Large outbreak areas are in containment zones since April

Gurugram The eight large outbreak regions (LORs) in the district, which were identified by the district administration on Friday for implementing stringent curbs

Gurugram The eight large outbreak regions (LORs) in the district, which were identified by the district administration on Friday for implementing stringent curbs to control the spread of Covid-19, have not come out of containment zone tags since the initial phase of the lockdown. Despite announcing a number of measures to curb the movement of people and enforce social distancing, the results have not been satisfactory, officials said on Saturday.

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The number of cases has spiralled in these areas, most of which have high density of population. The officials said that due to delay in contact tracing in April and May, these areas have developed into Covid clusters.

For instance, there were about 25-30 coronavirus cases in many of these regions until May. However, as per district administration’s Covid-19 data, localities such as Hari Nagar, Shakti Park, Dundahera and Jyoti Park have more than 250 cases now.

Now, the district administration plans to ramp up policing and intensive health campaign from June 30 when the order on LORs becomes effective.

According to the district administration, an LOR is the area where there are 15 or more positive cases. As many as eight wards have been declared as the LORs.

The district administration officials said that they are working out a plan to identify the boundaries of these containment zones now designated as LORs.

“Entry and exits will be controlled in these areas after identifying their boundaries by the respective sub-divisional magistrates. The movement of people will be curbed and intensive health campaign will be launched with screening of individuals and testing through rapid antigen tests. Commercial activities will also be curbed,” said Amit Khatri, Gurugram deputy commissioner, in a statement issued on Saturday.

Local residents, meanwhile, have complained of poor surveillance by health workers and thin presence of police. “Shakti Park and Hari Nagar are both adjacent to Khandsa vegetable market, and a large number of migrant labourers who work in the market contracted the virus from there. Though the administration has changed the timing of wholesale market, the retail business has spread out to roads and streets in both these colonies. Social distancing and other safeguards are not enforced strictly,” said Satbir Tanwar, a resident of Shakti Park.

Both the colonies are located in ward 23 and have remained designated as containment zones for the past two months. Till May 30, Hari Nagar had 12 positive cases while Shakti Park only eight cases. The total cases in both the areas are now more than 150.

A visit by HT to both the localities on Saturday revealed that barricading was non-existent and entry and exits were not controlled with people moving freely in public places.

“The police presence has remained thin and we have barricaded the street number one on our own in Shakti Park. The municipal authorities have sanitized the area only once, and residents have been forced to sanitize the area themselves,” said Tanwar.

The population of Shakti Park is around 20,000 and almost 40% of people from UP and Bihar have returned to their native states. “We are dependent upon a single Asha worker who visits regularly. Very few people have been tested and administration must start rapid antigen and RT-PCR tests at the earliest,” said Dinesh Kumar, who owns a shop in Shakti Park.

Ruab Ali, a resident of Hari Nagar, said that there was an immediate need to increase testing, boost police presence and barricade the colony to prevent the spread of pandemic.

“These areas have very high density of population. It is difficult to sanitize the streets and maintain social distancing as people live in small rooms, share washrooms and common areas, “ said Yatender Hari, who owns a shop opposite the Khandsa market.

HSVP officials engaged in contact tracing said that high density and large population made social distancing and contact tracing difficult, but they were working to find out a solution.

Bharat Bhushan Gogia, estate officer, HSVP, said that they have taken several measures to boost contact tracing while working with the health department. “Our teams are working with local public health centres and compiling data on a real time basis and efforts are showing results,” he said.

While in Dundahera, locals complained that none of the health workers visited their houses despite the surge in cases. Jitender, an employee with a private company, said, “There has been no door-to-door surveillance, though cases have been reported in the nearby lanes. Nobody has ever visited our family.”

Some said that most of the families have already left after cases began to erupt in the area. on Saturday, the area wore a deserted look with most of the houses locked. Dundahera is one of the areas where a large number of workers employed in Delhi stay.

Urmila, who runs a grocery store in the lane which has been sealed, said, “After the first Covid-19 case, the building where the patient lived was totally vacated. In the last two months, so many families have left the area fearing Covid-19.”

The local police deployed in Dundahera said that four lanes have been sealed. “Our task is to prevent gathering of more than four people outside a shop or home. Also, to challan people who are not wearing mask,” said Ishwar Singh, a local police officer.

The Gurugram police said that they would boost measures for strict enforcement of social distancing and other safeguards in large outbreak regions. The movement of people will be curbed, factories and commercial establishments will have to arrange for accommodation of workers at their premises and only emergency movement will be allowed from June 30, they said.

Muhammed Akil, commissioner of police, said, “More than 2,000 police personnel are on Covid-19 duty. In the large outbreak areas, our focus is to strictly enforce wearing of mask and maintaining social distancing. Teams have been directed to prevent gathering of more than four people outside a shop or home. Also, to challan people who are not wearing mask. The teams will be strict now in issuing the challans if locals are found violating the norms by not wearing masks.”