In a bid to ensure social distancing, the Thanneermukkom Gram Panchayat in Kerala’s Alappuzha district has come up with a unique initiative – every resident will step out with an umbrella. To facilitate this, the Panchayat is now distributing umbrellas on a mass scale to the residents.
‘Two open-umbrellas that are not touching each other will ensure a minimum distance of 1 metre. This is why the umbrella is an effective tool for social distancing. Right now, we have in stock three-fold ones, the normal ones and extra-large umbrellas. We are trying to sell the extra-large umbrellas as it will create more distance between users,’ Panchayat President PS Jyothis was quoted by The News Minute.
According to the Panchayat President, Kerala’s Finance Minister TM Thomas Isaac, is the mastermind behind the idea. On his visit to the village on April 22, he had casually mentioned the idea during a meeting on how to ‘break the chain’.
‘We knew that our stock of sanitisers would be over in a week’s time. That is when Thomas Isaac suggested using umbrellas as a means to implement social distancing. We have now mandated the use of umbrellas in all the 23 wards of the panchayat, apart from masks,’ Jyothis added.
‘To enforce physical distancing, Thaneermukkom GP in Alappuzha, mandates that everyone hold umbrella when they go out of houses. Two opened umbrellas, not touching each other, will ensure minimum distance of one meter from one another. Umbrellas distributed at subsidized rate,’ Isaac tweeted.
To enforce physical distancing, Thaneermukkom GP in Alappuzha, mandates that everyone hold umbrella when they go out of houses. Two opened umbrellas, not touching each other, will ensure minimum distance of one meter from one another. Umbrellas distributed at subsidized rate. pic.twitter.com/6qir4KXPSL
— Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) April 26, 2020
According to reports, the local body will distribute at least 10,000 umbrellas to its residents. Furthermore, the umbrellas will be distributed at a subsidized rate.
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