The Odisha government on Tuesday augmented force deployment on its border with West Bengal to check influx of people from the neighbouring state after noticing that one-third of the state's COVID-19 patients have Bengal link.
The government also rushed Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) and experts to contain the spread of the coronavirus in three districts - Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur - which reported a spurt in infections.
Of the 79 COVID-19 cases detected in the state so far, these three districts have together reported 23.
While Bhadrak and Balasore have reported eight cases each, seven were detected in Jajpur.
As many as 17 new cases were reported in the last two days, a senior official said.
The official said Balasore district, which shares border with West Bengal, has recorded a steep rise in the number of COVID-19 cases since Monday.
As the government realized that a large number of people have sneaked into from West Bengal even during the lockdown period taking advantage of weak enforcement, Odisha DGP Abhaya rushed to Laxmannath check gates in Balasore district to assess the situation. He also visited other major entry and exit points on the border.
"We have already augmented force deployment on the border with West Bengal. I am satisfied that adequate force has been deployed on the border to stop any human movement," the DGP told reporters on his last leg of visit at Baripada, the district headquarters of Mayurbhanj district.
Apart from the DGP, Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), central division, Anil Samal also went to Balasore to ensure that the highly contagious virus does not spread to the border districts.
"We have already prepared a list of people who came from West Bengal. All of them will be quarantined and tested for COVID-19," Samal said adding the district administrations are taking all measures to contain the deadly disease.
Samal said about 3,000 people have entered Odisha from West Bengal in the last few days in ambulances and on foot.
As many of them are refusing to voluntarily come out, the government has deployed panchayat and urban local bodies functionaries to detect those who came from West Bengal.
Police has also tightened Odisha's borders with Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh in order to prevent the entry of people, many of Odisha origin, at least till the situation improves, said a senior official.
State government COVID spokesperson Subroto Bagchi said no police can stop the people from crossing the border because it is too long and porous. As the state has 3,043 kilometer border with other states besides 522 kilometer coastline, it is not humanly possible to prevent entry of people.
Odisha Police has issued an advisory alerting all Marine Police Stations to be on the look out for boats attempting to bring people, in violation of lockdown rules, to Odisha.
As local panchayat and ULB functionaries are the only available resources to detect the returnees, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will have a video conference with them," Bagchi said.
Meanwhile, Health and Family Welfare Secretary N B Dhal directed experts from medical colleges, and three directors (Health Service, Public Health and Family Welfare) along with Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) to oversee containment measures in the three districts of Balasore, Bhadrak and Jajpur.
While the director of health services has been rushed to Balasore district, the director of public health will look after Bhadrak and the director of family welfare has been given charge of Jajpur district.
Similarly, different medical colleges have been asked to provide technical support for coronavirus testing and treatment. While SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack will provide technical support in Jajpur, Fakir Mohan Medical College Hospital has been supporting the measures in Balasore and Bhadrak districts.
The health and family welfare department has appealed to the people who returned from West Bengal to voluntarily come forward for tests and place themselves in home or hospital quarantine as a precautionary measure.
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