Containment zones surging; top cop directs 'judicious' deployment of police personnel

new delhi: As containment zones in the Capital continue to surge every day, the Delhi Police Commissioner has now directed Deputy Commissioners of Police in the city to be judicious in the deployment of police personnel under the current circumstances.

In a recent meeting between the top brass of Delhi Police, SN Shrivastava said that under the present circumstances wherein the number of containment zones has increased and the available outside force is limited, DCPs should be very judicious in the deployment of their men. "Also, constant interaction and briefing of our men be carried out to sensitise them to follow all preventive protocols seriously," he is learnt to

have said.

The Delhi Police has seen more than 3,000 COVID-19 related cases, of which over 12 have died due to the contagious disease. But more than 90 per cent of police personnel have recovered from the deadly virus. According to Monday's health bulletin, there are 2,465 containment zones in Delhi and increasing every day. However, early in the pandemic, these restrictive zones were much larger and in the following few months, while the number of such zones has increased, the size of each unit has reduced, as reported by Millennium Post. Police officials confirmed that containment zones had now been broken into smaller segments, making it easier for the police to manage them.

A senior police officer said, "Earlier the size of containment zones was large but now they are in small segments so we are able to guard it easily." The official added that they are regularly conducting awareness drives among people. Another official said that even after the city has "unlocked", they are not showing any kind of negligence in containment zones, the deployment has been adequate and apart from that they are also smoothly managing law and order situations in

the city.

Another official said, "We have decreased police personnel as we have to curb crime but we are keeping the sufficient number of police personnel who are regularly monitoring the zones with proper precautions."

Meanwhile, the top cop also told senior officers that in addition to prosecution, stress should also be given on generating awareness among the public through announcements by PA systems installed in market places, through PCR vans, through the display of posters in parks where a large number of people come for their morning, evening walks.

According to Delhi Police data (till September 28), as many as 3,38,049 challans were issued to date for mask violation whereas 2,630 challans were issued for spitting. "29,767 challans issued to date for social distancing violations," the data shows.

In the meeting, the focus was also given for enforcement of COVID-19 guidelines especially in those districts bordering other states.