Amid Covid-19 lockdown, Noida villagers struggle for ration, medical aid

Meenakshi Sinha | TNN | Apr 4, 2020, 17:24 IST

Problems of essential supplies, lack of adequate ration and medical assistance were some of the issues that came up across Noida.

Problems of essential supplies, lack of adequate ration and medical assistance were some of the issues that ca...Read More

NOIDA: Even as the district is coping with rising number of Covid-19 cases, problems of essential supplies, lack of adequate ration and medical assistance were some of the issues that came up on Friday across the city. While villagers of Hoshyiarpur near sectors 50-51 were stuck without ration during the current lockdown, the neighbouring RWA distributed over 100 ration kits to them as well as to all sanitation workers and security guards of the area.
Also, villagers from Noida especially Chhalera, Morna, Sultanpur, Barola, Sadarpur, Salarpur etc. complained of inadequate supply as well as lack of medical assistance for patients of long term ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, heart etc. as most OPDs are shut across private and district hospitals, even as the Noida RWA federation offered to assist the administration in tracking foreign nationals from their sectors as well as community reach out for medical assistance etc. They have asked the administration to involve them for any assistance as they have a large network of direct contacts with residents across the sectors having about 80% RWAs of the city as their members.
“Due to current lockdown we were informed of very needy persons from village Hoshyiarpur who were in dire need of help as they were unable to get any ration. So we decided to help them by distributing ration kits containing essential raw materials such as 5 kg flour, 4 kg rice, 1 kg pulses, 1 litre oil, I kg sugar, I kg salt, 250 gms tea leaf, turmeric 1 pkt, I pkt chilli powder and a bar of soap. We made about 100 such kits and distributed them to the villagers of Hoshyiarpur, security guards and all sanitation workers of sector 51,” said Sanjeev Kumar RWA general secretary sector 51.
On extending the ration kits to Noida authority sanitation workers and security guards of the sector, Kumar said that these workers were deputed for the safety and sanitation of the sector and have been coming even during the current lockdown period. “They have been putting themselves into perils of infection, coming regularly as their work comes under essential services. So as a token of our gratitude to them we gave the ration kits to these workers as well,” said Kumar who also distributed face masks ad sanitizers and briefed them about their correct use.
Also, as a special request the villagers and workers were asked not to allow their family members to step out of their homes during the lockdown period now that they were provided these basic essentials.
While adequate ration or access to ration remained the main problem for residents across many village in the city where supplies are slowly dwindling, residents complained shopkeepers charging more than usual for fruits and vegetable too.
Another major problem in villages include medical assistance for patients of long term ailments. “Medical issues are another concerns for the village folk as mainly all OPDs are shut in private and government hospitals for patients suffering from long term ailments such as diabetes, hypertension or heart related problems,” said Ranjan Tomar president Noida Village Residents Association (NOVRA).
Tomar adds that pregnant women are facing more issues as their check-ups are time bound. “Pregnancy related check-ups and tests such as scans and ultra sound etc. are done in select centres, which is hard to get these days,” said Tomar adding that migrant population of the village is facing financial issues in the absence of work during the shutdown.
Even as Noida and Greater Noida Authority is ensuring supply of essential commodities across both Noida and Greater Noida, NOVRA has reached out to villagers of Rohillapur, Gejha, Nangli Wazidpur, Raipur, Chhalera, Morna, Chauda, Sadarpur, Salarpur, Sultanpur, Bhangel and more with requisite assistance through social groups and local residents.