Over 26,000 people have entered the country from India via different border points of Sudur Paschim Province since May 14, as per security forces deployed at the border. But the provincial Social Development Ministry says only 12,367 are currently under quarantine in the province.
Locals fear that the risk of Covid-19 infection has increased as over half of the people coming from India have bypassed the two-week quarantine requirement. They are already in the villages, where there is no means to trace their health or social contacts.
On May 15 and 16, Nepali authorities had rescued 758 citizens from the ill-managed Indian quarantine posts across the border, and brought them home via Gauriphanta border point next to Dhangadhi in Kailali district. That sort of showed the way for in-bound Nepalis, and in the past two weeks, over 18,000 people have used it.
With crowds rushing to enter the country every day, there is chaos at the Gauriphanta border point these days. On May 26, some of those standing in queue fainted and mothers carrying their infants looked drained in the sun.
The District Administration Office of Kailali has ordered opening of the border from 10am till noon, but due to the long queues, it couldn’t be closed until 3pm.
Besides Gauriphanta, people are coming in via Gaddachauki of Kanchanpur, Pulghat of Darchula, and Jhulaghat of Baitadi.
The Gaddachauki border point was opened after people kept sneaking into the country via Dodhara Chandani, the Nepali village on the other side of the Mahakali. The District Administration Office of Kanchanpur has now decided to open the Gaddachauki point for four hours every day.
As illegal entries could not be stopped through the porous border, authorities thought it would be safer to allow entry and put the incoming people into quarantine. But the plan has failed.
Local government units have been assigned to manage these quarantine posts. Each ward of the municipality or rural municipality has to keep a log of people coming into the ward and put them under quarantine. But the incoming people refuse to stay there because these posts do not meet even the minimum hygiene and safety criteria. Due to their poor management, people supposed to stay there roam around in the day, go home for meals, and come back only to sleep.
The local bodies have failed to act properly, according to senior physician of Seti Zonal Hospital Prof Dr Subhesh Raj Kayastha. “It is now time for the local elected representatives to show their presence,” he says. “They should ensure that the incoming people stay in quarantine facilities.” Or the situation may soon get out of our hands, he warns.
Meanwhile, the provincial government claims all those coming from India have been quarantined. “From the border point, we put them into our vehicles and hand them over to the local bodies. The local bodies then arrange for their stay,” claims Krishna Raj Subedi, social development minister of the provincial government.
