District administration redefines containment zones for high-rises - Hindustan Times
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District administration redefines containment zones for high-rises

ByTanmayee Tyagi, Noida
May 26, 2020 11:08 PM IST

A day after residents of a Greater Noida west township held a protest against the authority’s decision to seal the entire society after three positive Covid-19 cases were reported from the housing complex, the district administration has redefined containment zones for high-rises.

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According to Uttar Pradesh government guidelines, any residential area with multiple cases will become a containment zone and will be sealed for a period of 21 days. However, in a statement released by the office of the district magistrate Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj on Tuesday, the radius of the containment zone will now depend on the number of cases.

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“In consultation with the state government, containment zones have been redefined for multi-storied buildings and societies in urban areas. If a single case is reported in a multi-storey society, only that particular tower will be sealed, and if more than one case is reported, the previous rule will be applicable according to which sealing radius will be 500 metre for containment and 250 metre for the buffer zone,” the order said.

The order further stated that in case towers of the same society fall outside the 500 metre radius, they will not be considered as part of the containment zone.

Residents of various high-rises have welcomed the district administration’s move.

“It is very difficult for high-rises that have thousands of people living in them to have them sealed. It’s a question of their livelihood. People in hot spots cannot even get administrative passes. Not all societies have grocery shops within their premises, thus creating further problems. We were in touch with a few local politicians to highlight the issue, part from us taking up social media campaigns. The decision to implement partial sealing is better than the entire complex being sealed and a less number of residents will be affected,” Abhishek Kumar, president, NEFOWA, a Greater Noida West association of high-rises, said.

The administration’s decision comes 24 hours after residents of Supertech Ecovillage had held a protest on Monday evening when their society had been sealed. The society has over 3,000 flats and all three positive cases, reported over the past seven days, are from the same family.

“It was a media house employee who was found positive first followed by his mother and son. We understand the regulations. But it is a huge township. People were not comfortable with the whole society being sealed. By 8pm, many residents had gathered to protest against the sealing,” Sameer Bhardwaj, a resident of the society, said.

He said many residents are worried about their jobs as offices have now resumed functioning. “If the entire area is put under lockdown, we understand. But for a few people to be unable to go to work while the rest of the world is slowly getting back to its feet, puts our employment in jeopardy,” Bhardwaj said.

It was only after local police intervention that the residents were dispersed and the district administration officials continued with the sealing on Monday

“People were under the assumption that only a part of the society will be sealed, but that confusion was cleared and the residents were told that for now, the decision has been taken to seal the entire society. They were assured that all products of daily need will be provided to them at their doorstep and people are cooperating with the authorities,” a statement issued from the district police earlier said.

In a video circulating on social media, police personnel from Bisrakh station were seen pacifying residents and letting them know that in case of medical emergencies, they will be allowed to go to hospitals while arrangements will also be made to provide medicines to residents.

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