Jharsuguda: COVID-19 is surging in parts of Chhattisgarh. This has left its impact on the fringe areas of Sundargarh district bordering Chhattisgarh. Fringe areas have been witnessing an upsurge. Rampant bootlegging in the border areas is feared to add to the pandemic spread in the side, a report said.
According to the report, the state government has warned the administration of 10 districts sharing borders with Chhattisgarh against the spread of the COVID-19.
The administration, as part of preventive measures, has sealed the entry point at Kanaktora. A temporary camp has been set up here while the police officials and administration have been strictly checking vehicular movements on road routes. Several other routes leading to Chhattisgarh have also been sealed.
But people living in fringe villages commute to the neighboring state through farmlands, forests and foot tracks which are out of the administration’s scanner.
These unnoticed routes reportedly facilitate many bootleggers of both the sides to carry on their cross-border business which is feared to spread the virus, locals alleged. People on both sides also commute on the porous borders.
Moreover, people in Chhattisgarh fringe areas come to villages in Jharsuguda to drink liquor almost every day. Bootlegging has been rampant in many fringe villages.
Such scenario is found at Sukhasoda village under Lakhanpur block. It is alleged that scores of people from Chhattisgarh drink country liquor at this outlet on a daily basis.
Locals alleged that some people had opposed such activities earlier, but it is of no use. Such activities have gone unnoticed by the excise and the police.
If such bootlegging is allowed in fringe areas, the pandemic situation will go out of control in the fringe areas. The efforts of the administration keeping guard on entry points will yield no results while COVID-19 will have made entry into backdoors, locals alleged.
Meanwhile, excise officials have started raids on some places, but all vulnerable areas are under strict vigil. Recently, two bootleggers were arrested at Sukhasoda.
Locals fear that bootlegging will be a potential means to bring COVID-19 from the neighboring state. There is a need for stern action on the bootleggers and tipplers from other side of the border.
The police and the administration have been carrying out strict checking of mask wearing and COVID-19 guidelines.
PNN
