Over the past two days, the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) has charged 40 people with non-cognisable (NC) offence for violating quarantine. No first information reports (FIRs) have been filed and no arrests have been made in these cases.
KDMC epidemic officer Dr Pratibha Panpatil, said, “We get complaints from housing societies that Covid-positive patients continue to step out. These are mostly asymptomatic patients who have been told to isolate at home. Also, if we feel any person is staying in a small space or is prone to spread it to others, we recommend institutional quarantine. Often, they do not comply. In such cases, we have now enrolled the help of the police and filed written complaints against 40 people, including those who did not comply with institutional or home quarantine.”
Deputy commissioner of police, Kalyan zone, Vivek Pansare, said, “We have not registered FIR in any such complaints. However, when the civic body requests, we provide our forces to assist them to reach a hospital or quarantine facility.”
Citizens allege KDMC has been inconsistent in its handling of Covid cases. “There have been instances where instead of just taking the patient to hospital, the civic body has taken neighbours as well, along with the patient’s family to the quarantine centre. Also, there are instances where families have returned from the hospital, yet the officials have arrived to seal the building,” said Rajat Rajan, social worker, Dombivli.
{{/usCountry}}Citizens allege KDMC has been inconsistent in its handling of Covid cases. “There have been instances where instead of just taking the patient to hospital, the civic body has taken neighbours as well, along with the patient’s family to the quarantine centre. Also, there are instances where families have returned from the hospital, yet the officials have arrived to seal the building,” said Rajat Rajan, social worker, Dombivli.
{{/usCountry}}Sanjeev Auti, secretary of Sunshine Court apartments in Kalyan, said, “We have faced instances where the positive patient is asymptomatic yet the civic body asks them to be quarantined at the quarantine centre. These patients and their families request to be allowed to stay at home in isolation, as asymptomatic patients are allowed to isolate at home. However, the officers insist it is protocol.” Auti also alleged the civic body has not sealed some buildings despite residents testing positive for Covid-19.
KDMC commissioner Vijay Suryavanshi said there is an established protocol for the civic body. “We ensure 15 high-risk contacts and five low-risk contacts are traced for every positive patient. They are advised strict quarantine,” he said, adding that civic officers are “keeping a strict vigil” on all those who test positive for Covid-19.