Perhaps, Corona Virus also dubbed as COVID 19 is the biggest pandemic the world has witnessed since more than a century. Amidst such global pandemic, community participation to aid the government becomes the need of the hour. In Nagaland the holistic approach where various social organisations, NGOs, churches, individuals, national workers, and political leaders are coming forward and contributing through various goodwill donations and rendering their services in the fight against COVID 19.
At Dimapur, besides the migrant workers, poor and needy people, many persons affected by the nationwide lockdown are housed in different locations through the initiative of the district administration and Police. One such place is the Youth Hostel at Netaji Railway Colony, where 42 persons mostly students comprising of 18 girls and 24 boys who came from Kerela, Maharashtra, Goa etc are presently quarantined in the Youth Hostel Dimapur. The Jain Samaj Dimapur provides daily lunch, water and fruits to these students while the Bihari Samaj takes care of any requirements including rations and hygienic aids as and when required by the students. These 2 organisations informed DPRO Dimapur that their services would be rendered till the 24th of April 2020.
Atlethic Coach B.Awala Walking who is also the warden of Youth Hostel Dimapur informed that besides others, Lotha Church Chumukedima provided hygiene aids and surf, Konyak students union donated snacks and water. With the addition of 2 more persons last night, Youth hostel now houses 44 persons, she informed.
To avoid unnecessary loitering in the streets and also to enable the various organisations to carry out the feeding programs in a more hygienic manner, the district administration and police Dimapur, has initiated to move and accommodate the beggars, the homeless, poor and needy and the daily wagers at DDSC stadium Dimapur on 31st March 2020. Here, different social organisations and NGOs are exhibiting their humanitarian act, feeding these people in turns. The Dimapur Bonks are voluntarily working tirelessly providing food and educating the people on maintaining social distance.
Besides, the Swami Vivekananda Welfare Foundation (VWF) has also committed to feed the needy people throughout the lockdown period. Considering the importance of social distancing, VWF has divided their members into 3 groups comprising of 5 people each for grocery arrangement, cooking and distribution and execution of works. The foundation also plans to take a survey and demarcate areas of the town where people are not getting food, and provide ration as per their requirements.
The food is being cooked at the Railway Pandal where the Railway authority has provided the common kitchen to the VWF fir preparing food fir the destitute people.
Various organisations and NGOs including Muslin community, Bengali Samaj, Marwari Samaj, Bengali Students Youth Generation, Bhojpuri Samaj, Durgabari Committee, Rotary Club Dimapur, Lions club Dimapur and many others are coming forward, to help the needy and the homeless, those under quarantine and the police/traffic in duty.
With the whole of the State machinery working on war footing, backed by a very strong and positive community participation and cooperation, Nagaland would definitely overcome and win the battle against COVID 19.
(DPRO Dimapur)