HYDERABAD: As Coronavirus spreads in Telangana, Director General of Police (DGP) M Mahendar Reddy has asked colony and apartment associations to form two-member teams to keep a watch on their residents.
These teams ought to go around their locality or apartment buildings to enquire if any residents are suffering from symptoms such as cold, fever and cough.
In case some people appear to be symptomatic, these teams can then dial 100 to help move such patients to hospital.
“It is time for everyone to respond as a united team and work together to control the spread of Coronavirus. This will help us all overcome the health emergency that people across the globe are facing,” the DGP said.
The DGP also stated said that the Telangana police were ensuring hassle-free movement of vehicles carrying essential goods. Citizens need not worry in this regard, Mahender Reddy said. “We request citizens not to come out until and unless it is absolutely essential. This will help flatten the Covid-19 curve,” the DGP said.
Several distress calls
The Hyderabad police have been receiving a number of requests from people seeking assistance in shifting patients from their residences to hospitals for proper treatment.
Following many such requests, police are co-ordinating with 108 emergency staff in shifting these patients.
For instance, a girl named Priyanka sought the help of police since her uncle who has a serious kidney ailment needed to go for his check-up. Police immediately made arrangements.
Similarly, M Ramu, a native of Nagarkurnool, sought the help of city police to shift his wife after her delivery to his village Pentlavelli in Nagarkurnool.
As the lockdown continues and there is no transport, Hyderabad police made arrangements for Ramu’s wife and baby to be shifted to their village.
Stranded pantry staff rescued
Twenty staffers of a pantry car of a train, who were stranded were rescued by the police after one of them called the police.
Ajit Jaiswal made a distress call to the police saying him and his colleagues had no food and were stuck in Secunderabad. The Gopalpuram police acted swiftly and provided the group with food and shelter.
Police go beyond the call of duty
At a time when the homeless and migrant labourers are struggling to get by owing to the lockdown, the police personnel have come to their rescue.
In addition to effectively enforcing the lockdown, they have also taken up outreach programmes to provide food to the migrant labourers and street-dwellers, who are stranded in Hyderabad in the absence of transportation.
The police at Bachupally, Madhapur, Kukatpally and Miyapur under Cyberabad limits have begun distributing food to the poor.
The Kukatpally police were also lauded by IT Minister KT Rama Rao for their efforts to help the migrant labourers.
At Uppal, Balapur, Chaitanyapuri and several other locations under Rachakonda Commissionerate, the needs of rag pickers and labourers are being taken care of by the police in association with NGOs