COVID-19: Tripura govt to test samples of all working journalists

Agartala: In a bid to ensure safety, Tripura government has decided to test the samples of all the working journalists, informed chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb in Agartala on Wednesday.

Taking to Twitter, Deb announced the development, “Along with the other frontline warriors, media personnel are also moving from one place to another for news coverage. In view of the safety, we have decided to test the samples of all media personnel working on the ground”

He also announced that in view of the safety and security of the family members of the media persons, the government has decided to announce a scheme soon.

“The media personnel are playing a pivotal role in the fight against COVID-19. In view of the safety of media personnel and their families, we have decided to introduce a scheme soon,” Deb wrote.

Welcoming the decision of the state government, Agartala Press Club secretary and senior journalist Pranab Sarkar said, “We appreciate the move of the taken by the authorities. I have spoken with the chief minister over the matter and expressed gratitude on behalf of the media persons. He has assured us to ensure the safety of each and every journalist across the state.”

He also appealed to journalists in the state to come forward and enroll their names for the test and follow the guidelines issued by the government.

Tripura Working Journalists’ Association’s (TWJA) Debasish Majumder, who had earlier written a letter to the chief minister demanding financial assistance for journalists, said, “We hope the government will introduce something in that regard. We feel that the journalists in Tripura are having less than Rs 90,000 and therefore all of them should be covered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.”