With citizens blatantly flaunting COVID-19 rules and positive cases rising by the day, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has requisitioned 2,000 home guards to help with its enforcement drive.
BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta told The Hindu that this was discussed during a review meeting chaired by Chief Secretary P. Ravi Kumar on Saturday. He said that the 2,000 home guards will be in addition to the contingent of marshals as well as police personnel already deputed to enforce rules.
He had written to the Director General of Police and Commandant General (Home Guards) in this regard. “The 2,000 home guards would be attached to the 108 police stations in the city. Each police station will have 20 home guards,” he said.
The BBMP is hoping that the addition of home guards will help them strictly enforce COVID-19 appropriate behaviour in the city.
“Experts have said that following COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and increasing vaccinations is the way forward. We are already focussing on vaccinating vulnerable people, including senior citizens and those with co-morbid conditions as well as people with a history of travel and exposure. We are working towards enhancing the number of vaccinations from 35,000 a day to at least 70,000 a day,” said Mr. Gupta.
The maximum number of positive cases in the State are being reported from Bengaluru, with daily average touching 3,000. Health experts reiterated that wearing masks, maintaining social distance, and washing and sanitising hands frequently are essential to break the spread of the virus.