E-Paper
120 micro-clusters in hotspots under scanner in Pune
Most of the city’s cases are reported from Bhawani peth, Kasba peth and neighbouring areas, which prompted police and civic administration to declare it as containment zones early this month.
The city police have identified at least 120 micro-clusters across the city, from where positive cases have been reported. Along, with the officials of the Pune Municipal Commission (PMC), the police will visit these spots and ensure aggressive enforcement of lockdown and restrict the movement of people. This will help PMC officials to screen residents for possible cases of Covid-19 (coronavirus).
K Venkatesham, commissioner of Pune police, said, “The survey has been done by additional commissioner of Police (crime) Ashok Morale and his team. Based on the number of cases in a particular area and the reasons for infections reported in the areas.”
“We will see if 100 per cent restrictions should be imposed and identify people who have come in contact with positive patients so that they can be treated. Senior citizens and comorbid people in these areas could be put in shelters in a particular area,” he said.
Most of the city’s cases are reported from Bhawani peth, Kasba peth and neighbouring areas, which prompted police and civic administration to declare it as containment zones early this month. However, despite declaring parts of peth areas as containment zones, Covid-19 cases have been on a rise.
“We have established a network of volunteers to help. The purpose (of this exercise) is to identify people as early as possible and to break the chain. If there are people who are not reporting due to some fear, we will be reaching out to them by going to doorstep while taking due precaution and maintaining social distancing,” said Ravindra Shisve, joint commissioner of police, Pune.
The spots clusters have been identified with the help of crime branch and are spread across 13 major clusters in the city, according to Sanjay Shinde, additional commissioner of police, Pune. Every cluster has multiple micro-clusters he said.
“Micro-clusters are those areas from where five-ten cases have been reported. We will be visiting and conducting a joint survey in these areas. The aim is to contain and restrict the spread of infection. The visits will begin tomorrow. For example, if you visit Tadiwala road, there are five to six places. We will ensure availability and use of mask, sanitiser, inspect the cleanliness of common toilets, social distancing, fumigation,” said Additional CP Shinde.
The 13 clusters are spread across multiple areas including Mukundnagar-Parvati darshan, Gultekdi, Lumbininagar, Tadiwala road, Bhawani Peth, Kasewadi, Ghorpade Peth-Mominpura-Gurwar Peth, Nana Peth, 633-455 Gunj Peth, 54 Lohiyanagar, Mangalwar peth-Kasba peth, Mithanagar-Saibabanagar-Bhagyodaynagar in Kondhwa, 1088 Ravivar peth, Patil Estate, and Lakshminagar-Yerawada.
While the PMC and police have been working in their own capacities, this exercise will bring the two on the same page, according to a senior official.
As on April 25, the city had 1139 positive cases of which at least 214 are from the Bhawani peth area, at least 160 in Dhole-Patil road area, at least 133 in Shivajinagar-Ghole road area, at least 127 are from Kasba peth-Vishrambaugwada area.
