Hailakandi DC tests negative for COVID 19, "No point in keeping the important office closed," Megha Nidhi Dahal

More than 10 individuals associated with the deputy commissioner’s office in Hailakandi have tested positive for COVID 19. ADC Ranadip Dam and his staffers are a few of them. Every day, several names from DC’s office appear in the list of COVID 19 positive patients.

“All are exactly not from DC office,” says Megha Nidhi Dahal, deputy commissioner of Hailakandi.  “What happened is many people who were suspected to be in contact with the positive employees came and gave their samples at our office. They are from across the district but because they gave their samples at DC’s office their address appears as DC’s office,” he added.

However, he confirmed that around 10 staffers from DC office and Circle Office including drivers and peons got infected with COVID. “I hope this will be the last lot, because every suspected person has been isolated and tested,” said Dahal.
Several questions were raised as to why the deputy commissioner is not demarcating DC’s office in Hailakandi as a containment zone and sealing it as it is done in the case of other establishments and residences.

“See, this is not a residential zone, that someone stays here and therefore we have to declare it containment zone,” responded the deputy commissioner. He added, “The last two days we kept the office close and sanitized it thoroughly. All those who are coming positive now are already in home isolation and have not visited the office since last week. So, there is no point in keeping an important office closed, at the end of the day, it is important to keep the administration up and running,” he asserted.

Dahal added that though he does not find it necessary to shut the DC’s office yet, however, even if he wanted to do so, he will need permission from the government.

He has confirmed that his samples tested negative for COVID 19 and so has his personal security officers, driver, staff.