Crime rate comes down drastically, social policing augmenting lockdown objectives in Sikkim
BIJOY GURUNG
GANGTOK: The all-out lockdown measures being undertaken by Sikkim Police to bolt its inter-State borders with neighbouring Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts of West Bengal serves both the regions to prevent migration of COVID-19, police here maintains. People are stopped from entering Sikkim and citizens here are also prevented from going to the other side of Teesta and Rangit rivers during the coronavirus-induced national lockdown.
Speaking with SIKKIM EXPRESS on Day 14 of the national lockdown, Sikkim Police DIG (Range) and media spokesperson Sonam T. Bhutia underlined that the sealing the borders and intensified police patrolling along the unmanned stretches of Sikkim-West Bengal borders benefits both sides.
“It goes both ways, people cannot go out (from Sikkim) and people cannot enter our State. It also serves the purpose of other side of the border. It is not like that we are trying to stop people from the other side (Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts) only… we are also stopping people from our side from crossing into the other side,” he said giving the recent example of migrant workers of other States being stopped by the Sikkim government from leaving Sikkim in the early days of the lockdown.
Bhutia expressed that the objective of the national lockdown is to stop inter-State migration of people for a period of 21 days as a preventive measure to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. All States have enforced similar steps to keep people staying where they are at the present and are not permitting any cross-border movement barring transport of essential commodities.
In the initial days, focus was on having strong vigil at the Rangpo and Melli checkposts, the two major entry-exit points of Sikkim. Before the lockdown began, the Sikkim government had already closed down other less frequented checkposts in south, east and west districts for public movement.
It later emerged that the porous stretches of the inter-State borders, especially the riverine belts, offered opportunities for people to enter or exit Sikkim on foot. The vulnerable areas were those close to Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts like Reshi, Rorathang, Melli, Jorethang and Nayabazaar.
This was addressed by the police by having constant patrolling along these stretches and also installing concertina wires at the porous points like the Hatichere point under Rhenock constituency and adjacent to Kalimpong district. Similar concertina wires are being placed in other identified locations like Rangpo river belt where people can cross through.
“The objective is good both ways as people will not go out and will not come in also. It is not that we are securing ourselves only but it also secures the other side like Darjeeling and Kalimpong because nobody from here goes there,” said Bhutia adding that there should be no misconceptions among people of both the neighbouring States.
To a question, the DIG (Range) said there were instances of cross-border movement earlier. Yes, we had such instances which is why we have taken such steps, he said adding police have also registered cases against the lockdown violators.
Asked whether the strong deterrents in place along the borders came after the recent coronavirus positive case in Kalimpong, Bhutia mentioned that police forces in every State intensified the lockdown enforcement after the Nizamuddin Markaz Jaamat emerged as a COVID-19 hotspot and rate of infections shot up in the country.
“It was a coincidence that the COVID-19 positive case came up in Kalimpong at that time but mainly, the stringent measures to stop inter-State movement came up when the rate of coronavirus infections shot up after the Nizamuddin Markaz event which is there for everyone to see. The level of threat actually went up after that and police all over the country became more conscious after that and we had to take these measures,” said the DIG (Range).
Has the cross-border movement completely halted?
Absolutely, replied the DIG (Range) adding that social policing is augmenting the efforts of Sikkim Police.
“There is lot of social policing in the present situation. Public have risen up to do social policing. Anyone coming new in their locality is being questioned regarding their travel history and similar is shared with the police. Police is also informed when a new person is brought to the hospital and we immediately enquire from that person regarding his travel history,” said Bhutia.
The DIG (Range) shared that there were some cases wherein public played a vital role to identify a person who had either faked his travel history or returned home in a suspicious manner. “We have been regularly appealing the public to alert us about new arrivals in their villages or neighbourhoods. Sometimes it escapes the notice of the police but the public will know and if such persons are caught hiding, they will be taken to task,” he said.
Asked about the challenges to maintain law and order while police are more engaged in enforcing the lockdown and social distancing, Bhutia said there has been no law and order situation in Sikkim barring a couple of occasions at the pharma companies here which were also quickly resolved.
The DIG (Range) also mentioned that crime rate has come down drastically in Sikkim as happening similarly in other parts of the country. He pointed to the reports in TV news channels of crime rate dropping down by 30% in the country. Here also, the crime rate has come down drastically, he said adding that there were some instances of attempts being made to sneak in contraband drug substances during the lockdown period.
One instance was wherein some persons in South Sikkim who took out a travel pass from the concerned authorities for some purported emergency. They tried to use the same pass the next time also and it was found that they were consumers and were trying to abuse the pass. They got caught and a case has been registered against them.
Few truckers were also arrested while trying to smuggle contraband drug substances into Sikkim during the lockdown period.
LALL BAZAAR MEAT SHOPS CLOSED FOR ANOTHER 15 DAYS
KUNAL RAI
GANGTOK: Operation of meat shops here behind the Lall Bazaar shopping complex has been suspended for another 15 days as a joint inspection by the authorities on Tuesday felt the hygiene standard was not satisfactory. However, the pork meat shop would be allowed to open within next few days since the outlet had maintained good hygiene in the premises.
All the meat shops behind Lall Bazaar shopping complex had been closed for a week on April 1 for failing to maintain proper cleanliness and food safety standards.
A team consisting of officials from east district administration, Health department, police and Animal Husbandry along with Mayor Shakti Singh Chaudhury and GMC commissioner H.K. Chettri conducted a second inspection today.
The team inspected the meat shops located inside the market and all floors.
Speaking to media, Animal Husbandry additional director Dr. Madan Shanker informed that the shop owners and meat vendors had been directed last time to clean their shop premises and maintain proper hygiene. Our inspection today revealed that the cleanliness initiated was not up to the mark in the shops apart from the pork meat outlet, he said.
“We decided to continue the suspension of the meat market for another 15 days. The pork shop had maintained satisfactory hygiene and it will be operational within next few days after sanitisation. We will again come for checking after 15 days and will allow the shops to open only if we find the shops are clean enough. We are taking this initiative keeping in mind the health safety of the people,” said Dr. Shanker.
He informed that the two shops selling chicken in the complex had remained closed for many days. The team has decided to seal these two chicken shops with immediate effect, he said.
MP, MINISTERS INSPECT GEYZING HOSPITAL, QUARANTINE & ISOLATION CENTRES
USH HANG LEEWANG
GEYZING: MP (Lok Sabha) Indra Hang Subba, Agriculture minister Lok Nath Sharma and PHE minister Bhim Hang Subba today inspected the Geyzing hospital here and took stock of the medical resources required during the lockdown and COVID-19 situation.
CMO (west) Dr. Anusha Lama updated the MP and the ministers about the Health department’s preparedness against any health emergencies in West Sikkim and the availability of medicines, transport facilities for the people suffering from medical ailments in the district during the ongoing lockdown.
Dr. Lama informed about the helplines in place to deal with any medical emergency in West Sikkim. “In case of medical emergencies related to pregnant women and infants (below one year), the patient party can dial 102 to avail ambulance facilities at their doorstep while for other medical emergencies, the concerned party can give a call on 108 to avail the ambulance services”, she said.
The CMO further informed that ambulance services have been made available in all the eight Primary Health Centres of the west district keeping in view the ongoing lockdown and convenience of the people.
Minister Sharma directed the daily meal supplier of the district hospital to make provision of availability of foods to the persons attending the patients. He assured that financial constraints would be taken care of by the concerned department and the State government.
Later, the MP and the Agriculture minister visited the quarantine centre established at the hostel of Geyzing Girls Senior Secondary School. The centre has five persons of West Sikkim who had returned home from outside the State before the lockdown.
They also visited the isolation centre established at the Ayush Hospital, Kyongsa near Geyzing town and took stock of the facilities available.
SIMFED EFFICIENTLY DELIVERING VEGETABLES IN SOUTH SIKKIM MARKETS
NAMCHI (IPR): Fourteen days has passed since the announcement of a 21-day nationwide lockdown. South Sikkim is also peacefully observing this period so as to contain the spread of COVID-19. The good news here is that till date zero case of COVID-19 has been reported in the second smallest State of the country.
Lockdown in general can have an adverse effect in any supply chain, may it be economic or access to basic essential items. However, it is extremely laudable of Sikkim State Co-operative Supply and Marketing Federation Ltd. (SIMFED), particularly of the south district who are efficiently delivering vegetables to the various market areas of the district.
Some employees of South Sikkim SIMFED branch are on emergency duty and they are in-charge of collecting vegetables from the farmers of the rural areas. The vegetables are then supplied to the vendors in semi urban locations thereby providing an uninterrupted inventory of staple vegetables to the consumers.
Marcus Chettri, SIMFED official from Namchi, is visiting vegetable farms on a daily basis at places such as Salleybong, Rabitar, Jawbari, Phalidara, Sadam, Bul-Singtam, Sumbuk and many more. He and his team aids in procurement of greens cultivated in these locality.
Seasonal edibles such as cabbages, cauliflower, beans, carrot, beet-root, garlic, potatoes, ginger and other sundry consumable items are purchased from the organic farmers which are then kept at SIMFED outlet at Namchi. Some commodities on demand basis are also sold to vendors who are established at Namchi, Jorethang, Melli and Rabongla.
Currently, SIMFED in the district is daily providing an average quantity of 100-120 kg cauliflower, 210-220 kg cabbage, 25-30 kg carrot, 15-20 kg broccoli, 20-30 bunch leafy vegetables, 110-120 kg potatoes and 35-40 kg green peas.
In this crucial time, SIMFED has emerged as a hero particularly towards the organic farmers of the state. Sikkim has a sustainable economy where major focus is on agriculture and to support the farmers and their produce in this time of crises, SIMFED has maintained a supply chain wherein the vegetables are transported seamlessly by the officials.
This chain also let the farmers a chance to avoid going to the market by selling their agricultural produce to the SIMFED from their hamlet thereby maintaining social distancing and other safety precautions.sikkimexpress/from,india
