SHILLONG, JULY 20: The opposition Congress has accused the NPP-led MDA government of “mishandling” the COVID-19 pandemic even as it highly suspects that the community spread of the virus has taken place in the state.
“We express our discontentment against the way this present government is handling the COVID-19 situation in the state,” Congress MLA from Rangsakona Zenith Sangma told reporters on Monday.
He said the government has failed to handle the situation properly from the beginning when citizens stranded in the different parts of the country are brought back to the state.
According to him, returnees were earlier sent directly for home quarantine after thermal screening and when some of them were found to be positive, the government while reacting very late, decided to make RT-PCR test compulsory.
Stating that community transmission is taking place quietly in the state, the MLA said that recently a returnee from Chennai, who was tested positive for COVID-19, had absconded along with his friend.
The incident took place in Salmanpara, South West Garo Hills.
“After collecting his samples, he (returnee) was allowed to go home but later his result came out positive. However, he and his friend are now absconding and district authorities are trying to trace them,” Sangma alleged.
“We can say that community transmission has taken place but the government and the chief minister Conrad K Sangma are denying. The government will have to pull up its socks in as far as fighting against this dreaded disease is concerned,” he added.
Sangma has also criticized the action of the government by allowing people to attend wedding ceremonies outside the state.
“We had also demanded that the names of positive patients should be disclosed to the public so that each one of us will be in a better position to fight this COVID-19. This fight is not of the government alone, this is a fight which every individual has to participate. When we do not know where the virus is present it is difficult to keep yourself safe that is why it is important that the names of positive patients be disclosed,” he said.
The Congress leader further expressed concern over the failure of the government to take action against people who violated the protocols.
“I have seen lots of people not wearing masks especially in market places after the lockdown has been lifted with certain restrictions. If law is there but if not enforced what is the point. Therefore, we reiterate that stringent action should be taken in order for people to fear the rules,” he said.
The MLA asked the government to take up with the BSF authority to restrict movement of their troopers in public places.
“I could see in Garo Hills, these jawans are moving freely in the market places and sitting in tea shops…government has to take up this issue and restrict all these things as some of the BSF from Umpling might have been transferred to Garo Hills and other parts of the state,” he said.
Sangma also appealed to the citizens to be cautious saying “so long as we are yet to get the vaccine, we have to buy time and stay safe.”
By Our Reporter
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