Bhubaneswar, May 2: Director General of Police (DGP) Abhay on Sunday visited Jharsuguda and Sambalpur distrticts and Rourkela and Sundergarh police districts and reviewed the ongoing COVID-19 enforcement drive and plans for implementation of the 14-day lockdown from May 5, said an official release.
According to a statement of the State Police Headquarters, issues like ramping up enforcement measures, strict implementation of lockdown and weekend shutdown, strengthening vigil on Inter-State movement by more stringent checks at border check posts and preparedness to ramp up police assistance further to tackle COVID-19 were reviewed.
The DGP also interacted with the police personnel engaged in enforcement duties and inquired about their wellbeing and operational matters.
In the month of April, 2021, Rourkela police has acted against 3,822 mask and social distancing rule violators and collected Rs 17,85,730 fine, it said.
Similarly, Sundergarh Police has acted against 3,277 mask and social distancing rule violators and collected Rs 16,90,300 fine. Also, Jharsuguda police has acted against 3,691 people for not wearing masks and not maintaining social distancing and collected Rs 16,78,820 fine while Sambalpur police has acted against 9,948 persons for the same offences and collected fine Rs 34,10,600, it stated.
The DGP also reviewed the border sealing arrangements on Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh borders. Border Check Posts (BCPs) connecting to Jharkhand border are maintaining vigil at Mahipani and Sarda under Bisra police station and Jhirpani bridge and Sankha bridge under Biramitrapur PS, Rourkela.
“BCPs connecting to Chhattisgarh are active at Taparia, Lulkidihi, Rajagangpur Railway station. Further, BCPs connecting to Jharkhand at Old Octroi check post, Telijore, Gotitangar, Salangabahal are functioning round the clock in Sundargarh district,” the release added.
Similarly, border check posts connecting to Chhattisgarh at Kanaktara, Lara chhak, Bikram Palli in Jharsuguda district are functioning to check the interstate movement, it further said.
Three platoons force have been deployed for COVID-19 enforcement duty in Rourkela while four platoons each have been deployed in Sundargarh and Jharsuguda and seven platoons in Sambalpur. Additional officers in SI/ASI rank have been deputed to strengthen police enforcement, it added.
Of the 214 tankers with 3964.542 MT medical oxygen escorted by Odisha Police in last 10 days, being supplied from Odisha to different needy States like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Chhattisgarh, total 82 tankers/containers carrying 1570.702 MT medical oxygen have been escorted from Rourkela alone.
The GRP police personnel along with medical teams are performing health check-up and scrutiny of interstate passengers arriving by trains.
ADG (Law & Order) accompanied the DGP during his visit. IG NR, SPs of Rourkela, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda and Sambalpur districts, and SRP Rourkela attended the review.
