Pune Cops Team Up With All-Women Groups To Curb Spread Of Coronavirus

Pune: As the mood remains sombre in the city amid the extended lockdown, in light of numerous cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) still cropping up, a number of women have come to the fore to work with police in various areas, joining the battle to curb the rise in infections.

Proving that the fight against the pandemic is led by bravehearts regardless of gender, these ladies — dubbed special police officers — have emerged as a big support for three police stations under the guidance of deputy commissioner of police (DCP) for Zone V, Suhas Bawache. And, they are doing their best to ensure a 100 per cent successful lockdown in areas like Bibwewadi, Hadapsar and Kondhwa.

The development came about after the volunteers approached police for permission to help out recently, after which they were given a basic training and handed over duties. From ensuring people stay inside their gated societies or slums by arranging essentials to be dropped to their doorstep, to helping out senior citizens and pregnant women, or even broadcasting awareness on loudspeakers, the band of women has not disappointed the authorities.

While 12 such volunteers are working with Market Yard police station (PS), there are 15 under Hadapsar PS and five under Kondhwa PS.

Clockwise from top: As many as 12 such volunteers are working with Market Yard PS, 15 under Hadapsar PS and 5 under Kondhwa PS; they are dployed at nakabandis outside societies, and have been trained to engage with citizens on not straying out without reason, using masks, and more.

For instance, informed advocate Chitra Janugade, who lives on Bibwewadi-Kondhwa Road, she and 11 other women have covered at least eight societies under the Market Yard zone till date. “We are mainly convincing residents not to step out without reason. For this, provisions of essentials like vegetables, groceries, and milk are made inside the premises. Take for example Todkar Garden Co-operative Housing Society, which has 100 flats. With the help of chairman Deepak Daher, we explained to society members the system we wish to implement. A vegetable vendor who lives here is able to provide them with produce inside the society; we also convinced a few other vendors to provide the same at this location, keeping in mind physical distancing norms.

A list of groceries is sent on a WhatsApp group, and then made available — residents don’t even need to step out to get milk, as it is delivered to the premises, as are medical goods. Entry is only given to people after thorough sanitising.”

Team member Varsha Sathe, a resident of Kumar Park society on the same stretch, echoed, “In this way, we meet with society chairman and also gave them the opportunity to involve willing women from their complex in our team. Our work is also outside of societies. If we see a crowd in a shop, we advise people to maintain distance. If someone is wandering around on the road without reason, we explain why not do so. We also stand alert at nakabandis within our just outside societies and keep an eye on visitors. Those who do not wear masks are advised to use them.”

Acknowledging the help this has been, senior police inspector (SPI) Sambhaji Nimbalkar of Market Yard PS said, “These 12 women are our special police officers, with some training given to them about engaging with people calmly and firmly on steps to be taken during the outbreak.”

Similarly, SPI Vinayak Gaikwad of Kondhwa PS said, “We have five women special police officers with us, covering both societies and slum areas for people who need help. Their training involved notes on interactions with the public and safety measures. It has been remarkable development.”

Hasina Khan, one of the special police officers in Kondhwa, shared, “I mainly focus on Saibaba nagar. One of my tasks is to walk around with a speaker and increase public awareness about preventing the coronavirus infection. There were some cases wherein pregnant women were admitted in hospital and had no one to deliver food to them. This was taken care of.” Fellow resident Annie Mauritius added, “In the NIBM area, I replenish groceries for senior citizens who have run out of them. Work also spans slum areas, where essentials are required. So that people don’t step out, arrangements are made to get all basics to them at home.”

School teacher Apsta Ansari, who is also chipping in at Kondhwa, shared that they are reporting to social activist Salim Shalimar, who in coordination with the police trained the volunteers before they embarked on their special duty. “We were given tips on how to convince people to get out of the house right now. Cops also supplied us with a T-shirt and ID card with the ‘Covid Fighter’ logo. In the last week, groceries have been provided to over 30 houses.”

The initiative seems to be going down well at Hadapsar, too. Here advocate Lakshmi Mane, a special police officer, shared, “We are paying attention to nakabandis at every society, and ensuring that distance is maintained between people at places like the vegetable market and grocery shops. Crowding is controlled by drawing chalk circles at a specified distance and asking each person to stay inside the marking. All visitors to shops and the market have their hands washed and sanitised before entry.” Similarly, Hadapsar volunteer Nita Bhosle said, “Our team of women is also keeping an eye out for societies where arrangements for all kinds of essentials can be made on the premises itself, so people can stay in and safe from COVID-19.”

Confirming that these women have been given T-shirts and IDs, police inspector Ramesh Sathe of Hadapsar PS said, “These 15 special police officers are helping us a lot to police, and making a wonderful contribution to society.”