‘Keep Social distancing’ to fight Coronavirus : Guardian Minister Nitin Rout : Sanjay Patil

Sanjay Patil : Nagpur : Though the essential services will continue to operate, several ‘social distancing’ measures also have been put into effect by the administrative authorities as well as the society, to fight Coronavirus. Dr Nitin Raut, Guardian Minister of district, asked the people to use WhatsApp or e-mail to get in touch with him instead of meeting in person.

“Every citizen must follow the instructions issued by the Central and State Governments, and local administration to combat Coronavirus scare. People should avoid visiting my camp office at Ravi Bhavan Cottage No 5 and Bezonbagh Camp Office till March 31,” he stated in a press release. Barring the urgent matters, people should send their memorandums, complaints, suggestions to WhatsApp numbers 9970283011, 9766393888, or 9421717247 or e-mail those to guardianministerngp@gmail.com, Dr Raut stated in a press release. He appealed to the people to mention their mobile phone number on the memorandums, complaints, suggestions sent to the above-mentioned numbers/e-mail id. People may also get in touch with Dr Raut’s office by dialling following numbers -- Ravi Bhavan (0712-2553557) or Bezonbagh Camp Office (0712-2631111).

The Central Jail authorities have imposed restrictions on relatives meeting prisoners. The restrictions have been imposed following the suggestion of Anil Deshmukh, Home Minister. There are 2,450 prisoners in Nagpur Central Jail and relatives come to meet them. Apart from restricting relatives from meeting prisoners, the prisoners who visit courts and hospitals are being given entry only after washing their hands thoroughly with soap and water. In 35 barracks in prison, soap and hand-wash have been made available to prisoners. Masks have been provided to the prison staff that comes in contact with prisoners regularly as part of duty.

Regional Transport Office (RTO) has rescheduled appointments for learning license given to applicants. These appointments till March 31 have been rescheduled to the next month. Accordingly, text messages have been sent to the registered mobile phone numbers of the applicants.

The applicants who have not received messages, should check the status of their applications on the website parivahan.gov.in and the applicants whose learning licences are expiring by March 31, 2020, should remain present at RTO as per the appointments given for test of permanent license, appealed Regional Transport Officer, Nagpur (Rural). Further, the said office has postponed the learning license test camps scheduled previously on March 20 at Umred, March 23 at Ramtek, and March 27 at Mouda. Only the works relating to license renewal, re-registration of vehicles, renewal of fitness certificate will be done in the office till March 31. Maharashtra Nabhik Mahamandal’s Nagpur unit also announced that the hair saloons in Nagpur district would remain closed for three days starting Thursday (till Saturday) as part of measures to curb spread of Coronavirus infection.

Bhagwanrao Bidwe, President; Prabhakarrao Fulbandhe, General Secretary; Dattaji Anarase, State President; Ambadas Patil, State Working President; Bandubhau Raut, State Vice-President; Shyam Askarkar, Vidarbha President; Ganpatrao Chaudhary, District President, stated in a press release that the decision was taken keeping in mind the larger social interest and to ensure safe health of the saloon workers. Some tough measures also have been initiated to curb carelessness of people at public places. Nuisance Detection Squad of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), on Thursday, recovered fine of Rs 5,000/- from the people who were found spitting in a busy public place -- Samvidhan Square. The action was taken against 27 persons.

The team led by Virsen Tambe, In-charge of Nuisance Detection Squad, took the action under the guidance of Tukaram Mundhe, Municipal Commissioner. The action was taken as communicable diseases spread through sputum or nasal fluids. Fine of Rs 4,600/- was recovered from 24 others who were found spitting on roads from Madhya Pradesh State Transport Corporation buses, city buses, auto-rickshaw drivers, car-drivers, and truck-drivers. Penalty was recovered from four other persons for throwing waste on road. Tukaram Mundhe, Municipal Commissioner, also has taken a lead to create awareness about precautionary measures to be taken to curb spread of Coronavirus.

A message has been recorded in his voice to appeal to the people to stay safe, not to panic, avoid hand-shake, not to spit at public place, and use soap and clean water to wash hands. The appeal will be played through loud-speakers mounted atop the garbage collection vehicles, from Friday. These vehicles regularly play the song ‘Gaadiwaala aaya ghar se kachra nikal...’ The recorded message of Municipal Commissioner will be played through public address system at 51 major traffic junctions in the city, under Nagpur Smart City project. Already, various temples have announced closure. Various social organisations also are adopting ‘social distancing’. Vanrai Foundation announced that its office shall remain closed till March 22 (Sunday). The decision was taken amid Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Depending upon the situation, stated a press release issued by Ajay Patil, Vice-President, Vanrai Foundation, the closure might be extended further and people would be informed accordingly.

What’s open and what’s closed till March 31 in Nagpur district

OPEN -- Hospitals, petrol pumps, grocery stores, weekly markets, vegetable markets, chemist shops, milk booths, daily needs stores, stationery stores and other small shops, airports, railway stations, bus-stands. CLOSED -- Shopping malls, cinema halls, gyms, swimming pools, marriage halls, auditoriums, beer shoppe, wine shops, permit rooms, bar and restaurants, clubs, country liquor shops, restaurants and paan-kiosks.

TC tests negative, traveller tests positive at Telengana

Even as railway administration has heaved a sigh of relief as the hospitalised ticket checker (TC) has tested negative for Coronavirus at Chandrapur, a traveller on board Sampark Kranti Express has tested positive for COVID-19 in neighbouring Telengana. The TC, incidentally, had been on duty in the same train in which the traveller was and hence on Wednesday the latter was promptly quarantined and isolated. Now, for railway officials a bigger worry is to trace other passengers who were travelling in S-9 coach of Train No. 12708 on March 13, ex-Nagpur to Ramagundam, where the COVID-19 patient had deboarded on early morning of March 14. The patient, after reaching home, reported sick and his test results then came positive sounding alarm in State health administration. The TC was traced at Ballarshah where he had already reported about mild fever and loose motions on Wednesday evening. Hence as a matter of precaution, railway doctors, on directions of senior officers, referred him to Chandrapur for quarantine. With his test reports received on Thursday, mentioned him negative for Coronavirus, he is likely to be discharged from the hospital. Meanwhile, on March 17, Director, Public Health and Family Welfare, Hyderabad, had written to Deputy Chief Commercial Manager, PRS, Secunderabad Division, SCR, seeking details of co-passengers saying they are vulnerable to COVID 19 infection, as one of the travellers has tested positive in the State.

City’s first COVID-19 positive patient tests negative twice The person, who was the first Coronavirus positive patient in city and under observation at Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) since then has now tested negative. His samples were tested in lab twice and were found negative on both occasions. According to the standard protocol, if a COVID-19 positive person tests negative twice consecutively, he is considered out of danger. Of course, he will be examined by pulmonologist who is supposed to make the evaluation of his chest. His other blood tests also will be examined and if they are found normal, he would be discharged probably on condition of home quarantine. Meanwhile, 23 samples that were examined at the laboratory at Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital tested negative.