Gangtok, Jul 6 (PTI) The Sikkim government on Monday asked the Army and the paramilitary forces to start random testing of their personnel for COVID-19 before they travel back to their postings in the state, officials said.

Senior officers of the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the General Engineering Reserve Force (GREF) were told about the matter by Chief Secretary S C Gupta during a meeting convened to discuss the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases among security personnel deployed in Sikkim.

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The chief secretary also sought details from the Army and the paramilitary forces about the mechanism in place for testing and quarantining their personnel at the camps in Siliguri.

He stressed on enhancing the frequency of testing to ensure that COVID-19 cases among the personnel of the Army and paramilitary forces are detected early and required action is taken in time by the medical teams.

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Gupta suggested that each person lodged in the quarantine facility in Siliguri should be tested from the seventh day onwards instead of waiting for them to complete 14 days of the quarantine period.

He said that the Army and paramilitary forces will be tested mandatorily at the Rangpo check post once the antigen testing commences.

The chief secretary also asked for random testing of drivers and staff engaged in the transportation of essential commodities for the Army and other forces regularly.

He told the officials of the Army and paramilitary forces that the Melli check post has been sealed for entry of returnees, including security personnel.

The Army and paramilitary forces have reported at least three dozen positive cases among its personnel deployed in Sikkim.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)