E-Paper
Covid-19 containment zone residents in Delhi demand relief from curbs
Containment zones are complete quarantine zones and no one is allowed to go out even to buy essential goods such as milk, vegetables, fruits etc. All entry and exit points and even internal lanes are barricaded in containment zones.
It has been over 30 days since Nihal Ahmad has been able to visit an ATM to withdraw cash. He has been locked inside his house in Ekta Vihar area of Pratap Khand in east Delhi’s Shahdara district.
His movement, as well as that of other residents in the neighbourhood, has been strictly restricted since April 8, when Pratap Khand in Jhilmil Colony was declared a containment zone after two people tested Covid-19 positive.
Residents of Pratap Khand on Thursday staged a demonstration in the locality, demanding their area be de-contained since they were facing lot of problems in procuring essential commodities and going about regular activities. Scores of residents stepped out of their houses on Thursday morning and gathered near police barricades, from where the colony has been cordoned off, to protest against the authorities for not de-containing the colony even after a month.
They complained about the irregular supply of essential items such as milk, vegetables, fruits and medicines in the last few weeks.
“I require cash and we cannot go to ATMs to withdraw it. There is no proper arrangement for mobile ATMs. It has been over a month since the entire locality was sealed due to Covid-19 cases. Now no new cases are emerging yet our colony is marked as a red zone while many areas in the city are being de-sealed. The area should be de-contained now,” Ahmad said.
Another resident of the locality, Yogesh Kumar Bhati, who was also at the protest, said that initially, the system of home delivery of essential items was working fine, but now it has become erratic. Residents complained that even after hours of placing orders with the notified vendors of the area, they have to wait, sometimes an entire day, for the delivery.
“Most vendors, who are authorised to deliver essentials in the locality, open their shops in the morning and evening only. So if you need anything urgently you have to wait the entire day. We demand the colony should be opened and if any case is found, then that particular lane or block should be contained not the entire locality,” he said.
A senior official of the district administration, who wished not to be named, said a few cases were reported in the area even after April 15, that’s why the locality was not de-contained. The official said that a discussion and survey would be conducted with the health department officials to decide when to de-seal the area. “We are making all possible arrangements. For the home delivery of items, we have engaged civil defence volunteers. But still, if residents are facing problems then will look into the matter,” the district administration official said.
Containment zones are complete quarantine zones and no one is allowed to go out even to buy essential goods such as milk, vegetables, fruits etc. All entry and exit points and even internal lanes are barricaded in containment zones.
The authorities allow only selected vendors to supply groceries and other essentials to the neighbourhood. Till Thursday, Delhi had 86 containment zones. As per the central government’s guidelines, an area can be de-contained only when no fresh Covid-19 positive cases are reported in the last 28 days. Till now, 14 areas have been de-contained in Delhi.
The residents of other containment areas in the city also complained about the irregular supply of essential items such as milk, vegetables, fruits and medicines.
In south-west Delhi’s Bengali Colony in Mahavir Enclave, residents complained that though in the beginning services were delivered smoothly, over the last 10 days, even sanitation and disinfection is not taking place regularly. Bengali Colony was made a containment zone on April 12 when one Covid-19 positive case was found in the locality. The area has been in containment for the last 25 days.
Sunita Nagar, a resident of the colony who lives with her six-month-old daughter and her old parents, said that the biggest problem that she has been facing since the area was contained is to find items for her baby.
“The colony was locked up in a day and I did not get a chance to stock up on my daughter’s essentials such as diapers, wipes and milk power. In the beginning, the vendors here would delivery some of the items but now I am finding it hard to get the things I need,” Nagar said.
In Dinpur Village, residents said that residents are fed up of the authorities keeping them locked up “for no reason”. Dinpur village was made a containment zone on April 8 when three cases of a family were reported Covid-19 positive. The village has been under containment for last 27 days.
“We agree that there were one or two cases from the colony, but you contain those houses, why are you keeping the entire colony locked? We are ready to co-operate with the agencies but there should be some relaxations,” Dhruv Pradhan, a local politician living in the south-west Delhi village, said.
In the Zakir Nagar containment area, residents complained about the irregular supply of drinking water bottles. Gali number 18 to 22 in Zakir Nagar were contained on April 10 after two residents tested Covid-19 positive.
“People in the area purchase 20-litre water bottles but the authorities do not allow them to be delivered at home. Plus the supply is also irregular,” Shoeb Danish, councillor of the area, said.
District magistrate (south-west) Rahul Singh said that the assessment of areas was ongoing to ascertain when they could be de-contained. “I have not yet received any complaint about irregular supplies in containment areas. But still, we will look into the matter,” he said.
