be installed in the state immediately without losing further time, as Nagaland does not have a testing laboratory for detection of COVID-19. He also made a fervent appeal and urged the government of India to expedite the sanction for the construction of a permanent viral diagnostic laboratory which is held up by the ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
A press release from PRO to MP (RS) stated that, earlier on March 28 the MP had written a “Letter of Consent” to the Ministry of Statistics & Project Implementation (MOSP) with a copy to the chairman, MPLADS Committee, Rajya Sabha for release of Rs. 2. Crore (Rupees Two Crores) only from MPLADS during the financial year 2020-2021 to be utilised by Nagaland State COVID-19 Task Force. Besides, Kenye also contributed his one month salary of Rs.1,00,000 (Rupees One Lakh) only towards the “PM-National Relief Fund”.
KMC informs on home delivery of pork: Administrator Kohima Municipal Council, Kovi Meyase has informed all wards under Kohima Municipal Council that in view of the pandemic, COVID-19, the following operational mechanism for home delivery of pork will begin from April 1.
Wards will identify delivery points (colony wise) alongwith one volunteer or more if necessary, to receive and distribute the meat within the colony/ward. Pork shall be delivered by the supplier to these delivery points at Rs. 230/- per kg (Rs. 220 for the meat and Rs. 10 per kg for the volunteer). Pork will be wrapped in packets of two kgs only. Order for the meat will be placed on these terms: Order should be placed one day in advance through the volunteer; No orders from individuals will be entertained; Amount for the meat should be deposited with the volunteer in advance; On arrival of the meat at the distribution point, payment to be made immediately by the volunteer to the supplier after deduction of Rs. 10/- per kg by the volunteer; Ward authorities or the volunteers may contact the chief inspector, KMC at 9436001900 for implementation of this home delivery mechanism. Further all butcher shops shall remain closed till further order.
Wokha DTF meeting on preparedness: District task force (DTF) Wokha held a meeting on COVID-19 preparedness at deputy commissioner’s conference hall Wokha on March 31. A press release from CMO office stated that, DC Wokha, Orenthung Lotha stressed on the need to procure more personal protection equipments (PPEs) for health workers.
Dr. C.W. Tungoe, CMO Wokha informed that more than 933 passengers were screened, 145 people put under home quarantine and 50 completed home quarantine as of march 30. Regarding the preparedness to handle suspected patients, Dr. Tungoe stated that 7 locations were earmarked as quarantine places, 12 health units with 50 beds for isolation facility and 120 quarantine beds were arranged. The members discussed on the alternate arrangements for patients and earmarked CMC Vankhosung as temporary district hospital with effect from April 1.
Longleng administration meeting: In view of the sudden rise of price of essential commodities in the market, an emergency meeting of the representatives from administration, police, chamber of commerce and civil societies of Longleng was held at DC’s conference hall and approved the rate of essential commodities and resolved certain points after thorough deliberation. Meeting was chaired by the ADC & administrator Longleng Town Council (LTC) D. Robin.
According to DIPR report, president chamber of commerce was entrusted to check the availability of essential commodities and ensure to keep adequate stock for the district; Village council chairmen were also entrusted to list the requirements of their villages and depute one VCM/GB for procurement of essential commodities; Timing for public shopping was fixed from 8 a.m to 11 a.m. Villagers coming from far flung areas for procurement of essential commodities for the village shall be assisted by police during the day time; Strict/stringent action to be initiated against those persons spreading false/fabricated news and rum ours in social media about COVID-19; All forms of social gatherings to be banned until the lockdown was lifted by the government and no shopkeepers shall sale expired goods and beyond the MRP or fixed rate to customers taking advantage of the prevailing situation; Rates fixed will be reviewed periodically and fixed as and when the situation normalises. Anyone found selling above the fixed rate will be penalized which may extend to cancellation of their trade license. Revised rate of the essential commodities are potato Rs. 35 per kg; Onion Rs. 55 per kg; Rice (sunrise) Rs. 900 per 25 kgs; Silky rice (special) Rs. 900 per 25 kgs; Payjam rice Rs. 830 per 25 kgs; Rs. Rice (Andhar, Special Sonpori, Special 7 star, Morani, Arham) Rs. 960 per 25 kgs; Garlic Rs. 250 per kg. This fixed rate will come into force from March 31.
Review meeting of Kohima DTF COVID-19: Kohima district task force (DTF) on COVID-19 held its review meeting on March 30 in DC’s office chamber, Kohima.
According to DIPR report, DC & chairman Kohima DTF, Gregory Thejawelie briefing the members informed that all preventive and precautionary measures have been strictly enforced and undertaken at all quarantine centers and COVID-19 hospitals.
He informed that the legislators in-charge of monitoring Kohima COVID-19 situation, minister of Housing, Tongpang Ozukum and advisor of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, Dr. Neikiesalie Kire and DTF team on March 28 visited the inter-state Khuzama check gate, and TB Hospital Khuzama, quarantine center at Meriema, COVID-19 Treatment Center at Chedema Ayush Hospital and NHAK. They expressed satisfaction over the preparedness facilities undertaken by respective assigned departments at all designated places to combat COVID-19 in the district.
On the other front, DC informed that the district administration along with Police personnel have been on war footing since day one of the lockdown to curtail the movement of the public and vehicles, however he reiterated that public needed to play their part by strictly following the guidelines issued by the government.
He also informed that the KMC has been helping out in all aspects by fumigating town areas alternatively and even extended to wards and colonies.
Deputy CMO Kohima, Dr. Hoito Chishi also briefed the house on the system of information flow in case of COVID-19 positive case under Kohima district. He informed that any symptomatic case from the epicenter of any positive case will be shifted to the Isolation Hospital (Chedema/NHAK) by designated ambulance. All the household in cordoned off area will be monitored and tracked by SMO/MO of respective blocks and their team of BPM/BAC etc and all the asymptomatic cases from the epicenter of any positive case will be home quarantined for 14 days, Dr. Hoito said.
Meeting also discussed on issue of availability of essential commodities in the sub-divisional levels, where the area administrative officers were asked to coordinate with the KMC to address the issue. It also pointed out that all MOs and medical staffs are to be in their respective station 24×7. In anticipation, the area administrative officers were also informed to work on statistic of migrant workers in their respective areas for the welfare of the daily wage earners.
TDTF convenes review meeting for COVID-19: Tuensang district task force (DTF) convened a review meeting at DC conference hall Tuensang on March 30. According to DIPR report, the meeting reviewed loopholes in implementing the lockdown in the district where SP Tuensang Bharat Laxman Markad stated that the police have been directed to follow non-touch policy to execute their duties. On home quarantine, he stated that 645 individuals have been screened, 156 people on home quarantine, 7 individual have completed their home quarantine and a total of 149 people were under home quarantine as of now. It was also resolved that medical team with proper gear will be visiting the all home quarantine person daily. With the directives of the deputy commissioner Tuensang all the colonies shall deployed three each well trained volunteers for updating the home quarantine person status and to distribute the relief items for the needy at the colony. For emergencies urban PHC will be used for regular treatments and severe cases of general sickness will be treated at Longpang PHC and District Hospital Tuensang will be designated as COVID Hospital.
Business establishments directed at Longleng: As a preventative measure to control the spread of Covid-19 and also to ensure the availability of essential commodities to the people, the Longleng district administration in collaboration with Longleng Town Council and civil societies of the district have resolved and directed all shops and businesses establishments dealing with groceries and vegetables to open their shops and business establishments from 8 a.m to 11 a.m with effect from Monday. All such shops and businesses establishments are directed to compulsorily remain close after and before the aforementioned time period strictly. It further appealed to all the citizens of Longleng, to stop movement of people within town and outside their home before and after the closure of shops except for emergency and Medical purpose. Violence of the order shall be apprehended and deal as per the Epidemic Diseases (Covid-19) regulations 2020 under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897.
TSUD lauds administration and government: Tenyimi Students’ Union Dimapur (TSUD) has fervently appealed to every citizen to heed the call of the authorities and to stay at home, while reminding that the lockdown was not a punishment but rather for their own protection.
A press release from TSUD president Rukewezo Wetsah and finance secretary, Pechesin Bukh appealed to all to make use of the home delivery system which has been implemented in Dimapur and Kohima and to make others aware to discourage people from venturing out.
TSUD also requested all the village councils and the colony councils to identify those daily wage earners in their wards and ensure that they get the facilities and relief materials provided by the government.
TSUD also lauded the administration and the government in their efforts to tackle the herculean pandemic and called for cohesive and joint efforts of all branches of the government in overcoming these difficult times.
TSUD also appealed to the government to expedite and set up mobile COVID-19 testing centre/centres in the state which is of paramount importance. TSUD also reminded government to make good on their promises and deliver essential commodities to those who live from hand to mouth through the village councils /colony councils. TSUD also assured fullest cooperation to the administration and will volunteer for any works when called upon to do so if the safety equipments /items are provided.
LMRSU urges people not to panic: Lotha Middle Range Students’ Union (LMRSU) has informed the general public of middle range that the authorities concerned were taking all precautionary measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 and urged the general populace not to panic or disseminate misinformation pertaining to the outbreak. A press release by LMRSU president, Pipenthung Jungio also requested Medical department to set up a testing unit facility at the earliest, at Sanis community health centre, as it caters to the medical needs of the adjoining villages. Union also urged the people of the range not to resort to panic buying and hoarding of essential commodities, and adhere to strict compliance of government order.
PBCA urges people for spiritual preparedness: Phom Baptist Christian Association (PBCA), Nyengching, Longleng headquarters has appreciated the Phom local churches for complying with the norms and guidelines of the lockdown.
A press release from PBCA rather urged people to search for God even during this lockdown period. PBCA informed that since March 24, the church bell rings at 7 p.m sharp every night in all the churches under PBCA to have a family prayer to defeat the war of COVID-19. PBCA also appreciated Phom churches for continuously praying for all the doctors, nurses, medical experts and government authority all over the world. The PBCA also appreciate the Longleng administration led by DC, SP Longleng and Civil Hospital Longleng led by CMO for arranging ground preparation as precautionary measure for COVID-19.
NDPP central youth organisation appeals: NDPP central youth organisation has appealed to the people of Nagaland to remain calm, cooperate and collectively battle to prevent the contagious COVID19 disease from reaching the state. The release from NDPP publicity and media cell urged general public to adhere to the order of total lockdown and remain at home except for procuring essential needs and also follow basic hygienic measures as advised by medical experts. NDPP central youth organisation also appealed to the people across all political affiliations or ideologies, religious beliefs and communities to set aside their differences and come together to collectively battle against the impeding predicament.
A fervent appeal was also made to all social media users and bloggers to not insinuate, encourage or indulge in political tiffs and squabbles, fear-mongering or spread fake news which could further deteriorate the prevailing situation but rather make good use of the digital platform in reaching out and to continually sensitize the public on COVID19.
Account details for donation towards COVID-19
Deputy commissioner of Dimapur, Anoop Khinchi has informed the general public that a dedicated account has been opened towards the COVID-19 cause. Therefore, if anyone wishes to donate financially may do so at the account given here: Account name Dimapur COVID-19 relief, account number 39241187371 SBI Main Branch, IFSC code SBIN0000072.