Pankaj Dhungelfeedback@livemint.comgangtokWhile the world was debating whether to declare covid-19 as a pandemic, the Sikkim administration started mandatory screening at all entry points on 27 January. Even the border with Nepal is porous," chief minister Prem Singh Golay said in a media briefing on Monday. The border screening began with simple questions, including a person’s overseas travel history. On 5 March, the Sikkim government banned the entry of foreign nationals even though the tourism season had just begun. Meanwhile, the state’s porous border stretches required a different type of attention – since the riverine belts especially offered opportunities for people to enter or exit Sikkim on foot.

Source: Mint April 14, 2020 17:37 UTC