SRIKAKULAM: Discrimination against frontline workers involved in the fight against Covid-19 continues. In one incident, 10 sanitation workers who performed the last rites of an infectee were not allowed to enter their residential locality in Tekkali village of the district. They were forced to spend the night on the outskirts of the village, and the next day, after officials failed to convince the villagers to let them in, the sanitation workers were housed in a college building.
Cases were registered against 10 people who prevented them from going home. The Tekkali police and revenue officials said about 10 sanitation workers were engaged by the Meliaputti police and revenue officials to cremate the body of a Covid-19 victim at Meliaputti village on Saturday. The workers were briefed on safety measures and given protective gear including PPE kits.
However, when they returned to their village after performing the last rites, the locals stopped them at the entrance of the locality and said they could not enter as they might spread coronavirus. As the locals did not relent, the sanitation workers spent the entire night on the outskirts of the village.
On hearing about this, revenue, police and panchayat officials visited the locality on Sunday and tried to convince the locals to let the sanitation workers return home as they followed all safety precautions when performing the cremation. But the locals said they would not be allowed home until they test negative for coronavirus, and even threatened to vacate their houses if the sanitation workers were allowed to return home. The officials then shifted the sanitation workers to a college building in Tekkali.
Based on a complaint from the workers, the Tekkali police registered a case against 10 people under Sections 341 and 188 of the IPC and under Section 51(b) of the Disaster Management Act on Monday. Collector J Nivas said strict action will be taken against those who discriminate against frontline workers.