Sir,

With the Covid-19 pandemic playing havoc in our State, it is highly deplorable that the State Government and District Administration are celebrating Dasara with illumination of all the major roads, Circles and buildings in the name of lowkey affair.

In Mysuru, the Corona positivity rate is 10% when compared to the national level of 7 to 8% and the fatality rate is 2% in Mysuru when the national average is 1.6%.  With these statistics as of now, Mysuru which had witnessed single digit Corona cases in the months of April, May and June has touched 5 digit mark now, thanks to the apathy of Government and also the callous attitude of the public.

One cannot understand the psyche of people’s representatives who should have fought tooth and nail to cancel the Dasara this year in toto in the interest of public are playing with the health and lives of citizens. 

Do we really need Dasara this year when the pandemic is scaring the whole globe with thousands of deaths and no cure or vaccine in near future?

Government guidelines says people to stay home and not to venture out unnecessarily and at the same time, the same Government is illuminating the city in the name of simple Dasara, attracting people to come out of their homes.  Where is the logic?  

Should not the District Administration think about this simple logic that with illumination, people will come out in large numbers and there is every chance of aggravating the Corona, instead of breaking the chain of transmission?

The Government should have skipped Dasara this year and the allocated amount should have been used to increase the number of Covid beds, ICU beds and streamlining oxygen supply as the health system in city is collapsing day by day.

Imagine the situation if the number of Covid cases increase by 2 or 3 fold due to Dasara?  Not only this, there will be a big burden on the already depleted health care professions, who are stressed out with long working hours for the past 6 months and may not be able to cope up any more. On behalf of all concerned citizens of Mysuru, I request the District Administration not to illuminate any part of the city during Dasara this year keeping in mind the public safety.

– Dr. H.V. Srimandir Kumar, ENT Consultant, Mysuru, 12.10.2020

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