Face strict action if you evict doctors or health workers: Govt
MUMBAI: The state government has threatened housing societies and flat owners with strict action if they evict doctors or health workers from the premises during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The diktat has been issued after the government received numerous complaints from doctors engaged in the treatment of coronavirus-affected people. Chief secretary Ajoy Mehta directed the administration to issue the circular to authorities on Thursday to take action for ill-treatment to health workers.
“We have received complaints at our control room about doctors being ill-treated by societies and neighbours. There were a few complaints about doctors being asked to stay away from their homes during the pandemic or to vacate their rental homes. This has been taken very seriously by the state administration,” said an official from Mantralaya.
Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has warned of action against those attacking doctors and police. “Attack on doctors and police is unfortunate. The state government will not tolerate attack on doctors and police and take strict action against the offenders. I also urge both the people and police to follow self discipline and observe patience,” Pawar said.
LANDLORDS WAIVE PARTS OF RENT
As the nation struggles with the 21-day lockdown and economic activities virtually came to a standstill, landlords have started waiving rents to help tenants cope with this problem. The reason behind this move is that given high rental rates in the city, rents consume a significant portion of the expenditure.
On Thursday, three landlords waived off three months’ rents of their tenants at Juhu and Andheri.
Similarly Lodha Group has waived rentals of 200 commercial tenants in properties of Palava City, Thane, south Mumbai and Pune.
MUMBAI: The 21-day lockdown has come as relief for a residential complex in Tilak Nagar, where a 64-year-old man died of the Sars-cov-2 on March 17.
The man had a past history of travel to Dubai and had returned on March 6. He had first visited a local hospital, but based on his symptoms, he was directed to PD Hinduja Hospital, where he tested positive for the virus, and was shifted to Kasturba. His wife and 30-year-old son had also tested positive, but were stable. After testing negative, the wife and son returned home on Wednesday. The period from March 10 to 22 (Janta curfew and the beginning of the lockdown in Mumbai) was difficult. “All neighbouring societies boycotted us socially. Help, vendors, delivery persons and other outsiders were threatened against working in any other complex. Instead of educating daily workers, they scared them and showed us as carriers of the virus,” said Dakshesh Sampat, committee member and resident of the society. “There were instances in the local market where people would tell our security staff bringing essentials to remain locked up inside, as they were a ‘deadly threat’ to the entire neighbourhood,” said another resident requesting anonymity. “With Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing a 21-day lockdown, this uncalled for social discrimination has stopped. Movement is restricted, so we don’t feel this issue anymore and there is no panic.”
After the person tested positive, the entire society, building, two wings, compound and common areas, were sanitised twice, said Sampat. “We had arranged for the chemical (sodium hypochloride cleaner disinfectant) and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) sent their staff for the clean-up. We then called the pest control staff for their special treatment for Covid-19. All security staff have been provided with sanitisers, and the chemical is used for cleaning the complex daily,” he said. Residents also approached the local police, addressing their concerns. “An official police complaint was not filed,” said Sampat, adding, “The family is back, but they are still in shock. We wanted to give them their space. Their condition is stable.”
Residents of two neighbouring societies are still worried. One confirmed that there was discrimination and the boycott was distasteful, while the other said any kind of exposure is dangerous.