CHANDIGARH: The public is getting aware of the fact if they do not isolate themselves and not follow the norms of social distancing they are likely to get infected with COVID-19. After 12,800 villages in Punjab self-quarantined themselves, those living in the urban areas in many towns and have sealed their localities and are allowing any outsiders.
Sources in the police department said that in many localities in various cities and towns of the state, the public has self-imposed restrictions If one has to buy vegetables and fruits then one is allowed to go to the check post (naka) which is erected on the entry of the locality. Except for the milk vendors, nobody else is allowed to enter these localities.
"If one has to go out in case of an emergency, he or she is interrogated by a team guarding the locality. Unless the team is satisfied and is given a genuine reason to go out, no individual is allowed to leave. On return, he or she has to sanitise before entering the locality," a senior police officer informed.
He said that many localities in Jalandhar, Patiala, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Batala have sealed their localities (mohallas) on their own. Also, the small bylanes in their areas have been sealed by erecting ropes or barricades.
Meanwhile, Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta said that drones have been deployed in 34 locations across ten districts of Mohali, Sangrur, Fazilka, Hoshiarpur, SBS Nagar, Barnala, Jalandhar (Rural), Moga, Ropar and Fatehgarh Sahib after it was found to be highly effective in coverage of large areas for ensuring effective enforcement of curfew and for efficient utilisation of manpower.