Jamshedpur administration increases Covid tests at picnic spots

Jamshedpur: In view of the New Year and the threat of a fresh wave of Covid-19, the administration has increased the number of teams conducting Covid-19 tests at picnic spots. The team strength at Jubilee Park has been increased from two to four in view of the heavy rush of picnickers while in other picnic spots two-two additional teams have been engaged.

Revealing about the steps, an official said that the regular test of samples had dropped considerably during the Puja and festivity till Chhat. However, with the beginning of the New Year it is increasing. Tests are being conducted at picnic spots.

Presently, about 1,000 people tend to visit the Dimna lake area every day, but on December 31 and on New Year, thousands of picnickers are expected to visit the place, giving the police administration a tough time.

A senior police officer said that they have started a large-scale Covid test at the lake area as a strategy to frustrate the gathering picnickers there. Apart from the Dimna lake area, special security arrangements have been made at Narwa lake in Jadugora and at Burudih Dam in Ghatshila.

 The district police have also pressed into service the cops on the motorcycle for patrolling the picturesque Dimna lake area this picnic season. The initiative is aimed at providing better security to the tourists as well as the picnickers who throng to this tourist destination in large numbers around this time.

“Though celebrating picnic is not prohibited at Dimna lake area, those making their footfalls here must adhere to the Covid norms like wearing masks and maintaining social distance.  But while making a survey we found none of the picnickers had put on masks and neither of them was found maintaining the social distance.  We, therefore, called in the district health department officials for carrying out a RAT test for Covid of the picnickers,” said the official.

According to the senior police officer, the special security arrangement by the district police will remain effective till January 26, the period during which the people, especially the picnickers, tend to visit Dimna.