New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) has put a business continuity plan into effect to tackle issues arising out of Covid, according to AV Ramana, Chairman, NMPT.
Ramana told BusinessLine that the employees of NMPT have been split into teams to ensure the continuation of the operations of the port as part of this plan. “As of now, it seems that the period up to September is a challenging one. Due to the nature of the work, many of our staff stand the possibility of catching the virus,” he said.
As many as 15 employees/outsourced employees of the NMPT had tested positive for Covid-19 as on July 20. There is a standard operating procedure (SOP) in place for the handling of the suspected patients, he said.
Stating that the hospital of NMPT has been geared up to the extent possible, he said additional doctors have been roped in for the hospital on short-contract basis.
To account for the eventuality of Covid infection, the port has entered into an agreement with a private laboratory for mass testing of its field staff working amidst this pandemic.
Ramana said NMPT has a social obligation to accommodate private fishing boats during the monsoon period. To avoid congestion at the gates and mixing of people involved in fishing activities with the port users, the port has constructed a make-shift gate for the movement of these fishermen. “We have formulated an SOP duly involving the Department of Fisheries, Indian Coast Guard and the fishermen community,” he said.
Actions taken
On the activities taken up by NMPT till now, he said it had formulated and issued protocols to agents and vessel crews about any suspected cases among them way back in January. In February, the health officials of the port conducted awareness training to the officials of the port.
The process of daily disinfection began in the vicinity of the port in April. The port also identified the location for 10 isolation wards and five-bed ICU with ventilators during that period. Apart from this, NMPT also initiated the process of procuring equipment such as ICU ventilators, transport ventilators, patient monitors and defibrillators, he said.
Two disinfection tunnels — one at the entrance of the port and another at the entrance of NMPT hospital — were put into operation in April, he said.
The port is striving hard during these challenging times to ensure the fulfilment of its social obligations along with the principal duty of facilitating the supply chain to the nation, Ramana added.