BHOPAL: Understanding well that getting vaccinated is better than getting infected, many colonies in city have achieved 100 per cent Covid vaccination. These pockets in city will become an example for others who are hesitant about vaccination. Most of these residential colonies are gated covered campuses in the new city with educated residents. The residentsí welfare associations of these campuses organised special vaccination camps on their premises.†Free Press talked with the office-bearers of the associations and residents of some of these colonies.
Riviera Towne: Residents, as well as house help also vaccinated
Riviera Towne, Mata Mandir: The complex has around 300 houses. The residents include doctors, chartered accountants, IAS and IPS officers, politicians and businessmen.†The total population of the complex is around 700 and almost half of the residents are 60 years or older, says NC Baghel, President of the association of the residents of the colony. The complex was severely affected by the pandemic. ìBarring a few, every family had one or more patients,î Baghel said. Covid-19 claimed the lives of four residents of the complex.
Dr Ajay Mehta, owner of Bhopal Care Hospital, who also lives in the colony, got around 150 residents vaccinated. Some of the residents got the jabs at the government vaccination centre at the office of the Veterinary directorate near the complex.†The residentsí association also organised two vaccination camps in March and May - the first for 60-plus residents and the second for the younger ones. ìAll the 45-plus residents have received both the doses,î says Baghel.
The domestic servants, drivers, cooks etc working in the homes have also been vaccinated. Nidhi Parmar, secretary of the Riviera Ladies Club says that all four members of her family and their servant and driver have got the jabs.†ìAll the residents were aware and so there was no need to motivate them,î says Baghel. ìIn fact, some of the women bought new dresses, including sleeveless suits and tops, just for getting the jab,î adds Nidhi.††
Aakriti Garden: Campus witnessed more than 35 Covid deaths
Aakriti Garden in Nehru Nagar is another such colony. The covered campus has around 350 families with a population of nearly 1,000. All the residents have been vaccinated against Covid. ìThe population of senior citizens is relatively higher,î says Prashant Chaturvedi, secretary of the residentsí welfare association of the campus. ìWe organised three camps with the help of the local SDM. The first camp was organised in April,î he says. The residents include doctors, businessmen and government and private sector employees.† Around 25 families were affected by the disease and the campus saw more than 35 Covid deaths.†
Flamingo Colony: Helping Hands group organized three camps
Flamingo Colony, in Aakriti Eco City, Salaiya†is a home to around 600 people. There are 250 houses in the colony. Helping Hands, a group of residents of the colony organised three vaccination camps in April and May with the help of Bhopal Municipal Corporation. The residents are a mixed lot - there are businessmen, contractors, doctors and service class. Around 20-25 families were affected by Covid-19 and there were two deaths.† Almost all the residents have been vaccinated, barring those with medical conditions. ìAs for domestics, it has been a difficult task for us to motivate them. But we are trying,î says Avni Udenia, a resident of the complex and a member of Helping Hands. The group is planning to hold another camp on June 24 or 25 to enable the residents to get the second dose.††
New Market: 15,000 shopkeepers, staffers inoculated
All the shopkeepers in New Market and their employees have been vaccinated. Their number must be around 15,000. We have done this to protect ourselves as well as the customers. The seniors have received both the doses while the juniors have got the first jab, said Satish Gangrade, President, New Market Vyapari Sangh
