The Ernakulam District Residents Associations’ Apex Council (EDRAAC) has exhorted member associations and other bodies to prevail upon people to confine themselves to their homes and to prevent venturing out unnecessarily.
Care must also be taken to ensure hygiene. Every person was duty-bound to adhere to regulations and guidelines issued by the State government to contain the spread of COVID-19. They included curbs on meetings and people grouping together. It was all for the common good. The spread of the viral infection was a serious issue, and people must be aware that it could be at their doorstep, said P. Rangadasa Prabhu, president of EDRAAC.
Many villa and apartment associations have engaged people to coordinate with supermarkets and grocery shops to purchase food items and other commodities in bulk and distribute them among members. Online purchases too have picked up, in sync with government curbs on moving out. This is being done to prevent people from households visiting shops and queuing up to purchase. Curbs have also been imposed at playgrounds and swimming pools.
The association of Kent Nalukettu, which has 21 villas and 18 apartments, is among the gated communities which have installed sanitisers at the entrance, club house and other key areas. “Taking a cue from apartments in other metro cities, we also have My Gate app. which restricts entry of salespeople and others to the premises. Only people who are authorised by residents can enter,” said George Ninan, secretary of the association.
“On their part, most residents’ associations have established kiosks, where soap, hand sanitiser and water are available, to usher in hygiene and to contain the viral spread. We have established a kiosk in our neighbourhood,” said Jayamohan P.G., district committee member of EDRAAC and an office bearer of Lal Salam Road Residents’ Association, Vyttila.
Such kiosks were visible at many points, including on service roads of NH Bypass.
