Cuttack slums emerging as COVID hotspots despite lockdown

CUTTACK: The lockdown is not serving its purpose in the city as is evident from its slums where cases are rising at an alarming rate. Lack of active surveillance, contact tracing and testing by Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has only made matters worse. 

Tulasipur locality in the city is on its path to becoming a Covid hotspot with positive cases on rise in slums in the area. As many as 24 persons have been infected in Baurisahi slum.

While the slum had reported just one case on April 26, on May 11, six days after the lockdown was imposed, nine members of two families were found infected. Cluster outbreaks are also coming to fore from Tanla Sahi slum and Fasidia Harinapark Harijan Basti. 

Though many locals are suffering from cold, cough and fever in Baurisahi slum,  they are not getting tested at the nearby Tulasipur UPHC, said Santilata Bhoi, an ASHA worker of the locality. Bhoi said she has been asking people to get tested but they are hiding the symptoms. “Only family members of infected persons are getting tested, she said. 

As per official sources, there are 309 slums in and around the city of which, 264 are authorised. Around two lakh people reside in the slums whose residents owing to low literacy rate, work as unskilled labourers or rickshaw and trolley pullers. Most of the locals are unaware of basic norms like wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.

“It is difficult to maintain social distancing at the overpopulated slums reeling under extremely poor sanitary conditions. Filthy environment and unhygienic surroundings are a common sight in the localities. Most of the locals depend on common drinking water posts and community toilets. If testing and door-to-door surveys are conducted in the slums, more positive cases will come to fore,” said Akhila Odisha Jhopadi Patti Mahasangha president Brundaban Das Azad.  

CMC slum improvement officer Amrit Sarkar passed the responsibility to the civic body’s secretary stating that he does not deal with issues relating to surveillance, contact tracing and testing.  

CMC secretary Latashree Bag said health staff have been instructed to conduct door-to- door surveys and testing in slums.