May 12, 2020

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Nagaland Post

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Vol XXX No. 155

DIMAPUR, TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2020 Pages 8 ` 4.00

COVID-19 patients can end home isolation after 17 days national, Page 5

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UK PM launches new COVID-19 alert system international, Page 6

of stranded citizens PM mulls lockdown 4.0 with lesser curbs Fears over return Till May 11, over

Asks states to share roadmap by May 15 for lockdown exit

NEW DELHI, MAY 11 (PTI): In a clear indication that ongoing lockdown may not end completely but curbs will be further eased, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said he was of the firm view that the measures needed in the first three phases of lockdown were not needed “in the fourth”, and asked the states to come up with a roadmap by May 15 on how to deal with various aspects of the gradual easing of lockdown. In a video conference, which lasted for nearly six hours, Modi held extensive discussions on various aspects of the situation arising out of the pandemic and the nationwide lockdown, and said country will have to devise a balanced strategy to revive the economy and deal with COVID-19 with a sharp focus on ensuring that rural areas remain free from the pandemic. The 54-

PM Modi interacts with the CMs of various States via video conferencing in New Delhi, Monday. (PTI Photo)

day nationwide lockdown since March 25 to contain the spread of coronavirus is scheduled to end on May 17. “We have a twofold challenge – to reduce the transmission rate of the disease, and to increase public activity gradually, while adhering to all the guidelines, and we will have to work towards achieving both these objective,” the prime minister told the chief ministers at the virtual interaction. According to an official release, Modi asserted that social distancing was the biggest weapon to fight coronavirus till “we do not find a vaccine or a solution”. Referring to the resumption of train services from Tuesday, the prime minister said, this is needed to rev up the economic activity, but said that all the

routes will not be resumed. “I am of the firm view that the measures needed in the first phase of lockdown were not needed during the 2nd phase and similarly the measures needed in the 3rd Phase are not needed in the fourth,” Modi told the chief ministers. Thanking the chief ministers for their proactive role in the fight against COVID-19 and for their valuable suggestions emanating out of their grassroots level experience, Modi asked them to share with him by May 15, a broad strategy on how each one of them would want to deal with the lockdown regime in their respective states. According to official sources, Modi told the chief ministers that the biggest challenge for the country

will be to ensure that the infection does not spread to rural India following relaxation in lockdown norms, including on movement of migrant workers. As per sources, Modi also noted that slowly but surely, economic activities have started in several parts of the country, and said in

the coming days, the process will gather steam. According to officials, Modi said it was essential to make best efforts to ensure that people stay where they were during the lockdown, however, in times like these people wish to go home and therefore, a change in decision had to be made.

Don’t resume air, train services: Rio to PM DIMAPUR, MAY 11 (NPN): Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to resume regular flights and passenger train services for some more time and allow movement of special trains only to bring back people to Nagaland in an orderly manner. Participating in a video conference of the Prime Minister with all chief ministers on Monday, Rio briefed Modi about the steps being taken by his government for implementation of the lockdown, measures taken for providing relief to people of Nagaland stranded outside and migrant workers stuck in the State due to the lockdown, ongoing inter-district movement of stranded people and on the modalities being put in place for the stranded people of Nagaland desiring to come back. Rio was accompanied by deputy chief minister Y Patton, planning and coordination minister Neiba Kronu, chief secretary Temjen Toy and other senior officials of the State government. Later, the chief minister also held a meeting with representatives of Nagaland Baptist Church Council, Joint Christian Forum, Angami Public Organisation, Angami Women Organisation, Angami Youth Organisation and Angami Students’ Union at the State Capital later in the day. He discussed the COVID-19 situation and matters regarding return of the stranded citizens of Nagaland.

Odd-even scheme: 746 vehicles penalised in Dmu

Govt to use hostels of pvt schools Nagaland allotted colleges as quarantine centres Rs. 326.41 crore

DIMAPUR, MAY 11 (NPN): Dimapur police challaned at least 746 vehicles for violations of oddeven scheme on the first day Monday. The scheme, which has been implemented to minimise nonessential movement of the vehicles, would remain in force till May 17, 2020. An amount of Rs.1,41,050 realised from defaulters as penalty fine would be credited into the government treasury, police said. According to a DIPR report, the commissioner of police (CP) Dimapur, Rothihu Tetseo, said that the first day of odd-even scheme was successful and reiterated that police would try their best to implement the system in order to ease traffic congestion in Dimapur. Appreciating the public for extending cooperation and understanding the rule of law, CP further appealed to the citizens to render their continued support to the law enforcing agencies. CP has also requested the government employees with attached government registered vehicles in the district to commute only for official purpose.

DIMAPUR, MAY 11 (NPN): With thousands opting to return home from different parts of the country, the State government is planning to use hostel facilities of both private schools and colleges of Dimapur district to quarantine the returnees. During a meeting with representatives of All Nagaland Private Schools’ Association and All Nagaland Private Colleges’ Association in the presence of Food & Civil Supplies secretary and core committee for COVID-19, Dimapur convener Honje Konyak and Dimapur district education officer R Amongla Jamir at Commissioner’s Rest House here on Monday, APC commissioner Y Kikheto Sema, who has been made overall in-charge of Dimapur for all COVID-19 related activities, pointed out that with more and more individuals registering to return home (over 8,000 people for Dimapur alone), government facilities alone would not be able to accommodate them. He therefore appealed to private schools and colleges to come to the rescue by allowing their hostels to be

used as quarantine centres. Assuring that all necessary requirements would be looked after by the government, he also maintained that proper medical screening would be done of all people upon their arrival, while suspected COVID-19 positive people would be kept at isolation wards. Calling for collective effort to combat the pandemic, the APC said quarantine facilities for around 1,500-2,000 people at hostels of private colleges and 3,500-4,000 people at private schools could be required, to which presidents of the two associations gave an affirmative reply. During the meeting, it was also decided that schools and colleges not members of the two associations would also be approached by the core committee. Presidents of the two associations were nominated as members of core committee, while one member each from both the associations were nominated as accommodation committee members during the meeting.

Spl. Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MAY 11 (NPN): In order to bolster their financial resources meant for containing the coronavirus outbreak and treating affected people, Centre on Monday released a total of Rs 6,195.08 crore to 14 states, out of which Nagaland was allotted Rs.32641.66 lakhs (Rs. 326.41 crore) as grants-in-aid to cover deficit on post-devolution revenue account in 2020-21 as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission. “The government on May 11, 2020 released Rs 6,195.08 crore to 14 states as the second equated monthly installment of the Post Devolution Revenue Deficit Grant as recommended by the 15th FC. This would provide them additional resources during the Corona crisis,” the Office of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a tweet. Earlier on April 3, the ministry had released Rs 6,195 crore as the first installment of the ‘Post Devolution Revenue Deficit Grant’ to 14 states-- Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand & West Bengal.

Labourers work inside a tunnel for Dhansiri-Zubza rail line project on Monday. (NP)

Staff Reporter

K Y M C

18000 stranded persons applied to return: Govt

Meanwhile, State principal secretary Home, Abhijit Sinha, on Monday had informed that 18,282 citizens of Nagaland stranded in different parts of the country have applied through the returnees’ declaration form available on the website iamstranded.nagaland.gov. in and expressed their desire to come back through transportation to be arranged by the government. ENPO, 6 tribal bodies: Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organization (ENPO) and the six tribal bodies have appealed to the Nagas in general and eastern Nagaland people in particular, who were stranded outside the state and planning to return, to “make a choice” to

stay back wherever they were and help maintain Nagaland COVID-free region. In a joint statement, ENPO president and general secretary along with presidents of Chang Khulei Setshang, Khiamniungan Tribal Council, Konyak Union, Phom Peoples’ Council, United Sangtam Likhum Pumji and Yimchunger Tribal Council said that their plans to travel did not only put their health at risk but also risked the health of beloved ones back home. Meanwhile, the ENPO and six tribal bodies have appealed the state government to financially assist those who were staying back. DAYO : D i m a p u r Ao Youth Organisation (DAYO) has asked the State government to explain how it planned to quarantine thousands of people from various states that are expected to reach Nagaland via Dimapur very soon. (Cont’d on p-5)

Only asymptomatic people to be allowed in trains NEW DELHI, MAY 11 (PTI): Ahead of the resumption of select passenger train services, the Home Ministry Monday made it clear that only asymptomatic people with confirmed tickets will be allowed to travel in 15 trains to be operational from Tuesday. Listing the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Union Home secretary Ajay Bhalla issued an order that wearing face masks and ensuring social distancing norms while entering a railway station and travel is

compulsory. The Railways will operate 15 trains beginning Tuesday from Delhi to different destinations including North East. “Only those passengers with confirmed e-tickets shall be allowed to enter the station. The movement of the passenger(s) as well as the driver of the vehicle transporting the passenger(s) to and fro the railway station shall be allowed on the basis of the confirmed e-ticket,” the (Fresh guidelines on p-5) order said.

COVID-19 nationwide tally crosses 70,000

the death toll rose by 97 to 2,206. However, PTI tally reported by different states and UTs, as of 11.45pm, put the nationwide tally at 70,702. It showed 2,223 deaths and more than 22,000 recoveries so far.

Nagaland COVID: Report of 27 samples awaited

DIMAPUR, MAY 11 (NPN): Nationwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases crossed 70,000 on Monday. In its daily update, the Union Health Minis-

try said the total number of confirmed cases has increased to 67,152, after a record number of 4,213 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, while

DIMAPUR: Health and Family Welfare department Monday informed that out of 875 COVID-19 suspected samples sent for testing from the state till date, the results of 848 had reported negative while results of 27 samples were awaited. It said 13 samples were sent as on May 10 3 p.m. and May 11 till 3 p.m. H&FW also informed that all 9 samples tested by Truenat have reported to be negative.

Lockdown hampers work on railway project Phase-II of inter-district movement begins

This is it!

“My mother said Coronavirus is bad. You are very bad like coronavirus.”

D I M A P U R , M AY 1 1 (NPN): With the spike in coronavirus positive cases in several parts of the country, several state-based organisations have expressed apprehensions over the return of stranded citizens from outside the state. These apprehensions cannot be ignored because there had been instances in some parts of the country where people returning from hotspots became superspreaders. According to PTI report, the Bihar migrants returning home from other states constituted threefourths of the 200 new coronavirus cases detected in Bihar last week, a top official told Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday. Reports suggest that Bihar government was gearing up to face the rising number of cases of COVID-19 after trainloads of mostly asymptomatic migrant labourers returned to state and many of them tested positive.

D I M A P U R , M AY 1 1 (NPN): The ongoing nationwide lockdown to combat COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted work on the Dhansiri-Zubza rail line project.

Confirming this, ABCI Infrastructures Private Limited project manager Munna Malakar informed Nagaland Post the lockdown had a major impact on excavation and tunnelling. “There is lesser number of labourers available for

work, while supply of raw materials has also been affected as they are transported from other States,” he explained. Malakar however asserted that despite the setbacks, the company was firmly on course to achieve

its target of completing work on all four tunnels within the stipulated time. Even as drilling of two tunnels had been completed, he revealed that drilling on tunnel 1 (3.5 km) would take around two years to complete while tunnel 2 (200 metres) would take two months. Meanwhile, drilling and excavation on tunnel 3 on the railway project was completed on Monday afternoon. Measuring 866 metres, this will be one of four tunnels in phase one spanning Chümoukedima village and New Chümoukedima. Excavation and drilling on all four tunnels under phase one is being undertaken by ABCI Infrastructures Private Limited. The entire stretch of the 82.3-km Dhansiri-Zubza rail line comprises four phases.

Staff Reporter

D I M A P U R , M AY 1 1 (NPN): As state government extended the date for inter-district movement, thousands of people stranded in Dimapur, who could not leave in the first phase of inter-district movement, left for their respective home districts from State Stadium here Monday. Interacting with Nagaland Post, most of the stranded passengers expressed gratitude to the state government for providing transportation to get back to their home towns. According to a DIPR report, a total of 57 busses (24 government buses and 33 private buses) carrying 1657 persons left Dimapur. It may be mentioned that in the first phase interdistrict movement, which was car ried from May (Cont’d on p-5) 7-9, 2020, more than 3000

stranded people in Dimapur left for their home districts. In Kohima, altogether 33 buses carrying 956 stranded persons Monday departed from Kohima to various districts. Out of the 33 buses, 13 buses have gone to Mon, 11 to Tuensang and nine to Kiphire. Kohima district administration has so far facilitated the relocation of 3661 stranded people to their home districts and states in the last five days in about 125 buses.

Pvt buses offer discount

All Nagaland Private Bus Association (ANPBA) Monday announced 25% discount on hiring charges of the buses requisitioned for transportation of stranded people to other districts of the state. According to ANPBA president Ahoto Awomi, the initiative to offer discount was part of the associa-

tion’s effort to support the government in the fight against COVID-19. He expressed the belief that all sections of the society must contribute towards fighting the pandemic. ANPBA president expressed regret that some requisitioned buses failed to report to the authority for transportation of stranded people. He said that the association would initiate stern action against those buses that defied government directive. Further, informing all travel agencies to cooperate with the government, ANPBA president also urged bus operators in Kohima to consider the decision of the association to offer discount. Meanwhile, ANPBA has informed that those wanting to avail the bus services could call association at 9862111101, 7005142954 and 9436654533. K Y M C


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