One can see about two kilometres either side of the road at this remote village located between Nyalakal and Zaheerabad.
“No one is allowed into the village due to coronavirus. Please do not enter our village,” was written on a white paper and hung from the check post at the entrance of the village. The check post was located about one kilometre from the village. Dry bushes were spread on the road to prevent anyone from entering the village. However there was no one at the spot.
At another village, Bellapur, some 10 persons were sitting on roadside under a chapta shade. They were seen discussing everything under the sky from corona, its impact, how people are suffering and what will be the fate of people who are daily wage earners. The village has a population of about 5,000 and all of them are dependent on agriculture activity. Though few used to work at other places they have also returned.
“Our village has seven entries all connected to the main road that passes through the village. Hence we have blocked all the roads except this one adjacent to the chapta. Some or other resident will be here to monitor entry of others into the village,” village sarpanch A. Rajasekhar Reddy said. The goods are being brought to the village from Naryanakhed by sending autos to the nearby places and police are allowing the essential commodities.
Though milk used to come from the neighbouring Karnataka, now it was stopped and they are dependent on supplies from Hyderabad.
At several villages village revenue assistant (VRA), also known as Maskuri, sporting a badge and lathi has been supervising the village entrance and enquiring from the visitor the purpose of visit. Almost all villages are in lockdown and there is little movement of people. Significantly there are no mass gatherings in the villages.
