By Rajnish Singh

New Delhi, Apr 28 (IANS): 'Gram Yoddha' (village warrior) committees in Ahmedabad villages find mention in the internal report of an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) visiting the region to monitor implementation of the lockdown, supply of essential goods and other issues since COVID-19 situation is considered "especially serious" there.

The IMCT's latest report shared with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) describes that the 'Gram Yoddha' committee model was perceptible as it led people in Ahmedabad villages to stay put inside their homes and maintain lockdown norms.

The report not only informs the model of the 'Gram Yoddha' committee but also its functioning and the way people follow the lockdown measures due to the system adopted by the villagers themselves to keep them free from the infection of the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic which so far has claimed 162 lives and infected over 3,500 people in Gujarat.

In the report, the IMCT consisting of six members headed by Additional Secretary level officer, requested the Home Ministry to suggest all the states and the Union Territories (UTs) to inform about the model to district level officers and field authorities so that villages under their jurisdiction could adopt similar ways in fight against the COVID-19.

Joint Secretary in Home Ministry Punya Salila Srivastava said that the IMCT found the unique experiment in the Ahmedabad rural area where every 'Gram Panchayat' has constituted a 'Gram Yoddha Samiti' (village warrior committee)".

The 'Gram Yoddha' committee has Sarpanch, village headman, health worker, headmaster, talati, two senior citizens and others, she said, adding the committee delivers ration, vegetable and medicines at the doorstep of every villager by following lockdown norms. Besides, the Joint Secretary said, the committee keeps track on implementation of lockdown measures in the village.

"IMCT has suggested that other states and UTs can adopt 'Gram Yoddha' committee models." Ahmedabad villagers introduced the initiative after the city area saw rising clusters of COVID-19 patients. In each of the 464 villages in Ahmedabad, the 'Gram Yoddha' committee keep a record of who is entering and exiting the village and prohibit the entry of street hawkers.

If it's extremely urgent, villagers may be exempted only after the permission of the committee. The committee will also ensure that there is no dearth of essentials in the village. An appeal has also been made to self-sufficient people to help out the needy in their respective villages in these times of crisis.

The official further said that the IMCT informed the Centre that they had held meetings with Gujarat administration after visiting highways, villages, primary health centres, civil hospitals, care centres, shelter homes, affected COVID-19 patients and their family members and other places.

Social distancing and supply of essential goods are reported to be good in the two districts of Gujarat as per the IMCT report. A total of 11 IMCT teams have been visiting different districts in states including Gujarat, with an aim to break the chain of COVID-19 transmission and led India to win the battle against the virus which has caused over 2 lakh deaths and more than 30 lakh infected patients worldwide.

These teams were constituted in exercise of powers conferred under the Disaster Management Act 2005. Two IMCTs are currently visiting Ahmedabad and Surat in Gujarat. Other IMCTs are visiting Thane, Hyderabad, Chennai, Indore, Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur, and Kolkata, Howrah, Medinipur East, 24 Parganas North, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri districts.

The COVID-19 situation is considered "especially serious" in all the districts where IMCTs have been sent.