Khurda: Officials of Banapur block and Banapur Notified Area Council (NAC) have urged the Khurda Collector to impose shutdown in the two localities from August 12 to 18 to check the spread of novel coronavirus.
The officials have written to the District Collector and sought his immediate intervention to tackle the deadly virus. Among others, Banapur Block Development Officer (BDO), tehsildar, Banapur NAC executive officer and police officials of the locality have signed the letter.
In their letter, the officials claimed that around 5,000 migrants have returned to the localities under Banapur block and NAC during the nationwide lockdown over Covid-19 pandemic.
The swab samples of altogether 2,579 people from the two localities have been tested for the deadly virus. Till now, a total of 248 people including 25 Covid warriors have been tested positive for novel coronavirus, said the letter.
“Most of the positive cases are local contacts. Banapur of Khurda is a bordering area of Ganjam district, a Covid hotspot. The situation may deteriorate in coming days and the two localities may become a danger zone. There is an urgent need to check the spread the novel coronavirus in Banapur area,” added the letter.
Many locals also pleaded that the district administration should impose complete shutdown in Banapur area for a week and seal the border to arrest the spread of virus. They also urged the administration to sanitise the localities.
Khurda Collector Sanat Kumar Mohanty said the administration is monitoring the Covid-19 situation at Banapur. “We have imposed the weekend shutdown at Banapur. We will take further decision on the issue Monday,” he added.
