Many Viman Nagar residents oppose COVID Care Centre in the vicinity
Sumit Singh
Pune, 19 July 2020: Two days after the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) started the 2800-bed Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Care Centre in Viman Nagar, a section of the residents have opposed it. They alleged that it has been established violating the guidelines of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and that relatives of the patients are roaming around in the area.
The centre is located in the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) building in Largo Pizzeria lane near Kailash Super Market in Viman Nagar. There are 700 flats, and each flat can accommodate three-five beds. The capacity will be raised to 3,200 beds, officials said. There are separate arrangements for patients and doctors. This COVID Care Centre is the biggest in Pune with ventilators, oxygen and other facilities. The patients will be categorised according to mild and severe symptoms. Food will be provided by Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana (BJS) and ISKCON.
Adv. Pawanjit Arora (26) who has also written to the PMC Commissioner in this regard said, “The COVID Care Centre has been started in MHADA Colony in Viman Nagar which is a crowded area, and many senior citizens retired from Army/Airforce are living in the vicinity of the centre. The centre has a capacity of about 3,200 beds, and if the health of the patient deteriorates and if he needs to be hospitalised, then there is no speciality hospital nearby.”
He further said, “The guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health (Central Government) suggest that such a centre should be placed in the outskirts of urban/city areas. It should be away from the people’s reach and crowded and populated areas, which in the above case is not being followed by the PMC. The population of Viman Nagar is nearly 50,000, and if a COVID centre is started in such a densely populated area, wouldn’t it affect the health of senior citizens, children, pregnant women residing in Viman Nagar? Who will be responsible for any mishap which happens due to the wrong decision of starting COVID centre in such a densely populated area?”
Another resident SG Shinde (75), who has retired from Air Force, added, “There are senior citizens living in the area. In the absence of proper directions for the centre, ambulances carrying COVID patients are entering residential lanes. The PMC should sanitise the area around the centre.”
Murgan Nair said that the authorities should take care of people living in the vicinity areas also.
Arjun Jagtap, husband of local corporator Mukta Jagtap, said, “There was no COVID Centre and people had to be sent to Kharadi, Vadgaon Sheri, Bharati Vidyapeeth and Balewadi centres. It has been set up for the benefit of people. Serious patients are not kept here. We have received some complaints that relatives of the patients are roaming around. We are approaching Vimantal police station to provide more security. The sanitisation of the roads will start on Monday. Even street light work will begin soon. The compound walls have been made high so that nobody can escape. We are also providing hand sanitisers.”
Punekar News sent queries to PMC Commissioner Vikram Kumar and Additional Commissioner Rubal Agarwal. They didn’t respond till the filing of this report. We will update the report after getting their response.
