SHILLONG, Aug 24 - The State Government today said it would go ahead with its plan to close down the entry points on the first week of each month with an objective to �unburden� the workload of frontline workers.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said the Union Home Ministry has directed that inter-state movement should be allowed across the nation.
However, he said the State Government wasn�t closing down inter-state movement, but would only be providing some breather to the frontline workers at the entry points and would also disinfect these areas.
In this context, Tynsong said the state government will go ahead and close down all the entry and exit points in the whole state for one week per month from September to November 2020.
�This closing down of entry and exit points one week per month is to unburden the workload of personnel from the Health Department who are on duty at the entry and exit points and also to disinfect all these areas in the State,� he added.
Under the plan, the entry points at Byrnihat (Ri-Bhoi), Ratacherra (Jaintia Hills), Bajengdoba (East Garo Hills), Tikrikilla (West Garo Hills), Mirjumla (South West Garo Hills) and Haldiaganj (East Garo Hills) would remain closed on the first week from September to November.
Tynsong, however, asked local authorities at the district and village level to ensure that there are no restrictions imposed on inter-district movement of people.
Tynsong said that local authorities should not ask people who move inter-district to be quarantined if the concerned person has followed all health protocol.
Meanwhile, 59 new cases were reported across the State during the past 24 hours. Out of these new cases, 55 were reported from East Khasi Hills district alone and 4 from Ri-Bhoi district.
The total number of active cases stands at 1,179. So far, 789 patients have recovered. The State also sent 75,239 samples for testing, out of which 72,824 tested negative. Reports against 439 samples are awaited. The death toll recorded so far is 8.
During the past six months, 30,470 stranded residents of the State have come back from all over the country.
