Wind has started picking up speed in Balasore
BHUBANESWAR: As the state government evacuates people from coastal districts ahead of the impending cyclone, a large number of them were reluctant on Tuesday to leave their homes for fear of catching Covid-19. Villagers in coastal districts of Balasore and Bhadrak said they would go to the cyclone shelters only if they feel their lives could be in danger.
“Before the cyclone we were confined to our homes due to the lockdown to check the spread of Covid-19. But with the cyclone approaching, now everyone will be in the cyclone shelters where there will be a high chance of getting infected. It is very difficult to ensure social distancing and use of masks in the shelters. So, we will move to a safer place only when we feel threat to our lives,” said Kanhu Charan Swain, a resident of Kalamatia village in Balasore district. Many of the villagers are waiting for the wind speed to increase after which they will go to the cyclone shelter.
A man collects his food from an Aahar centre located at Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar on Monday
BHUBANESWAR: Bichitrananda Sahu, a security guard, has been waiting in front of the Aahar Centre at Master Canteen for about an hour for taking a parcel of cooked meal. “I can’t cook to save my life. After I lost my job in the lockdown, I could not return to my village. I don’t have enough money and all the eateries are closed. The food here is good and also available for only Rs 5,” said Sahu.
Like Sahu, Biswanath, who works as an office boy in Satya Nagar, is also in the queue. “Every day I collect two parcels from here. One is for lunch and another for dinner. Getting cooked meals is a problem during lockdown. Besides, there is the fear of infection in eateries,” he added.