Visakhapatnam: Rare distinction of highly hygiene conscious Kumbidi Ichchapuram

Visakhapatnam: At a time when cities are gasping for breath amid a surge in Covid-19 cases, Kumbidi Ichchapuram in Veeraghattam mandal of Srikakulam district stands out in raising the bar.

Ever since the outbreak of the coronavirus, the village remained Covid-free and not a single case has been recorded in the hamlet that is interspersed with lush green fields.

The best practices followed meticulously by the villagers, including children, without any deviation yielded positive results.

Sharing details with The Hans India, Srikakulam Collector J Nivas says, "The survey for Covid-free villages is on. Apart from Kumbidi Ichapuram, 221 habitations spread across 27 gram panchayats will be added to the zero-Covid cases list which itself is a good sign for the district."

From making masks a part of their attire to taking bath as soon as they step into their home and maintaining hand hygiene, people here are quite hygiene-conscious while carrying out their daily routine.

In addition to paying personal attention to maintain hygiene standards, the four main streets in the village are closed with barricades. "People from other regions are not allowed inside. We took special care in this aspect as we never know, they might be the virus carriers," explains Biddika Gouru Naidu, village sarpanch.

Likewise, visiting relatives' houses has been discontinued for the past one-and-a-half years. The locals do not step out of their houses unnecessarily. When they do come out to attend to farm work which is the chief occupation in Kumbidi Ichchapuram, masks are donned in an appropriate manner and sanitisers are used at frequent intervals.

Cashew nuts, cotton and pulses like tur dal are grown extensively here and most farmers here are engaged in cultivating these crops.

Also, the streets are maintained litter-free. "There are four main streets in the village.

Barricades are placed in all the entry and exit points," explains Kumbirika Murali, field officer of MGNREGA and a resident of Kumbidi Ichchapuram.

In a hamlet where more than 300 people reside, autorickshaws and two-wheelers carrying groceries and vegetables frequent at regular intervals to cater to the requirement of the daily supplies. Residents prefer to stock up groceries that last for a month and vegetables not less than a week.

Considering every possible step to contain the spread of the pandemic, this village is an exception in the North Andhra region and sets an example for others by adopting safety measures to keep the virus at bay.