Shed of umbrellas outside Arunachal bank for maintaining social distance

Itanagar: Aiding the West Siang district administration in enforcing social distancing norms, a doctor in Arunachal Pradesh has helped setting up a shed using garden umbrellas in front of a bank to ensure at least one-metre distance between two persons.

Tired of making customers of the bank adhere to social distancing norms, the district administration asked people to come up with ideas and Dr Jumge Padu, a frontline COVID-19 warrior, responded to the call.

Accordingly, 53 garden umbrellas were placed at a distance of one metre from each other in front of SBI's Aalo branch on Sunday by Dr Padu with help from two organisations.

The state is now coronavirus-free with the swab samples of the lone COVID-19 patient having yielded negative result twice.

Appreciating the initiative, West Siang deputy commissioner Swetika Sachan who visited the site said, "The shed will not only help in maintaining social distancing but also provide relief to people from the scorching heat and rain."

Volunteers of the Kibom Old Age Welfare Society monitor the people standing in the shed and there are separate entry and exit points for male and female customers.

"As prevention is always better than cure, we cannot be complacent.

"Precaution is all the more important with the movement of people from other districts. If the virus enters the district, the COVID-19 warriors have to fight a more difficult war," Dr Padu said.

He is also instrumental in providing training to various self-help groups in the area regarding the making of masks.

PTI