The Army, which is running coronavirus quarantine facilities, has told a parliamentary panel that all necessary steps are being taken to safeguard the troops from the infection, including examining all meat products supplied to them.
In its response to the Standing Committee on Defence, theArmy said most of the meat products used by the troops were frozen.
It also told the panel about steps such as setting upquarantine facilities in Manesar and Jaisalmer for civilians to contain thespread of the virus.
So far, the Army has established such facilities inSuratgadh, Deolali, Jodhpur, Kolkata and Chennai. Most of the Indians broughtback from coronavirus-hit countries are kept at the quarantine facilitiesmaintained by the Army.
“We are inspecting all meat products but we have notcome across any such case,” the Army told the panel, adding that it washolding regular meetings with officials of the health ministry.
The panel submitted its report to the Lok Sabha on Friday.
“The frozen meat products and whatever rations thathave to be sent to the border posts have already been stocked. We have checkedall meat products. We will follow all the directions given to us by theMinistry of Health and Family Welfare. The PMO is also monitoring thesituation,” the Army told the panel headed by BJP MP Jual Oram.
It also told the panel that it had instructed its personnelin the Indian embassy in China, where the coronavirus is believed to haveoriginated, to take necessary precautions.”Thecommittee was assured by the representatives of the Ministry of Defence thatall necessary precautions to safeguard our troops from the virus are beingtaken. Since the virus can spread to animals also, all meat products for supplyto soldiers are properly being examined,” the panel observed.