GTA installs thermal scanners at entry & exit points of Hills

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 23 April 2020, Darjeeling: The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has installed state-of-the-art high capacity thermal scanners at Simulbari and Chitray, the entry points to the Darjeeling and Kalimpong Hills respectively. 

"These infrared thermal camera scanners will help in proper surveillance of daily traffic. We can easily track body temperature of people from a distance. It would help in securing our borders and identify any affected individual from moving in or out of the region. We can take faster and effective action with the help of these scanners," stated Anit Thapa, chairman, GTA. 

A high-level meeting was held at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, attended by top brass of the Health department along with Dr Sushanta Roy, Officer on Special Duty (OSD.) 

"In the next two days COVID-19 tests will be doubled in North Bengal," said Dr Roy. 

The meeting chalked the way forward in combating the pandemic. It was further decided that door-to-door survey and tests would be conducted. The process has already been initiated in the Darjeeling district. Monitoring officers have been appointed to oversee the survey and tests. 

Alipurduar district has received 1,920 test kits. Dr Roy informed that rapid tests will begin in Alipurduar after two days. On Tuesday, 134 tests were conducted at NBMCH. All were reported to be COVID-19 negative. 

"This is good news. We will double the tests to around 260 a day. This will help us check community spread. We are testing patients with fever and other COVID-19 symptoms. However, number of patients has steadily decreased and so we will conduct door-to-door tests," said Dr Roy. 

"We are now giving stress on testing. Rapid and effective screening is also our priority," added Dr Pralay Acharya, Chief Medical Officer of Health, Darjeeling. 

In Darjeeling 29 persons including 3 females were arrested for violating lockdown norms. 

They have been charged under the Disaster Management Act and under Section 188 IPC. 

(Courtesy, source and link- Millenium Post- http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/gta-installs-thermal-scanners-at-entry-exit-points-of-hills-407722 )