JAGATSINGHPUR: Social distancing norms have gone for a toss at cyclone shelters in Jagatsinghpur with nearly 4000 people sheltered in 58 facilities and more expected to arrive on Wednesday. Besides, no masks and sanitisers have been provided to evacuees.
With super cyclonic storm Amphan expected to cross Odisha coast on Wednesday, the district administration plans to evacuate 25,000 people by noon. But in the absence of an adequate number of cyclone shelters as many of these facilities are being used as temporary COVID care centres, around 100 to 250 people are being accommodated in one shelter leaving little space to maintain a safe distance of at least two metres between two persons.
Alternatively, Anganwadi centres and Government schools are also being used to lodge people from low lying and vulnerable areas. Sarpanch of Pandua panchayat, Baijayanti Mohanty informed that Pandua High School is being used as both quarantine centre and cyclone shelter despite a positive case being reported from this centre on Monday.
He said the block officials have informed to shift 40 to 50 people from the low lying areas of the panchayat to the school on Wednesday. “There are 37 returnees in this school. It will be difficult to observe social distancing norms if more people are brought in because there is no space”, he said.
As many as 42 cyclone shelters and 562 schools have been readied to accommodate people but masks and sanitisers have not been provided in any of these facilities. ADMO(Public Health), Satrughan Das said nodal officers, BDOs and Sarpanchs have been asked to ensure implementation of Covid-19 norms at all quarantine centres, cyclone shelters and other such facilities.