ITANAGAR, May 6: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) in a letter to the Chief Minister has shared a slew of suggestions regarding the management of second Covid-19 wave in the state.

The state’s apex student union has suggested a week-long shutdown of all offices (government and private), religious places, prayer and fasting centres, markets and similar places of public convergence across the state as a measure for snapping the chain of transmission, except for local vendors selling vegetables and perishable items with strict restrictions. The union has called for a complete ban of entry of outsiders for one week excluding movement of essential commodities. To discourage unnecessary public gatherings and for enforcing Covid appropriate behaviour among masses, AAPSU has suggested a pan-state 15-day curfew. It has also suggested that the assets of Naharlagun Railway Station should be utilized as Covid Care Centre without further delay.

Drawing reference to the Health Department’s estimate that 30, 000 new Covid cases will be added in the next 4 months, the union has suggested the state government to work on increasing the number of ICU wards and oxygen beds in addition to making PPE kits, medical equipment, manpower, testing kits, ventilator etc. available on a war footing. It has also opined for a state-wide ban on weekly bazaars for at least one month and setting up of voluntary covid testing centres in all wards of the ICR. The state government should start a 24-hour state-wide telemedicine counselling service in addition to routine working of hospitals, AAPSU said in its letter. It has also suggested that all District Administrations should be directed to start langars for providing cooked meals and rations to the poor and downtrodden and all Arunachal Bhawans located in various states should immediately start functioning as Arunachal Pradesh Covid Helpline Centres to provide necessary assistance and guidance to the state’s people staying outside including liaising with officials of the respective state governments during medical emergencies.

The union has also sought state government’s attention for ensuring nutritious diet at all CCCs across the state.