The worst and the best of people are often magnified at times of adversity, and this is more conspicuous when people come together as a community. Here is one instance of the community coming together to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in the heart of Ukhrul district.
The Hunphun Ukhrul COVID-19 Committee, set up on May 1 by the Hunphun Village Authority, has been tackling COVID-19 related issues in the region, committee convenor Phungton Shaiza said.
“One of our responsibilities is looking into the situations of ‘Hunphunnao’ residing outside the state and another one is taking care of the returnees after they completed their first 14 days' mandatory quarantine period. At present, the committee is running 19 Community Quarantine Centres at different localities within the jurisdiction of Hunphun Village. A total of 698 returnees are currently undergoing quarantine at these Community Quarantine Centres," he informed.
The Community Quarantine Centres are not manned only for returnees of Hunphun but from every part of Ukhrul and Kamjong districts who are settled in Hunphun, he said. The Committee has been ferrying returnees from different quarantine centres after the completion of their first phase of quarantine period run by the COVID-19 Management Committee of Ukhrul assembly constituency, it added.
Regardless of their original villages, any returnees whose families are residing in Ukhrul are allowed to complete their second phase of quarantine period at the Community Quarantine Centre managed by the Hunphun Ukhrul COVID-19 Committee.
Basic food items are supplied by Ukhrul MLA Alfred Kanngam Arthur for the second phase quarantine at village level. The MLA has been providing ration for all the village quarantine centres under his assembly constituency.
Localities have also contributed from their Tang fund to fight the pandemic. Each locality has also constituted a sub committee to oversee the community quarantine centre. Chairman of Seipet Zingsho Tang, Mawonthing Luikham informed that volunteers from the localities have been taking turns in preparing the food for the returnees at KTL Excel Higher Secondary School Quarantine Centre.
Currently, a total of 33 returnees are staying at the centre. He also expressed gratitude to Ana & Niv of Imphal and Little Drops of Ukhrul for providing face shields for the volunteers.
The headman of Hunphun Village, HA Sarimaya along with the Village Authority members accompanied by ADC Members Edmund Chiphang and HA Vareishang and Members of Hunphun Ukhrul COVID-19 Committee visited the various quarantine centres today.
Pastor of Hunphun Baptist Church, Reverend Ayonsui Shingnaisui prayed for the returnees at community quarantine centres and words of encouragement were shared by the visiting team.
