Mohammed Hussain
Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) filed criminal cases against 16 people on charges of violating home quarantine protocols on Friday. Hundreds of people who returned from abroad, specifically from countries where the pandemic has done a huge amount of damage, are suspected to be roaming out and about.
The GHMC authorities along with police officers regularly from the day one of lockdown started tracing foreign returnees. Thus far, 20 people have been sent to Government designated quarantine centres in the city. As much as six from the Kukatpally Zone, five from Charminar, four people from the Serilingampally area and one from Khairatabad have been taken to the quarantine centres.
GHMC Commissioner Lokesh Kumar said, “Those who have come from abroad they should compulsorily follow the protocol of home quarantine for a period of 14 days.”
Till now, the GHMC has shifted over ten violators of their mandatory self-isolation to the quarantine facilities and various isolation centres present in Rajendarnagar, Gachibowli Stadium and other areas of the city.
Further, Mr. Kumar appealed to those quarantined at home to not exit their abodes. Disobeying protocol will lead to seizure and suspension of their passports. The commissioner mentioned that officials have been told to act accordingly with such transgressions.
Taking another precaution, the GHMC officials have themselves started verifying whether foreign returnees are in self-quarantine or not. A team of nodal officers along with their staff will be touching base regularly with these returnees.
This team will visit twice a day, inquire about their health issues and will enter during timings on the sticker which read “Do not visit home under quarantine,” informed Zonal Commissioner of GHMC V Mamatha.
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