ITANAGAR, March 21 - As a precautionary measure against the possible spread of the novel coronavirus, the Arunachal Pradesh Government has cancelled all visitor and tourist inner line permits (ILPs) issued earlier.
�Since Arunachal Pradesh has no COVID-19 positive cases, the disease can only transmit from outside and considering this, the Government has ordered cancellation of all the tourist and visitor ILPs which were issued earlier,� Chief Minister Pema Khandu told reporters after attending a video conference of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chief Ministers of States and Union Territories on strategies to combat the coronavirus pandemic, on Friday.
�All visitor/tourist ILP holders are barred from entering the State of Arunachal Pradesh with effect from 21-3-2020 until further orders,� stated a Arunachal Government order.
The Chief Minister added that people coming from outside the State are being strictly checked through thermal scanners in all check gates across the State. Moreover, the Government has ordered closure of all schools, colleges and universities till April 5 as a preventive step.
Stating that COVID-19 is at stage II transmission in India now, Khandu said the next two weeks would be �very sensitive� and hence, the citizens should strictly follow the precautionary measures and guidelines provided by the Health Department or the Government of India.
�We need to take precautions like maintaining social distancing and personal hygiene to keep the virus at bay,� Khandu said.
Talking about the measures taken by the State Government, the Chief Minister said in all 26 districts, including the Itanagar Capital Complex, isolation wards and quarantine facilities have been designated to tackle any eventualities. He also announced that the State Govt would set up a laboratory to test samples for COVID-19 in the coming days.
