The Dorbar Shnong of Laban is working towards collecting the names of all shopkeepers, shop assistants, restaurant and grocery delivery boys, etc of the neighbourhood so that they can be prioritised for vaccination against Covid-19.
“We are on the task to collect all the names of the shopkeepers, etc so that we can hand over the names to the concerned magistrate so that those willing can get their first dose of the Covid vaccine at the earliest. We have got feedback from the shopkeepers themselves who think they are at high risk because they have to meet and interact with so many people every day,” Rangbah Shnong of Laban, Edward Kharwanlang, told Highland Post.
There are currently two areas within Laban that are containment zones – on Howell Road and KS Road. But Kharwanlang believes that what is really necessary is a full-scale lockdown for at least four days to reduce infection numbers. Although people are only allowed to step out of the house for essential reasons, people take advantage of this rule to wander around aimlessly, he said. Other problems, according to him, is that only a few shops selling essentials are allowed to open at a time, which causes a rush and overcrowding, and people from other neighbourhoods still come to Laban for their shopping even though this has been discouraged by the state government.
Last year, when the first wave of the coronavirus hit Meghalaya, the residents of Laban rallied round by collecting funds to help below poverty line (BPL) families with supplies and the Dorbar is thinking of repeating that for the second wave.
Kharwanlang made it clear that the restrictions that have been imposed in Laban have been laid out by the district administration and are solely to contain the spread of the coronavirus and it is not the Dorbar’s desire to see shops closed and deprive people of their livelihoods.
He also suggested that all shops be allowed to open according to the odd-even formula every day for at least two hours so that everyone gets a chance to earn a living.
