More containment areas in Tambaram and Pallavaram

More containment areas in Tambaram and Pallavaram

Little Action Taken Against Erring Shops, Say Activists

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:  12.05.2020

As Covid-19 positive cases in Tambaram and Pallavaram are on the rise, the government has increased the number of containment zones in the areas. More people were put in isolation camps to prevent spread.

Tambaram, in particular, had only 14 cases two weeks ago. Just when the last patient was about to recover, the locality in southern Chennai started to feel the heat from the Koyambedu cluster.

As on date, as many as 50 positive cases were reported in Tambaram taluk. This included the six members from the same family, who resided at Krishna Nagar. One among them had visited Koyambedu market to buy vegetables for his hotel.

Special teams were formed to trace people who went to the market recently. Based on their findings, a total of 282 vegetable vendors and traders in these two areas were put in four isolation camps.

Following protests from them about the quality of food provided to them at the camps, the government has increased its spending. On an average, ₹200 is allocated per head a day to buy food from renowned private hotels in the vicinity, said a revenue official.

Samples were collected from them on Saturday and so far nine people have tested positive. They were referred to Chengalpet Government Hospital for further treatment, the official added.

As far as containment zones were concerned, the revenue department has devised a new strategy to meet the daily needs of people residing there.

“Since the frontline workers are not allowed to enter containment zones, we have identified a group of volunteers who can collect ration and food items at the barricades (put in street ends) and distribute them to nearby houses,” said Tambaram thasildar Saravanan.

A WhatsApp group was created for residents to share their needs with these volunteers who would later forward them to authorities, he added.

Residents outside containment zones, however, complained that not much was done to prevent the spread of the virus.

Ragu Ram from Kurinji Nagar Residents Welfare Association said all disinfection and testing measures were restricted only to main roads and interior areas were neglected.

Civic activists alleged that unlike the Chennai corporation, municiplaities here don’t take any action against shops which violate social distancing norms and they don’t update data on cases and red zones on maps regularly.

KEEPING TABS: Officials inspect a containment zone at Perungalathur near Tambaram on Monday