Only strict norms, not lockdown/curfew, can provide succour

With sudden spurt in covid cases, should admn impose more restrictions in Chandigarh?

People should Avoid unnecessary travel

Certain restrictions must be imposed. Educational institutes should switch to the online mode. The government and private offices staff should report to their offices on rotation basis. Work from home must be encouraged. Unnecessary travel to and from the city must be regulated. Partial lockdown could be imposed on certain weekdays and weekends.

Simran Sidhu, Chandigarh

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Covid patients must follow protocol

The sudden spurt in Covid-19 cases is a cause of worry for institutions like schools, going to start offline studies. Yes, the UT Administration should impose restrictions like night curfew and ensure proper sanitation and social distancing norms in offices and institutions. Covid test centres should be sanitised regularly. Coronavirus patients should follow protocol to prevent spreading of the virus among residents.

Satvik Singla, Chandigarh

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Eateries must accept takeaway orders only

The UT Administration should impose more restrictions to curb the spread virus. Coffee houses, eating joints and hotels should accept only takeaway orders. Educational institutions should be closed for some time. Crowds at markets should be restricted. Only serious shoppers not gheri flock should be allowed in markets. Avoid unnecessary socialising.

Opinder Kaur Sekhon, Chandigarh

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Visitors must have Covid-free certificate

There is a need to have more strict restrictions to control the virus. All persons entering tricity should have Covid-free medical certificate. The authorities should challan persons not following Covid-19 norms like not wearing face mask or keeping social distance (2 gaj ki duri) in public places and not sanitising hands regularly.

Col TBS Bedi (retd), Mohali

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It’s a Lull before the storm

The increasing Covid cases in the tricity is an alarm before the storm comes. The lenient attitude of the authorities and carelessness among masses is responsible for the coming catastrophe. Undoubtedly, the UT Administration cannot restrict day to day activities for a long time due to certain impediments to livelihood, but strict and sincere implementation of the Covid protocols is the need of the hour.

Gobind Ahuja, Chandigarh

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Complacency towards prevention norms

Covid infections are on rise in the tricity. People have become complacent and stopped taking preventive steps. No check on crowd at public places, opening of schools and relaxation in restrictions on entertainment and functions have led to spurt in Covid infection. Restrictions must be imposed strictly and vaccination drive increased. The fear related to side effects of vaccine must be alleviated through awareness campaigns.

Wg Cdr Jasbir Minhas (retd), Mohali

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Task force can ensure norms compliance

The public has virtually stopped wearing masks properly and maintaining social distance, which has spiked Covid cases. Imposing more restrictions will bring more social and financial miseries to the common man as well as the Administration. A task force should be set up to visit every sector/village to ensure implementation of the Covid precautions without any excuse.

KC Rana, Chandigarh

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Start lockdown with night curfew

With the number of coronavirus patients rising steeply in the tricity and the Administration failing to stem the spread of the virus, it has become more or less imperative to impose lockdown now. A start can be made with night curfew.

Priyam Aggarwal, Chandigarh

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Mass gatherings have to be stopped

Not stopping mass gatherings for protests, election rallies and at religious places has led to spurt in Covid cases in and around Chandigarh. The UT Administration and the police must deal strictly with people not following Covid prevention norms like maintaining social distance or wearing face masks. All must follow the protocol even after getting vaccinated against coronavirus.

SC Luthra, Chandigarh

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Administration lax in implementing norms

Everyone was afraid about possible surge in Covid cases during winters. But contrary to this, cases reduced during the cold season and spiked in March. Although safety norms were in force in the UT, but the Administration was lax in their implementation. Residents moved in markets and on roads without wearing face masks, maintaining social distance and sanitisation. Whosoever flouts Covid norms must be penalised or kept in custody for one or two days.

MR Bhateja, Nayagaon

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Violators must be dealt with strictly

The proverb “Self-discipline is the best discipline” is so true for the present situation. It is worrisome that coronavirus cases are surging in the region. But, every time we cannot expect just the Administration to react. As responsible citizens we must follow protocols. Those, who are careless, must be dealt with strictly. No doubt strictness by the Administration is the need of the hour, but it cannot prevent the spread of the virus. So, we all must help the government fight the disease.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Chandigarh

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Self-regulation failed to give results

The question is why restrictions to control the spread of the virus? Self-regulation has failed to give desired results. Complacency and administrative laxity to enforce protocols is telling. We are in the middle of the second wave of the pandemic. Covid is not leaving us anytime too soon. Universal vaccination is a distant dream. The respective Administrations in the tricity must strictly enforce more restrictions. There is no escape from new normal of regular sanitisation, social distancing and wearing face mask to facilitate opening up of more and more activities.

Lalit Bharadwaj, Panchkula

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Lockdown should be the last step

The masses must ensure that all Covid-related guidelines are followed. The Administration must ensure proper social distancing and wearing of face masks. Unlike many western countries the impact of pandemic was not such severe in our country. Any lockdown in near future may severely affect daily wagers, small shopkeepers, workers and people from lower sections of society, who solely depend on daily earnings. The Administration must spread awareness about pandemic. The second wave induced lockdown will play spoilsport for the economy, industry and employment on a large scale. Imposition of lockdown should be an extreme and last resort. The Administration may explore other viable options to check the spread of the virus.

Karan Singh Vinayak, Chandigarh

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Limit gatherings to minimum at functions

The Administration needs to impose strict restrictions to prevent the Covid spread in the UT. Gatherings at functions should be restricted to minimum, timings for shopping be curtailed to 7 pm and online classes should continue in schools and colleges. Besides, visitors coming to the city from other states should be tested for Covid at borders. Above all, the authorities muse ensure that precautions are taken strictly. Special check should be conducted in markets, parks and functions to make sure that people wear masks. Violators should be penalised without any leniency.

Balbir Singh Batra, Mohali

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People careless towards Covid norms

The UT Administration should impose more restrictions to control the rising virus infection among residents. People are careless towards Covid norms. Strict lockdown cannot be averted if we ignore safety protocols. The UT Administration should make residents aware about horrible impact of the mutating coronavirus. There should be strict punishment for those, who violate Covid norms. The proverb “Prevention is better than cure” should be followed by one and all. Covid testing and contact tracing of persons, who have contracted virus, should be increased. It is Administration’s duty to provide soap, mask and sanitisers to the poor free of cost.

Adish Sood, Amloh

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Impose weekend lockdown

The UT Administration should impose a weekend lockdown to prevent the coronavirous transmission. Social distancing has to be followed by everyone. Residents should be encouraged to restrict non-essential travel and stay home.

Gurwinder Bhullar, Chandigarh

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Follow norms or face restrictions

Most people aren’t following Covid prevention protocol like maintaining social distance and wearing face mask. In the present economic condition, further lockdown/curfew will make things worse for the people like daily wagers, who have to earn every day to make their both ends meet. However, public should also realise their responsibility and follow norms to keep safe from the virus. Otherwise, restrictions will be imposed again.

Sukhpal Singh, Chandigarh

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Existing restrictions are enough

To prevent the virus upsurge the authorities need not impose new restrictions. They just have to enforce already announced restrictions sincerely. For example, wearing face mask is mandatory, but not everyone does so. Heavy fine should be imposed on violators. The entry of those not wearing mask should be barred at public places. More than stipulated number of invitees to social gatherings should invite punishment for organisers.

Bubby Soin, Chandigarh

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Ban mass gatherings in chandigarh

Necessary preventive measures should be taken by the Administration. Mass gathering should strictly be banned. Above all, the police must ensure that social distancing is maintained at crowded places. The authorities should impose heavy fine on people violating the coronavirus guidelines.

Anita Tandon, Kharar

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Issuing challans is not the only solution

Covid cases have surged not only in Chandigarh, but in Mohali and Panchkula too. The main reason negligence of the people. The Administration’s focus is only on issuing challans to violators of prevention norms rather than distributing free sanitisers, masks and gloves among public. Restriction can be increased in the UT to check the spread of the virus. The amount collected from challans should be utilised for the Covid prevention purpose only.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh

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Don’t lower guard against virus

The life was slowly limping back to normal as Covid cases declined in January and February. But, sudden resurge of coronavirus in March in the UT is worrisome and alarming. Social gatherings led to the spike in positive cases. There is hardly any place where people are seen wearing mask or adhering to the safety measures. People are taking the pandemic lightly. The UT Administration must keep a tab on unnecessary movement of the people and impose strict restrictions. The pandemic can continue for another year. So, prevention is better than cure. People should not lower guard against virus.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula

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Chandigarh Admn has to stay vigilant

There are various reasons behind behind Covid surge, including irresponsible behaviour of the public. The Chandigarh Administration has to remain vigilant and start declaring containment zones where community infections are on the rise. There could be an odd-even formula for opening market places to prevent crowding. Complete lockdown may not be the answer to this new spread of the virus, but the government guidelines must be strictly enforced.

Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

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Ramp up vaccination drive in Chandigarh

A lockdown doesn’t prompt people to be more health conscious. The coronavirus doesn’t spread predominantly in the night hours. The Administration must start aggressive campaign to ensure that everyone wears face mask. Wearing face mask inconveniences politicians, who move freely in potentially super spreader election campaigns. Vaccines are finally here and supply is also no constraint. Vaccination drive must be ramped up. Centre must meet the demand to relax priority group inoculation in states witnessing surge.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

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Impose one or two-day lockdown per week

One or two day lockdown per week with ensure compliance of the guidelines along with adequate social distancing on other days can reduce the spread of the virus. Among all measures contact tracing and quarantine are the key to contain the spread. The police must ensure that social distancing is maintained at public places. Special arrangements should be made to screen and test residents of old age homes, students’ hostels, disabled and immunocompromised. The number of at functions should be restricted.

Dr Manjinder Kaur, Manali

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Violators must face fine, imprisonment

People have a lax attitude towards norms. At this moment, the UT Administration should strictly penalise and imprison violators for not following protocols while stepping out of their homes. Check on shops, public places, tourist spots and offices is needed to curb the spread of the virus. People must understand that the second Covid wave could do more harmful as the mutated virus spreads faster. They must help the Administration combat it by following the guidelines.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

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Impose existing restrictions strictly

March has brought the of last year’s memories when lockdown was imposed in the country. Residents have become careless and do not follow the instructions issued by the Administration from time to time. They behave as if these are for others and not for them. One should realise that Covid does not make difference between people on the basis of caste, creed or status. The authorities should impose the existing restrictions from sincerely. So, remember the ‘mool mantra do gaj ki doori, mask mukh par aur hath ki safai jaruri’ will only save us from contracting virus.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh

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Goods at subsidised rate in lockdown

It’s been one year since Covid restrictions were imposed. Life will become more miserable if lockdown/curfew is imposed as our economy is shattered and there is no aid from the government for the common people. Imposing curfew at night will affect the hospitality industry. Where is coronavirus when farmers sit at Delhi borders to protest against agri Acts? Where is coronavirus when people celebrate at Khumbh mela? Where is coronavirus when our politicians attend election rallies? Make people realise that they should follow safety rules. If lockdown/curfew is imposed then provide them goods and facilities at subsidised rates.

Charu Malhotra, Mohali

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Nobody should be complacent

The seriousness of the situation and rigor with which activities were carried towards the peak of the pandemic could have started a bit earlier. As a matter of fact, it was the fault of the masses as well as the Administration due to which cases increased. Initial contact tracing and home quarantine of foreign travels and screening for respiratory symptoms could have been undertaken at the start of the pandemic. Vegetable markets (Apni Mandis) should be closed for the time being. The RT PCR testing should be enhanced. Crowd should be regulated at all sorts of events.

SK Khosla, Chandigarh

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QUESTION

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