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Chaos, confusion prevails after Vaishali locality sealed
The Ghaziabad administration on Monday night sealed Vaishali as the number of Covid-19 cases from the area reached 34, evoking sharp reactions from the residents
The Ghaziabad administration on Monday night sealed Vaishali as the number of Covid-19 cases from the area reached 34, evoking sharp reactions from the residents who alleged that there was no clarity on provisions for door-step delivery of essential services, whether domestic helps would be allowed and the closure of markets in the neighbourhoods.
The administration has not specified for how long the measures will be in place. The total number of Covid cases in Ghaziabad district on Tuesday was 331.
The main roads leading to Vaishali remained choked since Tuesday morning as residents wanting to move out and those attempting to enter the area were stopped by police at all entry and exit points.
Under the sealing drive, Vaishali was divided into two zones comprising four sectors, officiated by administrative, police and health department officers who would be responsible for sampling, tracing and surveillance for the coronavirus.
“The restrictions on entry and exit are for all, except essential services, and we have covered all sectors from 1 to 9. Residential colonies have not been sealed but the access controlled roads have been sealed. Those providing essential services can access the areas through two points, one near Max Hospital and the other at sector-4,” said Anshu Jain, circle officer (Indirapuram).
But without clear directions, particularly after the central government had relaxed lockdown norms, the residents were caught unaware. The central government’s order had allowed state governments to decide on how relaxations ought to be implemented within their jurisdiction.
“We also sealed our society gates too. Our residents had issues when their online grocery orders were not delivered. Since the lockdown the delivery boys were allowed to come to the main gate. Other residents complained that their domestic helps, plumbers, technicians, etc .,were not allowed to enter. The domestic helps started their work last week but now they were again denied entry,” said Mohit Sharma, joint secretary of Express Green high-rise in sector-1. “The local markets which opened last week were again shut down and only some shops dealing in groceries, fruits, vegetables and milk were allowed to open only from 8am to noon. Since we are also clueless about state of affairs and clear directions, we circulated the number of our sector magistrate to residents to directly reach him for complaints.”
Thirty-four markets in the city were allowed to open on alternated days with two days for sanitisation from May 22. But with the sealing on Tuesday, they too have been temporarily put out of business.
“We tried our best to clean, sanitise and even stock up. But now it is back to what it was during the lockdown. Our employees who had started report for work were not allowed and sent back. Even we cannot deliver items to our customers,” said Sanjay Rastogi, president of Vaishali Udyog Vyapar Mandal. “Delivery agents were not allowed to come in. The sub divisional magistrate did not specify till when the sealing will be in place.”
Aditya Prajapati, the sub divisional magistrate, did not respond to calls or messages about the issues raised by residents.
Vaishali is comprised of nine residential sectors and an estimated population of about 150,000 people. It comprise of malls, markets, residential and commercial areas.
“When I arrived on Tuesday morning the cops did not allow me to move in to Vaishali. We have our office in sector 3. The entry points are blocked with barricades and buses. The putting up of blockades was initited on Monday evening and even on Tuesday morning. I informed my office that I will not be able to come and went back home.even people who came afoot were not allowed in or out,” said Naveen Rastogi, a sales executive who lives in Dilshad Garden in Delhi.
Like Vaishali, the other localities neighbouring Delhi like Khoda (41 cases till June 1) and Loni (29 cases till June 1) were sealed since May 10 and May 27, respectively.
