This led to a crazy rush to the cool hill stations as tourists thronged Manali, Shimla, Kufri, Mussoorie and while this move is a welcome step to the tourism industry, it is stunning that the government allowed this at the eve of the warning of the third wave of COVID.\u00a0 In fact, in anticipation of the third wave, travel should have been banned and it is strange that the state governments and even the Central government allowed it.<\/p>\n
As the picturesque hills towns were flooded with tourists, there was no room for hotels and people were sleeping in their cars, pouring out in narrow streets, elbow jostling each other, half without masks, and half with half-covered masks, many proudly stating that they lived through COVID and nothing happened to them.<\/p>\n
Upset netizens commented that they who never lost a loved one, or who never had COVID would not understand the importance of safety precautions and following COVID norms.\u00a0 It seems a lot of Indians have forgotten the horrors of the second wave, with overflowing hospitals, no beds, no oxygen, people dying gasping for air while loved ones rushed everywhere searching for oxygen and medicines.<\/p>\n
The crux of the situation is can we blame the tourists who anyway will not have the good sense to protect themselves?\u00a0 \u00a0Many nations have imposed strict COVID rules because they discern that people if given the chance will exercise their freedom to their convenience.\u00a0 People have still not understood this is a viral pandemic that will not go unless most of the population is vaccinated, which will not happen as presently, India is vaccine dry in many states where government hospitals say they have no vaccines and some private sources are selling it in black for Rs. 900 or Rs. 1200.<\/p>\n
About 60% of people will not take any precautions and try to be “brave” and most will go on a mad rant after being locked up for so long.\u00a0 Countries like Saudi, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Bhutan, and many others have strict lockdown rules and are not holidaying at a time like this, but it seems it only happens in India that just when the third wave is announced, the government decides to open its borders to tourism!<\/p>\n
The government instead of taking precautions threw caution to the winds and opened their gates wide to let in travel-starved tourists who went crazy in the cool of Manali and other hill spots after the heatwave.\u00a0 But can we just blame the people?\u00a0 Is not the government more responsible? Just as the Prime Minister was responsible for opening the gates to rallies during elections which actually stimulated the noxious Delta variant in Bengal?<\/p>\n