Strict measures, cultural practices help TN hill station tackle COVID

When the whole country is grappling with COVID-19, The Nilgiris, a popular hill station in Tamil Nadu, is silently creating remarkable achievements in combating the pandemic. Sharing its borders with Kerala and Karnataka, the district has 13 entry points, of which 11 are located along the interstate borders and two from Coimbatore.

For the first time in 124 years, the annual flower show in The Nilgiris was cancelled, delivering a huge blow to the district’s economy, since it was heavily dependent on tourism. Given the high accessibility and the great loss, the district could have emerged as the most vulnerable  hotspot in the state.

However, the district has registered the lowest number of COVID-19 cases (22) in the state as on June 18. Initially, a few people had contracted the virus from a single source in New Delhi in March. By the second week of April, the district was announced COVID-free and became the first district in the state to get rid of the virus.

Before it could heave a sigh of relief, another round of infections began in the district in May—this time from the Koyambedu cluster. All these patients were cured by the second week of June.

But, after the spike in the positive cases in Chennai, many people from the city had returned to their hometowns in the district. This led to the emergence of five new cases on June 17. However, the district has not recorded any deaths due to COVID-19, so far.

Village committees a key reason

The major reasons for the district’s successful containment of the spread were proactive measures like manning all the entry points to the district, screening all returnees for fever or cold and evacuating the tourists.

“The new cases have travel history. While the government eased transport restrictions to help the people in need, some have misused it,” Collector J Innocent Divya told reporters on June 17.

“For example, one person went to attend the death anniversary of a relative. Two had gone to see their relatives. Another person went to Bengaluru in search of a job. If people become responsible in avoiding unnecessary travels, we can bring down the numbers,” she said. Divya said stringent action would be taken against under the Epidemic Diseases Act.

However, village committees had helped the district greatly in containing the spread. Each committee had 10 to 15 members, who kept track on people coming from other districts. “Whenever someone enters the village without a valid e-pass, the members immediately inform us and that’s how we were able to trace a case in Bikkatty village,” said Divya.

The role of frontline workers

Frontline workers like police, primary health centre officials and public distribution staff have played a significant role in tackling COVID-19. The police has constantly been checking all returnees for e-passes at the Barliyar checkpost, bearing the cold temperature.

After the police note down their addresses, the people will be allowed to go forward. In another 5 km, another group of police, along with medical professionals, scrutinise their Aadhaar cards at the Kattery checkpost. The passengers should then undergo swab tests.

If the tests results come positive, the information will be passed on to Village Health Volunteers (VHV) and Village Health Nurses (VHN), whose services have fully been utilised by the administration. The VHVs make preparations for quarantine of the patient.

“An ambulance will be arranged and the patient will be taken to ESI hospital in Coimbatore. Patients are not allowed to take treatment in private hospitals,” said Raji, a VHV.

If the results come negative, officials from the Collectorate call the returnees and give them general instructions about the maintaining of social distancing for 14 days. Besides, a VHN visits the house and gives instructions that need to be followed during the isolation period.

Related News: How Nilgiris’ tea, exotic plantations are warding off its endemic Shola birds

Also, nurses visit the the houses once in three or four days to enquire about the health condition of the people, who had tested negative. If they find anyone complaining of cough or fever, the nurses immediately refer them to the government general hospital in Coonoor or Ooty.

“The people will once again be tested. If they suffer a common cold or fever, they will be given medicines and sent home” said Raji.

As far as public distribution is concerned, supplies are distributed as like normal days.

“In ‘hatties’ (the villages where Badagas, a tribal group, reside), there has been no problem. People maintain social distancing, use sanitisers and staff wear gloves. If a customer does not wear mask, shops will not distribute the supplies” said Kamaraj, a PDS official.

The district has seven containment zones, and except one or two zones, others are populated by Sri Lankan expatriates and other outsiders. There, the supplies are delivered directly to their homes, he said.

Culture plays a major role

“Badagas, who are thickly populated in the district, have not been affected by the disease as they remain isolated from others,” claimed Manjai V Mohan, founder, Badaga Desa Party. He said the people generally used to follow healthy practices like washing their legs and hands, before entering their homes.

“During the lockdown, most people did not even go to shops to buy vegetables. They restricted themselves by cooking traditional food items like ‘Maasu Neer’ (a liquid concoction made of dry chillies and pepper) and ‘Hittu’ (a pudding made of wheat and Raagi)” he said.

Not only Badagas, but other tribal groups like Kurumbas or Todas too have not been affected so far, claimed Mohan.

Interestingly, Todas, who have great embroidery skills, have used this opportunity to keep afloat their businesses by making eye-grabbing masks. “The district does not have entertainments like malls or cinemas. So, generally, people do not crowd at one place. During the lockdown, they intensified the isolation,” he said.

Cottages a cause for concern

“People from Chennai, particularly those from the film industry, have arrived in the district in large numbers and are staying in cottages,” alleged Mohan. Though cottages run by hotels are closed, some are operated by individuals in remote villages. The district administration has no plan to monitor those cottages,” he claimed.

However, Divya said the administration had set up separate teams to monitor these cottages. “In most of the cottages, the owners have allowed only their relatives to stay,” she said.

Also, Mohan has demanded that the district administration should set up isolation centres even along the district borders.

“There are no enough testing facilities in the district. We need to test more. Though Badagas are culturally conscious, their houses are built very closely without enough space. So, if one tests positive, surely the whole street will get affected” he added.