State govt to spend ₹500 per head for food & ₹2000 for hotel during quarantine period: Himanta

May 21: From now onwards, Assam government will pay Rs.500 per head, per day for expenses related to food of persons who are put under either institutional quarantine or quarantine in hotels. For those who will be kept under quarantine in hotels, an amount of Rs.2000 per head, per day will be allotted as hotel rent. Further, a one time amount of Rs.500 will also be sanctioned per head during institutional quarantine or quarantine in hotels for purchasing essential items like soap, toothbrush, paste etc. This was announced by State Health Minister, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma during a news briefing at NHM Office in Guwahati on Thursday.

The break up of food charges of Rs.500 per day, per person was also clarified by the minister during the press briefing. For breakfast: Rs.80, for lunch: Rs.150, dinner: Rs.150, Tea (twice during day): Rs.40, Water: Rs.60 and other Rs.20. This brings the total amount to Rs.500 and the entire expense will be borne by the state government.

The minister further said that, if after 7 days of institutional/ hotel quarantine, it is found that the swab report of any person is negative and if that person has entered Assam from any green zone, then he or she will be sent for home quarantine for another 7 days. For this 7 days, the state government will provide the person a grant of another Rs.2000. However, he made it clear that during home quarantine, the entire family shall have to remain under strict quarantine. The minister further clarified that these decisions will come into immediate effect.

The minister had put immense emphasis on the entire process of quarantine. Himanta Biswa said, “We are now in a critical stage of COVID-19. If we fail to properly implement the policy of institutional and home quarantine, then the virus might pass over to community level.” The minister further added that till now 37,417 persons have entered Assam (25,693 by road & 11,724 by rail). Out of them, 112 were infected with coronavirus. Saying so, the minister said, “Till now 12 lakh more people are waiting to enter Assam. If the quarantine system is not maintained properly, then you can imagine the high number of infected patients that we will witness.”

Himanta Biswa Sarma also informed that at present the 14 days quarantine policy is sina qua non for all those who are entering Assam. Pilots, crew members, drivers will not be quarantined. The Assam government coined a new phrase for quarantine policy, which the minister termed as “Rootless quarantine with a human heart.” The minister, however, added a line of caution for those who would try to escape from being quarantined. He said that strict legal action would be taken against any such erring persons.