Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta on Sunday announced protective and welfare measures for the police personnel battling Covid-19 and directed non-deployment of cops over 55 or those with pre-existing medical risk on frontline jobs.
The DGP issued directed to follow a rotational system of providing a weekly off or rest to the frontline personnel with efforts to organise their deployment in such a manner that two days of rest can be provided to all the personnel after every 10 days.
He also directed that police personnel over 55 years of age or those with pre-existing and enhanced medical risk factors, such as hypertension issues, cardiac history, asthma or a compromised or suppressed immune system for any reason should not be deployed on the frontline as far as possible.
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To ensure protection for these police personnel, the DGP has requested the Chief Secretary to direct the State Health Department to provide a minimum of 4050 PPE kits/suits and 18000 N-95 Masks on immediate basis. At present, Gupta said some PPE suits are already available with the police department, which are being used during the performance of sensitive tasks. The DGP, however, said that the police officers deployed at Hotspots, Containment Zones, Clusters, Isolation Wards, COVID Hospitals (Levels 1-2-3) need PPE Suits, which are certified by the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
"Police personnel, who have to come in close contact with either confirmed or the suspect cases of coronavirus, while carrying out the debriefing, contact tracing and tracking of Tablighi Jamaat cases etc. also need such PPE Kits," he added.
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The police force currently has 2.5 lakh face masks, 81000 gloves, 136000 hand sanitizers and 20,100 soap/hand wash, said the DGP, adding that all efforts were being made to ensure total protection to the police personnel. It may be recalled that an ACP from Ludhiana has already succumbed to the COVID-19 infection.
(With IANS inputs)
