The District Crisis Management Committee in Baglung has instructed the local governments to remove the roadblocks placed to prevent outsiders from entering their areas in order to stop the spread of coronavirus.

The committee on Wednesday told the concerned local governments to remove such roadblocks, as they have disrupted the free movement of ambulances and other vehicles offering essential services.

“Despite the lockdown, there should be free movement of ambulances and vehicles carrying essential goods. So, instead of obstructing roads, we should focus on other preventive measures to fight the virus,”Chief District Officer Gaulochan Saiju, who heads the committee, said.

The roadblocks were placed after two individuals in the district tested positive for the virus earlier this month.

In neighbouring Parbat, the roads and bridges that link the district with Baglung remain blocked despite the presence of security personnel to monitor the movement of people.

The bridge of Badagaun, which connects Parbat’s Kushma and Baglung, remains locked.

“Since the movement of people crossing the bridge didn’t stop, we were compelled to lock it,” Prakash Poudel, a local of Badagaun, said.

The local administration, however, claimed that the Parbat was closed off for outside districts.

“Vehicles carrying patients and essential goods are allowed to pass,” Chief District Officer Kalpana Ghimire Nepal, said.

Dhirendraraj Pant, administrative officer at Baglung District Administration Office, said that there was no reason to be paranoid since both districts had maintained caution regarding the pandemic.

“People returning home from outside are being tested and quarantined in both districts. So there is no reason to obstruct the movement of ambulances and other essential vehicles.”

Baglung district has so far conducted 1,000 rapid tests for the coronavirus.

Medical teams have been deployed throughout the district to run door-to-door tests, Dr Pradip Shrestha, of Dhaulagiri Zonal Hospital, said.

Shrestha said medical teams had to clear numerous roadblocks to reach different villages for the rapid test campaign.

“The new decision to remove the roadblocks will be of much help to our medical tests,” Suraj Gaure, a medical officer, said.