HYDERABAD: A five-member Inter Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) extensively toured various parts of Hyderabad on Sunday to assess the ground situation amid the Covid-19 outbreak as the city reported maximum number of cases in Telangana.
The team — comprising Arun Baroka, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Jal Shakti; Chandrashekhar Gedam, senior public health specialist; R Hemalatha, NIN Director; SS Thakur, Director of Consumer Affairs; and Shekhar Chaturvedi, associate professor of NIDM — were accompanied by GHMC Commissioner DS Lokesh Kumar and Hyderabad Collector Shweta Mohanty. Lokesh Kumar and Mohanty briefed them about the measures taken up by the State government to curb the spread of Covid-19 under its Containment Plan.
The team visited the Rythu Bazaar at Mehdipatnam and interacted with shopkeepers selling essentials, and vegetable vendors.
They enquired about their sales and from where they procured vegetables. With the support of the Marketing department, some farmers from Rangareddy district were sharing transport to bring vegetables to the city, which were sold at residential areas for a marginal profit of Rs 2- Rs 5.
The team took note of the circles drawn in front of the shops for customers to maintain social distance.
GHMC officials informed the Central team that about 120 mobile vans were supplying fruits and vegetables to different parts of the city manned by women self-help groups (SHG).
The members also visited a quarantine centre at Nature Cure Hospital in Balkampet, where they enquired with the doctors and medical staff about the facilities provided to patients, Covid-19 testing lab and kits. Mohanthy said a nutritious diet was being served to quarantined persons.
It also inspected a sample testing lab. The team, later, visited the Malakpet containment zone (CZ). Officials deployed there explained that people were not allowed to venture out on roads.
If anyone needed any essential commodity, a designated team would purchase it for them from nearby supermarkets and deliver it at their doorstep.
They also said a door-to-door fever survey was being conducted every day and a person showing Covid-19 symptoms was treated with utmost care. The team observed how containment guidelines were being implemented at the field level.
Meeting with top cops
Earlier in the day, they met top officials of the Telangana Police. Director General of Police M Mahender Reddy explained to them about the steps taken by the police to ensure a total lockdown.
He informed the team about the various duties being performed by the police during the lockdown — setting up check posts, deploying special patrolling teams at CZs, seizing over one lakh vehicles for violations, deployment at Covid-19 hospitals, security measures and facilities for stranded migrated labourers.
The five-member team visited the old city and inquired about the security measures being taken up at CZs. Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar, who accompanied the team, said the police were taking all steps to prevent the virus from spreading by strictly implementing the lockdown.
Will visit GHMC Control Room today, submit report
On Monday, the team will visit the GHMC Control Room, hold a meeting with the Chief Secretary and inspect Gandhi Hospital. It will issue necessary directions to the State authorities for redressing the situation, and submit their report to the Central government.
Chief Secy apprises Cabinet Secy on Corona status
Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar apprised Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba about the steps being taken by the State government to contain Covid-19.
In a video conference held by Gauba to discuss the steps taken on public health response to the outbreak, Kumar updated him on the number of deaths reported till date, persons cured/discharged and death rate.
The Cabinet Secretary said the video conference was conducted to assess the situation on fight against Coronavirus. Currently, a team from the Central government is in Hyderabad visiting hospitals, shelter homes and quarantine facilities to take stock of the ground situation in Telangana.
It will conduct its survey till April 28, and visited Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences in Gachibowli.