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Omicron caution thrown to wind in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Despite the Omicron variant scare and alertness of the health authorities, widespread adherence to Covid safety protocols in the older parts of the city seems to be missing. A visit to different areas within the erstwhile ‘Walled City’ points out how casually the citizens have been taking the directives of the administration on the […]

By Asif Yar Khan

Updated On - 12:59 AM, Mon - 27 December 21

Omicron caution thrown to wind in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Despite the Omicron variant scare and alertness of the health authorities, widespread adherence to Covid safety protocols in the older parts of the city seems to be missing.

A visit to different areas within the erstwhile ‘Walled City’ points out how casually the citizens have been taking the directives of the administration on the Covid-19 safety protocols.

Markets around Charminar are bustling with winter shoppers that include domestic tourists as well. Nevertheless, one does not find the traders, hawkers or visitors adhering to the facemask rule much to the disappointment of a few who are strictly taking all precautions. Similar scenes are repeated at other busy public places and popular shopping areas of Laad Bazaar, Khilwat, Gulzar Houz and Pathergatti.

“Priority for the mask rule is badly missing. Shopkeepers are also not insisting the customers wear a facemask and a bottle of sanitizer is routinely kept without use at the entrance of the shops,” complains a software professional from the old city, Mirza Faizullah Baig, who came to the market along with his family.

The situation is the same in the interior thickly populated areas of Amannagar and Bhavaninagar. It is here that almost a dozen persons were found to be affected during Covid-19 during phase 1 and phase 2. “Authorities then had worked hard day and night to bring down the cases in these areas. Several containment zones had come up then in the neighbourhood of Amannagar. But now despite alert, there seems to be no adherence to safety protocols,” complained a school teacher on condition of anonymity.

The scenario is no different in Misrigunj, Teegalkunta, Nawab Sahab Kunta, Fatimanagar and Kishanbagh which have thickly populated slums.

“In some instances, we find auto-rickshaws moving around in the colony playing recorded audio message urging people to follow Covid safety measures. Otherwise, there is no one to enforce the rule also,” complained Zeeshan Ali, a resident of Teegalkunta.

In schools, the parents complain that the children are left at the mercy of the management. “At no occasion had we seen or heard any official from the education or health department visiting the premises of educational institutions for an inspection on compliance of Covid safety protocols,” complained Haji Akram Ali, a parent from Engine Bowli.

The police on the other hand maintain that apart from creating awareness they are also doing the enforcement of the facemask rule on daily basis. “Cases are booked by the field officers against those violating the facemask rule or the social distancing norms,” said a senior official of Hyderabad south zone.