The effect of 21-day lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday is visible in rural areas too as villagers too have started keeping social distancing. In some areas, the villagers have even created barricades restricting outsiders from entering their villages.
At Barhe, Chorya and other villages under Chanho block of Ranchi district the villagers have blocked the village road with bamboo and put up a poster urging the outsiders not to enter the village. The poster reads:
“Due to outbreak of deadly coronavirus, outsiders are not allowed to enter the village as we have decided to keep social distancing.” At the village limit some enthusiastic youths are standing urging anyone entering the village with folded hands to return back.Such type of social distancing is also observed at many villages in Burmu block. At Gurugai panchayat of Burmu block, Mukhiya (village head) Amen Toppo has taken the initiative putting up barrier outside the village limit asking outsiders not to enter the village unless and until if there is an emergency.
As people have started maintaining social distancing its affect is getting visible at village haat (village market). At Thakurgoan under Burmu block the weekly village haat was suspended with villagers preferring to buy vegetables from farmers’ homes.
The impact of social distancing was visible at Ramgarh cantonment area where administration drew circles, squares on the floor at vegetable market to maintain social distancing as to curb coronavirus spread.
The idea is proving a healthy option for people who come out of their homes to purchase groceries, medicines and vegetables. At State Capital Birsa Chowk too such circles or squares were made outside grocery shop to maintain social distancing.Anil Murmu, a resident of Birsa Chowk said, “The grocery shopkeeper has made circles, squares at a distance of 1.5 metre where customers have to stand for buying essential goods. Only those who are coming through such squares or circles are being given food grains.”
Echoing the view of Murmu, Vishnu Poddar who runs a grocery shop at Upper Bazaar said, “We too have created squares and circles outside our shops as we know that the only way to check the spread of coronavirus is to break the chain.”The impact of social distancing has even witnessed ugly face. Sources said that Franz Gastler, an American national who has been giving soccer training to children at Ormanjhi block of Ranchi district through a team Yuwa has been asked to leave the village. Sources said that Franz has been asked to leave the village as some fears that Coronavirus spreads through foreigners.
Moreover, in Patan block of Palamu district two groups engaged in clash as a person who returned from Delhi recently and was quarantine for 14 days was seen roaming around the village. When some villagers objected, clash occurred leading to death of a man.