Curfew compounding public misery: Cong GS
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, July 26 2021:
Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) general secretary P Saratchandra has urged the state government to take up a more effective and technical means to control spread of COVID-19 as 'total curfew' imposed for 10 days could not bring down the number of positive cases and fatality rate.
The MPCC general secretary also urged the state government to discuss thoroughly and find out the reason behind high positivity and fatality rate in the state when big states which were hit hard by the pandemic until recently have almost overcome the pandemic.
Despite imposition of strict curfew for 10 days and utilisation of central paramilitary forces, the number of positive cases and fatality rate remain high and more than 1000 positive cases are reported daily, Saratchandra said, adding that imposition of strict curfew and confining people indoors would be meaningless if the number of positive cases and fatality rate do not come down.
Imposition of stricter curfew rather increases suffering of the people particularly daily wage earners and means of livelihood for this section of people has almost ended now.
While calling upon the government not to add to the burden of the people by imposing curfew but rather find a more technical and better means to prevent people from contracting COVID-19, the MPCC leader suggested to the government to enhance COVID-19 testing and vaccination activities.
He also said that the government needs to look into kitchens of the people as scores of poor families have exhausted their ration stock.
Comparing COVID-19 situation in Manipur with Delhi, Saratchandra said that the latter has larger population but there is no curfew or lockdown in Delhi now and even shopping malls, bus service and metro train service have resumed.
He said that Delhi has managed to overcome COVID-19 pandemic as all its citizens strictly observed SOPs and gained awareness on COVID-19.As such, recovery rate in Delhi has reached 98 percent but it is only 86 percent in Manipur, he added.
Instead of extending curfew and causing more problems to people, the state government now needs to create awareness among people on COVID-19 widely in coordination with civil society organisations, student organisations, senior citizens and Meira Paibi organisations, Saratchandra suggested.