Coronavirus: Logs in place for an early lockdown

A hamlet in Kolar district has a lesson for the entire country in the fight against COVID-19, which is threatening millions of lives globally.

Much before Prime Minister Narendra Modi advised Janata Curfew and imposed the 21-day, nation-wide lockdown, the villagers of M Gollahalli decided to impose a curfew voluntarily and cut-off communication with the world outside.

M Gollahalli in Hebbani hobli of Mulbagal taluk geographically lies in strategic position. It shares Karnataka’s border with Andhra Pradesh. It connects several urban areas through four entry points.

The road that penetrates the village marginally reduces distance to Punganur, Gundigallu and Palamaneru in Andhra Pradesh. M Gollahalli’s population is about 871, of them elders and children form about 60%.

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COVID-19 deaths scared the residents in the third week of March. Around the same time, their neighbour Gauribidanur town in Chikkaballapur district reported three positive cases of COVID-19.

Their concern was only right.

Over thousands, including foreign nationals and those from Bengaluru, pass through the village daily. It meant they were at a higher risk of being infected with the novel coronavirus.

M Gopal, a senior citizen from the village and Akhila Bharata Kissan Manch state vice-president, conceived the idea of self-imposed curfew. He discussed his idea with others, who soon turned it into action. They made temporary checkpoints at the four entry points. Four large horizontal wooden logs were used to close the roads at checkpoints. The raised poles facilitate movement whenever needed.

Next, they formed a team of 100 volunteers, all youths from the village. They had to restrict the entry of strangers into the village and the exit of the villagers.

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Those whose movement was inevitable were asked to enter details and those with suspected symptoms, too. This would make tracking them easy. Then, every family in the village procured ration and other essentials enough for least two months.

On March 24, the four checkpoints became functional and the village was cut-off from the rest of the world.

“We’ve decided to have the checkpoints till the situation limps back to normalcy,” GN Reddeppa, Gram Panchayat president says.

He adds, “We were worried as there is no medicine against the virus. For us, self-imposed curfew was the only option. Hence, we closed the entry to our village.” As the news spread, senior officers of the taluk administration visited the village for inspection.

According to Usha Shankar Reddy, a taluk panchayat member, the village is at a high risk of infection considering its geography.

Babu, an executive officer at the Mulbagal taluk panchayat, considers the initiative unique.

“This is the most ideal way to prevent the spread of the virus in the rural area. The taluk administration has decided to help the villagers in every possible way,” he says. “A team comprising three members guards each checkpoint for four hours. Teams work in shifts round the clock. It’s a collective effort and everyone has joined hands,” says M Gollahalli Prabhakar, who leads the volunteers.

For Anjaneya Reddy, a senior citizen, the closure of checkpoints has in no way affected his routine. In a way, it is good as many people now stay back in the village!