181 people from Nepalgunj’s quarantine sent home after 21 days

NEPALGUNJ, April 24: 181 Nepalis who were kept in a temporary quarantine set up near Nepal-India border have been sent home on Friday.

They were placed in quarantine on April 3, according to the Chief District Officer of Banke Kumar Bahadur Khadka. A total of five makeshift tents were set up using materials provided by the Nepal Army. Those temporary shelter houses were built in a day, jointly by Nepal Army, Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force.

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Although they had to be sent home after 14 days, the local authorities reached a decision on this after 21 days.

Local administration quoting ‘the order by higher authority’ had sealed Nepalgunj Rupaidiha entry point at Nepal-India border to control the cross-border movement of people in an attempt to curb the spread of novel coronavirus disease.

However, Nepalis in India entered Nepal, crossing forests, rivers and fields along the bordering areas. Several attempts made by the local administration to restrict the entry of Nepalis to their homeland have gone in vain as hundreds of Nepalis have made it to the Nepali side.

According to CDO Khadka, they have to remain in quarantine for 14 more days at home also. People from 24 districts were in the quarantine.

All of them had tested negative for coronavirus via rapid diagnostic test (RDT) method after their 14-day stay. However, they could not be sent to home owing to lack of order from the higher authority. Nepalgunj metropolis had managed daily meals, toilet and sanitation, and even health checkup during their stay here, according to deputy mayor Uma Thapa Magar.