BHUBANESWAR: Ahead of the Monsoon session of the State Assembly scheduled to commence from September 29, all legislators along with their PSOs and drivers will have to undergo Covid-19 test at a special camp on the campus of the Odisha Legislative Assembly (OLA).
As per a notification issued by the Health and Family Welfare department, the tests will be conducted twice during the nine-day session.
Swab of the MLAs, their security staff and drivers will be collected by a team of doctors from 7.30 am to 9.30 am on September 27 and 28 for RT-PCR test.
There will be another round of RT-PCR test for all the members of OLA on October 4.
If any member feels uncomfortable during the session of the Assembly, he/she can go for rapid antigen test by the doctors on short notice.
There will be RT-PCR test 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 and Government chief whip at the same place and time from September 26 to 28.
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-shield, mask, hand gloves and sanitisers by the Health department daily before commencement of each sitting during the session.
Additional Chief Secretary of Health department PK Mohapatra said Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has been asked to make arrangements for the test in consultation with the OLA Secretary.
A team of doctors will also remain present during the session in case of any emergency, he said.
Earlier, Speaker Suryo Narayan Patro had directed the Health department to conduct Covid test of all MLAs and follow all precautionary measures during the session in view of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic. So far, seven ministers and 40 MLAs have tested positive.