KHONSA, 20 Apr: Children below 10 years and elders aged above 60 years will be exempted from paying the charges for RAT and RT-PCR tests at the two entry points to Tirap district.
While it is mandatory for all persons entering Tirap to undergo screening, truckers/attendants carrying essential items, state government contingency staffers with valid ID cards, and the CPMF/military are also exempted from paying test charges.
BPL card holders will need to produce their BPL cards to avail the same.
For others, the RAT will cost Rs 200 per test and the RT-PCR/TrueNat test will cost Rs 500.
The decision was taken during a coordination meeting held in connection with the preparedness for the Covid-19 pandemic, under the chairmanship of Tirap DC Taro Mize here on 19 April.
The district administration (DA) also identified the tri-junction (Khonsa, Assam and Deomali) and Dirok gate as points of entry (PoE) to the district, through which movement will be allowed from 7 am to 6 pm.
Inter-district movement of persons and goods through neighbouring states will carry a facilitation pass from the DA concerned at the PoE.
The weekly market in Deomali will also remain closed until further orders. However, the Khonsa local market and weekly vegetable vendors (every Saturday) will remain functional with all SOPs in place.
Further, the Tirap DA has demarcated the polytechnic girls’ hostel in Khonsa as a Covid care centre and medical staff from other health centres of the district will be roped in to be on duty on a rotational basis at various locations.
Addressing the meeting, the DC urged the heads of departments not to avail any kind of leave, and asked them to call back all the officers/officials who are on leave to perform their duties during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic at the check gates and in different Covid care centres in the district.
Granting leave may be considered on exceptional grounds only, the DC added.
