Medical camp organised at Delhi's Singhu border, doctors call for COVID-19 tests of protesters
Nov 30, 2020
New Delhi [India], November 30 : A medical check-up camp has been set up at the Singhu border (Delhi-Haryana border) where farmers are protesting against the Central farm laws. The volunteer doctors at the camp have urged the Central government to conduct COVID-19 test among protesters due to the health protocols not being followed at the protest site.
"We should conduct COVID-19 test here. If there is any possibility of a super spreader, the disease might spread to other people which will be disastrous," said Dr Karan.
The doctor also pointed out that the protests could prove to be dangerous and could lead to an outbreak of COVID-19.
Doctors were making the protesters aware of the safety guidelines amid the pandemic as most of them were seen roaming without masks and not ensuring proper social distancing.
Dr Sarika Verma, ENT Surgeon practicing in Gurugram told ANI, "Yesterday a friend of mine informed me that some medical facilities are required here so I came here along with my colleague today to organise a free medical camp. We are providing them (protesters) with medicines, masks and other medical facilities."
"A lot of people have suffered injuries so we have done their dressing and given them medicines. A lot of people here are roaming without masks so we are making them aware to follow the safety guidelines amid the COVID-19 pandemic," she added.
Dr Sarika further said that the Central government should look into the demands of farmers and not allow them to gather here for days.
Meanwhile, farmers continue their protest against the farm laws, at Nirankari Samagam Ground in Burari, the government designated place for the protest.
On the other hand, security has been tightened and barricading was done at Gazipur-Ghaziabad (Delhi-UP) border where farmers have gathered in protest farm laws.
Farmers have been protesting at various places in Delhi and Haryana and have rejected the Central government's offer to hold talks on December 3 saying that imposing conditions for starting a dialogue is an insult to them.
Around 32 farmer organisations, mostly from Punjab, and a few farmers from Gujarat and Maharashtra as well managed to reach Delhi on Friday and assembled at the border areas to continue their protest.
The farmers are protesting against The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said that the Central government is ready for talks with the farmers' unions on December 3.
