NEYYATTINKARA: The state government’s much-hyped people connect adalat programme, ‘Santhwana Sparsham’, held at Neyyattinkara witnessed a gross violation of Covid-19 protocol. Several people who thronged the Government Boys Higher Secondary school here were seen crowding at various points with police remaining mute spectators. The people from Neyyattinkara and Kattakkada taluks were waiting in front of the 10 special counters opened for accepting applications without maintaining social distancing norms.
Covid protocol was only followed at the main hall where the ministers and MLAs were present to accept the petitions and announce financial assistance for the beneficiaries. In the hall, the chairs were placed at a specific distance. But people started placing chairs closer. The strength of the police was much lesser to control such a huge inflow of people into the school compound.
Though the NCC, Student Police Cadets and other volunteers present to control the crowd hardly yielded result. At the entrance, health workers were deployed to give sanitiser and check body temperature. However, the people started pushing and pulling to get their applications given at the respective counters.
“Ten counters were opened to prevent overcrowding. But the number of people swelled, contrary to our expectation,” said P Ramkumar, an official.
The police were seen trying hard to advise the people to maintain distancing. “As the people need to get their financial assistance as soon as possible, they would rush to get things done. In addition to the main hall, one more hall was needed to prevent crowding,” said R Binu, Neyyattinkara DySP.
The applications from Kattakkada taluk were considered in the forenoon while the applications from Neyyattinkara taluk were considered in the afternoon, The programme that started at 9 am was to end at 5 pm. However, it extended up to 6.30 pm due to heavy rush.