Interviewtimes 
Sanjay Singh, Commissioner, BMC
One of the agile and outcome oriented officers in Odisha’s power corridors, Sanjay Singh has been chosen the Commissioner of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC). He takes over the administration mantle from his predecessor Prem Chand Chaudhury. Singh’s appointment to the hot seat comes at a very critical juncture. Odisha is in the massive grip of a devastating second wave of Covid. The spike in caseload especially in Bhubaneswar and its periphery continues unabated despite the state enforcing some of the stern lockdown measures and persisting with the weekend shutdowns. The statewide lockdown has been announced till May 19 and there is a possibility of it being stretched further to combat Covid.
On an average, Bhubaneswar has seen 10,000-12,000 fresh Covid infections every day for around six weeks. The transmission chain is spreading fast though the vaccination drive is ongoing. The contagion is spreading both by quarantine and local contacts. BMC has been cracking down on offenders and lax denizens of Bhubaneswar. It is also going for harsh measures against commercial establishments who are acting in blithe disregard of the government enforced Covid protocol. Recently, BMC sealed the premises of the judicial complex in the city to contain the spread of infection. If symptoms other than those already noticed in staff are observed, the judicial complex authorities have been instructed to inform the BMC.
Yet, the count of cases continues to move north. Reviewing the situation, Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said the daily testing rate would be enhanced to 3000 in BMC’s jurisdiction. Bhubaneswar will host 33 rapid response teams to monitor isolate cases in their homes. These teams will be assigned specific areas and will enforce COVID principles of appropriate behaviour among people.
Patients in home isolation who were positive for the disease were not to move outside the home.
However, implementing all these measures is certainly going to be herculean. And, more needs to be done. Singh realizes it better than anyone else. This 1997 batch IAS officer is a no-nonsense bureaucrat- above board and delivering in a crisis when it counts. He needs an iron-fisted approach and a well calibrated strategy to curb the rising incidence of Covid positive cases. The lockdown period needs to be extended as cases are not subsiding. Singh needs to be extremely vigilant on the situation over the next three to four weeks when the virulent pandemic is going to reach its peak. Then, the same pandemic has stoked fears of a third wave. Here, the balance is needed between cracking the whip and opening up economic activities. Singh needs to be stern with the errant people- Covidiots who continue to defy protocol. Managing this show is never going to be a cakewalk. But Singh’s experience, insight and ingenuity will serve him well.
