No guidelines in NB for foreign travellers

SNS, SILIGURI, 23 DECEMBER 2021 : As the state government plans to make Omicron test coinpulsory for foreign travellers, agencies responsible for handling foreign nationals in North Bengal have not yet received guidelines from the health authorities or the government, it is learnt.

According to Bagdogra Airport Director Subramani P, he will follow the protocol prescribed by the government only after they begin international flight operations.

"At present, there are no direct international arrivals at Bagdogra. We have spoken to the District Magistrate on the matter. The state will prescribe protocols as international flight operations start. Foreigners, who are arriving here via Kolkata and other airports, are being checked with all protocols," he said.

On the other hand, In spec-tor General of the Sasashtra Seema Bal (SSB), Srikumar Bandyopadhyay, said SSB personnel posted at the Indo- Nepal and Bhutan borders will not be involved in the "job" directly "It is the state health authorities that will do the job. The state health authorities have not yet contacted us so far," Mr Bandyopadhyay said over the phone from Delhi.

Meanwhile, sources said authorities are not allowing foreign nationals to enter Bengal from Bangladesh via the land port.

According to the Secretary of the Eastern Himalaya Tour and Travel Operators' Association, Sandipan Ghosh, they too have not yet received any guideline from the district magistrate's office related to Omicron. " However, we have a meeting with the administration on 23 December on different agenda," he said.

"We are handling a negligible number of foreign tourists due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as compared to previous years. Before the Covid19 situation, we have handled a huge number of foreign travellers