Amid an unprecedented surge in the fresh strain of COVID-19 pandemic the Jammu & Kashmir Government has announced new restrictions on public gatherings at the indoor and outdoor venues but there is a lot in the new restrictions for people to misbehave without violating the government’s covid-19 initiatives at the outdoor venues . Surprisingly the government has restricted the no of participants at the funerals performed for all practical purposes at outdoor venues just to 20 but has allowed participation of 50 people at indoor venues obviously including marriage ceremonies and meeting of political parties at the party offices without looking at the possibilities of more contacting at both the marriage ceremonies and as well as meetings of political parties at the party offices. While there are more possibilities of contacting at both the marriage ceremonies and as well as the meetings at the offices of the political parties, there is absolutely no possibility of intense contacting at the funerals performed at the outdoor venues. While the no in case of indoor meetings like marriage ceremonies and meetings at the party offices of the political parties could have been slashed to just 20 without any provocation from any quarter, the ceiling for participation at the funerals could have been also easily put at 50 to satisfy the emotions of the people amid indications of a rise in the no of the deaths of covid patients both in Kashmir valley and as well as Jammu division. Ill advised decisions imposed on hapless populations in a hostile health atmosphere are bound to trigger emotional protests anywhere in both Kashmir valley and as well as Jammu division and as such an immediate review and reconsideration of the recently announced covid-19 health protocols is not only a way out but also demanding to reduce the chances of public provocation at the outdoor venues in a hostile health atmosphere.
Covid containment initiatives taken without the consultation of the leaders of civil society groups and religious preechers time and again often evoke criticism and condemnation but government instead of taking lessons the from it’s failures in implementing impracticable covid containment initiatives tend to impose it’s decisios by force in both Kashmir valley and as well as Jammu division.
In fact covid containment initiatives taken without the consultation of the leaders of civil society groups and religious preechers time and again often evoke criticism and condemnation but government instead of taking lessons the from it’s failures in implementing impracticable covid containment initiatives tend to impose it’s decisios by force in both Kashmir valley and as well as Jammu division. Instead of reversing it’s impracticable decisions on covid containment initiatives after non stop public criticism and condemnation better it would be for the government to review the already announced decisions and announce fresh measures with the consent and approval of both the members of the civil society and as well as the influential religious preechers.
