Emergency meeting of Bhandari Block Task Force (BTF) was held at the office chamber of the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Bhandari on 04.04.2020 to step up preparedness measure against the emergent situation of COVID-19.

After reviewing and deliberating on the capacity of the two quarantine facilities presently available under Bhandari sub division, it decided to set up one more quarantine centre at Merapani and two more centres at Baghty for the time being.

It was also reiterated that the medical team led by Medical Officer incharge, CHC Bhandari, stationed 24X7 at the police check gate, Bhandari will decide whether to send a person to home quarantine or to the quarantine centres after screening is carried out depending on a person's travel and contact history, and in this regard, Additional Deputy Commissioner Bhandari, Tiameren Chang, who chaired the meeting appealed to all concerned to cooperate for everyone's safety and welfare.

The meeting also discussed on matters of effective sealing of the areas under its jurisdiction which is geographically challenging because the border stretch with Assam state is porous and therefore, decided to post security personnel to different strategic locations to ensure its objective.

Expressing concern over shortage of resources such as manpower, means of transportation, PPEs and other materials required for not only medical personnel at CHC and sub-centre levels but every frontline workers who are at risk of being exposed to the dreaded Covid-19 Pandemic, it said it will appraised the concerned department to look into the matter for earnest action.

ADC also informed that since total lock down is imposed presently, vehicular movement including vehicles carrying essential commodities shall not be allowed to enter Bhandari or to pass through the police check gate Bhandari till further order and appealed to the public not to panic as supply arrangements will be made for the public.

(APRO Bhandari)