The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) on Friday said the Covid-19 positive cases of Changlang district, particularly those from the Chakma community cannot be included in the state’s tally.
“The Chakmas infected with Covid-19 have every right to avail facilities in regards to healthcare and essentials items, but they cannot be given an identity as Chakmas are not Arunachalees,” AAPSU vice-president Meje Taku said.
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Taku said that the state government should talk to the Center regarding this and the cases from the community can be put in the refugee list.
There has been a sudden spurt in the number of Covid-19 cases in the Changlang district where the number of active cases has risen to 29.
A total of 16 Covid-19 positive cases were detected in the district on June 1, which was followed by 9 cases on June 3 and three more the next day.
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A late update from the health department on Friday informed that one more case was detected in the district.
With 29 cases being detected from Changlang alone, Arunachal at present has 43 active cases.
The AAPSU further also asked the government to declare Diyun, the sub-division of Changlang district as a containment zone.
“The entire entry and exit points of Diyun should be contained and only the movement of those on emergency and essential services duties should be allowed. This is for the safety of all,” Taku said.
The entire 28 patients from Changlang district, though all asymptomatic, are being treated at the institutional quarantine centre in Diyun.
The Chakmas and Hajongs refugees who are settled in Arunachal are originally residents of the Chittagong Hill Tracts of former East Pakistan.
They had to flee when their land was submerged by the Kaptai dam project in the 1960s.
The groups entered India through what was then the Lushai Hills district of Assam (today’s Mizoram).
The current population of the Chakmas and Hajongs settled in Arunachal is believed to be above one lakh.