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Coronavirus outbreak: Villagers in Mohali use logs, tractors to barricade themselves
Though the administration is allowing villages to self-isolate, vigilantism is preventing supplies to reach the needy
As the count of cases testing positive for coronavirus in Mohali reached 10 in the last two weeks, a majority of villages in the district have taken it upon themselves to prevent the spread of infection in their areas.
From barricading entry points to restricting the entry of outsiders, including vendors, the village elders have deputed youngsters in shifts to keep vigil. Large boards at the entry points, sealed using ropes, carts, even tractor-trolleys, announce entry prohibition.
Nobody from the village is allowed to go out either.
Sarpanch of Manauli village, Zora Singh, says, “We have fixed the timings of vegetable and milk vendors. For the migrant workers and tenants, we are providing them dry ration, but entry and exit points are completely sealed.”
Ajmer Singh, sarpanch of Daun village, says, “We have even banned the entry of vegetable vendors till April 5. But we are facing problems with migrant workers, who do not stay inside despite warnings.”
“Besides ration, milk and other essentials, tenants and labourers in the village are also given cooked food arranged by the local gurdwara,” adds Ajmer Singh.
The Chilla village, too, has closed its doors to the outside world. Sarpanch Karamjeet Singh Chilla says, “We are taking special care of our village elders. And every third day, the entire village is sanitised.”
When contacted, Mohali’s sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Jagdeep Sehgal said, “Most of the villages have banned entry and exit. We had asked the sarpanches to take the lead and they are doing it.”
24 VILLAGES IN KHARAR, DERA BASSI SEALED
In Kharar and Dera Bassi, 24 villages have taken permission from the authorities to seal their entry points.
“I have been getting requests from villages seeking permission to seal the entry points. More and more panchayats are coming forward to do so. And we are allowing them,” said Himashu Jain, SDM, Kharar.
“So far, the requests we have received are from the panchayats of those villages with higher numbers of people under quarantine. This initiative of the panchayats will help check the spread, especially in villages, but we have given clear instructions that essential services must not be stopped,” said Kuldeep Bawa, SDM Dera Bassi.
The residents of Landran village in Mohali, too, have self-quarantined by sealing the entry and exit of the village from all the sides using logs and cars. Gurpreet Singh Gill, a social worker of the village, says, “Residents are not allowed to come out of their houses and they have been advised to remain indoors till April 15. Village volunteers have constituted teams to supply household items at doorstep when required.”
NEED TO KEEP FAMILIES SAFE
“We have even sealed the internal roads leading to different mohallas to check movement of the residents. If we are to save our families, we have to do this,” said Kulwinder Saini, an engineering graduate of Chhat village.
A man from his village, suspected of attending the religious congregation in Delhi’s Nizamuddin West locality between March 13 to 15, has been kept in an isolation ward, and his family of 15 has been home-quarantined in Chhat.
ON THE FLIP SIDE
Ravinder Singh, who works in a hospital in Kharar, says, “The youths at village nakas are bullying and threatening people, and not letting anyone enter even if we have a valid curfew pass issued by the district administration.”
“Vegetable sellers and milkmen are also being stopped even though authorities have assured that supply of essential commodities will not be disrupted,” adds Jasbir Singh of Palheri village.
