Safety lies in your hands-Wear a Mask

I love to travel, even though it can get exhausting at times. What makes travelling worth is the fact that I get to try out the local cuisine. On the 26th of March 2021, I had to fly to Chandigarh, India, due to unexpected family circumstances.

Setting foot in Chandigarh, I was reminded of the existence of Spring as my homeland Goa happens to only experience Summer and Monsoon. Spring, one of the temperate seasons, which has just said goodbye to Winter can have mood swings! Temperatures swing from pleasant to cold to really warm during daytime. What better way to beat the summer heat and wintery evenings of Chandigarh with fresh fruits like strawberries, muskmelons, mash melons, grapes and guavas, that I wouldn't have gotten so easily in Goa. While the freshness of the fruits refreshed my mind, I was disappointed to notice that the vegetable and fruit vendors were flouting COVID regulations. I wondered if people had forgotten how the Virus, which still is lurking around, had caused havoc throughout the world just last year.

During the last few days, one has seen that there has been a surge in the number of COVID cases. Everyday around 73,000+ cases are being reported all over India due to which state governments are imposing Covid19 curbs. A few months back, I remember reading how a number of places, including Chandigarh, had imposed harsh and hefty fines if people were found violating Covid guideleines and SOPs. I couldn’t see any of this happening now. According to government rules, if one is found without a mask, they shall be ‘challaned’ Rs 1000/-.

Image Source: Mint Newspaper (7 April 2021) https://www.livemint.com/news/india/amid-spiking-covid-19-cases-safety-norms-violated-in-punjab-s-amritsar-11616299168424.html

Markets in general and specifically open markets happen to be a hotspot for germs and bacteria. If these spaces are not paid attention to, or a system for these spaces is not brought about, arresting the number of cases despite having COVID19 curbs will not solve the ongoing problem that we face today. It’s high time that we act responsibly.