Resentment is brewing among the civilian population adjacent to the Kannur Cantonment as restrictions imposed by the district administration by turning the wards there into a containment zone have entered the third week.
The cantonment area, which comprises six wards, was turned into a containment zone after many personnel of the Defence Security Corps (DSC) Centre tested positive for COVID-19.
While most of the affected personnel and possible primary contacts are getting treatment and have been put under observation within the defence campus, the civilian population living outside are severely affected due to the lockdown.
With the district administration not clarifying when normalcy would be reinstated, life has been thrown out of gear for the people living here. They are unable to go for work or run their business.
While residents such as Alfred Biju who dared to step out to join duty, out of sheer helplessness, were caught and fined by the police.
“My salary has been cut by half since the outbreak, and the family depends on me,” lamented Mr. Biju, who is an office staffer at a Montessori school. Ever since the area was converted into a containment zone, he has been forced to stay home, he said. In despair, when he stepped out, the police had fined him.
Ratheesh Antony, member of the Cantonment Board, said most cases had emerged among the personnel who were on the defence campus spread over a large area. Civilians had no access to the campus, he observed.
“We requested the District Collector and police officials to rework the containment zone by imposing restrictions only in two areas which fall under the DSC Centre while relaxing restrictions in other wards,” he said.
C. Jithendra, a prominent businessman in the area, said his business had taken a dip ever since the outbreak. But after the region was converted into a containment zone, many bookings had been cancelled. Even online booking is not taking place as the area has been marked as a containment zone.
When contacted, Health Department officials said the restrictions were imposed as the area was close to the DSC Centre. It was a precautionary measure as there was an increase in positive cases. However, a decision to relax the restrictions has to be taken by the district administration, said Dr. Shaj, District Surveillance Officer.
