It’s Time for Bhubaneswar to Intensify War against Coronavirus; Call for Complete Shutdown Gains Momentum

Bhubaneswar: If one goes by the figures released by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) regarding Covid-19 situation in its limits, it is very much clear that the deadly virus is spreading steadily and gaining hold where it hurts most – its slums and peripheral areas.

As more than 40 percent of the city’s population lives in its slums, they are the most vulnerable and are likely to be affected most by the virus. The slums, which are inhibited by people belonging to various districts of the state, are always at the eye of the virus.

Till date Bhubaneswar has reported more than 430 positive cases and about 150 patients are still active and undergoing treatment in various hospitals. Data shows that the number of local infections is also increasing day by day indicating beginning of local transmission. Also, industrial areas such as Mancheswar have seen the highest number of infections.

As Bhubaneswar is having the entire infrastructure to fight the deadly virus, it’s better to contain it through more stringent action in the field. To make Bhubaneswar safer and to contain the spread of the disease, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation needs to take some stringent action and place restrictions on the movement of people immediately. This calls for strict imposition of lockdown measures or complete shutdown for at least 14 days.

People belonging to varied strata have opined that the BMC should take immediate action.

According to Manoj Kumar Sahoo, a resident of Sastrinagar, its high time that the administration take strict action and shutdown the entire city for two weeks. It will enable the government to screen people and restrict movement, and eventually stop the spread of the disease.”

For Snehalata Patnaik, an employee in the info city, “the government should declare containment type restrictions in all over the city to prevent the spread of the virus. The available resources of the government can be used to provide essential services and items for the people.”

According to Achyutananda, a pan shop owner in GGP Colony, the government should declare shutdown but give a small window of five hours daily for people to purchase their essential items. Milk, and other essential items should be provided by the BMC in the bastis and sold in other areas.

Imposition of stricter lockdown or shut down for two weeks will definitely help the administration in better screening the health of the people in the slums and will give ample time for the BMC to sanitize hospitals and public places.