In 10x10 homes that are cramped, stuffed 5 to10 people, residents of Asia's largest slum Dharavi are struggling under India’s nationwide lockdown. Even though Dharavi may have had a delayed entry into the COVID-19 health crisis, but 1061 cases as on Thursday, it has certainly found itself in a precarious position.
In just 43 days, Dharavi a single area under BMC's G(North) ward has recorded 1,061 cases including 49 deaths, indicating the extent and intensity with which the virus has spread there. Meanwhile, neighbouring areas Dadar and Mahim also under the same civic ward have recorded 139 and 162 deaths respectively.
It has just been 43 days since the city's most congested area detected its first case at Dr Baliga Nagar on April 1, putting Dharavi on Covid radar. The number of cases, however, was rising gradually on May 3 it recorded a little over 500 cases only in Dharavi.
According to the data shared by the BMC till May 5, the doubling rate of COVID-19 cases reported in Dharavi was six days and a majority of the patients were in the age group of 31 to 40 years.
Dharavi has a population of around 8.5 lakh and is spread over 2.5 sq km area. Of this 8.5 lakh, 6.5 lakh are residents and remaining are unaccounted migrants. With a population density of 2,27,136 persons per sq km, Dharavi has become a challenge for BMC administration, which is working on a war footing to contain the pandemic said Kiran Dighavkar, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of G (North) ward.
According to BMC, the civic body has been supplying essentials and medicine in 213 containment zones, which have reported positive coronavirus cases.
Advocate Raju Korde, president of Dharavi Punarvikas Samiti alleged: "There is a lack of proper sanitation facilities and crowded housing conditions were primary reasons for the spread in the area. With a rising number of cases, the situation is worsening.
Dighavkar, however, said: "Let’s not just count the numbers, but also look at the efforts put in by the civic body, doctors and other frontline workers working round the clock to contain and slow down the spread. The 1061 cases in Dharavi looks huge, it could have been worst if the treatment and containment plan we have put in place would not have been done. Cases have slowed down steadily in many high-risk areas. We have identified new high-risk zones in and sealed five new slum pockets.
According to data shared by Dighavkar 1.25 lakh people in the areas are contained to households. Total 47500 people were screened during door to door screening of which 2000 suspected Covid 19 cases identified. Over 4 lakh people were screened by private practitioners and BMC fever clinics as on May 14.
