Even COVID infected are moving freely from Belahiya Indian border. The locals have said that the problem was due to the ineffectiveness of the health desk and holding center set up at the border to prevent the transmission of COVID.
Only normal fever has been measured at the checkpoint. As many Nepalis go to the Indian market daily to buy goods through the Belahiya border crossing Rupandehi people are not conducting COVID tests.
Lal Mohan Chaudhary, the health coordinator of Belahiya Health Desk, says that the risk of spreading the infection has increased as Indian tourists and Nepalis returning from work are not tested for the virus.
The Ministry of Health and Population, Siddharthnagar Municipality, and various organizations have set up health desks at Naka. Security personnel are also deployed. Ujjwal Kasaju, president of the Butwal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, Rupandehi Chief District Officer Rishi Ram Tiwari said that health vigilance and health check-ups at the border have been tightened but the manpower could not contain the crowd. Around 500 freight vehicles enter through Belahiya daily but the driver and co-driver have not been tested. It is said that even those who have seen the symptoms of the infection at the checkpoint go straight home.
Although more than 500 antigens tests are done daily at the checkpoint, not everyone who enters is tested.
The state government has demanded money from the federal government to set up holding centers at three border points with India. A budget of Rs. 100 million has been demanded for the construction of holding centers in Bhairahawa, Rupandehi, Nepalgunj of Banke, and Krishnanagar of Kapilvastu. Chief Minister Kool Prasad KC has requested Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to provide funds.
According to Dr. Binod Kumar Giri, Director of Health, the state hospital has started preparations saying that the corona infection may have increased if people from India are allowed to enter after a long time due to the antigen test done at the checkpoint.
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