GHMC packs off 16 to isolation wards

Sixteen persons who returned from abroad and did not follow the mandatory 14-day home quarantine were caught by officials of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). These individuals have been since packed off to isolation wards designated by the government.

These wilful quarantine violators included six persons from Kukatpally zone, five from Charminar, four from Serilingampally and one from the Khairatabad zone. GHMC officials said they had not received any instructions on further measures, including taking action against these individuals. “If a police case booked is against the violator, the person will have to be presented before a court with two constables during the remand period. If any violator develops Covid19 symptoms during the remand, that would put the health of police personnel at stake. In order avoid such complications violators were shifted to isolation centres immediately,” a GHMC health wing official said.

Earlier this month a man who came to Hyderabad from Doha on March 15 fled to Tanuku in Andhra Pradesh without intimating authorities, which is a violation of coronavirus preventive measures. Even as the government decided to shut down Telangana state and close the borders, several of those who returned home from abroad have actually managed to give authorities the slip. To track them, the corporation decided use GPS.