Three dists in Jharkhand make Covid test mandatory for new arrivals

Ranchi: As the number of positive cases inches towards the 4,000 mark in Jharkhand, three districts have made it mandatory for people arriving from other states to undergo Covid-19 tests.
West Singhbhum deputy commissioner Arava Rajkamal issued an order on Monday directing persons arriving from other states to undergo mandatory Covid-19 testing at the district’s dedicated community health centres (CHC). “Those flouting the order will be booked and tried under relevant sections of the IPC and the Disaster Management Act of 2005,” the order read.
A similar directive was issued by the Deoghar administration on Sunday evening. Its deputy commissioner Nancy Sahay took to Twitter to announce the order and underscored that the flouters will be booked. “Till the time their reports arrive, all of them have to stay at government quarantine centres,” Sahay added.
Ramgarh, which became the first district to issue such an order on July 9, mandated that the persons arriving in the district will have to intimate the health and administrative authorities voluntarily for Covid-19 sampling at the dedicated centres located in Ramgarh sadar hospital and CHCs at Mandu, Gola and Patratu block headquarters.
As on Monday morning, West Singhbhum has 93 cases while Deoghar has 65 cases. Ramgarh has reported 171 cases so far.
The decision from respective district administrations eclipses the June 1 directive of that state disaster management department which said individuals coming from outside Jharkhand will have to stay in 14-day home quarantine and get sampled for Covid-19 tests if they are symptomatic. The earlier order has not been revised so far. Besides mandatory Covid-19 tests for inbound people, the East Singhbhum administration threatened to initiate action against government officials who are shuttling between Chaibasa (district headquarters) and Jamshedpur, Ranchi and other towns during weekends to spend time with their families stating that such movements risk transmission of the virus.
In Chatra, the district authorities directed health and administrative officers to get shopkeepers and vegetable vendors tested for Covid-19. “Till the time their reports arrive, all shops shall remain closed except those selling essentials,” a statement issued by the authorities said. The Chatra administration has announced a weeklong lockdown and said it will not allow any interstate travel through its borders unless the traveller produces e-passes issued by the Jharkhand government.