Suspects post video, pics to claim lack of facilities at quarantine centres

Agra: A large number of people, who have been quarantined for suspected Covid-19 infections at various centres in Agra are experiencing a harrowing time due to poor facilities, including inadequate food and lack of hygiene. Majority of them have not been tested for Covid-19, for which they have been shut behind closed doors.

A video, which has gone viral, shows food and water bottles being kept outside the quarantine centre and inmates collecting them from inside the locked gate. Some of them claimed that they are not getting adequate quantity of food packets and are forced to sleep on an empty stomach.

According to the Agra administration, there are 21 active quarantine centres in the district, housing about 800 inmates. “Some 30 more quarantine centres have been proposed by the administration, if needed,” said additional district magistrate Pushpraj Singh, adding that they were presently using 50% of the capacity in order to effectively maintain social distancing among patients and to “provide them all facilities”.

However, a young woman, who purportedly shot the video at a quarantine centre in Sikandra, said that no social distancing was being maintained and all persons, including her, were brought there for a medical checkup. She claimed that the suspects were not getting proper food and water and their tests had not been conducted yet.

The video and pictures circulating on the social media show empty food packets littered around the facility, leaking water taps, stained and dirty washbasins, etc.

The ADM, however, refuted these claims, saying that people are reacting like this due to “psychological trauma and panic”. “Medical tests are being conducted on the first-come-first-served basis and adequate facilities are being provided at these facilities,” the ADM claimed, adding that the inmates are also being provided rations for one week to 15 days at the time of discharge.

“The administration has also tied up with hotels for paid quarantine centres, and if someone wants to shift there, they can do so by paying a Rs 800-1,000 per day,” he added.

A 20-year-old woman, who was quarantined along with nine members of her family on Saturday, told TOI over phone that she doesn’t know if her mother, who died on Saturday, was Covid-positive or not. She said that her mother had expired after a few hours of her admission at SN Medical College.

“We are at the quarantine centre and don’t know the reasons for it,” she said, adding that they are not being informed about anything. She added that none of her family members were tested at the centre and they were later shifted to their home and quarantined there.

When contacted, SNMC principal GK Aneja said, “The deceased was Covid positive and her body would be cremated at the electronic crematorium with due procedure.”