First day of Lockdown in Rourkela Gone Smooth
Rajesh Mohapatra,Odishabarta
ROURKELA,05/05/21: The first day of the lockdown of 2021 “Lahar – II” had gone smooth with nominal vehicular movements on roads that are on emergency services or job.
Most of the shops were closed except shops or vendors dealing with essential items like selling grocery, medicines, fruits and vegetable, egg, poultry items, milk and confectionary particularly bread items and few shops those who are on doing repairing jobs.
Except medicine shops all others shops were closed by 12pm as directed by the administration. All petrol pumps are remained opened throughout the day as usual. Banks were also opened as per the banking guidelines for this period of corona, transaction up to 2pm. Police patrolling and deployment was very tight on every sensitive places and chawks. All hospitals and medical clinics were opened to provide medical service to the needy ones. Wednesday the corona positive cases stand at 1137 in Sundergarh district which is fluctuating every day.
Most of the time, the numbers are going up from the last day and coming down the next day, is not a good sign. But the continuous rush was seen in front of the medicine shops. Attendants of the patients are piling up to buy medicines for their loved ones and the social distancing is not maintained, a slap on covid guidelines.
This has to be taken care of by the administration because people are not listening to the request of the shop keepers and the risk of getting infected increased multifold. In vegetable market in the morning time is no change, rush is everywhere and everybody wants there share first without caring social distancing. This is the next vulnerable area to be watched by the administration.
Vaccination drive is not as functional as it should have been. Vast chaos is also going on within the minds of the people who have registered for vaccine in the age bracket between 18-44 years. No such direction has come from the Govt. and proper clarity is not there about when the vaccination drive will start and how the slot will be given. Normal vaccination for 45 plus is still a challenge and rush is everywhere and many old people who could not walk properly either for aging problem or for some other age related ailments, suffering the worst. Many senior citizens are of the opinion that vaccination for senior citizen above the age of 70 should be given at doorstep.
The demand put forwarded is genuine but the time will say whether this desire will be listened or not. Moreover the lockdown imposed by the State Govt. is for certain going to curve the infections and will break the chain if due cooperation is exhibited by the people of the state.
