Shimla, Oct 6
First Mega public event held by Himachal Pradesh Government; the Rohtang tunnel opening seems to have cost dear to the state. The way member of Assembly from Banjar Surinder Shorie contracted positive for nCoV at Manali and forced the Chief Minister and his staff to undergo self isolation indicates that it was not meagre resources dented by the global epidemic but public health at large as complaints of spurt in the outbreak is coming in public domain now.
Today Principal Private Secretary of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur R N Batta was tested positive for nCoV. Moreover reports of others officials also have tested positive who had joined the cavalcades of the state Government team during the event. On the condition of anonymity some Government officers said that they are trying to keep distance from people as their roommates were tested positive during their stay at Manali in Kullu district.
The government had earlier decided to conduct the Covid-test of those who joined the Rohtang Tunnel commissioning event on Oct 3. Yet, strangely the condition was waived off to make the mega event successful as most of the officials and most members of the media crew were exempted from the Covid test. However as per the security protocol everyone who wanted to enter in the tunnel or were deputed to join the event had to undergo Covid test due to prevalence of peak covid pandemic in the hill state.
The liberal attitude of Jai Ram Government to allow suspected people who had stayed in the premises of those tested positive could have serious ramifications. With Batta now tested positive chances are that some others may have been contracted during the Manali trail which is likely to boost up the figures of Covid in the hill state.
Pertinent to mention here, that Jai Ram Thakur has encountered the virus so closely the second time in similar fashion. Luckily having safe escaped again. Also read: https://himscape.dxpsites.net/corona-knocks-hp-cms-door-again-as-two-in-security-test-positive/Worst effect of such approach could be that if such officials became carriers of the pandemic it can expose all the arrangements and the so called war against Covid in the state.
Even Congress President Kuldeep Singh Rathore expressed surprise at the presence of BJP MLA Surendra Shourie at the function of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The opposition accused Chief Minister Jairam Thakur that he has ignored the security of the country. Rathore said that the BJP has disregarded COVID-19 protocol and laws. “This is why the cases of infection are increasing in the state currently,” he concluded.
Fact check
Currently Tourist resort Shimla, Manali,Kullu, Mandi and Kangra are registering the number of Covid cases. There are reports that weekend tourism is picking up in Shimla, Manali and Dharmshala as about 50,000 vehicles entered the state borders on Friday and Saturday. Though, the signs of spurt in the footfall are encouraging for the ruined hospitality industry and virtually stagnated unrolled state economy. But the cases are mushrooming up in Shimla, Kullu and Kangra districts which houses most of the state tourism industry.
Number of Covid cases is 3117 in Solan (entry point), 1448 in Shimla , 2450 in Kangra and 1870 in Mandi and 730 in Kullu district. Currently there are around 542 active cases in Mandi district, 534 in Kangra and 439 in Solan, 319 in Shimla and 283.
