Tourists thronging Himachal hill-stations raise eyebrows of Health Ministry

Thursday, July 8, 2021

The Union Health Ministry has said that it can re-impose restrictions again if Covid protocols are not followed properly. During a press conference, Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal said that people visiting hill stations are not following Covid-appropriate behaviour. “We can nullify the ease in restrictions again if protocols not complied with,” Agarwal said.

Considering the massive tourist footfall in hill stations, the Health Ministry stated that gross violations of Covid appropriate behaviour can reverse the gains made so far.

ICMR DG Dr. Balram Bhargava said that what the hill stations are exhibiting is indeed scary. He said people must abide by Covid-appropriate behavior.

Due to heat wave in Delhi and easing of restrictions, thousands of people are visiting hill stations like Shimla and Manali in Himachal Pradesh.

Pictures of congested tourist places went viral on social media with many slamming those violating Covid norms. People said that if people continued to behave in this manner, then the third wave might not be far away.

Commenting on pictures coming from tourist places, RPG Enterprises Chairman Harsh Goenka said: “The way Indians are thronging the streets without Covid appropriate behaviour, I expect the third wave in September. Maybe there will be a fourth wave later.”

From June onwards, there has been traffic of around 6-7 lakh tourists in Himachal Pradesh. With the number of new Covid cases declining in the country, tourists have started thronging destinations like Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala, Dalhousie and Narkanda.

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