PANJIM: Hours after undergoing test for COVID-19 and being advised to undergo 14-day self-quarantine, the eight policemen including a home guard at Patradevi check-post surprisingly reported back on duty early Saturday morning. What raised more concern is that their reports were still awaited and the department asked them to report at 8 am on Saturday.
Fortunately, on Saturday evening, the swab results were negative.
“The seven policemen and one home guard were on duty on the morning of May 12 when the family of six and one truck driver was found positive for COVID-19. These policemen were tested at around 3.30 pm on May 15 and asked to home quarantine. Soon, the police higher-ups asked them to report on duty at 8 am on Saturday,” a reliable source informed Herald.
The busy check-post with just one tin-shed has been a busy point. Nearly 100 vehicles with travel permits and around 300 good carriers including trucks have been crossing the border to and fro on a day-to-day basis.
While the frontline warriors do not complain about being at service round-the-clock, their worry was to report on duty at a time when the test results were still pending. “Once the result reported negative, the staff could have been called for duty. What was the hurry to depute them back without giving a thought about their own safety and that of others in their contact,” the source said.
With mere face mask and sanitisers, the men in khaki have been performing their duties right from checking and verifying identity of each individual, their vehicles and commodities carried in goods vehicles. The Government’s assurance to provide the policemen with PPE kits has not turned into a reality as yet.
“We are the first contact since we touch the identity cards and documents of everyone entering the State. We check every vehicle thoroughly to ensure no trafficking of any sort is happening in guise of these permissions. Until further permission is granted including sending each for rapid testing, we are with these people for minimum three hours,” the source said explaining the risk of transmission.
The small set up at the check-post has not been sanitised, creating further panic considering the spike in cases in the State. It is learnt that while the policemen are back on duty, the two health staff, who had conducted the test on the positive patients, are home-quarantined.
Similarly, DySP (Mapusa), PI (Pernem) and Mamlatdar (Pernem) have also got themselves tested since they came in contact with this police team.
The situation at other check posts, particularly, those connecting to another COVID-19 hit Karnataka, is similar as checking of vehicles is being carried out without any safety gear.
“Ever since the borders are open for inter-state movement, the number of vehicles has increased. We are checking the vehicles and screening people but what about our safety? No PPE kits are made available to us,” one of the frontline warriors lamented.
“Safety is our concern, we are not complaining about the work. We are in the force with an oath to serve the nation,” another said.
