With the threat of COVID-19 entering Telangana from neighbouring Yavatmal district in Maharashtra following detection of three COVID-19 positive cases in that town, the Adilabad district administration has initiated a quick response. The three positives belong to villages and towns with which people from Adilabad have a regular contact.
For example, the three COVID-19 affected with a travel history to Dubai last month are pesticide traders belonging to Kurli, Mohda and Yavatmal district headquarter also moving in Pandharkawda taluk. Farmers from almost all bordering villages along the Penganga river regularly visit these places and the traders are assumed to have come in contact with at least some farmers from this side of the border during the period between their return from Dubai on March 1, and before they became COVID-19 suspects on March 9.
District Collectors’ collective
“We are in touch with Collectors of Nanded, Yavatmal and Chandrapur districts which share part of their borders with our district. They are screening people thoroughly in their respective districts which rules out sealing our borders, an option that was being assessed,” revealed Adilabad Collector A. Sridevasena.
In fact, a check post has been set up at the local railway station and another at the Pipparwada toll plaza, about 15 km from Adilabad town and some four km inside the inter-State border on NH 44. “The teams manning these round-the-clock posts will just sensitise people coming in from across the border,” disclosed Ms. Sridevasena of the arrangements made to counter the threat.
House to house visit
“There are other teams comprising the concerned Village Revenue Officer, ANM or ASHA worker and Panchayat Secretary which will visit every house in all the villages on our side of the border. These teams will create awareness on the issue and impress upon people that the spread of the virus can be contained with their participation,” the Collector added.
Though the government has not issued a standard operating procedure on surveillance and other activities to contain the COVID-19 import from across the border, the district administration is banking on vigilance and education of people. “Availability of personnel at check posts and in villages will help in vigilance and educating the people,” Ms. Sridevasena observed.
Tabs sought
“Many of our people from villages like Kamai, Akoli, Pedalwada, Mandagada and Bhoraj, to name a few, visit Yavatmal for medicare facilities there. The government should keep tabs on such people who form the high risk category,” suggested B. Sanjiv Reddy, former sarpanch of Kamai.
