The small village in Jagitial district with a population of 1,144 has not reported a single infection since the pandemic in Telangana.
As coronavirus continues to rampage across the globe, a village in Jagtial district has a unique distinction of not reporting a single infection either in the first wave in 2020 or in the ongoing second wave. This is the success story of Dammayapeta, a village in Malyala mandal, about 33 km from the district headquarters and one km from Kodimyal-Govindaram main road. Dammayapeta is a classic example of how people can keep the virus at bay by staying away from mainstream areas and maintaining physical distance.
The tiny village, which has a population of 1,144 — 576 men and 568 women, is located in a forest area and is surrounded by hillocks. The distance between each house is 10 metres and there are 290 houses in the village.
When the pandemic hit the world in 2020, a special gram panchayat meeting was held in March last year where some resolutions were passed on the measures to be taken. Villagers have been asked to maintain physical distance, wear face masks, wash hands frequently and not gather in groups. They have also been asked not to celebrate functions, go to other areas and invite outsiders but inform panchayat officials if anybody shows symptoms. Besides all these precautions, sanitisation is being taken up frequently.
Only one person was found with Covid symptoms when a fever survey was held in the village. However, he tested negative. About 200 people in the village are attending NREGS works regularly, maintaining physical distance and wearing masks. Speaking to #KhabarLive, village sarpanch Thuniki Narsaiah said it was possible only with the cooperation of villagers. The villagers did not have any function in the past one year. On Thursday, a youth got married in another village which was attended only by the family members of the groom.
People have been asked not to use just-purchased groceries for three to four days. Also, only one vegetable vendor is allowed into the village every day. More importantly, it is the atmosphere in the village which contributed a lot. The villagers are in the midst of nature and live in a pleasant atmosphere surrounded by hillocks, he said, adding that every house has at least three trees. #KhabarLive #hydnews