With Covid-19 cases on the rise in the industrial city, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation is planning to make available 5,000 beds for new patients.(Express photo by Narendra Vaskar) Amid rising Covid-19 cases, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has decided to keep 5,000-bed facilities ready to admit patients. The civic administration has also started the process of setting up micro containment zones.
“We are trying to keep 5,000-bed facilities ready to tackle any substantial rise in Covid-19 cases,” Municipal Commissioner Rajesh Patil told The Indian Express on Tuesday. “Though Covid Care Centres have been shut, we will activate them if cases keep rising,” he added.
Patil said he has issued directions to health officials and divisional office chiefs to plan for micro containment zones. “The decision to set up micro containment zones was discussed at a meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar two days ago. Accordingly, we will set up micro containment zones as and when cases rise in those particular areas,” he said.
Patil held a meeting with top civic officials on Monday and directed that beat marshals at key chowks or intersections should be appointed to check for people not wearing compulsory face masks or spitting in public places. “Those who are found moving around without masks should be penalised. Those who spit in public places should be penalised. We should appoint beat marshals at all important squares across the city,” Patil had told officials.
Officials have also been directed to file police complaints against people who organise marriages and functions without permission and flout limited gathering and physical distancing norms. He said that a joint flying squad of civic and police officials should be set up. “These flyings squads should visit hotels, restaurants and markets to catch those flouting Covid-19 norms,” he said.
He also asked civic officials to step up Covid testing. “We will provide additional manpower for the purpose,” he said.
In the past three days, Pimpri-Chinchwad has registered more than 200 cases. On Sunday, it registered 280 cases, the city’s highest in the past two months. In the beginning of February, cases had dropped to below 100, health officials said.
