Panchkula’s senior residents query ‘duplicity’ in district admin’s implementation of Covid guidelines

Senior residents of Panchkula organised a press assembly Friday to name out the district administration on their “hypocrisy”, questioning the “duplicity” in implementation of SOPs and tips concerning Covid norms.
The Senior Citizen Council of Panchkula, which was denied permission to carry a 10-member spherical desk assembly with resident welfare affiliation (RWA) heads of the town concerning some key issues, has questioned the permissions granted for non secular congregations being held at temples and gurdwaras alongside in addition to political gatherings being allowed within the district.
“Why are political meetings, huge press briefs by police, religious congregations in the country and district being allowed but the senior citizens — all of whom are vaccinated — cannot hold a meeting regardig our living conditions?” requested president of the council R Okay Malhotra.
The council has additional acknowledged that whereas they’re able to comply with the strictest of norms, the identical “should be implemented in selection on parts of society that are easy to be targeted, and administration should lead by example.”
The council has additionally expressed concern for “the pain of loneliness” confronted by senior residents of the town who had remained underneath “confinement” for all of final 12 months because of the SOPs issued by the federal government. “Now when all is open with certain guidelines but no check, permission to continue activities at the council premises is not being accorded. The council in its various representations has undertaken to abide by all laid down guidelines,” they mentioned.
“The council has put forth three just demands which need to be paid heed to by the district administration,” mentioned Malhotra.
They have requested that senior residents be allowed council actions as are being allowed to all else. Secondly, they’ve requested {that a} lockdown not happen as “the World Bank has recorded 75 million job losses in the country”.

They additionally mentioned that the federal government in addition to the administration must implement the principles critically and strictly. “We are recording more than 2 lakh cases. The government has made guidelines but it is also their job to implement them. Ye sarkaar ka kaam hai, vo chaahe to kar sakti hai (this is the government’s job, it can do it if it wants to). Our officers need to wake up from their slumber and actually ensure social distancing and masking up of people,” mentioned Malhotra.

The council has additionally mentioned “nobody should be required to take permissions for performing last rites of their loved ones. An online intimation must be the norm”.
Malhotra additional mentioned, “An online intimation should be enough for the administration to ensure that rules are being followed. They can visit and check by themselves…”