BBMP backtracks on sealing houses with COVID-19 patients

Instructions to stop the practice came on Wednesday

After an attempt to wind tape around the gates of houses where COVID-19 patients were isolating themselves, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) suddenly stopped the practice on Wednesday. The South zone’s Chief Engineer told The Hindu that officials have now been directed to stop putting the tapes. “We were instructed by health officials to wind the tapes on the gates, and given around 10 rolls for the six Assembly constituencies in the South zone. However, on Wednesday, we were instructed to stop this practice,” the official said. The BBMP had stopped marking houses with COVID-19 patients after drawing criticism for stigmatising families. The move to resume the practice came as a surprise. A few houses in B.T.M. Layout, 2nd Stage, had tapes wound around the gates. A poster was pasted on the wall that read: ‘14 days Under Quarantine From Date…’