Puri: After the detection of triple mutant strain of Coronavirus in West Bengal, which is said to be severely contagious and deadly, the Puri district administration has stepped up to check the tourist inflow from the neighbouring State to the pilgrim town.
Following a directive from the government, the administration has formed three special enforcement teams which continue to conduct raids at various hotels, lodges, guest houses and dhramsalas in the town to find out if Bengal tourists have visited the place recently.
Those who are coming to Puri from West Bengal will have to get RT-PCR report done within last 48 hours or final vaccine certificate or else they will have to remain under quarantine for 14 days.
Choudhury Arvind Das, Enforcement officer said three teams of enforcement have been formed for checking at different hotels, lodges and guest houses in the town. “We have started inspecting all the hotels since yesterday. We have not yet found any Bengal tourists recently being toured to the town,” he added.
If anyone from the neighbouring State is found staying in any hotel or guest house, he/she will be shifted to the quarantine centre, which has been temporarily set up by the Municipality at the Kalyan Mandap, Das said.
He further informed that hotels and lodge owners have been asked not to allow any pilgrims from West Bengal.
“Those who had come to the town much earlier have been asked to leave the place at the earliest,” he said.
According to reports, the teams had carried out raids at various accommodations at Beach side, Chakratirtha road, Bada Danda.
Notably, the State government has also sealed the entry points on the border to restrict the entry of Bengal visitors into the State.
The step was taken following detection of the triple mutant strain of the Covid-19 virus in West Bengal.