Free movement of people from one state to another should be restricted for a few more months until the crisis of COVID-19 is checked, the Jiri Development Organisation (JDO) has said and appealed to the state government to put restrictions on inter-state travel in view of the increase in COVID-19 positive cases in the railway head district, Jiribam and in the state.
JDO president N Sadananda Meitei said at a press conference in Jiribam on Sunday that free movement of people from one state to another should be restricted for a few more months until the crisis of COVID-19 is almost solved. The negligence of COVID-19 Common Control Room in updating accurate data of COVID-19 positive cases of Jiribam is strongly condemnable. The authority concerned should immediately look into the matter, he added.
There is free movement of people from Jirighat, Cachar district, Assam to Jiribam district and the frequent entry and exit of people from neighbouring states is not safe for the district, said Sadananda. It has also been noticed that people of Jirighat neither wear facemasks nor maintain social distancing, and if such people who do not follow the SOPs enter Jiribam, there will be excessive COVID-19 infection in the district, he added.
Concerning all the probable negative outcomes, inter-state travel should be restricted for the time being, said the JDO president.