ISLAMABAD - The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) is ensuring all preventive measures to prevent further spread of coronavirus at a time when all its registration centers across the country are facing huge influx of citizens, the authority claimed yesterday.
A spokesman of NADRA told The Nation that all regional head offices (RHOs) of the authority have been issued proper guidelines as part of the “re-opening plan” for commencement of NADRA operations throughout the country.
There are wide spread complaints that applicants at NADRA registration centers are violating social distancing and other measures making these facilities as potential places for spread of virus.
NADRA started its operations on Monday (May 4) and its registration centers are facing surge of applicants. “As many 60,000 applicants visited NADRA offices on the first day of opening and out of these, 41000 applicants were those who wanted to get their fingers prints verified to benefit from the Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme,” the spokesman said.
Through the newly issued guidelines, available with The Nation, for all its registration centers, NADRA has said that queue separators and guiders will be used to manage and direct the applicants for maintaining safe distance on the floor.
It further said that it will be mandatory for all applicants entering the center to wear face masks. “Everybody entering the center will be checked using an infrared thermostat gun…along with application of hand sanitizers.”
It further said that security guards and helpers will be responsible for regulating the applicants in a way so that only the prescribed number of applicants are present at the stations and in the waiting area. Biometric machines will be regularly disinfected with alcohol swabs and other disinfectant material.
The ministry informed that the decision has been taken in the light of discussion held in April 28 meeting at the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) to resolve the issue of biometric verification of finger prints of certain people with faded or distorted thumb impressions.