<p>Assam government opened a helpline number and an email-ID on Saturday as it geared up to bring back over six lakh people, who are stuck outside due to the lockdown and the fear of coronavirus.</p>.<p>Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters in Guwahati that entry of over six lakh people was going to be a challenge as it carries the fear of COVID-19 infections since many of them live in areas marked as 'Red Zone' and 'Orange Zone' by the government. "If we can overcome this challenge without much impact, it will be an achievement for us. But we are gearing up for this and people must help us," he said.</p>.<p>"Those willing to come back in trains to be provided by us can give a miss call to 7428159966. Our volunteers will contact them within 48-hours and help them upload the details like their address, phone number, and destination before they are provided the train service. But they all must be ready for compulsory screening and quarantine for COVID-19 at the entry points. And those who are ready to come in their vehicles can send us a mail to <a href="mailto:assamtransportrelief@gmail.com" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">assamtransportrelief@gmail.com</a> with the details. We will issue a pass online and facilitate their journey and quarantine," Sarma said.</p>.<p>But those who had already given a missed call (6.8 lakh people) earlier seeking financial assistance from us need not contact us again and our volunteers will reach out to them for their return, he said. The state government had earlier provided Rs. 2,000 to more than two lakh people stuck in the rest of the country due to the lockdown. Most of them are in Karnataka, Kerala, Maharastra, Gujarat, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Bengal.</p>.<p>Sarma, however, appealed such people to stay where they are and the government will transfer Rs. 2,000 every month to their accounts until the government can afford to do so.</p>.<p>Such people will be screened in centres in Boxirhar and Srirampur at the Assam-Bengal borders. The state government has set up quarantine centres in Guwahati, Tezpur, Jorhat and Silchar. The state government will also send buses to bring those stuck in the rest of the Northeast. </p>
<p>Assam government opened a helpline number and an email-ID on Saturday as it geared up to bring back over six lakh people, who are stuck outside due to the lockdown and the fear of coronavirus.</p>.<p>Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters in Guwahati that entry of over six lakh people was going to be a challenge as it carries the fear of COVID-19 infections since many of them live in areas marked as 'Red Zone' and 'Orange Zone' by the government. "If we can overcome this challenge without much impact, it will be an achievement for us. But we are gearing up for this and people must help us," he said.</p>.<p>"Those willing to come back in trains to be provided by us can give a miss call to 7428159966. Our volunteers will contact them within 48-hours and help them upload the details like their address, phone number, and destination before they are provided the train service. But they all must be ready for compulsory screening and quarantine for COVID-19 at the entry points. And those who are ready to come in their vehicles can send us a mail to <a href="mailto:assamtransportrelief@gmail.com" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">assamtransportrelief@gmail.com</a> with the details. We will issue a pass online and facilitate their journey and quarantine," Sarma said.</p>.<p>But those who had already given a missed call (6.8 lakh people) earlier seeking financial assistance from us need not contact us again and our volunteers will reach out to them for their return, he said. The state government had earlier provided Rs. 2,000 to more than two lakh people stuck in the rest of the country due to the lockdown. Most of them are in Karnataka, Kerala, Maharastra, Gujarat, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Bengal.</p>.<p>Sarma, however, appealed such people to stay where they are and the government will transfer Rs. 2,000 every month to their accounts until the government can afford to do so.</p>.<p>Such people will be screened in centres in Boxirhar and Srirampur at the Assam-Bengal borders. The state government has set up quarantine centres in Guwahati, Tezpur, Jorhat and Silchar. The state government will also send buses to bring those stuck in the rest of the Northeast. </p>
