As per the directives of the State Government to facilitate the inter district movement of stranded persons because of the enforced lockdown in the Country owing to the Covid 19 pandemic the Kohima District administration has started the massive exercise of systematically sending off stranded students and daily wage earners who are stranded in Kohima to their respective districts on 7th May 2020. As of 6th May more than 400 hundred private vehicles have been issued one way permits to enable the stranded persons to return to their respective districts. Apart from the private vehicles the government has also provided buses starting 7th May 2020 to the stranded persons to reach their respective districts. On 7th May 2020 thirty eight (38) buses carrying a total of 1109 passengers from different districts moved out from Kohima, out of which 12 buses went to Mon , 5 buses to Tobu (Tuensang), 8 buses to Tuensang, 3 buses to Mokokchung, 3 buses to Wokha and 7 buses to Dimapur.

ADC Kohima, Lithrongla Tongpi Rutsa also informed that the Facilitation Cell Kohima has received around 3000 applications, from persons who are from outside the state and wants to go to their respective states, which was forwarded to the Government of Nagaland for necessary action. Out of the 3000 applications, mostly daily wage earners, around 1300 are from Bihar, 900 from Assam and the rest from Manipur and Assam. However stranded persons from Assam and Manipur who have their own private vehicles were given travel permit after proper screening to go to their own states.

Minister of  Housing and Mechanical and Legislator in-charge Kohima, Tongpang Ozukum also visited the Facilitation  Centre Kohima on 7th May 2020 to oversee the task of sending back the stranded persons to their respective Districts.

(Morotsung Longchar, IA Kohima)