Covid protocols openly flouted with large gathering at UP Gate

Ghaziabad: The farmers’ protest at the UP Gate on National Highway 9 have been continuing since November 28, with farmers who have come in from different areas of

Ghaziabad: The farmers’ protest at the UP Gate on National Highway 9 have been continuing since November 28, with farmers who have come in from different areas of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, and other neighbouring states, but adhering to coronavirus (Covid-19) protocols is hardly observed at the site and the administrative officers seem to have given the least priority to the issue.

HT Image

The attendance at the UP Gate, below the flyover and also on NH 9, swelled to an estimated 3,000 people, besides heavy deployment of police and security personnel. The farmers, since the past 11 days have been camping at the site in their tractor-trolleys, with dozens sleeping in shared spaces and others huddled together in meetings and smoking common “hookahs” (smoking pipes).

While those wearing masks were also seen among the crowd, many were without any face masks and social distancing was largely flouted in large gatherings.

The farmers, however, said that if the pandemic doesn’t kill them, the farm bills surely will.

“We are sleeping below tractor-trolleys in the winter chill and still there is no decision made by the government. We saw how much gathering was there during the Bihar assembly elections and also during the recent elections in Hyderabad. None of these politicians adhered to Covid-19 protocols. We feel that even if we escape Covid-19 somehow, these new farm bills will be our death knell. We are trying to adhere to protocols but it becomes very difficult in such large gatherings,” said Harpal Singh, a farmer from Bareilly district who has been camping at site.

“We farmers have strong immunity and we will not get affected by Covid-19. We work in fields and in adverse conditions, so Covid-19 will not affect us. We eat eight-10 rotis (chapati) without any ghee, and sweat in fields. So, it draws out diseases and boosts our immunity. Many farmers have brought face masks with them but they are not using it as they have to often speak and raise slogans during the protest,” said Hari Bhagwan, a farmer from Lakhimpur Kheri in UP.

Others said that focussing on their demands was more vital for farmers than focussing on Covid-19 and adhering to norms.

“If there is strict adherence, our protests will suffer. Instead, we are focussing our energies towards the government so that they listen to our demands. They brought the bills in a hurry during the pandemic. If farmers are not happy then other like traders, shop-owners, etc., will also face difficulties,” said Jagandeep Singh, a farmer from Gurdaspur in Punjab, adding that he is camping at UP Gate for past two-three days and had also visited other protest sites at Singhu-border and Tikri-border.

The district administration officials, however, offered a limited response over the issue and said that they are trying their level best to pursue farmers to adhere to Covid-19 protocols.

“We have held meetings with them and appraised them about Covid-19 protocols and requested them to take precautions. We are also taking up regular sanitisation of the UP Gate area where protests are being held,” said Ajay Shankar Pandey, district magistrate, Ghaziabad.

The district health department officials said that they have no testing camp at the protest site at present.

“We have not setup any testing camp here as these are protesting farmers and may not pay heed to our requests. So, a camp at the site may not be feasible. The entire focus of the police and the administration is on ensuring that protests remain peaceful,” said an officer from the health department, who asked to remain anonymous.

The UP Gate area is adjacent to Indirapuram locality, which has had the highest number of Covid-19 cases – 2,819 – in the Ghaziabad district till November 30.