Returnees find no place; run from one quarantine centre to another
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 09 2020: With the exponential increase in the number of returnees who had been stranded in different parts of the country, the State is facing "shortage" of quarantine facilities, said source.

Many of the 22 stranded people who reached Imphal from Guwahati by a bus at around 2 pm today complained about "overcrowded quarantine centre, lack of Govt instituted centre and extreme negligence" in maintaining the quarantine facilities.

They also lamented that the Mao gate lacks manpower to effectively screen the people coming in from outside.

They had to wait hours for screening at Mao gate, said some who opined that increasing medical personnel at Mao could help speed up screening effectively and reduce stress of both the people coming in and the staff stationed.

Returnees find no place; run from one quarantine centre to another

They further claimed they were refused shelter at Government quarantine centres opened at RD Wing Lamphelpat, JNV, Yaralpat and IIT, Mantripukhri on different grounds.

"Although the officials at the Sekmai Police Station sent us to stay at the institutional quarantine centre at RD Wing Complex, Lamphelpat after thorough enquiry, the authorities at the said institutional quarantine centre claimed that the centre is meant only for people of Imphal West.

They asked us to stay at JNV, Yaralpat institutional quarantine centre.

Only few people from Imphal West among the passengers were allowed to stay there," said the group.

Further decrying that the institutional quarantine centre at Yaralpat was found "overcrowded", they said the authorities there again directed them to stay at another institutional quarantine centre at IIIT, Mantripukhri.

The returnees complained that they were not even allowed to "urinate" at Mantripukhri quarantine centre leaving aside the matter of staying at the said quarantine centre.

"We are not sure where we are staying, as Government authorities have not yet informed us of a confirmed place," they said.

Informing that they came from Guwahati's Manipur Basti by a bus after getting permission from the authorities concerned, the returnees informed that five more buses will arrive tomorrow.

Meanwhile, another 23 stranded people who arrived today by bus were quarantined at the institutional quarantine centre opened at RD Wing Complex, Lamphelpat.

Sources said all the 23 people are from Uripok AC and they will be further put under quarantine at the community quarantine centre opened at Lamboi Khongnangkhong if they tested negative.