A civic worker sanitizes the gates of a residential building in Mumbai, India.
In view of a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in Mumbai, the city civic body has issued a new set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for declaration of micro-containment zones and compliance of rules to stem the infection spread.
According to the SOPs issued on Monday, any housing society having more than five active COVID-19 cases will be sealed and treated as a "micro-containment zone" (MCZ).
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has warned of imposing fines on co-operative housing societies for violating its norms and said police personnel shall be deployed at the entry gate of sealed buildings.
The SOPs asked the societies to put a board outside their gates to inform visitors about COVID-19 cases in their premises and deny them entry. The BMC has also asked them to monitor all restrictions related to micro-containment zones.
In the SOPs, the civic body warned of slapping a fine of Rs 10,000 on a housing society for violating its norms. Subsequent instances of violation will attract a penalty of Rs 20,000.
The civic body has asked its assistant municipal commissioners to ensure strict implementation of norms related to MCZs with the help of police.
"A police staffer shall be deployed at the entry gate of every sealed building henceforth to be addressed as a micro-containment zone," reads a clause in the SOPs.
The civic body said online e-commerce supplies and delivery of newspapers and essential items will be done only till the housing society office.
The SOPs said no resident should be allowed to go out without concurrence of the society chairman or secretary and the police deployed at the MCZs except in cases like medical emergencies or board exams of students.
"Any asymptomatic positive patient in home isolation shall not move out of his/her flat. An FIR shall be filed by ward officials against violators," the BMC said.
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