Make returnees feel ‘at home’ in quarantine centres: Nemcha Kipgen

Our Correspondent
KANGPOKPI, May 29: Following the influx of thousands of stranded Kangpokpians from various parts of India and keeping them under surveillance as per protocol in various institutional quarantine centres, Social Welfare and Cooperation Minister convened a review meeting today at the Conference Hall of DC Office Kangpokpi.
The review meeting chaired by Nemcha Kipgen was convened to take stock of the situation in all the Institutional Quarantine Centres and chalk out plans and strategies to make them [the returnees] feel at home in their respective quarantine centres.
The review meeting was attended by ADC Sadar Hills Chairman, Haokholal Hangshing, DM/DC Kangpokpi, Somorjit Salam; SP Kangpokpi, Hemant Pandey;  ADM/Addl DC, Lalramsang Infimate, ; Chief Medical Officer, Kangpokpi, Nilakanta Singh, AC to DC Kangpokpi, all SDOs, PHED and MSPDCL representatives and the local civil bodies leaders.
As per the District Surveillance Officer, IDSP Kangpokpi reports, altogether around thirteen Institutional Quarantine Centres as on May 28 have been established with sixty-three Community Quarantine Centres in the district which accommodated more than 1100 returnees.
Exhorting the district level officers, SDOs and all frontline workers of the district, Nemcha Kipgen said that to make everyone [the returnees] feel at home is a very big challenge and it is something next to impossible but we have to try our best and put all energy to make them feel at home in their respective quarantine centres.
She also noted that instead of appreciating the frontline workers and concerned authorities, "I have heard lots of complaint from the returnees despite all our efforts but we must consider it as human nature and rather concentrate more on our sincerity and timely intervention to addressed their grievances."
The Minister encouraged all the concerned authorities looking after the Institutional Quarantine Centres in the district to cater proper food and diet to the inmates of the quarantine centres and appealed the district police to monitor the law and order situation in the district.
To cater the needs of the returnees properly by the concerned authorities, the Minister also provided bulky requirements including 400 sets of Personal Protection Kits, 20 cans of sodium hypochlorite, 20 bags of bleaching powder, 50 bottles of hand sanitizers, 800 pairs of hand gloves, 3000 masks, 100 pieces of face shield, 5 bags (25 kg) of salt, 15 plates of eggs, 2000 pieces of aluminium plate and 500 litres of diesel.
The Minister handed over the materials to District Administration and also to the local civil bodies’ leaders who are rendering commendable service day and night in catering the needs of the returnees.
The Minister also urged the District Administration to set up a special control room with 24x7 services only for the Institutional Quarantine Centres.