While the medical experts across the country advise the state and union territory governments that night curfew won’t reduce the intensity of the ongoing second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, the right thinking people neither welcome the decision of night curfew nor endorse it. Interestingly even top functionaries of the government are tight lipped over the imposition of night curfew for the purposes of containing the ongoing second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. Knowing that the frequency of public movement in the twin capital cities Srinagar and Jammu and major towns is very low during the night and it only intensifies during the day time, the decision of the government is not only questionable but also objectionable on many counts. While no dawn to desk restrictions have been enforced either by the home ministry of the central government or the election commission of India (ECI) on the huge participation of the people in the election rallies in poll bound states reporting more COVID-19 infections than many other parts of the country , the government in Jammu & Kashmir has announced night curfew despite the fact that political parties are continuing their political activities from dawn to dusk in major towns of both Kashmir valley and as well as Jammu division. While political meetings, government functions and social gatherings are allowed without any restrictions throughout the day, the night curfew imposed without proper application of mind and consultation with the right thinking people within and outside the government would cause difficulties in shifting of patients from their homes to referral hospitals in the twin capital cities and major towns particularly the district headquarters both in Kashmir valley and as well as Jammu division . Attempt to enforce social distancing during the night and allowing it’s violation during the day from dawn to dusk shows the wisdom of the government functionaries dealing with the COVID-19 situation in Jammu & Kashmir.
While the focus has to be on covid containment measures and social distancing during the day, surprisingly the government by it’s provocative actions is irking and irritating the hapless population of Jammu & Kashmir. An unwise and provocative decision of night curfew demands an immediate review and roll back. Keeping in view the increasing intensity of COVID-19 infections better for the government to focus on tracking, testing and isolation of infected persons and restrictions on meetings and gathering at places of public attraction during the day time.
Question can be asked the when even union health ministry has written to states like Maharashtra that night curfew won’t reduce the transmission of the virus, how come the night curfew would reduce the intensity of the transmission of virus in containment zones of eight districts of Jammu & Kashmir. Instead of imposing night curfew if government would have forcefully implemented other COVID-19 protocols particularly use of masks and use of sanitisers , the people would understand the concerns and alertness of the Jammu & Kashmir over it’s covid containment plans. While the focus has to be on covid containment measures and social distancing during the day, surprisingly the government by it’s provocative actions is irking and irritating the hapless population of Jammu & Kashmir. An unwise and provocative decision of night curfew demands an immediate review and roll back. Keeping in view the increasing intensity of COVID-19 infections better for the government to focus on tracking, testing and isolation of infected persons and restrictions on meetings and gathering at places of public attraction during the day time.
