Quirky requests of those isolated keep workers on toes

NEW DELHI: Delhi district officials deployed in coronavirus containment zones and quarantine centres say a number of residents have flooded them with odd demands, like chicken biryani, mutton, pizza, sweets and hot samosas, keeping them on their toes during the lockdown.
In a containment zone, people are not allowed to step out of their houses and government ensures delivery of essential items at their doorstep.
Once an area is declared a containment zone, administration and police officials create a WhatsApp group where people place requests for essential items and authorities ensure their delivery at the doorstep.
Requesting anonymity, an official deployed at the government-run quarantine facility in Outer Delhi’s Narela told PTI that several residents there have asked officials to provide them chicken biryani and mutton.
In South Delhi, which has nine containment zones, some people demanded pizza and hot samosa, another official said.
The officials informed that in some containment zones in East, Central and Central Delhi, they received demands for sweets.
“We don’t fulfil frivolous demands. At a time when an area is sealed and declared containment zone in such a crisis, our duty is to ensure delivery of only essential items like vegetables, water and milk. We have told our field officials to ignore unusual demands,” a senior official said. The Delhi Government has identified 78 containment zones with two new additions on Sunday. (PTI)