Bengaluru: The penetration of the covid pandemic into the rural areas of India is a great threat. 

The lack of healthcare infrastructure only adds to the problem. 

However, a few villages in the country are an exception. They come as a whiff of fresh air in the ongoing pandemic as they have kept themselves completely protected. 

Kataiya village, Bihar

As reported by India Today, Kataiya, in Bihar is one such village. It has not seen a single case in the last year or so. 

The website adds that a committee has been formed that oversees the entire situation. The main entrance is closed 24/7 and none is allowed to go out unnecessarily. In the same way, no one is allowed to enter. Everybody is sanitised thoroughly. 

"Every day the youth of this village carry out sanitisation of every household. We do not allow anyone from outside to enter the village unless and until they are tested,” Naveen Kumar, a local was quoted as saying. 

Shikdamakha village, Assam 

With a population of 600, this village has ensured it has remained free of the virus in both the first and second waves. 

“Not a single positive case has been reported in the village in last year pandemic and this year too. All villagers are very much conscious about their health and cleanliness. The villagers have also taken self-regulation measures to fight against the pandemic,” Upping Maslai, a member of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council was quoted by the website as saying. 

Edamalakkudy, a tribal village in Idukki district of Kerala 

Nestled deep inside the Munnar forests, this tribal village is inaccessible to many. That has come as a blessing it has remained pristine during these tough times. 

Housing 3000 people, it is also the first gram panchayat. 

Semari village in Azamgarh district, Uttar Pradesh 

While we hear UP has rising number of cases, Semari village is an exception. 

“No one in my village is positive. Everyone follows social distancing, and all wear masks. Villagers survive on fish, cereals, vegetables, etc, which they grow themselves. As they are self-sufficient, this helps them avoid crowded areas for daily needs. Even if somebody needs to go to market, he gets household stuff for other families as well. Since our village is on the banks of a river, the environment is healthy,” Dashrath Nishad, a prominent personality of Semari, was quoted as saying.