In order to check the spread of coronavirus in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, the state Government issued a statement that bans issuing Protected Area Permits (PAPs) to foreigners trying to visit Arunachal Pradesh. The move is temporary and will be resumed once the corona threat is over.
Foreigners require PAPs to enter the state that shares a border with China. As per the Government statement, all PAP issuing authorities were directed to suspend the issue of permits till further orders by Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar.
"It is learnt that Covid-19 positive cases have been detected in India and the numbers have been increasing. It is also learnt that the spread of the coronavirus in India is primarily from visitors who had a history of travelling abroad recently or through tourists who have visited India," the government order said.
It further added that for preventing the virus from spreading in Arunachal Pradesh, it has been decided to temporarily suspend issuing Protected Area Permit.
Other Coronavirus cases in India
Coronavirus was first detected in Wuhan in China in December last year and has spread to about 97 countries with fresh cases being suspected and reported each day. The virus is claiming several lives every day and many countries have declared it as an emergency situation with 102,180 people already infected, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus tracker. Total reported deaths so far are over 3,500 people.
The move initiated by Arunachal Pradesh comes days after Sikkim announced similar curbs on the visit of foreigners. With a case being detected in Bhutan, the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has also shut its borders to foreign visitors for two weeks in order to keep the situation under control.
According to reports and statistics, over five thousand foreign tourists visit Arunachal every year and over a lakh, Indian tourists throng the state. Arunachal is a popular camping destination and offers adventures in the wild. Due to this, foreigners are seen in huge numbers in all seasons. With coronavirus spreading like wildfire, various Governments around the world are taking necessary precautions to avoid the virus from infecting people.
