The full text is as follows :

“Dear Citizens of Nagaland,

Good evening

Today the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Nagaland, Shri Neiphiu Rio inaugurated the Bio Safety Level (BSL)-3 Laboratory at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK) in the presence of his Cabinet colleagues and Hon’ble Advisors. The Hon’ble Chief Minister felicitated all stakeholders for the support provided in the completion of the Laboratory and expressed optimism that this facility will go a long way in catering to the immediate requirement for Covid19 testing besides research works. He called upon all to lend support to the personnel who are in the frontline in combating COVID-19.

The BSL-3 Lab at Kohima is a specialized bio containment lab appropriate for work involving microbes which can cause potentially lethal diseases and conforms to all prescribed safety protocol and measures. The special features of the lab include – Bio Safety Containment, unidirectional air flow and safe waste disposal system. The approval of ICMR for initiating clinical specimens for COVID-19 was received on 14th May 2020.

I would like to inform that the State Government has extended the provision of payment of ex-gratia amount of Rs. 10.00 lacs to any employee of the Nagaland State Government suffering fatality due to COVID-19 while performing frontline duties to cover drivers, cleaners, sanitary workers, caterers, and all such personnel/workers involved in the management of the Quarantine Centres in the State, as well as to any other non Government functionary involved in any other activities for combating COVID-19 under the District Task Force.

I may also like to inform that the State Government has decided to again provide an opportunity to the citizens of Nagaland stranded outside and desiring to return, to voluntarily opt for staying back at their present place of residence by registering on the portal iamstranded.nagaland.gov.in if not done earlier. Such persons who opt to voluntarily stay back will be provided a One Time Assistance of Rs. 10,000 /- (Rupees Ten Thousand only). Further details regarding this will be shortly made available on the iamstranded.nagaland.gov.in portal.

I would like to inform that the Government has decided that an amount of Rs. 50.00 Lakh out of the total allocation of Rs. 150.00 lakh per Assembly Constituency for Local Area Development Programme (LADP) funds will be earmarked for implementation of projects for strengthening health infrastructure and quarantine facilities for COVID-19 and for certain activities under the agri allied sectors. The upper ceiling of expenditure for quarantine facilities shall be Rs. 10 lakhs and for the agri allied activities will be Rs. 15 lakhs. The remaining balance out of Rs. 50.00 lakhs shall be used for strengthening health infrastructure. The detailed guidelines in this regard shall be issued by Planning Department.

I would also like to inform that the Shramik Special Train Number 06194 departed from Chennai on 19th May 2020 at 23:30 hours is arriving Dimapur on 22nd May 2020 at 13:05 hours carrying 1325 stranded persons of Nagaland.

The State Government has decided to set up an Institutional Quarantine Center for the stranded persons returning to Nagaland at the Special Economic Zone, Ganeshnagar, Dimapur District. Further, it has been decided that the DIG, Training, Chumukedima will be overall in charge of the Quarantine Centre and he will put in place for all arrangements including fooding, basic amenities and logistics in the Quarantine Centre.

There have been reports received of unwarranted directives being issued by certain individuals/organizations obstructing entry of persons returning to Nagaland from outside the State into their Wards/ Colonies, even after completion of the stipulated quarantine period, or for home quarantining of the concerned person as per the existing orders and guidelines of the Government, In certain cases undue obstructions are being created for the setting up of Quarantine Centres by the Government in Wards/Colonies. The State Government has given instructions to the Deputy Commissioners for sensitizing the concerned individuals/organizations/colony authorities on such unwarranted actions which infringe on individual rights as well as in violation of Government Orders. Thereafter, immediate and effective penal action against any such individuals/organisations obstructing entry of persons to their Colonies or Wards, or for setting up of Quarantine Centres by the Government under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and the Disaster Management Act, 2005 may be taken.

As regard the testing of suspected samples, till date, a total of 1001 samples have been sent for testing from the State. The results of 978 samples have been received and all are negative. The results for 23 samples are awaited. In addition through the Truenat testing machine so far a total of 27 samples have been tested and all are negative. 

I conclude by requesting the support of one and all in our united fight against COVID-19

(DIPR)