The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to carry out geographic information system (GIS) plotting of areas of Mumbai that have seen COVID-19 cases in order to allow residents to be more alert. It will also bring in final-year medical and nursing college students from municipal colleges to work in hospitals if the need arises.
The decisions were taken in a review meeting on Monday where Municipal Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi connected with the BMC top brass and the Health Department through video conferencing. IAS officer Ashwini Bhide, who will now be looking after the COVID-19 control room in Mumbai, too attended the meeting.
It was decided that the BMC would release the GIS maps online in order to make residents of that area more aware. It expects the residents to take social distancing even more seriously.
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Another decision taken at the meeting was to requisition final-year medical students and second year, third year nursing students considering future demand in municipal hospitals. These students will be given training and deployed at outpatient departments or given similar responsibilities in municipal hospitals.
After Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray involved Ms. Bhide, former managing director of Mumbai Metro Railway Corporation Limited, as part of his COVID-19 task force, she has now been deputed as additional municipal commissioner in the BMC and made the head of the virus war room.
IAS officer Dr. Ramaswami N. has also been sent on deputation to the BMC for the purpose. Dr. Ramaswami also attended Monday’s meeting.
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The BMC also decided to give an allowance of ₹300 per day to all its employees, especially healthcare workers involved in treating the virus.