About 1,200 students, employees and patients, who went for cancer treatment, and stranded due to the COVID-19 lockdown, left Chennai for Manipur on May 10 in a special train. Officials said the train was expected to reach Jiribam, bordering Assam, on Wednesday. They would be brought to Imphal for which 50 buses left for Jiribam on Monday.
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Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren said the train would not stop en route.
On arrival at Jiribam, the passengers would be checked for COVID-19. Then they would be taken to community quarantine centres where they would be stationed for 14 days. About 60 centres had been opened in the 60 Assembly segments.
Officials said family members would not be allowed to meet the passengers at the Jiribam railway station. They would not be allowed to visit the quarantine centres.
Special Secretary (Home) Gyan Prakash said Manipur would also implement the Standard Operating Procedures for COVID-19. Only those cleared would be allowed to board the buses.
A bus driver said, “Initially we were reluctant to go to Jiribam. Now the government has made it clear that it will treat the drivers on a par with front line workers. Besides, the Transporters and Drivers Council has announced that in case of death of a driver due to COVID-19 complications, the family will be given ₹20 lakh as solatium.”
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All facilities such as food, sleeping rooms and separate toilets had been kept ready. Chief Secretary J. Suresh Babu inspected the preparations at Jiribam.
The Chief Minister said preparations were on to bring other Manipuris stranded in the country. Expressing happiness over the absence of any coronavirus case in Manipur, he lauded people for their cooperation. There was no room for complacency, he said.
Also read: Manipur gears up for arrival of residents from May 12
OPD facility
Meanwhile, the out-patient department (OPD) facility was restored at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal. Patients have to wear masks and maintain social distancing.
T. Bhimo, Director of J.N. Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, said OPD services would be made available shortly.
