Mizoram’s Opposition Congress on Monday wrote to state governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai seeking his intervention to procure assistance from the Centre for stranded Mizoram residents and to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic.

In a memorandum submitted to the governor, Congress Legislature Party leader Zodintluanga Ralte said the state government is currently grappling with financial crunch.

He said chief minister Zoramthanga, his cabinet colleagues and other legislators were helping the people from their own sources. Apart from them, churches, NGOs and village or local-level task forces were helping the poor with their own money and from public contribution.

“All these developments reveal that the state government is running out of money to fight the spread of novel coronavirus in the state,” Ralte said.

He alleged that the state government has not disbursed any financial assistance to the needy, apart from Rs 3,000 each assistance disbursed to beneficiaries under the construction workers welfare board. “I urge you to find any help from the Centre to fight the spread of novel coronavirus in Mizoram.”

Ralte also asked the governor to take measures so that the Mizo people stranded in different parts of the country received monetary assistance.

According to the latest report, he said more than 2,500 people from Mizoram are stranded in various cities and towns across the state due to the lockdown.

Though respective states governments were helping the stranded Mizos, they are facing hardships due to financial constraints, he said.

He said most northeastern states like Manipur, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya were extending financial help to their residents, who are stuck in different parts of the country.

Officials said the state government was making massive efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic and help the stranded residents. It had asked all respective states to provide security and humanitarian aids to the stranded Mizos in their state, they said.

The stranded people are also being provided food and shelter at Mizoram Houses free of cost, they added.

On Saturday, various Mizo welfare committees in different parts of the country wrote to state chief secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo seeking assistance from the state government.