10 Virar villages remain safe with zero Covid cases

While the twin cities of Vasai-Virar recorded 50 deaths and 1,477 positive cases, 10 villages in Virar taluka have not been affected by the disease.

While the twin cities of Vasai-Virar recorded 50 deaths and 1,477 positive cases, 10 villages in Virar taluka have not been affected by the disease.

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The 10 gram panchayats in Virar — Aadne, Bhinar, Bhatane, Khanivade, Mede, Saiwan, Shirwali, Tokre, Sakwar and Virar(rural) — have not reported a single case of Covid-19 despite of being located near the Mumbai-Ahmedabad national highway and having a string of resorts. The total population of nearly 50,000 in these 10 gram panchayats are safe from Covid-19 said, Dr Sushma Mullick, medical officer, primary health centre (PHC), Virar.

“We took measures including putting a ban on entry from Mumbai and nearby areas as these villages often see crowding in the resorts during weekends,” said Sunil Gharat, a farmer from Khanivade. “We followed the lockdown with discipline and ensured that no one entered or left the villages besides sand carting and other small jobs,” said Gharat.

The respective sarpanches of these villages started a campaign to educate the residents by putting posters, conducting door-to-door campaigns to educate people about Covid-19, said Pravin Nalawade, another resident. “We also told the residents to rush to the nearest PHC if they have any symptoms,” he said.

He added that a majority of resort owners had called their families from Mumbai to stay in the resorts, but they were subsequently advised not to venture out of their homes for fear of spread of the infection. “We also advised them to be in self-isolation in the resorts itself as a precaution. The resort owners agreed and obeyed the gram panchayat orders,” he said.

“We will continue to obey discipline and follow all instructions until the lockdown is lifted and ensure that the infection does not enter these 10 gram panchayats,” said Dr Mullick.