The Nagaland government on Wednesday banned all fresh appointments, including vacancies arising against sanctioned posts in all government departments, until further orders.

“In the interest of public service in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and to maintain various austerity measures in the state for savings in all departments, the government of Nagaland is pleased to ban all fresh appointments, including vacancies arising against sanctioned posts, in all government departments until further orders,” chief secretary Temjen Toy said in an office memorandum.

However, the ban will not apply to medical staff, including doctors, nurses, technicians, paramedics of the health and family welfare department who have been given a special dispensation vide the department’s notification dated April 1 this year.

The order was issued in pursuance of the cabinet’s decision on Tuesday, the memorandum said.

Inspection: Nagaland minister for housing and mechanical Tongpang Ozükum, who is in charge of Kohima district on Covid-19, along with the Kohima district task force, inspected the shopping hotspots in Kohima on Wednesday morning.

The minister was accompanied by MLA Khriehu Liezietsu, Kohima deputy commissioner Gregory Thejawelie, and other officials.

The team observed that the market place scenario has totally transformed for the better compared to other shopping days.

Ozükum appreciated the public for realising the importance of maintaining social distance.

“We cannot totally stop people who come out to buy their daily needs like food and other essential commodities. So the only way is to strictly maintain distance in the

shopping places as it is the only weapon in the arsenal to fight this pandemic,” he added.

The minister also thanked the various committees on implementation of social distancing for strictly enforcing the government directives. He expressed gratitude to the Angami Students’ Union for its noble initiative of assisting the stranded students residing in Kohima.

The team also inspected the sanitisation of vehicles at the Kohima Municipal Council toll gate.

Sanitisation: The Shamatore Battalion of Assam Rifles conducted a seminar to reinforce awareness and cooperation in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic collectively in Shamatore town on Wednesday.