Fatal negligence

Fatal negligence

Several States appear unmindful of the threat posed by the imminent third wave of COVID-19.

It is high time the courts step in to stop a more dangerous version of Coronavirus from attacking the country any day now. This is not to create panic but rather a frantic call for rational thinking to take over. The euphoria in June that the second wave of COVID-19 was beginning to taper off has already worn off. It is replaced by a literal countdown for the onset of the third wave perhaps spearheaded by the more dangerous Delta Plus variant. The Indian Medical Association says the die is already cast and the fresh wave is inevitable given the flagrant violation of safety protocols by the people across States. Cases are already rising in Maharashtra and Kerala, with both State Governments still arguing that the situation is not out of control. It is now known that the North-Eastern region is emerging as the latest hot spot in the country. At least 40 districts in the region are returning a positivity rate of over 10 per cent. Arunachal Pradesh has 10 districts with a high number of positive cases. Manipur has nine, Meghalaya has six, Sikkim and Assam four each, Tripura three, and Mizoram two. The State Government’s presence in the form of public health infrastructure is recorded largely in the urban areas. The countryside in most of the States paints a dreadful picture.

For instance, in Arunachal Pradesh, where the villages are far-flung and remote, people complain of the absence of medical assistance. In all these States, the cases are rising in villages, a unique feature being entire families getting infected. The death rate is not as high as the infection rate, which is some solace. There is hardly any visible campaign to force people to wear masks and follow social distancing. On top of such civic irresponsibility, there is a palpable fear of the virus super-spreaders in north India. The Char Dham Yatra and the Kanwar Yatra are the two forthcoming major events that, if allowed the go-ahead, can wreak as much havoc as the Kumbh Mela. Millions of devotees are ready to undertake the pilgrimages. In 2019, over 30 million devotees from 10 States took part in the Kanwar Yatra — a logistical and healthcare nightmare if it were allowed this year. And the State Governments are still indecisive, with the Uttar Pradesh Government claiming it can hold the yatra with complete adherence to COVID protocols. But there will hardly be any adherence as the Kumbh example has shown. The Uttarakhand Government has challenged the State High Court’s decision to cancel the Char Dham Yatra. As it is, the hilly regions of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are sitting on a virus bomb as vast crowds have landed there to take advantage of the unlock, hardly bothered about masking or social distancing. Neither the State Governments nor the people appear willing to learn from past mistakes and stop inviting the third wave. It is up to the courts now.