Bhubaneswar: Beyond the infections & deaths, the far-reaching impact of the Coronavirus can be measured from the fact that even villages in Odisha are shutting down their borders as a measure to practice social distancing to contain the spread of the virus.
Villagers have come out on roads to put up barricades to prevent entry of outsiders into their villages. In Ward-7 under Khariar of Nuapara district, villagers have placed stones to stop entry into their village. For the residents, who want to go outside in case of urgency, soap and water have been placed at the makeshift checkpoints for them to wash their hands before reentering the village. While women are manning the entry points during the day, in the night, men are guarding the check points.
Similarly, in Ekabeuan & Nuagaon Panchayats of Niali in Cuttack district, villagers have erected barricades to shut the doors of their villages to outsiders. In a bid to maintain social distancing, neither people from outside are being allowing into villages, nor the villagers are venturing out.
In Mishra Sahi under Bhatta Sahi panchayat of Bhadrak district, villagers have set up barricades to block the entry of outsiders into their village. For urgent visits, villagers have kept hand wash, soap & water outside the anganwadi centre where outsiders can wash their hands and then wear masks before entering their village. Moreover, the youths, children as well as the elderly of the village are also undertaking awareness drives to sensitise people about social distancing.
“We have completely locked down the village and ensuring people wash their hands properly and remain sanitized. We are a village of 300 people and we are not allowing any outsiders inside,” said one of the villagers.
“We welcome the steps taken by the Central & the state government. We are also adhering to the lockdown and practicing social distancing strictly,” said another villager.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgWlKnGY-fw