Lack of preparedness, severe staff crunch at Panchayat level worsen crisis

Chamarajanagar: The once Green Zone of Chamarajanagar that had gained national accolades even from Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan for maintaining a virus-free condition is now becoming a Red Zone with over 130 villages under the tight grip of COVID-19. 

Of the 509 villages in the district, the infection has spread to 260 villages. Shockingly, the virus has been detected even in villages like Padasalanathha on the tip of the famed M.M. Hills. Even the virus has not spared villages bordering forests. 

As per the District Health Office data, 83 percent of the COVID-positive cases have been reported in village areas where there is an absolute lack of medical facilities. Over 79 percent of the new cases that were reported in April emerged from rural areas or villages while only 21 percent of the cases were reported from towns and in May, the percentage touched 83 percent, reporting a significant increase. 

Following the rapid pace in which the disease is marching into rural and remote pockets, the District Administration has announced that Containment Zones will be introduced based on the number of cases in a locality.

Any rural area in a radius of 100 metres reporting more than 5 COVID cases will be declared as a Containment Zone and if 10 or more cases are reported in a small village, the entire settlement will be sealed off. In case of bigger village, the entire affected streets where cases are reported will be declared as Containment Zones. 

The administration’s plan on Containment Zones is not working out as people are moving around freely. As per guidelines, local Panchayat officers must take charge of Containment Zones and ensure supplies of essential commodities. But in several villages, the Panchayats are not supporting the households and this has made COVID-positive persons to fend for themselves and are in-turn spreading the disease to the neighbourhood in the name of purchasing essential commodities. 

The District Administration too has a role to play here as the complete focus of the authorities is on city areas like Kollegal and Gundlupet and urban population while the rural areas have received little attention. Even the move of the district authorities to shift the virus-infected people to COVID Care Centres — instead of curtailing them in the isolation zones — has not yielded any result. Reacting on the complaints and lack of effective measures, ZP CEO Bhoyar Harshal Narayanrao said “We have a staff crunch and this is resulting in bad management of containment zones that are contributing to the disease spread. We have created Task Forces headed by Panchayat Development Officers comprising Panchayat Presidents, members and Anganwadi workers, ASHA volunteers to manage the job. Panchayat funds are being utilised to purchase essential items to the families who are in isolation,” he said.