The administration has initiated wide-ranging measures to strictly enforce lockdown of the erstwhile composite Khammam district by sealing its borders with neighbouring States and implementing rigorous social distancing norms to stem the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Police have barred the entry of all vehicles, except those carrying perishable goods and essentials, at all the entry points in Bonakal, Penuballi and Yerrupalem mandals in Khammam district along the inter-State border with Andhra Pradesh.
This has compelled several people of the villages dotting the Telangana-Andhra Pradesh border to walk quite a long distance to reach their destinations on either sides due to lockdown. Police advised them not to venture onto the roads unless extremely urgent to help the administration in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.
In Bhadradri-Kothagudem district, the police deployed additional forces at the inter-State border points in Bhadrachalam, Aswaraopeta and Palvancha mandals to effectively enforce the lockdown.
The main streets in the temple town of Bhadrachalam and the coal towns including Kothagudem and Manuguru wore a deserted look following stringent enforcement of curbs on movement of people and suspension of all modes of transportation, barring those associated with essential services.
Meanwhile, Adivasi Sankshema Parishad (ASP) has sought the intervention of the Bhadrachalam Integrated Tribal Development Agency to spread greater awareness on COVID-19 among Adivasis mainly the migrant tribal people inhabiting border hamlets in Bhadrachalam Agency.
The ASP coordinator Madivi Nehru said the government should extend financial aid to the migrant tribal labourers those returned to their habitations from major cities like Hyderabad in the wake of lockdown of the State. Alternative arrangements should be made to meet emergency needs of tribal people living in far flung areas of Bhadrachalam Agency, he suggested.
