Coimbatore: Even as the district administration is striving round-the-clock to contain the spread of the pandemic, flouting of norms is regarded as the real pandemic, posing challenge to the bureaucrats.
Coimbatore: Even as the district administration is striving round-the-clock to contain the spread of the pandemic, flouting of norms is regarded as the real pandemic, posing challenge to the bureaucrats.
"Warnings thrown to wind and protocols dealt in a precarious manner is so common in apartments. As officials don't pay much attention to monitor apartments, residents are flouting the norms in every possible manner, putting hundreds of people living in the community at risk", alleges president of the welfare association at an apartment in the city.
From, lack of thermal screening to maintaining social distancing norms, the lockdown violations are so prevalent across housing societies in the city, he noted.
"There are thousands of apartments across the city. While the government is undertaking various stringent preventive measures to curb the spread of the virus by extending lockdown etc., more than 80% of the residents in the apartments are defying all government guidelines issued during this pandemic situation", he alleged.
"Residents of private apartments choose apartments for safety, uninterrupted power, RO water, park, gym, swimming pool etc., but when it comes to abiding by the rules within the premises, a majority of them are very careless", noted a resident from an apartment in Peelamedu.
Seconding him, another resident of an apartment complex which has over 500 houses lamented that residents are seen without wearing masks when they use common places like walking tracks, parks and community halls.
"Social distancing goes down the drains as they gang up and chat for extended periods. As elders set a bad example for the kids, they too play in large groups without masks and social distancing. Kids even share snacks and forget to wash their hands", lamented a senior citizen from the same apartment.
"The pandemic guidelines issued by the government have been printed and stuck on the notice boards, but who cares?" he lamented.
Throwing light on the violations an association president said it was strange that even some doctors and their children are careless in following health protocols inside the apartment premises. "With more COVID cases reported everyday, it is high time, the officials strictly enforce rules in larger communities like apartments and other gated communities. An infection within a gated community will be really a mess and complicated to handle", he added.
He proposed that thermal screening of security personnel, housekeeping staff, office administration staff, and outsiders like milk vendors, newspaper agents should be made mandatory. Not understanding the risks involved, even birthday parties are held in community halls and houses, he added.
He urged the corporation to take stringent measures to keep a check on such violations happening in gated communities and apartments.