Tuesday, 13 July 2021 | PNS | Dehradun
Not in the mood to take a chance, the state government has yet again extended the ongoing Covid-curfew in Uttarakhand by one more week. The Covid-curfew which was to end today will remain in force in Uttarakhand till 6 AM on July 20. While most of the relaxations and restrictions have remained unchanged from the past phases of the Covid-curfew, considering the Covid risk and negative publicity being elicited by irresponsible tourism, the state government has specifically directed the district administration to ensure Covid appropriate behaviour by tourists and take necessary action against those violating the guidelines. Further, considering the crowd of tourists at popular destinations on the weekend, the district magistrates have been authorised to fix the limit for tourists depending on the holding capacity and geographical condition of tourist destinations. As in the past, a maximum of 20 cases will be heard per day in revenue court with Covid safety protocol. The markets will remain open daily from 8 AM to 7 PM. The weekly closure will be decided as per the date decided earlier according to the Labour department orders.
It is pertinent to mention here that while some observers are questioning the recurring extension of the Covid curfew despite the substantial drop in new Covid cases, many opine that the Covid-curfew is more of an official formality being maintained to provide the authorities a valid reason to penalise those violating the guidelines. It is also important to prevent the public from throwing all caution to the wind considering the possible third wave of Covid.
