Congress MLA from Birbhum constituency has been doing rounds with an infrared thermometer in looking into checking people’s temperature following reports that people refuse to visit hospitals despite having a fever because of the stigma attached to Covid-19 and fear that they have to be under quarantine.
MLA Milton Rashid got the device from a friend in the health department by paying Rs 14,000 from his pocket.
The 44-year-old legislator has made it a necessity to tour at least 80km of the Rampurhat 1, 2 and Nahati 2 blocks every day with the thermometer.
“I am thinking of procuring one more such device so that two persons can check temperatures,” said Rashid, a lawyer by profession.
From Wednesday, Rashid has checked a total of 3,800 people belonging from all walks of life, including security guards, nurses and grocers.
Ashish Mal, a resident of Sitalgram village, said the MLA’s initiative had sparked some level of curiosity in villagers mind as the MLA was seen carrying the gun-like thermometer.
“We haven’t seen anything like that ever before,” said Mal standing more than an arm’s length away from the MLA.
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