Municipality officials here have asked industrial units for a strict identification system for 10,000-odd out-of-state truck drivers who drive in and out of some 50 factories daily.

The move comes in the wake of four truck drivers testing Covid positive last week. They gave fake phone numbers and fled. They are still traceless.

“We requested companies to give detailed ID cards to drivers entering their premises to track them,” said municipality chairman-in-council (health) Ajijul Rahman.

A municipality official said Haldia had about 100 positive cases. “Of these, four are truck drivers who recently tested positive and six others workers at related industries. Companies and plants need a more rigorous mechanism to identify and trace its peripheral staff,” the official said.

Trucks in thousands from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Telangana enter Haldia every day and the vehicle and driver stay at an unmanned truck complex for a night or two before leaving the area with minimal formalities.

“This truck complex, and an adjoining stretch of road, are a problem. As the place is unmanned, anyone can dock there and roam around freely,” the official added, referring to the four drivers.

Employees at industrial units agreed. “Drivers are unofficially allowed to dock there and stay without papers,” said a manager at a chemicals plant.

Municipality officials also recommended that industry officials assign separate toilets and canteens for truck drivers and helpers so they do not have to mingle with local staff.

“Haldia has 19 containment zones but industrial activities are on…We have implemented measures like wristbands and separate canteens for outstation drivers,” said Tarun Kumar Pan, operations manager at Exide Industries. “We have separate gates for them and screen them at entry points,” he added.