ICR DA holds meet on new Covid-19 SOPs; penalties for not wearing mask, public spitting

ITANAGAR, Sep 2: The Itanagar capital region (ICR) district administration has warned that violators of the new Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOP) would face strict action.

During a virtual meeting with stakeholders regarding the modalities for regulating activities as per the new SOPs, ICR DC Komkar Dulom said that, “as per the new normal, everyone has to observe standard Covid-19 precautions like compulsory wearing of facemask, physical distancing, frequent handwashing, use of sanitizers, and maintain cough etiquette while in public areas and workplaces.”

Highlighting that there will now be a penalty of Rs 500 for not wearing a facemask and a penalty of Rs 200 for spitting in public areas, the DC urged the residents of the ICR to cooperate with the administration and follow the SOPs.

Dulom also raised the matter of winding up the paid quarantine centres “once those currently staying at the centres are discharged after testing negative.” He, however, stressed that the process of winding up would be done gradually, after evaluating the situation.

The dedicated CCCs and DCHCs will continue to function, he added.

The DC expressed hope that, with the winding up of a few activities, the frontline workers would get some respite. “However, they have to be on standby mode for any kind of eventualities,” he added.

ICR DMO Dr Mandip Perme informed that the five testing centres – the Banderdewa check gate, the CCC in Lekhi, the TRIHMS, the Hotel Donyi Polo Ashok quarantine facility, and the CCC in the zoo area – will continue testing for Covid-19.

Issues pertaining to conducting rapid antigen tests (RAT) on government servants on duty, ‘rationalization’ of RAT by scaling it down to selected cases, and other practical problems faced at the ground level were also discussed in the meeting.

More than 40 officers from various departments, including ICR SP Tumme Amo and ADC Talom Dupak, attended the meeting. (DIPRO)