Mohammed Naushad Qureshi seen on duty. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

“Since it is Ramzan, people tend to step out for shopping, so we have been making appeals to them via masjids and through religious heads, to stay at home.” The message is clear: staying home is the right thing to do, because doing so helps prevent COVID-19 transmission. “We have noticed that sometimes people are disrespectful and violent towards law-enforcement personnel, so we try to make them understand that they are risking their lives for us. The police also have families back home, but they are out on the streets, trying to keep us safe.” There are no stipulated work hours for him. It all depends on when help is needed. Qureshi’s tryst with social work began when he became involved in a collective called Citizen Front, which would operate during the month of Ramzan.

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Dharavi
‘We are trying to get people to stop spitting’
Theatre artist Santosh Limbore and advocate Manjula Kathirvel
Since the Coronavirus outbreak in March 2020, theatre artist Santosh Limbore has been helping the Dharavi police craft voice-overs. “These are essentially COVID-19 precautionary announcements that I record over the phone, and send to the police, who use it on loudspeakers, while patrolling in the area.”

Manjula Kathirvel has been on field, acting as a mediator for Tamilian migrants

Ten days ago, when the police officially sought his services, Limbore was more than happy to oblige.  With theatrical performances taking a hit due to the pandemic protocols, the 45-year-old says he has time on hand to devote all his energy to social causes. His duties now involve visiting every tenement in the area that falls under his purview and checking if the COVID-19 patients require any assistance, medical or otherwise, and informing the police or the BMC, accordingly. “Apart from this, we are also trying to make people understand that spitting in public is not just unhygienic, but dangerous. Spitting can cause the spread of COVID-19 as the saliva of an infected person can carry the virus for more than 24 hours. It needs a change in thinking and it will only work if the messaging is constant.” With the situation spiralling out of control in the rest of the country, Limbore says there’s a lot of fear among residents, because it’s a slum area. “We tell them to avoid venturing too far from home. If they need essentials, buy it at one go, instead of making multiple trips.”

Manjula Kathirvel, an advocate working in close association with police authorities, lives near Chota Sion Hospital. Since the lockdown, Kathirvel has been on the field acting as a mediator for Tamilian migrants in Mumbai, who do not understand the local language. “We distributed Kashayam, a water decoction of herbs used for ailments like indigestion, cough and common cold.” She says with a population of over 10 lakh in Dharavi, there’s danger of it becoming a hotbed of infection, if not controlled. “It’s not easy, because an average of eight to 10 members live in a small tenement. They sit outside, because the house does not have space for all. This is why you have to handle the situation with tact—you have to be friendly and patient with them. Using authority alone won’t work.” Presently, Kathirvel has been goading residents to sign up for vaccination. “It’s one of my top priorities at the moment.”

MIDC, Andheri East
‘People cooperate because they know us’
Avinash Bhagwat, former journalist
Avinash Bhagwat is a member of Jeevan Jyot Pratishthan, an Andheri-based NGO that operates in the area of education, literacy, health and nutrition. On a weekday morning, when we phone Bhagwat for an interview, he is in the midst of arranging hospital beds and remdesivir for patients. “I’ve already received four calls for the injection, but the situation is so dire that it’s hard to land even a single one.”  

Avinash Bhagwat is seen helping the Andheri police with nakabandi in the MIDC area. Pic/Sameer Markande

The former journalist says the police have consciously roped in citizens, who have experience in the field of social work, as the job involves working closely with communities on ground. Along with him, three other citizens, Niketan Shivalkar, Shivmurti Varde and Sachin Bagve are currently working in the Andheri East area. 

While they have a badge to show that they are working with the police, Bhagwat says locals already know them, because they have been working in the field, so they cooperate. “We speak with shopkeepers to help with free home deliveries for ailing residents, who are unable to step out. During nakabandi, we help the police ensure all COVID-19 protocols are followed, because they are already overworked and overstretched,” he says, adding that an important part of the job is also inspiring confidence among people that they will recover soon.