High drama at Ludhiana’s Chhawani Mohalla as residents demand lifting of containment restrictions

Residents of the area, which was declared a containment zone on June 6, say they facing acute shortage of basic necessities such as medicines, ration and milk

High drama was witnessed at the Chhawani Mohalla, which was declared a containment zone over two weeks ago, as residents went up in arms against the cops deployed there and demanded the restrictions to be lifted.

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They alleged that ever since the colony was declared a containment zone, there has been an acute paucity of basic enmities.

“Neither can we go out for work nor can anyone else enter our locality. There is no milk in the house. The ration is also drying up. Medicines have also finished. We are totally at loss. We do not know what to do and for how long this will continue,” said Rohit Kumar, a trader residing in the area.

Vikas Sabharwal, another resident, said, “It has been nearly 15 days since I have stepped out of the house. It gets really depressing sometimes. Our only submission is that those who have been tested negative should be allowed to leave the containment zone. Children and elderly are terrified of this arrangement. Majority of the people living here eke out their living by doing menial jobs. If they continue to remain at home, they will lose their job. How to will they run their household then.”

The densely populated locality was declared a containment zone on June 6 after 15 contacts of a 53-year-old man, who succumbed to the virus on May 29, tested positive for Covid-19. Currently, the locality has 35 positive patients.

Civil surgeon Dr Rajesh Bagga said, “The health department is conducting intensive house-to-house checking, surveillance, contact tracing and sampling in the area. Right now, only essential and medical services is being provided in the area.”