ATTARIYA, March 21: Sudur Paschim provincial government has urged the Nepali citizens not to visit India at least for a week when the spread of a global pandemic of coronavirus (COVID-19) accelerates.

A meeting of the Coronavirus Control and Directive Committee held till Friday night at the Office of Chief Minister and Council of Ministers decided to call on the citizen not to cross the Nepal-India border in the province at least for a week. Chief Minister Trilochan Bhatta chaired the meeting.

Besides, the meeting agreed to make the health assistance desk established along the transit points more effective. The meeting also discussed the required preparation in case of an outbreak of the virus.

On the occasion, Chief Minister directed stakeholders concerned to take measures for the control of the COVID-19 outbreak and proper management. The Chief Minister who is also the chair of Provincial Corona Control Committee said the meeting decided to increase the number of high surveillance rooms for the probable suspected in the province.

Although there are some isolation wards in all the nine districts of the province, preparations are being made to set up more isolation wards in Dhangadhi of Kailali and Mahendranagar. Similarly, the chiefs of the local levels sharing border with India have been urged to tighten the cross-border movement of people.

Chief Minister Bhatta said the three-tier governments would mobilize the required funds for the containment of the coronavirus. It is stated that discussions were held in the meeting on the topics of preventing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic which has spread globally and how to manage the situation if its infection spreads.

Bhimdatta Municipality mayor Surendra Bista said since the number of Nepalis entering Nepal from various cities of India via the Gaddachauki transit has surged of late, the spread of coronavirus could be checked to a large extent if a high level of vigilance could be maintained at the transit points along the border with India.

Province government minister for internal affairs and law Prakash Bahadur Shah, minister for social development Krishna Raj Subedi, the Chief District Officers of Kailali and Kanchanpur districts and chiefs of the security bodies were present in the meeting.

 
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