Adopting a “4T approach” in tracking the “missing” Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in the State, Punjab Government is on job to track each of the 55,669 passengers arrived in the State from aboard — as per the list shared by the Central Government.
Maintaining that the figure of 90,000 NRIs or foreign travellers, as earlier quoted, was wrong, the State’s Special Chief Secretary KBS Sidhu said: “The data that we got from New Delhi was quite delayed and contained duplicates. Apart from having incomplete particulars, the address given on the passport often was an old one and it took time to trace the new abode.”
Sidhu said that each of the 55,669 NRIs are being tracked. “The Deputy Commissioner have adopted a 4T approach — trace, track, test, treat. Our protocol is even more strict than GOI,” tweeted Sidhu from his official Twitter handle.
Notably, the Central Government’s Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, in a letter issued to all the States and Union territories on March 26, had maintained as per the Bureau of Immigration has shared the details of more than 15 lakh international passengers with the States or UTs for monitoring for COVID 19 till March 23, 2020.
Citing “gap between the number of international passengers who need to be monitored by the States or UTs and the actual number of passengers being monitored”, the Centre had asked the States and UTs to take concerted and sustained action urgently to put such passengers under surveillance immediately, and “actively involve” the district authorities in this effort.
As per the Centre’s list, total 55,669 persons arrived from abroad in Punjab, with maximum 13,723 in Jalandhar district.
Leaving nothing to chance, the State Government has also issued a self-declaration form for those all NRIs or foreign travellers who have arrived in Punjab after January 30, 2020, and have not been contacted by Civil Administration, Health and Police Department so far.
“Many NRIs or foreign travellers have already contacted and submitted their details to the concerned authorities in Punjab. But this self-declaration form has been issued for those NRIs or foreign travellers who have arrived in Punjab after January 30, 2020, and have not contacted the offices of respective Deputy Commissioners, Civil Surgeons, Health Department and Police so far,” said the Government spokesperson.
The spokesperson said that all such NRIs or foreign travellers should submit this form at ‘Dial-112’ National Emergency Response System (ERSS) immediately.
“The NRIs or foreign travellers could also furnish their details at ‘Dial-112 App’ (available at Google Play Store) or e-mail their details at ‘dial-112@punjabpolice.gov.in. Apart from this, information could also be submitted at dial 112 portal -http://ners.in/,” said the spokesperson.
The spokesperson added that if anyone is unable to send the requisite details at given email or portal, such details could be sent at WhatsApp number 97799-20404. However, 112 number should only be dialed when one is not able to send information on the given platforms.
“In addition, the NRIs or foreign travellers should have to submit their details such as their date of arrival in Punjab as well as the name of the airport where they landed including the date of landing,” said the spokesperson.
Besides, they have to submit the information pertaining to places of visit in Punjab and their passport number along with their name and contact details such as mobile number, landline number and email-id. They should also furnish their permanent address as per mentioned in their passport, stay in hotel if any and present address where they are residing, he added.
