Border Tensions with Assam Defuse But Mizoram Suffers 'Great Damage' Amid Economic Blockade, 'Extremely Alarming' Covid Situation

“Great damage” has been caused to the people of Mizoram amid the economic blockage due to the July 26 border violence with Assam, state health minister Dr R Lalthangliana said, putting focus on Covid-19 patients and those in critical conditions.

The health minister had on Monday informed that Mizoram is currently reeling under its worst Covid-19 surge and the rate of infection is extremely alarming. According to him, most of the infections were reported from Aizawl district, especially within Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) limits.

The state has so far reported 151 coronavirus fatalities, of which 118 were from Aizawl district, he said. The Mizoram government claims that following the border dispute, the Assam government on July 29 summoned all the transporters in Guwahati who have been operating in Mizoram to stop transporting any goods into the neighbouring state due to ‘security concerns’.

This resulted in a complete halt of goods coming into the state, including basic medicines, live-saving drugs and Covid-19 medication as well. Even oxygen cylinders, oxygen plant materials, and coronavirus test kits have been blocked, the Mizoram government claimed.

For people on both the sides, it is a matter of life and livelihood, even as the two governments have promised to withdraw FIR filed against police officers and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Mizoram CM Zoramthanga on Monday tweeted, “In order to build a conducive atmosphere for amicable solution to the #MizoramAssamBorder dispute & to reduce the plight of suffering citizens, I have directed @mizorampolice to withdraw FIR dt. 26.07.2021 filed at Vairengte, Kolasib District, Mizoram against all the accused persons.”

The Mizoram government has also blamed the Centre for the crisis. “Despite having endured this problem for almost a week, there has been no response from the central government on this front. As true citizens of the country, we are entitled to amicable and positive response and intervention from the Centre at this critical time. Along with other supplies, the concern for Mizoram is the Covid situation,” the Mizoram government said in a statement.

Every citizen of this country has the right to medical care and medicines and denial of this right is contrary to the basic laws of this country. No citizen of Mizoram should lose his or her life because of the non-availability of medicines which is man-made as is being done by the Assam government today, the statement further read.

It stressed upon health minister’s Facebook post that said: “I would request the Hon’ble Prime Minister and Union Home Minister to intervene as earlier as possible to prevent any health crisis that may soon engulf our state and which we would be beyond the control of anybody.

The matter of economic blockade, however, has not been accepted by Assam. “The Assam government has not blocked any roads. People are emotional and some of them might have done it. We will request them not to indulge in such activities. Both Assam and Mizoram are the states of India and we are brothers,” Assam minister Pijush Hazarika said.

The FIRs have been withdrawn, but for normalcy, this economic blockade problem needs to get resolved.

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