COVID-19: Hyderabad police, GHMC deliver supplies to those stuck in containment zones

Hyderabad: After the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) identified 12 COVID-19 containment zones in the city, the onus is now on the municipal authorities and the police to ensure that people inside the zones stay safe.

In order to ensure that people in high-risk areas do not step outside, the Hyderabad police along with the GHMC is taking care that people from these zones do not run out of essential supplies. Speaking to NewsMeter, Shikha Goel, the Additional Commissioner of Police, said, “Ninety teams from the Hyderabad city police have been deployed to ensure proper security for the people confined within these COVID-19 containment zones. As far as supplies are concerned, the GHMC is working with the police to ensure that essential supplies like food are being delivered at the doorsteps. This will ensure that people remain inside and prevent the spread of COVID-19."

The GHMC has separate emergency numbers for each zone for essential items. “There are separate emergency contact numbers for each zone for milk, water supply, electrical supply, and essential commodities,” said V. Mamatha, the zonal commissioner of Kukatpally.

“In Kukatpally alone we have 15 containment zones. If a zone has more than 100 households, then it is further divided into two or three sectors and sectorial officers appointed. Twice a day these areas will be sanitised and sprayed with sodium hypochlorite,” the GHMC official said.

In addition to this, the police officer-in-charge of SHE Teams said restrictions in COVID-19 containment zones are more strict than those during the lockdown. “During a normal lockdown, restricted movement is allowed so that people can go outside to buy necessities and tend to other emergencies. But in containment zones, people are not allowed to come in or go outside. So the challenge is to ensure that all their needs are met. A team of doctors is also on round-the-clock duty to monitor the health of citizens residing in high-risk areas and constant disinfection and sanitisation activities are underway,” she said.

GHMC officials have identified 122 containment zones in Hyderabad which includes places like Ramgopalpet, Shaikhpet, Red Hills, Malakpet, Santoshnagar, Chandrayangutta, Alwal, Moosapet, Kukatpally, Qutubullapur, Gajularamaram, Mayurinagar, Yosufguda, and Chandanagar. Meanwhile, the Telangana government has also identified 243 COVID-19 hotspots in the state.