Weekend lockdown goes for a toss in Guwahati

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: It seemed the protocol for weekend lockdown has gone for a toss in the city with crowd gathering in many places of the city, especially for procuring vegetables, meat and fish becoming a reality. Now such pictures give rise to several questions as to whether the city will succeed in defeating the pandemic. As a section of people seem to bother the least about lockdown norms.

After 21 days of complete lockdown in Kamrup (M), Guwahati city was allowed for gradual unlocking with certain restrictions, including weekend lockdown besides 12 hours of night curfew. As per guidelines the city must follow weekend lockdown on Saturday and Sunday where movement of any individuals without emergency is strictly prohibited.

However, on Saturday as well as on Sunday it was witnessed that many people violated the lockdown norms and came out for no reason risking many. Though on Sunday main roads and major areas seemed wearing a deserted look only with a few fruit vendors, many areas including Lakhara, Bashishtha, Beltola, Maligaon etc., were full of people deliberately flouting the rules. In some places many incidents of conflicts between cops and public were also reported.

The situation has put many people into distress as the administration is continuously appealing to the public to follow the norms. Lack of awareness among certain people on maintaining social distance and wearing face mask also add to the problem in the fight against the pandemic.

A person engaged in emergency service said, "Where community spread holds the highest potential of infection of COVID-19. We're already fighting against the pandemic and at this situation the careless people are adding extra misery to every concerned people."

Whereas the carelessness of some people has given rise to an uncertainty as to how long people will have to fight against the pandemic besides struggling to adjust with the new normal lifestyle, many seemed criticizing the administration for its failure in proper monitoring.

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