COVID-19: ITBP begins distribution of PPEs, masks to frontline agencies

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has begun distribution of PPEs and masks being prepared by its troops and their families, to a number of organisations at the frontline of the battle against coronavirus, officials said on Friday.

Last week, the ITBP had launched a special stitching facility at its camp located at Saboli in Haryana's Sonipat district to prepare protective gear.

A senior official said 200 PPEs and 200 masks have been provided to Haryana Urban Local Body (ULB), 50 PPEs to Rohtak Dental College, 20 PPE suits and 50 masks to Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in Rohini, Delhi and 20 PPEs and 50 masks to the Kondli (east Delhi) municipal corporation.

"These COVID-19 protection gear are meant to be used by people working at quarantine facilities and rendering similar services. These are not meant for use by doctors at hospitals who are treating coronavirus patients," ITBP Director General (DG) S S Deswal told PTI.

He said the force is ramping up its capacity to prepare more such medical equipment to cater to other organisations.

"Some sister forces like the Central Industrial Security Force are also in touch with us and we will provide them PPEs and masks," the ITBP chief said.

The senior official quoted above said all such equipment distributed till now has been given free and the force is managing the cost of production from its monetary reserves. The PPEs prepared by the ITBP cost about Rs 100, while the price of masks comes to less than Rs 5, he said.

These products have also been analysed for use by the Northern Indian Textile Research Association (NITRA) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, the official said.

"Till now, we have been fabricating these items for our own use in health and quarantine facility management centres but due to the increased demand, the force is planning to enhance the daily capacity to double the present volume," an ITBP spokesperson said.

At present, 200 PPEs and 500 masks are being fabricated at the Saboli centre every day, he said.

The Wives Welfare Association is also chipping in this task and it has prepared about 1,000 masks till now. Its members are stitching masks at home and sending it to the Saboli centre, he said.

Some requests for supply of these items are also being made to us on social media and we are looking at their requirements to cater to them as quickly as possible, the spokesperson said.

The ITBP is also running a quarantine facility in Delhi, one of the largest in the country with 1,000 beds, since January 28. About 1,200 Indians and foreigners, rescued from coronavirus-affected countries, have been catered to by this facility till now.

The force is primarily tasked to guard the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China apart from rendering a variety of duties in the internal security domain of the country.