Where is SOCIAL DISTANCING? Covid-19 Guidelines Flouted at Mangaluru City Corporation Office Bldg

Where is SOCIAL DISTANCING? Covid-19 Guidelines Flouted at Mangaluru City Corporation Office Bldg

Mangaluru: Even after the entire world, including India, and for that matter, Mangaluru has experienced the hardship and torture after this Covid-19 pandemic has haunted every one of us, but peopel are still ignorant and careless in folowing the guidelines of this disease in order to reamin safe- it’s not only the citizens, but also our Netas whom we voted into power, are the FIRST ones to break the norms/rules. On Tuesday, Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu came under fire after taking part in a large procession in Chitradurga district, where social distancing norms were blatantly flouted. The procession was part of an event called ‘Baagina Arpane’, to pay offerings to the Vedavathi River. Sources also reveal that the minister, who was not wearing a mask, was welcomed by a massive apple garland. Just imagine, that too a health minister abusing the rules, when Karnataka has nearly 3,900 confirmed cases of Covid-19, according to an update from the Union health ministry.

This Is How Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu Follows Social Distancing?

Minister Sriramulu later claimed that it wasn’t a scheduled event. “I came for river worship. I joined this programme at the behest of the workers. I am constantly appealing to everyone. Follow the rules of social distancing, we have also made guidelines for this,” he was quoted as saying to the media. He added that he had covered his face with a muffler during the procession. After coming to know about the criticism, Sriramulu, later addressing the gathering, could be heard requesting people to follow social distancing and to wear masks. Total nonsense and Total Nataka by our Netas, who go by the motto, “We Don’t Practice What We Preach”?

Moving on to our very own Town of Educated people, we are seeing people flouting Covid-19 guidelines, especially by not maintaining social distancing or wearing face masks. The way people are moving around in the City, seems like Coronavirsu has totally disappeared, after the government relaxed the lockdown. City buses were allowed to ply with only 30 passengers on board-but if you peep into the buses during rush hours, passengers are loaded like sardines in a bucket? Social distancing totally ignored. If questioned, the bus owners and bus crew have their silly reasons to support their mistakes- and in the meantime, our lovely cops crack them down, book cases, just for name sake- for later the cases are withdrawn after certain amount reaches their hands or pockets?

Have you been to the MCC Office building located on MG/Lalbagh Road, either to pay your property tax or to get your birth certificate etc- you will be surprised to see that Social Distancing is totally ignored, and many people are moving around the complex wearing no face mask- and that is the present situation at MCC building. Even though while you enter the building from the top main entrance, the security will sanitize your hands and does the therma check- but once you enter the building no official will bother whether you are following social distancing or wearing a mask. To get a Self Assessment (SAS) form or pay other taxes , you will have to stand in a queue, but social distancing is hardly followed-where people in the queue are brushing their bodies with each other.

Even at the counter, where a sign is pasted stating “PLEASE KEEP DISTANCE’- but it seems like no one understands English, and people are seen crowded at the counter- and the MCC staff seated behind the counter, don’t even bother to tell the people to maintain distance. Wow- how nice! One such counter situated very next to the entrance of MLA Vedavyas Kamath- the MLA other day walking into his office didn’t even had the courtesy to say or warn the people to maintain distance, instead walked away as if it was not his concern. Even though it was earlier announced that property tax could be paid online, but since the software was not ready- citizens had to queue to pay their taxes before deadline.

Sources reveal that the idea of introducing online property tax payment was mooted when Sameer Shukla became the the first IAS officer to take charge as MCC Commissioner in 2008- however, thereafter MCC didn’t follow it up due to technical reasons and the lockdown has yet again made them think of launching it at any cost. In the meantime, the present MCC Commissioner Ajith Kumar Hegde speaking to media had said, “Unfortunately the work on online property tax payment system was pending due to various reasons. We have already discussed about this issue and aware that manual tax payment process may lead to violation of social distancing norms. Hence, we have decided to expedite the project. But it may take a month before we introduce online payment option”.

Not only social distancing is maintained at the property tax payment counter, even where a bunch of volunteers/helpers who prepare the completion of the forms, we can see people crowded near the desks- and no one cares about it. Where are all the MCC officials, Health Officer, Mayor, MCC Commissioner, and even our popular MLA Vedavyas Kamath, who has his office in the same building- do they follow on the Netas motto- “WE DON’T PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH?” Bah humbug!

Even though the lockdown has been relaxed, but we are seeing Covid-19 cases increasing day by day. So, why are people still ignorant, by not following the virus guidelines. A question one would ask -“Why Some People won’t Practice Social Distancing?”- even when they are aware of the virus and its deadly impact, and ignore government advisories, and media warnings because of their obsessive need for instant gratification. Probably they are all groomed with the “Chalta Hai” attitude, and that no one can stop them. Many don’t ever think about how to behave in public, and what their duties and responsibilities are towards the society. Many are thinking that what is happening will not affect them. It is not their disease. It has happened in China, and will not affect them, I suppose. Or people are not responding to social distancing is it because they are not fully aware of the seriousness of the problem?

That symbolic gestures initiated by PM Modi like the “Janata curfew” also didn’t help, especially when they turn out to be counterproductive, and instead of encouraging people to stay at home, actually brought people together in groups, and on streets, thereby increasing the risk of spreading the virus. Although Mangaluru didn’t see such a celebration on the streets, but in other cities, it did happen. Totally nonsense it was – clapping, banging vessels etc etc- a one-day Nataka! IMPLEMENTING rules/orders WON’T HELP in Kudla, authorities strictly ENFORCING them WILL HELP – and then only we could see the difference, and prevent Coronavirus/Covid-19 from spreading!