Gangtok, April 6 (IPR): Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Shri K. Srinivasulu, convened a press conference today at the conference hall of Tashiling Secretariat with regard to the vaccination status and COVID-19 guidelines and management in the State.
The Principal Secretary was accompanied by PCE cum Secretary Tourism, Shri Kuldeep Chettri, Special DGP Law and Order, Shri Akshay Sachdeva, and Principal Chief Engineer, Tourism Department, Shri Prakash Chettri.
Addressing the media fraternity, Principal Secretary, Shri Srinivasulu, informed that India has witnessed the highest single-day rise of coronavirus in the country on 5th April which has raised grave concern in the State as well. He has appealed all to support the State Government in the fight against Covid-19 by strictly adhering to the guidelines and SOPs issued by theGovernment.
He further stressed on the low turnout of senior citizens during the massive vaccination drive initiated by the department in the State and added that the present scenario of coronavirus in the country demands extensive awareness and dissemination of information on the importance of the vaccine at the grassroot level. He also stated that the State Government in co-ordination with the line departments will be mobilizing various strategies to ramp up the vaccination drive at the earliest.
Special DGP, Law and Order, Shri Sachdeva, extended gratitude to the people of Sikkim for their constant support during the lockdown phases in the State in 2020 and appealed for the same this year as well. He highlighted on the necessity of wearing masks, maintaining social distancing at public places and strictly following the guidelines of the night curfew that has been imposed.
He also appealed to hotel owners, travel agents and homestay owners for their cooperation in ensuring that the tourists staying in their establishments should be tested at the specified testing centres who does not carry a negative RTPCR test report conducted upon their arrival. He expressed that the Police personnel with the support of the State Government are dedicated towards Sikkim’s fight against Covid-19 with equal zeal as it was in 2020.
Tourism Secretary, Shri Chettri, reiterated the guidelines issued for all stakeholders and visiting tourists and clarified that it is not compulsory to show the RTPCR test certificates at entry check posts by the tourists visiting Sikkim. Therefore, he urged the travel agents and hotels to assist the tourists with the RTPCR/True NAT tests at specified testing locations in the State if the tourists arrive without such report.
The conference concluded with a brief interaction session with the media fraternity.
