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| Dual yardsticks in COVID-19 testing exposed | | |
SANJAY PATHAK
EARLY TIMES REPORT
KATHUA, Oct 9: Amid no relief from Union Territory administration to lift restrictions for entry of people at Lakhanpur, a serious loophole has emerged in the testing arrangements, where thousands of truck operators, who could be carriers of Coronavirus, have free entry to UT without their testing.
It poses serious risk for the population of the entire UT, especially in Jammu province, which has witnessed an increase in the number of COVID-19 infected patients as well as fatalities in the last one month.
Sources at Lakhanpur informed Early Times that over two thousands trucks from various states entered Jammu and Kashmir at Lakhanpur. “As per prevailing rules of testing the incomers, the truck operator along with one helper (2 persons per truck) have free entry at Lakhanpur and they are exempted from even getting tested through Rapid Action Test (RAT)”, sources said, adding that routinely, over four thousands untested people have been entering the Jammu and Kashmir.
These truck operators have been coming from various states of the country and could be carriers of Coronavirus. “After entry at Lakhanpur, these untested operators are free to visit any part of the UT and intermix with the general population at Dhabas, Warehouses, Mandis, Markets etc”, an official said, adding that the general rule was that these operators have not been tested but sometimes, for a photo opportunity, the police administration instruct few of them to be tested by RAT and took photograph, to circulate in media.
Sources further said that the situation for general masses was pathetic at Lakhanpur check post. “Labourers have to wait for days together to get themselves tested at Lakhanpur. As per figures shared by the district administration not more than 500 RAT are routinely conducted at Lakhanpur for visitors but people have been coming in huge number, forcing the visitors to wait for their turn”, an official posted at Lakhanpur said, adding that there were no facilities for the waiting people at Lakhanpur. “The purpose of establishing a check post at Lakhanpur is to screen every person visiting the UT but the government has already exempted the truck operators from testing. The core purpose of establishing a check point at Lakhanpur has already been defeated, while it has become a hub of corruption as well as harassment for people visiting the UT.
The government should take a holistic view of the entire matter and take decisions in view of public grievances as well as to get rid of prevailing corruption at Lakhanpur.
Additional Superintendent of Police Kathua Ramneesh Gupta said we have conducted random sampling of truck drivers and also conducted the tests of those truckers who have come from the red zone areas. |
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