2 schools identified in Bapu Dham Colony to shift vulnerable sections

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, May 14

The UT Administration today acknowledged that combating Covid-19 in the congested Bapu Dham Colony (BDC), Sector 26, is a challenge and is fully concentrating to prevent community spread.

As social distancing is not possible in one-room houses, the authorities identified two schools in the BDC to set up a quarantine facility. It has been decided to shift vulnerable and high-risk sections like senior citizens, those with co-morbidities and pregnant women, among others, to prevent community spread of the virus.

The colony houses nearly 60,000 people, largely from economically weaker sections, with 10 to 15 persons living together in small dwellings.

The first case in the BDC was reported on April 24. Out of 191 cases from the city, 122 are from the BDC.

UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore reiterated the need for intensive testing in the city, especially in the BDC.

Despite the BDC being declared a containment zone and its entry and exit points sealed, the BDC has reported 68.3 per cent of the city’s total cases and 77.5 per cent patients.

The Administrator said “Chandigarh’s entity should not be considered in isolation, but in relation to its adjoining cities of Panchkula and Mohali, which make it a mega city. The combined population of the tricity is nearly 22 lakh.”

“This makes coordination in the tricity quite challenging. However, we evolved an effective mechanism through mutual cooperation with neighbouring states to combat Covid-19. Panchkula facilitated us by allowing our doctors to travel there,” said Badnore.

Indulging in some self-praise, the Administrator said while the rest of the country declared lockdown, Chandigarh declared a curfew. It was the first city to make it mandatory to wear masks in public.

The video conference was held to seek suggestions on easing out the lockdown after May 17. Some of the suggestions and queries pointed out the mismanagement of migrants, which had led to overcrowding and chaos at the ISBT-43 on Wednesday. The police reportedly had to use force to check the teeming workers.

The administration also sought the cooperation and assistance of the NGOs and voluntary organisations for smooth movement of migrants and others stranded in the city.