Umerkote/Rayagada: Even as the state government has sealed several border entry points in Nabarangpur abutting Chhattisgarh, there are still some routes in remote rural areas that are far from the sight of the administration.
Traders from the neighbouring state routinely commute on these routes, triggering Covid infections in the fringe areas of the district.
A similar route in Jamranda panchayat was facilitating communication to the neighbouring state. People of Dugalahandi were worried over the upward trend of the Covid infection in the area.
They sealed the route Tuesday by laying trees and logs on roads. According to reports, the graph of Covid infection is soaring in parts of Jharigaon, Chandahandi, Raighar and Umerkote blocks due to trading links with the fringe areas in Chhattisgarh.
Traders from the adjoining state sneak into the fringe areas under these blocks through porous borders. Various outfits have demanded that other porous points with Chhattisgarh need to be sealed as soon as possible so as to check Covid infections.
Rayagada on the edge over Andhra, Telangana returnees
Amid a quick spread of the second wave of Covid-19 in Rayagada district, people in its fringe areas are panicked over the continued return of migrants from hotspots like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, a report said.
Meanwhile, more police were deployed on border check posts connecting to the two neighbouring states. Collector Saroj Kumar Mishra visited Kereda check post on Andhra borders Wednesday and took stock of the situation. About eight border points in the district have been sealed.
The migrants and others coming from the two states are asked to show Covid negative reports before being allowed entry into the district.
The Collector said that the returnees are mandated to stay in quarantine for 14 days. Those having RTPCR negative reports (48 hours) are told to go in for sevenday quarantine.
People, especially those speaking Telugu, in fringe areas are fully dependent on Andhra markets so far as normal life and sale and purchase of essential commodities are concerned.
Checking was stepped up at railway stations in the district as well. It was alleged that though the administration had sealed border entry points, there are several lesser-known routes in the fringe areas through which people commute in and out of the neighboring state on a daily basis.
The administration has asked the local authorities to identify those secret routes and seal them immediately.
Special Relief Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena has written to Collectors of six districts in Andhra Pradesh, adjoining Rayagada, to tighten Covid curbs across the border so that infections can be checked in Odisha side.
PNN
