Hyderabad: The mayor of Hyderabad Bonthu Rammohan, despite a high profile job, does not have much of an urban connect. However, his rustic grounding is making him an important figure during the city’s fight against Coronavirus, in particular, in dealing with the lockdown and consequent issues. Maddy Deekshith of Deccan Chronicle travelled with mayor Rammohan for an entire day, kickstarting it at 8 am with people thronging to his resident in Banjara Hills for donations.
Along the day, attending numerous events including an awareness campaign for sanitation workers, receiving personal protection equipment (PPE) from Hyderabad MIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, educating commuters, attending food donation programmes to migrant workers, attending TRS internal meetings, visiting containment zones and shelter homes, inspecting progress of infrastructure works, attending fake calls and holding review meetings, DC interviewed him.
The Mayor started his day with a dose of Ayurvedic medicine given by his mother to increase his immunity. It was suggested to her by a doctor, who is also Rammohan’s friend from college days at Osmania University.
The mayor then went to Charminar to participate in a pledge programme organised by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. Addressing about 400 sanitation workers, he said, “we are striving to keep the city clean, risking our lives. We appeal to citizens to stay home, till end of lockdown. If Coronavirus is villain, sanitation workers are heroes, fighting for us. More than 25,000 workers join hands to fight the virus. We will surely win.”
How prepared is Telangana in fighting Coronavirus?
Months ago, we are brooding in panic what would happen if this deadly virus enters India. Unlike China, we are a democratic country, a developing nation. How can we contain Covid-19? However, under the guidance of chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, we have been preparing plans since the third week of January.
We held numerous meetings with bureaucrats from all departments and prepared an extensive plan for lockdown well in advance, without disturbing harmony or creating panic among citizens. We have successfully contained Covid-19, despite facing several challenges during lockdown.
There are several allegations regarding irregularities in ration distribution in the city? How well is the government treating migrant labours and homeless?
We have distributed free ration to about 3.35 lakh ration cards holders, who have applied from 76 lakh cardholders in the state. We have been supplying 2.15 lakh meals a day through Annapurna canteens and volunteers to migrant labours and homeless. We have been treating migrant labourers like citizens.
The journey continues through awareness programmes, a review meeting at GHMC headquarters pertaining to land acquisition, TRS party meeting in Nampally, attending food donation at Exhibition Grounds, inspecting SRDP works at Bahadurpura, CRMP works on Sardar Patel Road, inspecting shelter homes at West Marredpally, and a containment zone in Alugadda Bavi.
The mayor gets numerous fake calls. One such claimed that 40 migrants were deprived of food at a waiting room in Secunderabad. When the mayor went to the spot, there were no people at all. The day stretches till curfew time, with hardly time for even a proper cup of tea, much less so a meal.
