ITANAGAR, Apr 10: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) has urged the state government to continue the ban on issuing restricted area permits, protected area permits and new inner line permits, even if the 21-day lockdown is lifted.
Citing media reports that the lockdown might be lifted in phases in areas other than those identified as Covid-19 hotspots, the AAPSU in a representation to the chief minister offered suggestions “that may be taken after/if the lockdown is lifted after 14 April.”
Urging the government to continue with the sealing of the interstate boundaries, the union said those who wish to leave the state may be allowed to do so, provided the Assam government allows them entry.
However, reentry of such people to Arunachal should not be allowed until some specified time period, it said.
In the case of Arunachalee students who want to come back to their home state, “they may be allowed, but they should be directly placed under quarantine,” it said, adding that those who go into home quarantine should be monitored at the community level, as per the standard operating procedure.
“Home quarantine must be mandatory for anyone returning from outside,” the union said.
It said that in the event that the government cannot facilitate the return of the stranded students and other people due to lack of medical facilities, quarantine centres, etc, “it must ensure that the students and people stranded outside get all the minimum basic facilities.”
The union also urged the government to constitute a “robust committee, including all the MLAs and district administrations, to look after and cooperate with the stranded people of their respective CBOs, student unions, etc.”
“This will decrease the workload of the state government, enabling it to give focus on other important sectors,” it said.
While entry and exit across the interstate boundaries should be allowed only for essential services, vehicles carrying essential commodities should be allowed upto the designated areas only, it said.
The AAPSU also urged the CM to reschedule the APPSC preliminary examination scheduled for 17 April, in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
