1,680 stranded Meghalaya residents return to state

Amid coronavirus outbreak, Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Prestone Tynsong informed that 1,680 occupants of Meghalaya stranded across various states have returned back to their home.

Shillong: A total of 1,680 Meghalaya residents stranded in various parts of the Northeast due to the lockdown have returned to the state, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said on Thursday.

He said all the returnees, arriving in the state since Wednesday, were screened and none of them has exhibited any coronavirus-like symptom. However, all the returnees will be quarantined for 21 days, the deputy chief minister said.

The returnees are among the 3,000 Meghalaya residents stranded in other northeastern states who have registered themselves with the state government's portal or helpline numbers, he said. Tynsong said all the remaining 1,400 stranded Meghalaya residents are expected to arrive in the state by Sunday.

Of the 12 COVID-19 cases reported in the state, 10 patients have recovered while one has died. Meanwhile, the state government has sought the Centre's help for bringing back the Meghalaya residents stranded outside the Northeast. "The state government has taken up the issue with the Centre. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma is in touch with Union home, road transport, railways and civil aviation ministers in this regard," Tynsong said. The issue was discussed at length during the Cabinet meeting held here on Thursday, he said. Over 8,000 people from Meghalaya are stranded outside Northeast, Tynsong said.

"We are urging the Centre to provide us special trains or flights to bring back the stranded Meghalaya residents," the deputy chief minister said. Therefore, the decision to bring back the stranded persons only after May has been revoked, he said.

"The message to our people stranded in different parts of the country is that please do not lose hope, have patience and cooperate with the government as we will not leave you behind," the deputy chief minister said. He said the state government will allow people arranging their own transportation to enter the state but only after they inform the nodal officer and undergo screening.

"We are ready to receive them from May 11," he said, adding all the returnees will be quarantined. Tynsong lauded the people of the state for contributing Rs 8 crore to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund(CMRF) so far. (PTI report)