COVID-19

Delhi student returnees irked by mismanagement of quarantine centres

“We returned to Manipur expecting better system and systematic arrangement in an organised manner but with the experience,we are giving a second thought about the return journey.”

ByIFP Bureau

Updated 20 May 2020, 5:36 am

Tamenlong
Tamenlong

A group of students who returned to Manipur from Delhi by a private bus on Tuesday urged the state government to properly supervise the management of quarantine centres so that all the returnees do not have to undergo the ordeal they faced after arriving in the state. These students reached Imphal on Monday.

Talking to Imphal Free Press, one of the students who identified himself as Laishram Bidyaraj Singh (26), son of L Tomba of Khangabok Awang Leikai expressed dismay with the unsystematic approach adopted by the state authorities, including some of the medical staff deputed at quarantine centres.

He said the group reached Mao gate at about 7.30 am, Monday and after the medical staff screened them, the students were asked to go to the district quarantine centres as per the guideline protocol. Bidyaraj said in the bus, there are 22 students, including himself and with one driver and two assistants altogether 25 persons came from Delhi.

Of the 25, 16 are from Thoubal district, four are from Bishnupur district, and one person each from Imphal East and West district. Bidyananda further stated that as per instruction from the medical staff from Mao gate, the person from Imphal East and West were dropped at Modern College and Oriental College respectively and later the four persons from Bishnupur were dropped at Utlou. When the remaining 16 students reach Lilong Haoreibi College which is one of a quarantine centres of Thoubal district, officials told them not to come out from the bus as they were taking details from the higher authority for verification.

While they were waiting for verification inside the bus, one lady official verified the details of the students through telephonic conversation and told him that as they were coming from a red zone. Due to this fact, there was a separate arrangement for quarantine at UNACCO school located at Meitram, Imphal West and people had been asked to go there, said Bidyaraj.

The lady official who was calling from CMO COVID control room also told informed them that food will be arrange at UNACCO quarantine center, he added.

When the 16 students reach UNACCO school around 12.30 pm, the officials there told them not to get out from the bus and told them to wait for another verification process. The students waited inside the bus till 4.30 pm but no attention was given to them though CMO COVID control room assured them that proper arrangement will be made at UNACCO quarantine center, said Bidyaraj.

Advertisement

The students had to wait for hours without food. At about 6.30 pm, one of the officials of UNACCO quarantine centre told them that they should get back to their respective district quarantine centers as instructed by higher authority.

Due to shortage of money, they students contacted MLA Khangabok, assenmbly constituency and the MLA arranged a bus for returning at district quarantine centres. The 16 students reach Lilong Haoreibi quarantine center where 4 students from Bishnunpur district stayed at UNACCO quarantine center but when they reach there officials of the quarantine center told them that they need to go at Waikhom Mani Girls college which is also one of a district quarantine centres, he added.

At Waikhom Mani quarantine centre also, due to lack of rooms, four of them were ask to stay at a quarantine center located at Heirok, said Bidyaraj.

Dismayed with the whole process, he said, “At the moment we are are helpless. We returned to Manipur expecting better system and systematic arrangement in an organised manner but with the experience,we are giving a second thought about the return journey.”

A group of students who returned to Manipur from Delhi by a private bus on Tuesday urged the state government to properly supervise the management of quarantine centres so that all the returnees do not have to undergo the ordeal they faced after arriving in the state. These students reached Imphal on Monday.

Talking to Imphal Free Press, one of the students who identified himself as Laishram Bidyaraj Singh (26), son of L Tomba of Khangabok Awang Leikai expressed dismay with the unsystematic approach adopted by the state authorities, including some of the medical staff deputed at quarantine centres.

He said the group reached Mao gate at about 7.30 am, Monday and after the medical staff screened them, the students were asked to go to the district quarantine centres as per the guideline protocol. Bidyaraj said in the bus, there are 22 students, including himself and with one driver and two assistants altogether 25 persons came from Delhi.

Of the 25, 16 are from Thoubal district, four are from Bishnupur district, and one person each from Imphal East and West district. Bidyananda further stated that as per instruction from the medical staff from Mao gate, the person from Imphal East and West were dropped at Modern College and Oriental College respectively and later the four persons from Bishnupur were dropped at Utlou. When the remaining 16 students reach Lilong Haoreibi College which is one of a quarantine centres of Thoubal district, officials told them not to come out from the bus as they were taking details from the higher authority for verification.

Advertisement

While they were waiting for verification inside the bus, one lady official verified the details of the students through telephonic conversation and told him that as they were coming from a red zone. Due to this fact, there was a separate arrangement for quarantine at UNACCO school located at Meitram, Imphal West and people had been asked to go there, said Bidyaraj.

The lady official who was calling from CMO COVID control room also told informed them that food will be arrange at UNACCO quarantine center, he added.

When the 16 students reach UNACCO school around 12.30 pm, the officials there told them not to get out from the bus and told them to wait for another verification process. The students waited inside the bus till 4.30 pm but no attention was given to them though CMO COVID control room assured them that proper arrangement will be made at UNACCO quarantine center, said Bidyaraj.

The students had to wait for hours without food. At about 6.30 pm, one of the officials of UNACCO quarantine centre told them that they should get back to their respective district quarantine centers as instructed by higher authority.

Due to shortage of money, they students contacted MLA Khangabok, assenmbly constituency and the MLA arranged a bus for returning at district quarantine centres. The 16 students reach Lilong Haoreibi quarantine center where 4 students from Bishnunpur district stayed at UNACCO quarantine center but when they reach there officials of the quarantine center told them that they need to go at Waikhom Mani Girls college which is also one of a district quarantine centres, he added.

At Waikhom Mani quarantine centre also, due to lack of rooms, four of them were ask to stay at a quarantine center located at Heirok, said Bidyaraj.

Dismayed with the whole process, he said, “At the moment we are are helpless. We returned to Manipur expecting better system and systematic arrangement in an organised manner but with the experience,we are giving a second thought about the return journey.”

Advertisement

First published:

Tags:

QuarantineCOVID

IFP Bureau

IFP Bureau

IMPHAL, Manipur

Advertisement

Top Stories

Loading data...
Advertisement

IFP Exclusive

Loading data...