Over 90 churches in Mizoram have agreed to lend their halls to be used as quarantine facilities to ease the shortage faced by the state government, an official of the task group on quarantine facility said on Saturday.

The official, on condition of anonymity, said the government had earlier requested various churches, including Presbyterian Church and Baptist Church of Mizoram, the largest denomination in the state, for requisition of halls to accommodate the returnees.

He said till Saturday 96 local churches belonging to three denominations had voluntarily allowed the government to use their church halls as quarantine centres. Of these, 75 belong to Presbyterian Church, 15 to Baptist Church of Mizoram and six to the Salvation Army. The Presbyterian Church has also lent its synod conference hall and revival camping centre at Durtlang for quarantine.

The Roman Catholic will hold a meeting on Monday to consider the government’s request, he added.

Some local churches have also provided food, free WiFi and library to the inmates.

The people of Chanmari locality here have offered to hire a hotel for people who have no room for home quarantine in the locality, he added.

At present, there are 182 designated quarantine facilities in the state having a total capacity of 4,172. Of these, 21 are in Aizawl district, 4 in Champhai, 18 in Hnahthial, 19 in Khawzawl, 14 in Kolasib, 15 in Lawngtlai, 16 in Lunglei, 17 in Mamit, 29 in Saitual, 22 in Serchhip and 10 in Siaha district. The official said the government would also notify the State Institute of Rural Development and ICFAI University hostel at Durtlang in Aizawl and six other centres in Lawngtlai district as quarantine centres.

The secretary of Aizawl Venghnuai Presbyterian Church, C. Lalramliana, said they were happy to extend help. “It is a question of humanity at this time of crisis. If the government makes a request for requisition, we have no reason to oppose. We wholeheartedly give our church hall,” he said, adding that at least eight inmates were under quarantine at Venghnuai church hall and that the YMA branch had installed free WiFi and library for the inmates.

On Thursday, 884 people stranded in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry had returned to the state. Officials said more than 10,000 people, stranded in different parts of the country, were yet to return.