Panic grips Jalandhar residents after pizza delivery boy tests +ve in Delhi
Avneet Kaur
Jalandhar, April 17
Panic gripped city residents after a pizza delivery boy tested positive in Delhi, leading to isolation of 72 families. They demanded that all vegetable and fruit vendors, drivers and employees engaged in doorstep delivery should be screened and sanitised before starting work.
Though the district administration’s tie-up with online delivery platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato and Amazon was proving a boon for the residents, after the Delhi delivery boy’s case, they are in a dilemma whether to make orders online or not. Also, they have been receiving a number of WhatsApp messages to discontinue the practice as a precautionary measure.
Talking to The Tribune, Jasleen Kaur, a resident of Urban Estate, Phase II, here, said: “Since the lockdown, we have been relying on mobile applications such as Zomato, Swiggy and Fatafat for grocery and medicines. The case of the pizza delivery boy in Delhi has come as an eye opener as it is not at all safe to make orders online,” she said, adding that now she would prefer buying goods on her own instead of home delivery.
She said the administration must take action in this regard and ensure regular screening of vegetable/fruits vendors, sanitation workers and others who are working during the present crisis.
Another resident Manav Naurla said home delivery of essential items such as food in lockdown days has been a compulsion for everyone.
“We have to be more cautious from now onwards and people should take delivery from doorstep using gloves and keep items in some corner for at least 12 hours,” he said, adding that the authorities should issue medical certificates to all workers and arrange protective gear for them.
Vasu Arora, cluster manager, Zomato, said all necessary precautions were being taken by the company to ensure safety of delivery boys as well as residents.
He said masks, gloves and sanitisers had been provided to all boys and cash payments had been restricted.
“Once they receive items from shop, they send a selfie to the company and after we approve the same, they leave for delivery. They have been asked to keep delivery items on doorstep and avoid physical contact,” he added.
Meanwhile, ADC (G) Jasbir Singh said all steps to ensure safe delivery at residents’ doorsteps had been taken. He said guidelines had been issued in this regard and screening of vendors and other delivery staff was also being done.
