Health body flags COVID risk at TDP Mahanadu meet, slams govt. for ‘double standards'
Praja Arogya Vedika (PAV) has raised concerns over the three-day TDP Mahanadu event, set to begin in Kadapa on May 27, citing the renewed threat of a COVID-19 resurgence and rising cases across the country.
In a letter to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday, PAV president M.V. Ramanaiah and general secretary T. Kameswara Rao highlighted recent data showing 1,009 new cases reported nationwide in the past 24 hours. Kerala accounted for 430 cases, followed by Maharashtra (209), Delhi (104) and Gujarat (83). They also pointed to a global spike in infections, which has prompted the World Health Organization to issue fresh warnings.
Referring to the COVID-19 guidelines issued by the State government recently, the PAV leaders said the advisory has clearly asked the public not to organise mass gatherings. It also advised senior citizens and pregnant women to remain indoors and others to ensure strict adherence to COVID-appropriate behaviour like ensuring adequate social distancing, wearing masks and frequent washing of hands.
Ironically, the State government, which issued guidelines to the public, is organising the Mahanadu on a grand scale in Kadapa, they said, adding that arrangements were being made to mobilise five lakh people for the event. They noted that there was no clarity on how the organisers would follow COVID-appropriate behaviour at the gathering. The organisers seem to be ignorant of the danger to the people of the State due the mass gathering, which can aid the spread of the disease, the leaders said.
The PAV leaders pointed out that the government should also realise what message it would be sending to the general public by organising such mass gathering, ignoring the renewed threat of the pandemic. They demanded that the Mahanadu organisers should strictly adhere to the COVID-19 advisory issued by the government. The number of participants should be restricted, overcrowding at one place should be prevented, compulsory wearing of masks should be insisted on all participants and regular sanitisation should be ensured at the venue, they added.
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