Improper Covid barricades irk Mannady locals

Improper Covid barricades irk Mannady locals

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:25.04.2021

A resident of Iyappa Chetty Street at Mannady in Royapuram zone in North Chennai has complained about Greater Chennai Corporation officials using tin sheets for quarantine purposes.

The resident, who declined to be identified, said that tin sheets have been placed perpendicularly covering part of a street.

He also claimed that vehicles like ambulances would not be able to go through. He said there were seven Covid-19 positive patients on the street. Photos show that there is enough space for vehicles to move through. The resident also said that there were no restrictions on movement of people.

However, a GCC official said that the tin sheets havenot been used to cover the entrance of any house.

“We have used it only for barricading purposes, to indicate that there have been COVID19 cases in this street,” an official said.

Last year, the Madras High Court had expressed their surprise and shock on the use of tin sheets to cover entrances of houses. The High Court had asked the civic body to explain if there was any scientific basis behind such a move.

GCC officials said that if there are less than 10 cases in any street they would only be placing barricades. Only if there are more than 10 cases on any street, would strict containment measures be followed.

“We have learnt lessons during the last year. We cannot disallow movement of people from apartments where there are no cases. Theremight be emergency travel requirements of people inside, say doctors or nurses and we can’t stop that,” an official said, explaining the containment measures that have been adopted by the Greater Chennai Corporation during the second wave.

HOLES IN THE WALL: Tin sheets installed as barricades at Iyappa Chetty Street at Mannady in Royapuram zone do not hamper the movement of people in the area, said a resident

GCC officials said that if there are less than 10 cases in any street they would only be placing barricades. Only if there are more than 10 cases on any street, would strict containment measures be followed