Amid Covid-19 curbs, Tarn Taran civil surgeon, SMO threw Holi bash

Caring two hoots for Covid-19 restrictions imposed by the Punjab government amid rise in cases of infection, Tarn Taran civil surgeon Dr Rohit Mehta and civil hospital senior medical officer (SMO) Dr Swaranjit Dhawan held a function on March 27 to celebrate Holi by throwing a dance party

Caring two hoots for Covid-19 restrictions imposed by the Punjab government amid rise in cases of infection, Tarn Taran civil surgeon Dr Rohit Mehta and civil hospital senior medical officer (SMO) Dr Swaranjit Dhawan held a function on March 27 to celebrate Holi by throwing a dance party.

Health department officials during a Holi party in Tarn Taran.

The party was organised near the civil surgeon’s official residence on the civil hospital premises where more than 50 people, including doctors and nurses, gathered without wearing masks. District medical commissioner Dr Bharti Dhawan, district psychiatrist Dr Isha Dhawan and epidemiologist Dr Kawaljit Singh were also present.

In the third week of March, chief minister Amarinder Singh had ordered a slew of curbs, including a ban on all social gatherings in the state’s 11 worst-hit districts, except for funerals and weddings (with only 20 persons in attendance) and closure of all educational institutions.

A video of the party has surfaced wherein the civil surgeon and the SMO are seen applying colours on others. Also, no one is seen observing social distancing norms. A message inviting the doctors and staff of the civil hospital was circulated on WhatsApp before the party.

Though SMO Dr Dhawan acknowledged that the event was organised, he did not comment further. The civil surgeon didn’t respond to several calls and a text message. When Tarn Taran deputy commissioner Kulwant Singh was contacted, he asked the civil surgeon to talk to HT. “The function was organised by Dr Dhawan. I went there for only 5 minutes,” Dr Mehta said.

A source said, “The party organised by the civil surgeon and the SMO went on for at least 3 hours. A Lohri function was also organised in a similar manner.”