The Nagaland government on Monday decided to requisition hostels of private schools and colleges in Dimapur to quarantine the returnees of the district.

Agriculture production commissioner Y. Kikheto Sema, who is also the in-charge of Dimapur district for all Covid-19 related activities, along with food and civil supplies department secretary and convenor of the core committee on Covid-19 for Dimapur district, Honje Konyak, held a meeting with the All Nagaland Private Schools’ Association, All Nagaland Private Colleges’ Association and Dimapur district education officer here to discuss various issues relating to the people returning home.

Sema said with more and more people registering to return home, which comes up to more than 8,000 for Dimapur district alone, the government facilities only will not be “able to accommodate them”. He, therefore, appealed to the private schools and colleges to come to the rescue of the returnees by providing or allowing their hostels to be used as quarantine centres.

He said proper medical screening will be done upon their arrival and the people for suspected Covid-19 will be kept at isolation wards. Sema also assured that all necessary requirements of the returnees will be looked after by the government.

Calling for collective effort in the fight against Covid-19, Sema said the government expected quarantine facilities for around 1,500 to 2,000 people in the hostels of private colleges and 3,500 to 4,000 people in the hostels of private schools.

The presidents of the associations agreed to the government’s proposal.

The schools and colleges which are not in the association will also be approached by the core committee of the district on Covid-19.

Presidents of both private schools and colleges were nominated as members of the core committee while one member each from both the associations was nominated as accommodation committee member during the meeting.