No.128/2020-2021

Against the backdrop of rising number of Covid-19 cases amongst Military and Paramilitary Forces in Mizoram, the Lunglei District administration, along with 2 MLAs of the District – Pu Lawmawma Tochhawng and DR K. Pachhunga, summoned the respective Commandants of 1^st Assam Rifles Lunglawn Lunglei, 60 Bn BSF, Dawngzawl Serchhip, 61 Bn BSF, Zotlang Lunglei, 131 Bn BSF, Melte, Lunglei, 42 WEU(C) Indian Air Force, Pukpui Lunglei  at the Lunglei DC Conference Hall yesterday for an emergency meeting.

The Deputy Commissioner of Lunglei Pu V.Lalsangliana, IAS had earlier issued an order on 5th July, 2020, which stated that no BSF or any paramilitary personnel from outside the State shall come to Lunglei or Lunglei District without the prior approval of the competent authority and the knowledge of the District administration. The order also directed Jawans to mandatorily undergo medical screening and be placed under quarantine as per guidelines laid out by the State Government. At the meeting yesterday, Commandants of various units were called upon to share a detailed compliance report on the aforementioned Order, and also hindrances to compliance, if any. 

Commandants were also called upon to share data on expected number of returnees, timeline of their return etc. Commandant KS Nautiyal of 131 Bn BSF, Melte stated that the BSF as a whole expects about 800 more jawans to return to Mizoram within the next 2 months. Of these, around 300 jawans will return to Lunglei District. As the BSF doesn’t have adequate infrastructure for quarantining this many number of jawans, he requested assistance from the District administration in assigning a Government owned Quarantine Facility. In reply, Deputy Commissioner of Lunglei Pu V.Lalsangliana stated that JNV Pukpui and Sazaikawn Multipurpose Indoor Hall will be assigned as Quarantine Facility for BSF personnel. Commandants of 1^st Assam Rifles Lunglawn Lunglei and 42 WEU(C) Indian Air Force, Pukpui Lunglei both reported an expected inflow of about 30 jawans each in the next 2 months, with Quarantine being taken care of in-house by them.

20 more Covid-19 positive cases were detected by the State’s two laboratories – ZMC Lab and Civil Hospital Lunglei Lab yesterday, taking the State’s Active Case tally to 149 cases. Of these, 118 (79.20%) are members of different Military and Paramilitary Forces posted in Mizoram. At present, Lunglei District has 18 Active Cases, all of them being BSF jawans of different battalions.

In light of these alarming statistics and continued unrestricted movement of jawans to and from the District, the meeting yesterday unanimously decided on ‘Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Military and Paramilitary Forces’ to be strictly followed by all Military and Paramilitary personnel in the District. 

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED BY PARA MILITARY / MILITARY FORCES

1.        Instruction of the Home Department, Mizoram vide Letter No.C.18018/2/2020-HM/COVID-19/P-111  Dt.2.2020 and other instructions issued from time to time by the Home Department and Health & Family welfare Department, Mizoram shall strictly be followed.

2.        The concerned Commandant/Officer-in-Charge will keep the District Administration updated on any incoming military and para-military personnel and their family members for which irformation should be given well in advance so that any support needed and feasible may be given by the District Administration.

3.        The concerned Commandant/Officer-in-Charge shall immediately intimate the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Medical Officer about the arrival of incoming personnel and their family members.

4.        No incoming personnel shall be quarantined at centres other than those identified or recorded by the District Administration.

5.        The concerned Commandant / Officer-in-Charge shall liaise with Chief Medical Officer for drawing samples from quarantined personnel for examination. RT-PCR test sample shall be drawn within 5-10 days from the date of arrival or admission into quarantine centre. In case a person has direct or close contact with covid-19 positive person, RT-PCR test sample shall be drawn within 5 to 10 days from the date of contact.

6.       Quarantined personnel shall closely te monitored by the medical doctor of the unit. The medical doctor shall immediately report any suspected sign or symptom shown in quarantined personnel to the Chief Medical Officer.

7.       Detailed particulars of quarantined personnel (name, sex, age, address, mobile number) shall be submitted daily in prescribed format to the District Administration via email : lungleidc@gmail.com

8.        All persons should register themselves on mCOVID-19 and Aarogya Setu Mobile Applications.

9.        On the expiry of 14 days, a person may be discharged from the quarantine centre subject to negative result of RT-PCR test. No person should leave the quarantine centre without obtaining Quarantine period completion certificate issued by the Medical Officer in charge.

10.    All persons discharged should strictly follow self-monitoring for 7 days during which the following points must be strictly complied to:

a. One should wear face mask, maintain social/physical distancing, regularly wash hands and should take utmost care of one's health.

b. One shall not leave one's house/camp/ centre or shall not entertain any visit by outsiders.

c. One should avoid close contact with vulnerable persons such as senior citizens, pregnant and lactating women, children, patients of heart problems, diabetes, cancer, HIV etc.

11.    Restricted movement of para military/military personnel in civilian areas shall be ensured. Movement shall be made only under unavoidable circumstances.