Cases of Covid-19 are increasing at an alarming pace in Maharashtra, with the second wave having a major impact on Mumbai. The daily number of cases is way past the peak that the maximum city had experienced in August/September 2020.
To contain the spread of Covid-19, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has resorted to various measures, including sealing buildings and making mini-containment zones. As per current norms, if one or more Covid-19 patients are found in a building, then the entire floor is sealed. If more than five patients are found infected, the building is sealed by the municipal corporation. Mumbai police also keeps home guards outside such buildings to ensure rules are not broken.
According to the BMC, at present Mumbai has 90 containment zones in slums and “chawls” (old multi-storeyed row tenements), while 995 buildings have been sealed.
However, if the building is small, the municipal corporation has no problem in sealing the entire building. But when there are many buildings or wings in the complex, it becomes a problem for other residents.
To avoid any inconvenience to other residents, the municipal corporation has adopted a policy of sealing the floors or the entire wing of the building, instead of completely sealing the building. Besides, the authority to seal the building has been given to local authorities.
The city’s Covid-19 recovery rate stood at 81 per cent, while the case growth rate was 1.71 per cent.