Although the village roads between the Odisha and West Bengal border are sealed to prevent trespassing following media reports, there have been reports that the people from Bengal end continue tosneak into Odisha via water route.
Reports said the entry points including two main gates at Laxmannathroad under Jaleswar block and Udaipur under Bhograi block and 34villages roads, including 10 under Jaleswar and rest 24 under Bhograiblock have been sealed to prevent trespassing from Bengal end aftertriple mutant strains of Covid-19 were found in the samples of population of the neighbouring State.
However, it is now alleged that some people who were working in Bengal were returning to Odisha by small country boats and dinghys etc through the sea route. Baleswar has 80 km of coast.
And further after reaching through the vessels, they are going toBhadrak, Jajpur and other parts of the State beside Baleswar. Reportssaid although there are three marine police stations at Talseri underBhograi block, Bahabalpur and Balramgadi, yet these stations areunderstaffed which comes as a handicap to prevent such intrusion. Each marine police station is supposed to function with strength anofficer in the rank of Inspector, six SIs and ASIs, 16 Havildars, 48constables and 15 Home Guards.
But the three marine police stationswere functioning with only one -third of the strength.It is alleged that the trespassers were opting the sea route to sneak into Odisha despite claims by the police that the vigil on these routes has been enhanced.
Meanwhile, it is alleged that those returning to State viarails are not thoroughly checked at the platforms as many of them areescaping the checks by managing to go out of the stations throughsmall passages along rail lines.