Passengers will have to be ready for ruthless quarantine, says Himanta Biswa Sarma

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Health & Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the people who would return to the State by flights, from Monday, would have to face 'ruthless' quarantine even as there were reports and allegations about lack of suitable facilities at quarantine sites.

Addressing a press conference at NHM office here on Sunday evening, Minister Sarma said there would be no leniency in sending people coming from outside to quarantine. He even appealed to the people returning to Assam by flights to be mentally prepared to face tough quarantine rules.

"My first priority is to keep the State safe from COVID infection. So, the Health department has to be ruthless in enforcing quarantine. Monday will be another tough day for the Assam Government as more than 2,000 people will reach the State by flights. Initial health screening and medical investigation of 2,000 passengers will take at least 24 hours after they reach the Guwahati airport. After screening and investigation, the passengers will be sent to the quarantine centre," Sarma added.

He, however, said pilots and other staffs engaged in operation and landing of the flights will be completely exempted from quarantine. The flight passengers leaving the State on a single day and the government officials, Army and defence personnel and officials engaged in other emergency services arriving in the State by flights, will also be exempted completely from quarantine. In case a person does not leave the State on a single day (as promised to skip quarantine) will face criminal charges, Sarma said.

On other hand, flight passengers coming to the State to attend their ailing parents in hospitals and other medical emergencies, those who are above 75 years of age, pregnant women, children below 10 years and persons with disabilities will be exempted from institutional quarantine. But these passengers will have to under strict home quarantine.

The people of the State (coming from foreign countries) who have already undergone institutional quarantine in Delhi, will not have to repeat the same quarantine in Assam. They will be under home quarantine.

Flight passengers on whom tests were conducted and found to be COVID negative will have to go for home quarantine.

"The five-star We are now left with 800 hotel beds. We will try to give these hotel beds to senior citizens and other persons in emergency on a priority basis. The rest of flight passengers will be sent to the other quarantine facilities set up by the government," the Minister pointed out.

Sarma also said in view of resumption of rail and flight service the State might close its borders at Srirampur and other neighbouring States to prevent haphazard and risky inflow of people.