STATE PREPARING FOR BRINGING HOME STRANDED SIKKIMESE, CENTRAL GUIDELINES AWAITED
KUNAL RAI
GANGTOK: The State government is waiting for fresh guidelines from the Centre after May 3 while also preparing to bring back the Sikkimese stranded presently in other parts of the country.
“We are waiting for the Government of India guidelines regarding the strategy that would be in place after May 3. We will take action based on the Central directives. In between, we have begun the preparations to bring back home the people of Sikkim who are stranded elsewhere but this is subject to as and on when the Centre allows movement of the people and transportation,” said State chief secretary S.C. Gupta to SIKKIM EXPRESS on Wednesday.
The second phase of national lockdown is till May 3 but the final decision would be announced by the Prime Minister.
Gupta informed that the State government is working to get details of the people of Sikkim stranded in different parts of the country since the lockdown started on March 25. These include patients, students and professionals from Sikkim.
Based on the data available in advance, we can work out a proper management of their safe return to Sikkim, said the chief secretary.
It is being proposed to use SNT buses when the stranded people reach Siliguri. The SNT buses would be transporting the returnees to Sikkim while maintaining the prescribed safety protocols.
We will also examine the Centre’s guidelines in respect to bringing back the stranded people, said Gupta.
It was informed that the people, upon their entry to Sikkim, would have to stay in quarantine. The modalities are being worked upon.
We have started identifying the quarantine facilities, said the chief secretary.
It is not known on what kind of transportation mode – rail or flight or bus – the Centre will allow to the people returning to the respective home States.
Around 7000-8000 people of Sikkim are presently stranded outside the State.
“We have developed an online registration system which will come into operation shortly. Once it is done, we will come to know the exact number of people stranded and wanting to come back home. There are many also who do not want to return immediately,” said Gupta.
The online registration system is developed by the Information & Technology department in consultation with the Health department.
We will have a meeting of the task force on April 30 wherein the future course of action would be decided along with the decision of the government, said the chief secretary.
VEHICLE DISINFECTING SYSTEM INSTALLED AT RANGPO CHECK POST
SANJAY AGARWAL
RANGPO: State Land Revenue & Disaster Management minister Kunga Nima Lepcha today inaugurated a vehicle disinfection bay at Rangpo checkpost in the presence of Agriculture minister L.N. Sharma and Transport minister Sanjeet Kharel.
The innovative system would be used to sanitise all vehicles entering Sikkim through the inter-State checkpost.
Minister Sharma mentioned that the system was based on the idea demonstrated by young innovator Bishu Hang Limboo of Bermiok Sumbuk, West Sikkim with the aim to help the State government in its fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic. He recalled how Bishu Hang’s cost-effective proposal had impressed him in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and further encouraged young minds of the State to utilize their talent for the development of the society as a whole. He also shared plans to extend the disinfection system at Melli check-post and other suitable locations as well.
The minister had supported the initiative and it was installed at the Rangpo checkpost.
Similar disinfecting systems would be installed at Tashiling secretariat and other public places in the State, he informed.
Minister Kunga Nima Lepcha congratulated Bishu Hang for coming up with the igneous design and assured to request the Chief Minister also to see the working of the system. He mentioned various other innovations of Bishu Hang and stated that Sikkimese youth have the potential to lead the nation as a pilot of creativity and revolution. He said the disinfection gate would be made a regular feature at all checkposts and major administrative offices in the near future while also deliberating on the potential of the said project in creating job opportunities.
Minister Sanjeet Kharel also appreciated Bisu Hang’s innovation and thanked the State government for supporting and implementing the idea.
Bishu Hang extended gratitude to minister Sharma for recognising the potential of his design and thus providing logistics required for completion of the project. He also thanked the Land Revenue & Disaster Management officials for providing expert assistance throughout the project.
The Land Revenue & Disaster Management department director explained in detail all the logistics and fabrication process of the materials utilized in setting up the vehicle disinfection gate at Rangpo. It was informed that the disinfectant (Sodium Hypochlorite solution 1%) in the device has been used as per standard operating procedure of the World Health Organisation.
The Rangpo SDM informed about the various challenges faced during setting up of the gate and how the line departments along with the support of the NDRF persevered to resolve the issues.sikkimexpress/from,india
