PM Expresses Concern over Corona Negligence

NEW DELHI:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 16-minute address to the nation on Tuesday expressed concern over rising negligence of the coronavirus risk and said rules should be followed with the same seriousness as during the lockdown.

In his sixth address to the nation, the Prime Minister said, “irresponsible and negligent” behaviour had been on the rise during ”Unlock 1”. Earlier, Modi said, people were more careful about use of mask, washing hands for more than 20 seconds several times during the day and maintaining ”do gazdoori”. “Regulations need to be followed with the same seriousness as during lockdown, especially in the containment zones,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister said the ”Unlock 2” coincided with the weather which caused several ailments. Asking people to take care of their health, Modi said due to timely decisions, like lockdown, lakhs of lives could be saved and the death rate in the country was amongst the lowest in the world.

Modi exhorted people to spread awareness amongst those not following such rules and regulations. Citing example of the Prime Minister of a country being fined Rs 13,000 for not wearing mask in public, he said local administration in India should act with the same alacrity, since no one, including the Prime Minister, was above the rule of law.

The Prime Minister addressed the nation a day after the government announced ”Unlock 2” as the country headed to a scarier phase of coronavirus. The number of Covid-19 cases has increased to 5,66,840 and the number of fatalities inching to the 17,000-mark.