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90 days under lockdown has residents clashing with officials in containment zones
Pune police on Tuesday held a meeting to discuss various issues, including ways to prevent residents from stepping out of their homes in these containment areas
It’s been more than three months since the nationwide lockdown had been imposed in the city. Some areas, declared as containment zones, have been under complete lockdown since the start even while most other parts of the city are being opened up under the government’s Unlock 1.0 plan.
After 90 days under restrictions, residents of the areas, particularly in central parts of Pune, have become restless and disputes with police and civic authorities are often reported. Most of these areas are slums like Lohiyanagar, Parvati Darshan, and Tadiwala road where economic activity, including non-essentials shops, are still shut.
Pune police on Tuesday held a meeting to discuss various issues, including ways to prevent residents from stepping out of their homes in these containment areas and maintaining law and order in other parts. Most of these areas under restrictions are still reporting huge number of Covid-19 cases on a daily basis. As on June 21, Lohiyanagar had 66 active and 312 cases while Tadiwala road has 151 active and 1,252 cases.
“The major challenge is of keeping people inside containment zones like Lohiyanagar as they have been in complete lockdown state for the last 3 months,” said K Venkatesham, Pune police commissioner, in his tweet. The police commissioner also mentioned that crimes such as body offences are on the rise in some parts like Hadapsar, Yerawada and Chatuhshrungi areas.
“We are working on this issue as there are several areas which have been under lockdown since the beginning and the PMC is providing them ration kits at their doorsteps. In some areas with the help of Special Police Officers (SPOs), our policemen have arranged whatever they needed directly to their homes. However, people are still a little restless in these containment zones which have been under lockdown since the beginning. At least 30 such areas in and around Pune city have been identified and we are working to solve the issues. Engaging with residents is the only way we can do what we are doing and we are bringing it to the notice of PMC officials and local politicians,” said Venkatesham.
Sagar Abnawe, a resident of Lohiyanagar area, said, “It has become difficult for all of us to survive on a day-to-day basis, all the residents here belong to the labour class or below poverty line. We get to eat, only when we used to work and now none of us work. Earlier, we were getting ration kits, but now hardly any help is being provided to us. We are aware that the number of cases is increasing, but at the same time the government should figure out a way to lift the lockdown in our area.”
The PMC on its part has decided to review containment zones every week instead of 15 days to open up areas where there are fewer cases.
Shekhar Gaikwad, PMC commissioner, said, “We are working on alternative plans at the containment zones which are under lockdown since the beginning. All the necessary essential goods are been supplied regularly to the residents there, if they have any complaints, they can contact our PMC teams deployed in their areas.”
Dr Soumitra Pathare, consultant psychiatrist, director, Centre for Mental Health, Law and Policy at ILS, said, “People have been stuck inside their homes from the past three months, so it is normal they are getting restless. So it is a challenge for the police department to control the movement of people.”
“The houses of people in the containment zones are small. Due to the lockdown, all family members are at home and there can be fights and unhappiness among members. So the only solution is allowing them restricted movement in a safe manner,” said Dr Pathare.
