A journalist and his cameraman have been quarantine for compulsory 14 days in isolation centre, at Golden Nest in Bhayandar (East) for visiting the centre and covering the news.
A journalist Saabier Shaikh and his cameraman Arif DC, who runs a youtube news channel ‘On Record Mira-Bhayandar’ covered the apathy of Isolation Centre. They visited the 22-storeyed Quarantine Center on Sunday with Independent MLA Geeta Jain and her staff. On Tuesday, Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Commissioner Chandrakant Dange called up them and asked them to stay at Center.
“From last some days, I was getting calls from the centre that they are not getting proper treatment. The quality of the food is not good. No doctors are visiting them to at least check their temperature. They were going through a lot of mental agonies. No information was shared with them about their test result etc,” said Mr Shaikh.
“When I was informed that MLA is visiting the centre, I along with cameraman also went there with a guided self-precautionary measure. And covered the story for my viewers,” added Shaikh.
“We are been isolated in one room kitchen flat at the Quarantine Centre designated for isolation at Rental Building, Golden Nest. In every flat two persons are there with a separate toilet.”
On his duty
When asked, was it necessary to cover the story at high risk? He said, “You can’t cover a story very well from isolation or self-quarantine at home. The health risks are primary because journalists are experiencing what everybody else is experiencing. I’m talking about in terms of social distancing, self-isolating, quarantining. But it’s particularly intense for journalists because they have to put those risks aside to do their job. This gets resolved at certain levels by drawing up definitive action plans around. What journalists need to do, and that often involves the adjustment of reportorial conventions and routines.”
Why MLA Spared?
However, a question arises here is that, when journalist and his cameraman are quarantined then why not to MLA and her staff? Is there a different law for person to person or she is superwoman? She was also in same protection gear in which journalist and cameraman were there.
Mibhatimes.com sends several messages to Commissioner Chandrakant Dange for detailed on this. He had not replied till the news published.
