On Badnore’s call, RWAs, councillors help seal high-risk localities in Chandigarh
After the initiative by Fighters Welfare Club in Sector 40 to seal off their sector, Chandigarh administrator VP Singh Badnore has asked local authorities and organisations to replicate the model in other sectors which are contaminated zones. Following this, parts of Sector 30 and Dadumajra have been sealed and some RWAs are making individual efforts to seal their localities.
After the initiative by Fighters Welfare Club in Sector 40 to seal off their sector, Chandigarh administrator VP Singh Badnore has asked local authorities and organisations to replicate the model in other sectors which are contaminated zones. Following this, parts of Sector 30 and Dadumajra have been sealed and some RWAs are making individual efforts to seal their localities.
Adviser to UT administrator, Manoj Parida, also reached out to mayor Raj Bala Malik on Tuesday to rope in all local area councillors to help residents seal their sectors. On Monday, Badnore had asked authorities and local organisations to identify and seal localites that were contaminated, to contain the epidemic.
Sector 30, where four positive cases have been detected, was sealed by the efforts of local area councillor Devinder Singh Babla. Speaking to HT, Babla said, “Police have sealed the EWS colony area. Residents cannot leave this area even during curfew relaxation hours.” On Tuesday a CTU bus delivered fruits and vegetables to Sector 30 residents. For the task, vendors wore PPE kits and used wooden sticks to enforce social distancing.
As government offices opened from Monday, many societies in Sector 13 have also restricted entry by keeping only one entrance open. KL Sachdeva, secretary of Modern Housing Complex (duplex) resident welfare association (RWA), said, “After a meeting with Manimajra station house officer (SHO) , we closed gate number 4 and 5. Only gate number 3 is open. However, we have written to the SHO to seal gate number 4 with barricades till the curfew is in effect.”
Residents of Sector 38 West have also sealed parts of their localities. As per Pankaj Gupta, RWA president here, they have kept only one exit point open which is monitored 24/7 by guards. “Nobody can enter without a movement pass. Vendors have been given RWA identity cards without which they cant enter.”
Entry to apartment societies in southern sectors is strictly banned and all their gates are closed. Vice president of Sector 49 RWA, Jatinder Mehta, who lives in the Chandigarh Housing Board society here, said, “With help from the police, we have barricaded entry points and kept only one gate open. Previously, many unauthorised vendors were coming here from Punjab side but now no one can enter without a valid pass.”