17,157 RETURNEES HAVE RETURNED TO NAGALAND: APC

Agriculture Production Commissioner Nagaland, Y.Kikheto Sema informed that till 5th July 2020, a total of 17,157 returnees excluding para military and army have arrived Nagaland from various parts of the country including few from abroad.

He stated this during a press conference, perhaps his last press conference for COVID 19 at Saramati hotel Dimapur on 5th July 2020. Sema said 6800 arrived by special trains 4312 by normal trains, 2723 by flights, 2212 by buses, 612 by other vehicles and 498 through Kohima. 

Sema also disclosed that one last special train scheduled to start from Bangalore on 6th July was expected to reach Dimapur on 9th July 2020.with around 500 Naga Returnees.

Reminding that COVID fight was yet to be over, Kikheto emphasised on the importance of maintaining social distance, wearing masks and hand hygiene. He also encouraged the people to work together with the approach of 4Cs which he termed as Cooperation, Coordination, Confidence and Contribution in order to fight the pandemic and opined that one should not tackle the pandemic with panic and stigma.

Kikheto expressed appreciation to Team Dimapur which includes District administration, Police, Medical, different Committees, civil societies, NGOs, Churches, media fraternity prayer warriors and individuals involved in fighting the pandemic. He urged upon the civil societies to continue to support the District administration, police and the medical team as they continue to fight the pandemic. Terming his COVID assignment at Dimapur as challenging and amazing, Sema thanked the State Government particularly the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary Nagaland for reposing faith on him and his team with resources, power and functions to fight the pandemic. Above all Sema thanked God for successful completion of his 3 months mandated duty to serve the people at Dimapur and the divine providence given to him and his team and informed that they would be attending their regular duties in Kohima. He put the recovery rate of COVID-19 patients in Dimapur at 84.41% against the State's overall recovery rate of about 40.50 percent.

Kikheto further informed that the State's largest Quarantine Center at Ganeshnagar Industrial complex has been closed down on 5th July 2020 as all the returnees have been released and some have been kept in Government's paid Quarantine hotels.

Meanwhile in a congratulatory note, the chief minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio said that his Government had instituted the special Committee headed by Kikheto Sema to advise Dimapur district administration and oversee matters pertaining to COVID-19 in the district. He explained that this was initiated as Dimapur was the commercial hub of the State and a nerve center in many aspects. He said Dimapur being the gateway of the State and neighbouring areas, majority of the Returnees were scheduled to return to Nagaland via Dimapur and in the light of this, he said that strategies and approaches were needed to be executed in an effective manner through the constitution of the committee. The Government placed on record it's appreciation to the members of the committee for taking the task with utmost sincerity, commitment and dedication, the note stated.

(DPRO Dimapur)