Social distancing goes for a toss at Sriramulu felicitation
Health Minister doesn’t follow his own sermons to the public to wear masks
CHITRADURGA:
Social distancing norms, proposed by WHO and endorsed by the state’s own department of health and family welfare, were conspicuous by their absence at a ‘Ganga pooja’ conducted at the river Vedavathi in Parashurampura of Chitradurga district on Tuesday.
While supporters of Health Minister B Sriramulu arranged for a mega garland made from apples and lime and garlanded him using a crane, the object of their adulation — who frequently advises the public to maintain social distancing, wear masks and use sanitisers — himself did not wear a mask. Chitradurga MLA G H Thippareddy, MP A Narayanaswamy and several other leaders also didn’t wear masks.
Sriramulu and Challakere Congress MLA T Raghumurthy were instrumental in getting 0.50 TMC feet of water released for water-starved Challakere and Molakalmuru taluks. The minister visited Challakere taluk to conduct a ‘Ganga pooja’ for the various barrages along the Vedavathi river.
At a time when more than 30 Covid-19 patients are being treated at the BCM hostel complex in Challakere and the neighbouring taluk of Kalyanadurgam has a number of cases, the casual behaviour of the minister has been criticised by many.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Raghumurthy wondered whether there was one set of social distancing norms for the BJP and another for others. He said when the pandemic is spreading in the state, such a procession and felicitation was unwarranted. He also feared that the disease could spread among the crowd present at the puja.
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