While the nation is in combat mode to prevent the virus spread, some citizens continue to play truant with public health. A 30-year-old youth who returned to India from Qatar was advised home isolation. The police booked him when he was found roaming in Bhayandar (east) on Sunday.
The youth had returned from Qatar on March 13 and was advised 14-day home quarantine. After locals spotted him violating quarantine they alerted the civic officials.
Following the complaint by local ward officer Narendra Chavhan, the Navghar police booked the youth and handed him over to the health department.
While the youth has been kept under observation at Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation’s quarantine in Bhayandar, efforts were on to track those who came in his contact.
Apart from slapping cases under the IPC for actions that might spread infection of deadly diseases disobeying rules, the youth has been charged under relevant sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act and the Disaster Management Act.
Meanwhile, in a joint operation officials of the fire brigade and health department launched a massive sanitising operation to contain the virus spread in the twin-city.
Disinfectant sodium hydrochloride solution diluted in water was sprayed at public places as the civic administration rolled up its sleeves to prioritise the disinfection.
Apart from launching a crackdown against curfew defiers, Thane (rural) police effectively shut its border with Thane, Palghar and Mumbai by restricting “nonessential” vehicles from the neighbouring cities. 159 drivers were booked for operating share autos.
According to the health officials, till now total 435 people in the twin-city with a travel history abroad were in home quarantine; of them, 125 had completed the 14-day period.
While 36 people are under observation at the quarantine in Bhayandar (E), reports of eight whose swab samples had been sent for testing are negative.