Assam to regulate post-lockdown homecoming

Prabin Kalita | TNN | Updated: Apr 6, 2020, 19:39 IST

“Once the lockdown ends, this is one big challenge…how to accommodate all those who want to come home at the first opportunity,” Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

“Once the lockdown ends, this is one big challenge…how to accommodate all those who want to come home at the f...Read More

GUWAHATI: People of Assam studying, working or stranded in other states and want to return home at the end of the lockdown will have to first register themselves and obtain an entry permit, which will enable Assam government to regulate their entry in limited numbers for their smooth quarantine.
“Once the lockdown ends, this is one big challenge…how to accommodate all those who want to come home at the first opportunity,” health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
“In a situation when everyone wants to come at the same time and suppose there are 50,000 people coming, do we have the capability to quarantine them? Once hey board the train and reach here, we cannot just we no to them. So we need to have a sequencing of the whole process,” Sarma explained.
“We not know if lockdown will end on April 14 or will be extended beyond …what decision government of India will take we do not know but Assam government has to be have a system in place in advance because when the lockdown is declared to have ended and all these people would want to come together then it will be difficult for us to handle all of them together and so we want to regulate their entry,” he said.
He added, “This entry permit system like an ILP system is a temporary arrangement and not political at all. If the people, who are our brothers and sisters, come here and do not get quarantined then our sacrifices during this lockdown period will go to waste.”
In next three to four days the state government will launch a website for these people to register themselves with their intended date of travelling to the state. “They will also have to give their geographical location of their homes in Assam so that we know where we need to build the quarantine centres. It is not possible for everybody to remain on home quarantine,” Sarma added.
The state government had earlier advised all the people of state who were outside the state after the lockdown was announced to remain at their present location and assured them all help from the state governments concerned. Unlike other states, Assam’s migrant workers, students and even tourists remained wherever they were.