NEW DELHI, Jul 7 (NNN-PTI) – India’s federal government, yesterday expressed concern over reports of people crowding hill stations and other tourist destinations in large numbers.
A senior federal health ministry official, Lav Agarwal, referred to the phenomenon as “revenge travel” and warned that violating COVID-19 protocol would undo the gains achieved so far.
Agarwal stressed that, only COVID-19 appropriate behaviour can contain the virus, and “revenge travel” was dangerous.
“We want to bring it to your notice that, virus and infectious disease is still very much there. It is important to adhere to the COVID-19 protocol, as a slight violation can spread the virus again. You can seen people in hill stations and markets, moving without following COVID-19 protocol, by not wearing masks and it can nullify the gain that we have achieved, in terms of management of the COVID-19.”
The ministry showed photographs from places like Manali, Shimla and Mussoorie of massive crowds roaming around with no face masks. Similar pictures from Delhi’s Sadar Bazar and Dadar market in Mumbai were also shown.
Meanwhile, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Balram Bhargava, said, photos coming in from hill stations were frightening.
“COVID-19 appropriate behaviour is absolutely essential. The pictures that we have seen today are frightening and we have to be very very careful, very very responsible and very very cautious,” he said.– NNN-PTI
