Teachers to check Covid violations in North MCD areas

In a circular issued Wednesday, the corporation said that in view of crowding in market places and shopping complexes, teams will stay on the field from 1pm-11pm to enforce Covid-19 guidelines.

The North Delhi Municipal Corporation has prepared a plan to keep a check on Covid-19 violations ahead of Diwali at markets and shopping complexes. The municipal body has roped in teachers and officials from the engineering department to deploy additional monitoring teams in public places. The drive, which will continue till November 17, and the enhanced vigil will cover not just main markets but also shopping areas at ward and local levels.

A worker collects a swab sample to test for coronavirus infection at Amar Colony in New Delhi. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

In a circular issued Wednesday, the corporation said that in view of crowding in market places and shopping complexes, teams will stay on the field from 1pm-11pm to enforce Covid-19 guidelines.

“These teams will comprise six primary teachers per ward and all the assistant engineers and junior engineers of their respective wards. Apart from them, licensing inspectors, officials from health and malaria departments, and enforcement department will also be part of these vigilance teams. We are short of staff and this is an “all hands on the deck” situation,” a senior official of the north body said, requesting anonymity.

The official added that the vigilance teams of this “Diwali Plan” will not only ensure that people are maintaining social distancing and wearing masks, but also educate them about the pandemic and issue fines to violators, be it a shopper or shopkeeper. They will also have to submit an action taken report comprising information on the number of fines issued and the amount collected.

Jai Prakash, mayor, North Delhi Municipal Corporation, said the number of coronavirus cases are spiking in the city and due to the festival season the crowd has also increased in markets. “It is an unprecedented scenario where we need to crowd control and ensure their exposure to the virus remains minimal. So special teams have been formed in each zone. Generally, the enforcement related to Covid-19 is handled by the health, malaria and licensing departments, but now we have included teachers and engineers in the vigil so that we can cover the maximum area and fine violators,” Prakash said.

However, the decision did not go down well with the teachers’ body in the north municipality.

“We don’t support this decision as teachers are already engaged in online classes and are working without salary. Sending them into crowded markets during a pandemic is not fair,” Kuldeep Khatri, president, Shikshak Sangthan Samanvay Samiti, North Corporation, said.