‘Gatekeeping’ helps village in Adilabad keep Covid at bay

Mukhra (K), in Echoda mandal of Adilabad district, with a population of 705, has not reported a single case of Covid-19 so far, not just in the second wave but also in 2020

Adilabad: Mukhra (K), a remote village in Echoda mandal of Adilabad district, has several achievements to its credit but the most notable and laudable has been its efforts to keep the deadly coronavirus at bay not just in the second wave but also in 2020 when the pandemic started and spread all over the world. The village has not reported a single case of Covid-19 so far, and has thus emerged as a model village for other rural civic bodies to emulate.

The village, with a population of 705, adopted a slew of measures and managed to prevent the virus from spreading among the residents. For instance, the gram panchayat kept a strict vigil on entry of outsiders to check the spread of the disease and conducted thermal screenings to identify persons suffering from fever.

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Gadge Meenakshi, sarpanch of the village, told Telangana Today: “A tab was kept on outsiders entering the village. A wooden gate has been erected at the entrance of the village to stop outsiders from entering without registering themselves. Covid guidelines are strictly enforced here. With the cooperation of locals, we have succeeded in making the settlement Covid-free,” the sarpanch said.

The village administration engaged a worker to carry out door-to-door thermal screening. It also gives medicine kits to those who show mild symptoms of fever. It has already imposed a rule of imposing a fine of Rs 1,000 against those not wearing masks. The gram panchayat also took up extensive steps to create awareness among the residents on the importance of following Covid protocol.

Mukhra (K) has also excelled in several other areas and emerging as a model village. It was the first village to complete Palle Prakruti Vanam in Telangana, growing 4,000-odd saplings. It has a graveyard and also a community hall for residents. It was also declared an open defecation-free village in 2019 with construction of 100 per cent toilets.

The village is equipped with 160 CCTV cameras covering every part of the settlement. The residents voluntarily imposed prohibition to eradicate liquor menace in 2008. They shunned use of plastic carry bags, glasses and plates. All the families built water recharge pits for rainwater conservation and to improve ground water level.

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