COVID-19: Student Body Urges CM Zoramthanga to Play Mizo Anthem for 'Frontline' Fighters

Aizawl, April 3, 2020:

Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP), the northeast Indian State's apex student body, in a recent note to the Chief Minister Zoramthanga, has urged him to the play the anthem of the state, Ro min rel sak ang che" for those fighting the COVID-19 outbreak on the frontlines -- such as doctors, nurses, security personnel, etc.

expressing concern at the outbreak of the new coronavirus or COVID-19 in neighboring Assam (where 16 cases have been detected), has called upon the Chief Minister to take stringent measures to contain the spread.

Raising concerns about the recent positive cases in Assam, the MZP wrote to the CM, "Our neighboring state Assam, our only way to import the essential commodities has seen rapidly increasing number of COVID-19 posititive cases. No one can say what will happen next and how much would be the impact of this pandemic COVID-19. In view of the present situation of our neighboring state Assam, if our state is not prepared well, take proactive and comprehensive steps to combat this pandemic disease, disaster is surely

going to happen in our 'among the most backward' state Mizoram."

The student body has submitted a charter of demands to the Chief Minister, which it believes will help in curbing the outbreak of the virus.

ALSO READ: With 1 Isolation Bed per 11,000 People and 1 ICU Bed per 71,000, Assam Prepares to Fight COVID-19

The demands of the Mizo Zirlai Pawl are as follows:

As the present situation falls under Natural Disaster, a committee should be established under the chairmanship of State Disaster Management Committee, with the Chief Minister as the Chairman and the Chief Secretary as the Secretary, the MZP said.

The student organization also called upon the Ministers to form various sub-committees in order to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19. The MZP said that a committee on essential commodities - water supply, power supply etc, must be formed.

The MZP note further added that a Supply Chain Management Committee should be formed under the chairmanship of the Supply Minister.

Duties at the frontier borders should be equipped with better facilities, the MZP said. "More police force may be deployed along the state boundaries of Assam, Tripura and Manipur especially at Vairengte and Saiphai. Duty personnel may be deployed 24 hours at possible walking route connected to these areas. These duty personnel may be supplied enough PPEs" read the communique.

Local Level Task Force may be assigned their task in a well-defined manner, advised the student body.

The Mizo student body, in its note of directives, also said that if frontline personnel and such as medical taskforce get infected, they must be diagnosed free of cost and if they lose their lives, compensation must be paid to their families.

The MZP further advised that to encourage and inspire the frontline teams against the virus (medical team, frontier duties and voluntary local task force) the state anthem "Ro min rel sak ang che" should be played intermittently.

The MZP said that in order to maintain and enforce Law and order, a sub-committee will be formed by the Home Minister to take necessary measures to ensure that law prevails in the state.

To enable public to access more reliable, efficiency and quality information, a committee

may be formed under the leadership of Information minister, the MZP advised.

The MZP also said that a Public Health Committee should be established under the leadership of the Health Minister.

"Mizo Zirlai Pawl is ready to join hands with our state government in whatever we can do. We believe that the above proposals are necessary to contain the rapid spreading pandemic and protect our community from this pandemic COVID-19", the MZP wrote, extending its cooperation to the Government.

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