Meghalaya to keep borders sealed till April end: Official

The Meghalaya government is

likely to keep its international and interstate borders sealed till April-end, as part of its precautionary measures to check the spread of COVID-19, officials said on Thursday.

The hill state, along with Nagaland and Sikkim in the northeast, has not reported any COVID-19 case so far.

"Based on a cabinet decision, the state will return to normalcy as per terms and conditions approved by it. But the borders are likely to be sealed till April end," a senior government official told PTI.

Taking to Facebook, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said Meghalaya will function in "isolation mode", after the national lockdown ends on April 14.

 

"What we are trying to do is to function, to an extent, in an isolation mode. The cabinet has allowed NREGA works to resume... It has also sanctioned construction work for the current fiscal. However, no labourers from outside the state will be hired (for any project)," the CM stated.

Sangma also said that there would be some relaxation on inter-district movements of vehicles, provided no case is reported in the state over the next few days,

"Interstate movement, however, will not be allowed at all," he asserted.

The state cabinet, during a meeting earlier this week, had decided to allow weekly markets to operate in rural areas.

"The government of Meghalaya is leaving no stone unturned to set up infrastructure and facilities for its people, should the need arise.

"Our priority is health and the safety of the citizens of our state. Therefore, we will relax restrictions on economic activities but that will be limited to the people of the state," the CM added.

Over 140 samples, examined so far at the state's North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences laboratory, have tested negative for COVID-19.