The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has thrown open the gates of its countrywide health centres and hospitals for its veterans suffering from the novel coronavirus. ITBP Director General SS Deswal said the decision has been taken after the force came across media reports of people facing problems in getting admission or treatment at COVID-19 designated hospitals.

He said, ITBP Jawans have sweated throughout their life and we do not want that they suffer and hence all our veterans are being offered health services in case anyone of them are affected by COVID-19. He further said that all hospitals of the force throughout the country will admit veterans with coronavirus infection and treat them.

The ITBP has about 20,000 retired and dependent personnel. The ITBP runs a super specialty referral hospital for the Central Armed Police Forces in Greater Noida, has two base hospitals at Tigri in Delhi and Kimin in Arunachal Pradesh and composite hospitals at Dehradun and Chandigarh apart from health centres at its every base in the country.

The ITBP DG said the COVID-19 situation is under control in the force as protocols are strictly followed by field units.

Mr Deswal said, everyone of you have contributed in this tense period and we are grateful and proud of our doctors and para-medical staff who have sincerely and with utmost dedication treated our troops and policemen from all forces working in the national capital region.

The ITBP was the first organisation in the country to have created a 1,000-bed quarantine centre for coronavirus-affected people.The centre in Chhawla area of south-west Delhi has treated about 1,200 people including 42 foreigners who were brought to India on special evacuation flights from Wuhan in China and Italy after the COVID-19 outbreak a few months back.The facility is still operational and is taking care of those ITBP troops who are joining back work after easing of restrictions imposed during the countrywide lockdown.It also created the first standard operating procedures for management of the pandemic among the various CAPFs and central and state police organisations.

Director General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police, ITBP, S S Deswal presented awards to officials and Staff of ITBP quarantine facility at Chhwala in New Delhi.Mr Deswal presented 28 DG Commendation Discs, 3 Appreciation Letters and 32 cash awards to ITBP officials, team of Doctors, support staff and administration staff. Cooks, Washer men and Sanitation workers (Safai Karmis).

Meanwhile, during the ongoing lockdown, Indo- Tibetan Border Police, ITBP has ensured a safe passage for over 900 trucks carrying essential supplies, from the icy heights of Zoji La to the frozen slopes of Kargil in past 21 days. The land route through Zoji La pass serves as a lifeline for the nearly 1.5 lakh residents of Kargil. ITBP has been assigned the vital responsibility to escort goods trucks and fuel tankers carrying essential supplies to people located in far-flung areas of Ladakh.

Trucks carrying food and other items are reaching Kargil covering a distance of 100 kilometres in about eight hours under security cover provided by the ITBP. The convoys move through Gumri, Meena Marg and Dras through Fotu La pass and Namika La pass in extreme cold climatic conditions, with temperatures dipping up to minus 10 degrees Celsius.

The Leh based North West Frontier of ITBP has played a pivotal role in the process with active support of the Ladakh administration. The Drivers and other staffs were screened at various checkpoints by ITBP personnel. Social distancing was followed in all such screenings.