Free flow through Jharkhand-Odisha borders cause for COVID concern

Mail News Service

Chaibasa, Jan 14: The West Singhbhum district has seen an escalation in COVID cases that have climbed from 250 last week to 911 this week. The only bright spot in the otherwise grim scenario was that 225 COVID infected persons had recovered. But in view of the growing infection rate, Deputy Commissioner Ananya Mittal instructed the implementation of Sec 144 in the three subdivisions of Sadar Chaibasa, Chakradharpur and Jagannathpur.

Keen watch by district and police administrations was being maintained for implementation of COVID protocols. The teams are collecting fines from people not wearing masks and not maintaining physical distancing. These measures may reduce the coronavirus infection cycle but the main sources of infection are the district’s border checkposts along neighboring Odisha. No restriction or COVID test camps have thus far been set up along Mayurbhanj – Tantnagar block, Mayurbhanj -Mazgaon block, Keonjhar border – Jaintgarh, Barbil – Barajamda, border near Jojocamp water pump on Jharkhand-Odisha border. As a result,, thousands of people enter Jharkhand from Odisha every day while during the last wave, these borders were sealed. These unchecked state and district borders may up the infection graph to deadlier and unmanageable levels.

The administration should look into this and take some strict steps, so that the district can be completely safe from infection. No arrangement has been made for any kind of screening of people coming through from Odisha border.