Home Secy reviews screening procedure at land border points

New Delhi, March 5 Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Thursday reviewed the status of the screening procedure of people coming from the neighbouring countries through land borders in view of the coronavirus threat.

According to a statement by the government, he also held a video conference with chief secretaries, additional chief secretaries and DGPs, additional DGPs of States UP Bihar West Bengal Sikkim Uttarakhand and Punjab besides DG BSF, SSB and Secretary border management.

Bhalla urged officials to ensure round-the-clock deployment of doctors at the entry points, the statement said. It was in the meeting that the state governments were informed that a regular screening was being done by doctors at various transit points and the people living along the international borders were sensitised through gram sabhas.

Bhalla urged all the officials to ensure round-the-clock deployment of doctors so that a full screening was done without fail, the official said.

Earlier in the day, the central government made COVID-19 free certificate mandatory for travellers from Italy and South Korea.

According to the additional travel advisory issued by the Central government, on Thursday, the passengers travelling from Italy and South Korea who want to enter India will have to present a certificate of having tested negative for COVID-19.

"In addition to visa restrictions already in place, passengers travelling from and having visited Italy or Republic of Korea and desirous of entering India will need a certificate of having tested negative for COVID-19 from the designated laboratories authorized by the health authorities of these countries," the Health Ministry on Thursday said in a statement.

The new regulation will be enforced from Tuesday March 10. It is however a temporary measure till cases of COVID-19 subside.

( With inputs from IANS )