NPF questions PDA Govt’s preparation

 

Suggests relaxation of lockdown from April 15 with certain guidelines 

 

Kohima, April 13 (MExN): With the news of the first case of COVID-19 case in Nagaland on April 12, the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) government preparation and handling of the present crisis came under sharp attack from the opposition Naga People’s Front (NPF). 

“The PDA Government have been only proudly claiming that the State is fully prepared although in its real sense nothing is installed and instituted on the ground to effectively combat the pandemic,”  stated NPF in a press release issued by its Press Bureau. 

While maintaining that the NPF “without mincing words and any second thought assured the Government of the day of its full support and solidarity” to fight and contain the spread of COVID-19, the NPF questioned the government’s seriousness on the issue. 

“The NPF will continue to support the Government so long as the Government put in serious effort in containing the dreaded pandemic,” it noted. 

Meanwhile, commenting on the reports of some transportation of consignment of medical kits and equipment to the State, the NPF said that it gave them a “sigh of relief in the midst of fear and doubts.”

But the bigger question is whether those medical kits and equipment are of international or national standard or a sub-standard?, NPF said. 

Even if the supply of protective kits and medical equipment’s are in large quantities, if it is not a quality product/stuffs then the safety of the frontlines workers is still at risk, it added. 

Citing the case of the positive patient in Dimapur, the NPF said that he might have gone through the usual procedure of screening in the Airport or Railway station.

This is a solid ground to cast aspersion on the medical kits and equipment’s supplied and used in the State, it maintained. 
 In this regard, it asked the state government “to clear this doubt in order to boost the morale of the frontline workers in particular and to ease the tension of the general public at large.”

Continuing its scrutiny, the NPF said that the citing the circumstances on which the first positive case was put into public domain said that “Government of the day has proven themselves that they are not seriously and effectively handling the present pandemic which is extremely disturbing and worrisome.” 

Despite of getting all kinds of support and co-operation from the entire citizens of Nagaland, it could not “take care of one single patient who was a suspect and whose case has been finally confirmed from Guwahati,” NFP claimed. 

In case the State is faced with more of such confirmed cases how actually the State Government is going to curb the situation, it wondered. 

“The NPF is not convinced of the explanation given by the State Government on the confirmed case of corona virus of the gentleman from Dimapur, it added. 

The NPF further accused the government of “carelessly handling this particular case” and putting the lives of thousands of citizens of Dimapur under tension.

Another shocking aspect of this particular episode is a Minister from other State making the first announcement instead of our own Government revealing the whole truth to its citizens, it added. 

In this connection, the NPF questioned the state government inability to “procure even a testing machines/lab even after elapsed of almost two months.” 

It further asked the government why a particular religious event was allegedly allowed to be held when   
The most of the citizen in the state are obeying and abiding by the Government decision to maintain social distance by closing down even the Churches.

The NPF has still many more questions to raise over the way the Government is tackling the present pandemic but it will come out slowly basing on the factual report from Party workers on the ground, it added. 

 

Suggests relaxation of lockdown from April 15

Meanwhile, the NPF suggested that since the government has assured that it is fully prepared to tackle COVID-19, the total lockdown may be relaxed with effect from April 15 within the State with some regulations in place on the ground.

 

Only movement within the districts should be allowed for the time being, it suggested.

 

While inter-district movement of vehicle and pedestrians may be put on hold on for a week’s time and special medical teams may be assigned to focus more on Dimapur district, it added. 

 

The NPF further stated that schools may remain closed till the end of April 2020 and the lost classes/days due to the present pandemic may be recovered by shortening the duration of summer vacation.

 

It further advised that the Airport, Railway Station and Inter-State Bus/Taxi terminals may be sealed till the end of the April.