Residents of Chandigarh’s Sector 40 to screen outsiders, sanitise vehicles from today

Sector 40 is the first one to take this initiative and UT adviser Manoj Parida will formally launch it on Sunday

Residents of Sector 40, along with other stakeholders, have decided to thermal scan the outsiders entering the area from Sunday onward. Besides, the residents have also decided to sanitise the outsiders’ vehicles to prevent the spread of the virus.

Cops appealing to residents to remain indoors amid the curfew in Sector 52, Chandigarh, on Saturday. (Keshav Singh/HT)

Chandigarh’s Sector 40 is the first one to take this initiative and UT adviser Manoj Parida will formally launch it on Sunday. The decision was taken during a meeting held at the sector’s community centre where residents, police and local area councillor Gurbax Rawat were present.

Rawat said, “The stakeholders contributed money and formed a team of 16 volunteers to monitor the two entry and exit points of the sector and check all those entering the area.” She said only people with valid movement passes will be allowed to pass through the sector.

Rawat further said, “The administration has sealed one exit point and plans to seal the other soon. To ensure the safety of volunteers, the administration will provide them with personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, she said, adding that the volunteers will be on duty from 7am to 7pm.

Through the contributions, residents have purchased four thermal scanners of ₹ 8,000 each. They have also purchased chemicals worth ₹ 8,000 for preparing sanitiser liquid to disinfect vehicles entering the sector. Volunteers have also been knitting masks and have made over 400 besides 1,000 three-ply masks for distribution among the people. The residents have also bought 1,000 pairs of gloves.

Sector 40 resident welfare association (RWA) president Dalwinder Singh Saini said the residents have also formed a team of volunteers to help senior citizens and differently-abled persons.

“Anyone who needs help can approach their RWA heads or the councilor. We will also touch base with the local police and help them with any such requests,” he said.

UT adviser Manoj Parida took to Twitter to praise the residents of the sector and asked other localities also to adopt the new system rather than depending on the administration and police for everything.

Parida will inaugurate the system at 12pm in Sector 40 on Sunday.