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Dehradun: With the 2nd wave of the pandemic showing signs of receding, people are thronging tourist locations, even as experts are warning of a possible third phase of Covid-19. Pictures and videos of people hitting hill stations in Uttarakhand have emerged, most of them seen without masks and violating Coronavirus protocol including social-distancing norms. Recently, viral videos of mass gatherings of tourists bathing at Mussoorie’s Kempty falls without wearing masks or maintaining social distancing drew criticism from all sections of society. The incident also led the Uttarakhand administration to cap the limit of tourists allowed to bathe at famous Kempty falls to 50 at a time.
In another incident, pictures showing tourists violating Covid-appropriate behaviour in Haridwar’s Har ki Pauri Ghat were circulated online, sparking fears of the third wave. One of the tourists said they were not scared of Covid-19 as it was more important for them to get out of the confines of their homes necessitated by the deadly second wave in April. They reasoned they came before the possible third wave strikes India, suggesting they were out of any immediate danger.
On Saturday, news agency ANI tweeted pictures of tourists stuck in traffic as a long queue of vehicles choked roads of Mussoorie town. One of them said they came with family to enjoy some time off but a lot of their time got wasted due to being caught in a traffic jam. “We came here to enjoy with family but due to heavy traffic, we have wasted a lot of time here in the car,” the tourist said.
Long queue of vehicles choke roads of Mussoorie town.
People continue to wait in their vehicles as traffic jam takes time to clear.
We came here to enjoy with family but due to heavy traffic, we have wasted a lot of time here in the car: tourist
People must keep in mind that the pandemic is not over yet and should try to refrain from visiting crowded or tourist locations. The Centre yesterday sounded a note of caution in the wake of media reports showing blatant disregard of COVID-appropriate behaviour at hill stations and other tourist locations, stating the third wave could hit by September or October.
Stay safe and wear masks!
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