Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale has written to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan demanding vaccination for people above 18-year-old age in Dharavi, Asia's largest slum.
In his letter, Shewale has stated that Dharavi was one of the hotspots in the first wave of coronavirus last year. However, due to the self-discipline of the citizens, the combined efforts of the state government and the Mumbai Municipal Corporation, the Dharavikars had set a unique positive example to the world by battling the virus. Now, in the second wave, the number of COVID-19 patients in Dharavi are increasing again.
According to data, it has been observed that over 80 per cent of the population in the Dharavi area is above 18 years of age and also works in an unorganised sector namely as delivery boys, ward boys or housemaids.
“These people need to step out daily for work but it would be difficult for them to get vaccinated under the frontline workers’ category. However, in such a situation, if everyone in Dharavi above the age of 18 is vaccinated, Dharavi and Mumbai can be saved from a big crisis.
Shewale also mentioned that there have been more than 1,600 cases in Dharavi since March 1 of which more than 1,000 cases are active even today. In view of this situation, labourers are seen going back to their native villages. Many small factories have been shut due to the exodus.
The local administration has started a vaccination centre where people over 45 years are getting vaccinated. The people from Dharavi have given a good response to the centre and about 5,600 people have been vaccinated so far. But this figure is quite low looking at the population of the slum cluster, states the letter.
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