No family life during pandemic, says Covid warrior awardee Rajakumari

B Rajakumari, SP of Vizianagaram district has been honored with 'Frontline Covid warrior award' by the union government. She is the only police officer from entire Andhra Pradesh receiving this award. Actually the national commission for women has selected one woman from each sector (Police, Doctors, Sanitation) of services and presented the award. She received the award at New Delhi from Prakash Jawadekar, the union minister for forests, science and technology.

On receiving the award, The Hans India spoke to Rajakumari. Excerpts from an interview:

What are the challenges you faced during lockdown?

Initially, we struggled to convince the public to remain in their homes and not to roam on roads. But within few days the people understood the importance of lockdown and started co-operating with us.

What were your efforts during the pandemic?

We spoke to social service organizations apart from our own staff and toured hundreds of villages and visited every mandal, spoke to the public and made them to follow Covid protocols like wearing masks, using sanitizers.

How did you manage your duties during Pandemic?

Actually, I couldn't take rest a single day during those days. Even some of my colleagues suffered with Covid. Sometimes I used to take a nap in my car during journey. I used to step out at 4 am and reach to office at 11pm and sometimes it was 12 am.

Do you feel that your efforts yielded good results?

Not only our police, but also the other frontline staff worked to stop the spread of virus in our district. Just because of the coordinated efforts only Vizianagaram district was in green zone for more than 45 days.

What were your personal efforts?

One mid night I got a call from a migrant woman labourer, who came here from Nellore. No shops were opened then. I immediately cooked food at my home and reached her with food packets prepared by me. She along with her children, age old parents blessed me with tearful eyes. It was a unforgettable moment in my career.

What were your efforts, services during Pandemic?

We maintained special camps for migrant labourers and provided food, even cheppals, umbrellas for pedestrians. We have taken special care on behalf of police department with the support of donors and other NGOs. We plied vehicles to drop them at interstate border. Thousands of migrant labourers belong to Odisha, Bengal, Chattishgarh, Uttarpradesh, Jharkhand walked through our district and we supported them in all aspects.

What were your personal struggles?

Yes, those days were very hard. I lost some of my colleagues here due to Corona. Some were quarantined with the infection. I too personally felt bad as I couldn't see my age old parents. Even I couldn't hug my children. I used to see them from distant. I missed my family a lot but the recognization I got from the public and the government has wiped out all those painful days.