Uttarakhand boost testing near India-Nepal border as Covid-19 cases soar

Due to negligence and the lackadaisical attitude shown by the administration in the initial phase, Covid-19 cases soar in Uttarakhand's mountainous regions.

Khatima(Uttarakhand):Amid a spike in COVID-19 cases, Uttarakhand is now changing the focus of testing to its mountainous regions. Officials have asked to increase testing in the hilly districts, especially for those returning from red zones or across the border.

The spread of the COVID infection in the localities of Kumaon region have turned worse, though initially, the hilly region was not widely affected by the deadly virus.

To check the ground situation, ETV Bharat team visited camps in the border area where Rapid COVID-19 Antigen detection tests are being conducted and discerned that:

• Some 90-100 Nepali citizens were sitting in a queue about 50 metres from the border waiting for their turn for the coronavirus test being done by health department team from a small check post.
• Individuals were being called out, their documents were checked and then a rapid test was being done for coronavirus infection.
• Every person was issued a token by the health department team against each of their names, the result of the test was being noted down.
• The entire process takes three to four hours.
• Traders are allowed to proceed further only after the report was found to be negative and those testing positive were being sent back.
• Every day, about 300-350 people are being tested.

Pharmacist Amit Joshi, who was conducting the rapid test, told ETV Bharat that every day 300 to 350 Nepali citizens were being tested. A total of 18 Nepali citizens were found infected by coronavirus on November 22 and since then till November 26, a total of 30 Nepali citizens were found to be coronavirus positive. They were handed over to the Nepalese administration by the local administration.

''After clearance by the health camp, the SSB carries out a check on the Nepali citizens. Their names, vehicle number, address and other mandatory documents are being checked and noted down. Those coming from Nepal with Aadhaar card are also being checked to verify if it was authentic. This is being done as the police in Champavat had got information that Indian Aadhar cards were being forged in Nepal after which the Indian administration has become extra vigilant and is closely scrutinizing all the documents,'' said Joshi.

The Nepali citizens have to clear SSB check post, customs and immigration check post some 100 metres away, cross the Sharada bridge and Sharda barrage check post before proceeding to their respective destinations.

After laxity shown by the administration during the unlock period, some traders of the border area had complained that Nepal had shunned its doors for the Indian traders because of the pandemic while India was allowing free entry to the Nepali citizens causing crowding in local markets, posing the threat of the spread of the infection.

Concerns raised by some traders of Banbasa-Khatima and Tanakpur towns on the border of Uttarakhand and Nepal may prove to be propitious for the region.

Initially, the administration took these complaints lightly but on November 23, the traders of Banbasa conducted a strong protest against the insulting behaviour of the Nepal administration towards Indian citizens and traders.

According to the traders, the Indian traders were treated inappropriately by the Nepal administration during the lockdown, whilst India was giving a free pass to the Nepali citizens.

Following a protest by the Indian traders, the Indian administration started conducting coronavirus test on people coming from Nepal and the qualms expressed by the Indian traders proved right.

COVID tests on Nepali citizens commenced from the evening of November 22 and on the first day itself, 18 people tested positive for coronavirus.

This alarmed the local administration following scaling up of strict scrutiny. As a severe repercussion of the protest by local traders, no coronavirus infected person can now enter India from across the border.