The administration in Agra, whose COVID-19 containment model has been much publicised by the Uttar Pradesh government, was left red-faced on Sunday after videos emerged allegedly showing people kept at a quarantine centre compelled to crowd near a locked gate to receive essential supplies like food.
In one of the videos, shot by a local who was also allegedly taken to the quarantine centre for a check-up, a group of people can be seen crowding behind a gate as health officials provide them bottled water and packets of biscuits. A health staff in PPE kit can be seen tossing packets of biscuits at the ground near them as they desperately reach out from the grills to grab the food without paying heed to physical distancing.
Jyoti Verma, a local who shot the video, is heard in another clip, claiming that the administration is also not holding proper medical check-up of patients brought to the centre at the Sharda Group of Institution. She said she was also brought there under the pretext of medical examination but did not receive it.
“People are not being provided proper food or water,” the woman is heard saying, alleging negligence by the administration.
District Magistrate Prabhu N. Singh said he held an inspection of the place after the complaints and taken measures for better arrangements.
He also ordered a probe to find out who was responsible for the “gaps.”
“The Chief Development Officer has been asked to fix responsibility for the gaps,” Mr. Singh said. The CDO had been asked to file a report.
The team had been asked to work properly so that such complaints would not come up again, the DM added.
