The police is qualitatively competent to handle any situation arising out of the fast spread of COVID-19 in some pockets of the State and can take up greater challenges with the existing manpower, Director General of Police Gautam Sawang said here on Saturday. Some persons indulging in petty politics in this time of national emergency must stop it and should not blame a particular group or community for anything, he remarked.
Asked, at a press conference here after reviewing the COVID-19 situation in the district, if the force was prepared to meet the exigencies in case there was a faster community spread, Mr. Sawang said it was not the number of personnel but the quality of policing work that would determine the efficiency.
He said there would be no special concessions in any specific areas other than those already given till May 3.
“Agriculture and related activities have been allowed since April 20 in the green zones of rural areas, hence no further relaxations are likely till the Centre and State governments decide based on situation,” he added.
People’s cooperation was key to effective implementation of lockdown, the DGP said and urged public not to get impatient and limit themselves to their homes till the Central government announced the next phase of action plan in a week.
The State government had released ₹2.96 crore for the PPEs and other safety equipment for police, he said, indicating that there were sufficient numbers available with them and that more were on their way from Hyderabad.
Aid given away
Mr. Sawang handed over a cheque for ₹50 lakh to former Parigi assistant sub-inspector Habibullah’s brother Rahmatullah. He talked to Habibullah’s family, under treatment in a COVID hospital, over a video-conference. Habibullah, hailing from Hindupur, died last week and later tested positive for COVID-19.
In all 28,000 foreign-returnees were reported and of them 22,266 were identified and home quarantined with proper monitoring through an app developed by an Anantapur-based youth, Manikantha. Delhi returnees were 1,185 and of them 1,033 were identified and contact tracing was done, he said.
