The 80 huts set up on May 12 at Tungjoy village under Paomata subdivision, Senapati district, to quarantine the returnees have started functioning with 18 inmates as on May 20.
The village has arranged a pickup truck which is driven by drivers equipped with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to transport the returnees after they undergo screening at the entry point at Mao. The vehicle is disinfected after every trip and it is also used to carry people to the hospitals in case any individual shows symptoms of COVID-19.
Speaking to the Imphal Free Press, chairman of Tungjoy Village Authority Council, MS Marcus, said, “The government has done their best so far. Instead of waiting for the government to take up further measures, I feel that it is our responsibility to ensure our own safety.”
He said that more tests besides thermal screening should be conducted before the villagers return to their village.
However, the village is all set to ensure that every returnee is given proper care and has a safe and comfortable stay for the mandatory period, he said. Two local nurses check the health conditions of the inmates routinely every alternate day and the results are reported to higher authorities, he said.
The huts are set up at vantage point they are looked after by six volunteers of the village task force. They are and equipped PPEs, sanitizers and first aid kits, he informed. They facilitate the inmates in their daily needs and keep a strict vigil so that quarantine protocol is followed.
Appreciating the government for its initiatives, Marcus said that the fight against the pandemic is a collective responsibility of the people and quarantining is one’s responsibility than that of the government.
As reported by Imphal Free Press on May 14, each hut meant for one person is fitted with bamboo beds, gas table and electricity with charging sockets and separate toilets are set up for one individual each. The huts are separated into three groups for the villagers coming from red zones, orange zones and green zones.
The villagers even set up three information centres where the youths will be spending the nights to receive calls and get details for people coming from three different zones.
A fence is also constructed at the boundary of the three different zones to control the movement of the people, he said while adding that three different pipelines are provided for the three zones.
Tungjoy village, inhabited by Poumai tribe is located 30 to 40 kilometers from Senapati bazar with more than 8000 voters in the village.
