ECHO objects lodging of school staff with IQC inmates
issues deadline to sort matter
Source: The Sangai Express
Bishnupur, August 12 2020:
The Educational Cultural Health Organisation (ECHO) has decried the lodging/mixing of JNV Bishnupur School staff together with the inmates in the Bishnupur district Institutional Quarantine Centre (IQC) in JNV Bishnupur School by the school authority, which has become a matter of grave concern in the community.
Stating that this has caused panic and fear among the local residents of the area, the secy of ECHO, Bishnupur, Th Madhumangol has strongly urged the Deputy Commissioner of the district as well as the COVID-19 district Minister in-charge, to look into the matter and take prompt and necessary action.
He cited example of local transmission amongst the para-military force and security force personnel and expressed concern saying that the movements of the staff who are lodged in the same space as the inmates, are unrestricted.
They visit the local shops and also freely move around the Bishnupur Bazar area for buying essential goods he said and added this has worried the locals for fear of infection.
Further, he questioned as to why the school authority, specifically the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti or Central Government authority has 'forced' the teachers and staff of the school to stay in the quarantine centre and pointed out that this is against the Disaster Management Act and COVID SOPs laid out by the Government.
People in the locality have been taking extreme care and precaution to protect against the virus but this carelessness by JNV school authority could cost us all, he said.
Recalling that just recently, 6 inmates from this IQC had tested positive for the virus, Madhumangol also stated that the centre lacks proper security.
Warning that the club is prepared to launch agitations, it demanded the concern authority and the school principal to sort the matter by August 15 .