Cops launch helplines for people in North Chennai containment areas

To restrict movement of people in the containment areas in north Chennai that has some of the areas worst-affected by COVID-19, exclusive helpline numbers have been launched in Washermenpet, Flower Bazaar and Madhavaram police districts.

Curtailing people’s movement has been the biggest challenge in north Chennai, and a recent analysis by senior officials linked the spike to people not following the containment rules.

Following this, ADGP Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal, the special officer for north Chennai, instructed the Deputy Commissioners of the three police districts to launch exclusive helpline numbers. There are at least 15 police stations under the control of each DC.

Pamphlets carrying the helpline numbers and dos and don’ts have been issued to people living in containment areas in all three police districts. “Those living in containment areas can report their grievances by call or on WhatsApp and the police will resolve them at the earliest,” said Washermenpet Deputy Commissioner G Subbulakshmi.

The issues that can be taken up include non-availability of vegetables and groceries, issues in water supply, and entry and exit of people into the containment areas. “A staffer of a textile showroom contacted the helpline raising concern that he may lose job for not reporting to work if the showroom is opened after May 17. We assured him that we would speak to his employer and convinced him not to venture out until shutdown period is over,” said the officer.

Madhavaram Deputy Commissioner Ravali Priya said she has posted volunteers at all check points around all the containment areas to attend to people’s grievances. Pamphlets have been issued with the helpline number in her district to enable the people to reach out to the police. At Flower Bazaar district, Deputy Commissioner S Rajendran has made his office landline number as the helpline.