'Meghalayan Age' Festival Canceled amid Coronavirus Scare in NE

Shillong, March 6, 2020:

Amid nationwide precautions being adopted to contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Government of Meghalaya has cancelled the Meghalayan Age festival to be held in Thadlaskien. The greatly anticipated event, which was touted as a grand event to showcase the rich diversity of the Northeast Indian state in the national arena, has been significantly scaled down and will now consist of only conferences, an Inside Northeast report has confirmed.

In an official release, the Government stated that it is "fully cognizant of the public advisory released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and the Department of Health and Family Welfare (DoHFW) of the Government of Meghalaya regarding the outbreak of the COVID-19 Virus in India."

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Tourism Department is taking steps, in coordination with the DoHFW, Government of Meghalaya to ensure that all protocols and precautionary measures are adhered to at the Meghalayan Age Festival being organized from the 7th – 15th of March 2020 at Wenfield, Thadlaskein, West Jaintia Hills.

Due to fears of a coronavirus outbreak, the festival is now being scaled down to a Conference with participation of limited invitees only.

As mass gatherings are to be avoided as per the DoHFW ‘s advisory, it is decided that the earlier planned events i.e., evening music concerts and tethered balloon flights will not be held for the first three days.

The first three days will only be a Media Conference and a familiarization trip for the

50-70 invitees who will be going through the existing screening process as per

Government of India and State Government’s protocols, the Meghalaya Government conveyed in its communique.

The situation is being monitored closely and the State Government is continuously

reviewing the situation, the Meghalayan Government has informed.

Meanwhile, earlier today, it was reported that a tourist who had passed through Guwahati on the way to Bhutan, has been tested positive for the virus.

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