Modi in Gujarat: 23 on-duty cops for PM's Kevadiya visit found COVID-19 positive

KEVADIYA: During coronavirus tests of security personnel a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit here, as many as 23 policemen were found infected with the disease, officials said on Friday.

Over 5,000 police and State Reserve Police (SRP) personnel from different districts have been deployed in areas surrounding the Statue of Unity in the wake of Modi's visit to the monument near Kevadiya village in Narmada district on Friday and Saturday.

As a precautionary measure, special testing booths have been created at the Statue to test security personnel deployed here in view of Ekta Diwas celebrations, said an official release by Narmada district.

As per the release, as many as 3,651 police personnel were tested for coronavirus on Thursday and 23 of them were found infected with the disease.

They were admitted to a COVID-19 centre at Rajpipla town of Narmada district, said the release.

On October 27, five policemen were found coronavirus positive during a similar testing exercise at the Statue of Unity, a monument dedicated to Sardar Patel.

Modi on Friday inaugurated 'Arogya Van' in Kevadia here.

Arogya Van (health forest) is spread over an area of about 17 acres, displaying a wide range of medicinal plants which play an important role in the well-being of human beings, said a release by the authorities.

It is one of the 17 projects to be inaugurated by the PM on Friday and Saturday near the Statue of Unity, a towering monument dedicated to Sardar Patel which has emerged as a popular tourist attraction in Gujarat.

The health forest also emphasises on the importance of yoga, ayurveda and meditation in people's lives.

Five lakh plants of 380 selected species have been grown in the sprawling garden, the release said.

The Arogya Van comprises a lotus pond, alba garden, aroma garden, yoga and meditation garden, indoor plant section, digital information centre, souvenir shop and a cafeteria serving ayurveda foods, among other things, it said.

Modi also visited the digital information centre and the indoor plant garden created inside the Arogya Van.

The PM moved around in the Arogya Van on a golf cart and also interacted with guides posted there for the benefit of tourists.