Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio on Monday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold resumption of regular passenger trains and air services for some more time.
During a video conference on Monday, the Nagaland chief minister urged Prime Minister Modi to allow only movement of special trains to bring back stranded people of the state in an orderly manner.
Rio’s request to the PM comes a day after the Railway Ministry announced to restart passenger train services from May 12.
The Union Home Ministry on Monday also issued Standard Operation Protocol to facilitate the movement of passengers by train.
Also read: MHA issues SOP to facilitate movement of passengers by train
Rio briefed Modi on the steps taken by the state for implementation of the lockdown, the measures taken for alleviating the distress of the people stranded outside and the migrant workers in the state.
He also shared information on the ongoing inter-district movement of stranded people and the modalities being put in place for the stranded people desiring to come back to the state.
Rio also held a meeting with the representatives of Nagaland Baptist Church Council, Joint Christian Forum, Angami Public Organisation, Angami Women Organisation, Angami Youth Organisation and Angami Students Union in Kohima on Monday.
The COVID19 situation and the return of the stranded citizens of the state back to the state were discussed in the meeting.
It also discussed the situation arising out of the nationwide lockdown in the state and the need to take comprehensive measures to become self-reliant, particularly in food grains and other food items.
The matter relating to burial of a body in the village or church burial grounds in the event of someone dying of COVID19 without any discrimination after observing all the laid-down precautions was also deliberated upon.
A total of 18,282 citizens of Nagaland stranded in different parts of the country desiring to come back to the state by the government-arranged transportation have applied through the returnees’ declaration form in the website iamstranded.nagaland.gov.in till 12 noon on Monday.
This was informed by principal secretary (home) Abhijit Sinha on Monday.
As of 4 pm on Monday, out of the 875 samples sent for testing from the state, 848 samples tested negative while the results of 27 samples are awaited, Sinha added.