Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal place of sensitive origins: Maharashtra govt

In a bid to curb transmission of Covid-19 and to stop the “influx of other variants of coronavirus” from other states, Maharashtra on Saturday declared Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal as the places of “sensitive origin”

In a bid to curb transmission of Covid-19 and to stop the “influx of other variants of coronavirus” from other states, Maharashtra on Saturday declared Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal as the places of “sensitive origin”.

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It means the travellers coming from these two states will have to carry negative RT-PCR tests within 48 hours of their train travel. They will also have to go through a mandatory 15 day home quarantine even if they are carrying a negative report. The order was issued by chief secretary Sitaram Kunte on Saturday.

Last month, the state had declared Kerala, Goa, Gujarat, Delhi and NCR region, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand as places of “sensitive origin”.

The decision has been taken to curb the transmission of coronavirus in the state and also to stop the influx of other Covid-19 virus variants into the state from other locations, stated the order.

“These places will be considered the places of ‘Sensitive Origin’ from the date of this order till the time it is retracted or till Covid-19 stays notified as a disaster,” it added.

The passengers who are not carrying the RT-PCR negative report will have to undergo a rapid antigen test at the station. All the passengers without symptoms and without needing to be moved to quarantine centres by district management authority, without fail shall be stamped on their hands for compulsory home quarantine for 15 days. This is required for those passengers who are carrying the negative RT-PCR test as well as those who have tested negative in a rapid antigen test at the station or otherwise, said the standard operating procedure for the place of sensitive origins.

Meanwhile, the state government clarified that shops selling meat, fish as well as mangoes will be allowed all seven days but they can be opened between 7am to 11am, according to a clarification issued by Aseem Gupta, principal secretary, relief and rehabilitation department.

However, all these shops can send home delivery for customers after 11am personally or through e-commercial services. There are no restrictions on cargo movements, it added.