E-Paper
Coronavirus update: BSF warns personnel against negligence
All the formations have been directed to follow the guidelines related to safety measures to be taken including reporting to the authorities if any family members of the personnel have recently returned from a foreign country.
Border Security Force (BSF)’s interim director general, S S Deswal, on Sunday urged his personnel to follow the protocol devised to prevent the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic while warning them of strict disciplinary action in case of any negligence, according to officials aware of the matter.
Deswal’s appeal came a day after a BSF officer was tested positive for Covid-19 and 50 personnel, including two top officers who had attended meetings with him, were put under home quarantine.
The officer’s wife had travelled to the United Kingdom, but she has tested negative for Covid-19, an official said.
In an a message sent to all the formations, Deswal called the pandemic a tough time for the country and an unprecedented situation. He underlined the force is trained to be at the service of the nation in all eventualities at the borders and within.
All the formations have been directed to follow the guidelines related to safety measures to be taken including reporting to the authorities if any family members of the personnel have recently returned from a foreign country.
Deswal, who heads the Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP), said all the forces are in the state of complete readiness. “We have already arranged several facilities for Covid-19 patients and equipments have been kept ready. More facilities like our barracks, training centres and other buildings are being identified for more isolation beds. Although we are on the border, this [pandemic] is another dangerous enemy which we have to fight and we are prepared.”
Deswal praised ITBP’s team at Delhi’s Chhawla quarantine facility, where many have been treated since February,
The central paramilitary forces have, separately, also asked around 450 doctors recruited recently to join immediately as the forces are ramping up their healthcare facilities to deal with the pandemic.
They have also reached out to retired medical officers and modalities are being worked out to hire doctors on contractual basis to man hospitals and quarantine centres across the country with a strength of around 7,500 beds.
All the paramilitary forces currently have a combined strength of over 2,000 doctors apart from other paramedical staff.
