Hyderabad: Vaccination tokens with colour code puts people in a quandary

Hyderabad: Though the government identifies nine categories as super spreaders and rolls out measures to provide vaccination to all the enlisted people by setting up covid-19 vaccination centres in the city and suburbs, hundreds of people are complaining that they are being denied shots by the officials for silly reasons.

It is said that the local Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) staff members are providing colour tokens to enlisted traders and vendors in their operational areas asking them to get the shots without fail. However, most of the people, who failed to get the shots despite having a token, are venting frustration saying that the officials at vaccination centres have turned them back simply for not furnishing trade licenses and pictures of the shops when they approach to get the vaccine.

"It was the GHMC staff who approached us yesterday and handed over the token asking to get the shot on 30th May without fail. However, when we approached the vaccination centre on Sunday, the local GHMC officials at the helm of affairs asked us to furnish the trade license and photo of the shops also along with the token to avail the facility. Having no such documents available with us at the moment, we just returned to business without having a jab," informed Mubeen, a vendor used to sell vegetables at Rajendranagar.

"When the GHMC staff especially the Sanitary Field Assistants themselves are providing tokens after verifying the business of traders and vendors, it is illogical to ask the people to furnish license and a photograph of their business when they approach the vaccination centres," Shoukat Ali, A community activist.

However, when contacted the Deputy Commissioner GHMC Rajendranagar Circle (No 11), Jagan clarified that "The tokens are fixed according to colour code provided by the government every day and accordingly being distributed among one of the nine designated categories. However, some people are coming the next day of the scheduled date mentioned on the token and against the colour code forcing us to turn them back.

Moreover, we are asking to furnish an Aadhaar Card and are verifying the number of the beneficiary before allowing them for vaccination. Only in the wake of any credibility issue, we are asking for a trade license or an appropriate proof to establish the identity of the jab seeker".

Some people are even coming from other circles to get the shots, he said, adding that "We are even turning them back as well to avoid inconvenience for the people already registered with the centre.

"Other than this, the vaccination process in Rajendranagar circle is moving smoothly and as per the schedule for which we have made appropriate arrangements at CNC convention Hall, Shivrampally," he explained.