Assam Villages Ban Entry with Barricades as Preventive Measure against COVID-19

Kokrajhar, March 26, 2020:

If you are planning to visit Batabari village near Kokrajhar's Dotma in Assam anytime soon, you might want to re-think your plans. Taking cognizance of the threat posed by the outbreak of the coronavirus or COVID-19, the people of a remote village in Assam's Kokrajhar district, Batabari, have put up bamboo barricades to dissuade anyone from visiting the village.

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The village, inhabited by only 75 families, has taken strict measures in order to block the inflow of visitors, as the COVID-19 continues to spread its tentacles across the world (over 21,000 have dies so far). The villagers have locked away the outside world and have strictly prohibited other people's entry into village to stay at home and safe from COVID affect.

At the same time, the villagers have appealed all sections of citizens to keep social distance and maintain healthy life. The villagers have taken this drastic step as a measure to contain the outbreak of the dreaded coronavirus, and have been observing the maintenance of social distancing.

Similarly, in Moran of Assam, similar sights have been witnessed where several villagers have been seen barricading themselves against outsiders, as the nation observes the second day of the 21-day lockdown called by the Indian Government as an emergency measure. Phatikasuwa Abhaypuri is one such village.

"The decision that the Centre has taken to lockdown, we should follow. Even a developed country like Italy has not been able to resist. France, Japan, America and China have seen many deaths. The people of this village have become alert and we are not allowing foreigners to enter", said a youth of the Assam village.

Thus, the panic of corona has even touched the most far-flung of areas, where the locals have been witnessed looking at any outsider with suspicion, for the virus was first brought to India from foreign shores.

This message -- that of maintaining social distancing -- has been reiterated time and again by the world Governments as well as the experts, as the highly contagious virus is known to spread through physical contact, and even through hugging.

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Meanwhile, Kokrajhar district, which was seen heading towards the Council polls before the COVID-19 caused a delay, has seen the emergence of a new way of life in the wake of the outbreak. For bringing virus free environment, the Kokrajhar municipality board and police administration has been carrying out a sanitization campaign by spraying medicated waters in Kokrajhar town. Two fire tender buses have been spraying medicated waters -- containing phenyl, bleaching powder -- in the entire town.

Meanwhile, groceries are seen marking a round for customers in Kokrajhar town today during the nationwide lockdown as a means of encouraging distancing amid the international crisis.

Meanwhile, lockdown amid COVID-19 has become a bone of contention between rival political leaders, United People's Party Liberal's (UPPL) Pramod Boro and the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) supremo Hagrama Mohilary.

ALSO READ: Assam Sets Up ‘Temporary Home Quarantine Camps’ in Preparation for COVID-19

India Update:

A total of 649 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in India, the Union Health Ministry said today. 13 of the patients have died. Internationally, the virus has killed 22,067 people. Source: worldometers.info

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