Bhubaneswar: In view of prevailing Covid-19 situation in Bhubaneswar, all Ministers, MLAs, their PSOs, drivers and staff of Odisha Legislative Assembly (OLA) will undergo RTPCR test before the commencement of the Monsoon Session from September 1.
This decision was taken at a meeting held under the chairmanship of Assembly Speaker SN Patro in the premises of OLA on Thursday.
Swab samples of all MLAs, their security staff and drivers will be collected by a team of doctors from 8.30 am to 1.30 pm and 3 pm to 5 pm on August 29, 30 & 31 for RT-PCR tests.
There will also be RT-PCR tests for all the officers and staff of the OLA Secretariat along with the officers and staff of office of the Chief Minister, Ministers, Leader of Opposition, Government Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip at the same place during the above three days.
The persons, who will be tested negative will be allowed to enter the Assembly premises.
Similarly, the members, officials and supporting staff, who have not taken at least a single dose of Covid-19 vaccine will not allowed to the OLA.
The MLAs and officials of the Assembly, question and reporting branches and other House related staff, who are required to go inside the Assembly hall, will be provided with face shields, masks, gloves and sanitizer by the Health department daily before the commencement of each sitting during the session.
Additional Chief Secretary of Health Department PK Mohapatra, Bhubaneswar Municipal Commissioner (BMC) Additional Commissioner LK Sethi, Director of Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) Sanghamitra Pati, Director of Capital Hospital Dr Laxmidhar Sahoo, OLA Secretary Dasarathi Satpathy and Health Department Additional Secretary S Mohapatra attended the meeting.