NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: Taking note of the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday directed authorities to ensure proper arrangements for health check-up and treatment of ‘COVID warriors’ and timely payment of dues in case of casualties.
The issue of a large number of coronavirus cases in the CAPFs was discussed at a high-level meeting, chaired by Shah and attended by directors-general of BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB and NSG and senior home ministry officials.
The BSF on Friday reported 30 new cases of COVID-19, taking the total number of infections to become 223. Six personnel in Delhi and 24 in Tripura tested positive for the infection.
“All of them are under the best available medical care at AIIMS Jhajjar and at GB Pant Hospital, Agartala,” BSF said in a statement.
“Frequencies of sanitisation efforts of workplaces/living barracks have been increased. In addition to the existing apparatus of sanitisation, improvised methods like water cannons are used for quick disinfection of buildings and establishments. BSF personnel are repeatedly sensitised to firmly adhere to preventive protocols,” said the BSF, which has recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases among other CAPFs.
In Kolkata, an assistant sub-inspector of the CISF deployed at the Indian Museum in Kolkata, who tested positive, died on Friday.
The CISF authorities sent 33 others, who were staying at the same barrack, to quarantine.