GUWAHATI, April 12 - As many as 92 persons from Manipur have been sheltered at Manipur Bhawan here since the announcement of the nationwide lockdown.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, the administrative officer of the Bhawan Rajen Singh said such a huge number of people have been accommodated in the government guest house for the first time.
�Usually around 30 people stay at Manipur Bhawan at a time. So, it has become a challenge for us to prepare food twice a day for such a large number of people. Fortunately, no person has fallen ill after the lockdown and a team of the State Health department has also been carrying out regular health check-ups here,� Singh said.
Singh stated that at present a number of cancer patients and their attendants are taking shelter at the Bhawan.
Since the first day of the lockdown, the Bhawan authority has been providing free food and accommodation to all the 92 persons. �We are providing them veg items; it�s not possible for us to provide non-veg foods in such a situation. Fortunately, a section of public gave us some vegetables free of cost,� Singh added.
The 92 persons include 42 students, seven patients, 23 government and private service holders and 20 businessmen and other professionals. Sixteen of them were travelling to Manipur from Andhra Pradesh, nine from Kerala, six from Shillong, five from Chandigarh, four each from Ahmedabad, New Delhi and Siliguri, three from Hyderabad, two from Gujarat, one each from Rajasthan, Kolkata and Chennai and others were on their way to Manipur via Guwahati from different parts of Assam.
�I was on my way to Kerala via Mumbai. I reached Guwahati from Imphal on March 20 and planned to fly to Mumbai. But, my mother asked me over phone not to travel to Mumbai and suddenly the lockdown was also imposed. I�ve been stuck since then,� Mohd Ahshique Ali, one of the people presently sheltered at the Bhawan, told this reporter.
�Initially, I stayed in a hotel. But, due to financial reasons, I moved to Manipur Bhawan,� Ali added.
Meanwhile, general secretary of the Manipuri National Council, Assam, Singhajit Singh appealed to the Govt of Assam to supply free ration to the people from Manipur who had come to Guwahati for medical treatment and are now stranded in various lodges and hotels located near the private hospitals in the city.
