Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, April 21:�No sooner had lockdown norms been relaxed, a sea of humanity poured out on to the streets of Jamshedpur caring two hoots for social distancing norms.
Cars honked, motor cycle riding urchins yelled and all civilized hell broke out as deemed man vied with deemed man to grab all possible opportunities to latch on to free radicals going by the name of coronavirus. Streets were crowded, the normally crowded market places were overcrowded and the density of the city’s population was up for census count.
So much for the mockery of beloved Bapu’s civil disobedience during the Raj days as reflected during these Swaraj times.
Shops reopened in Sakchi Amar Market for listed nonessential items but once our khaki friends got whiff of this misadventure of stall owning adventurers, the baton law prevailed and shutters were once again pulled down to prevent further display and sale of things not required for survival.
Amidst all the do’s and don’ts of natural living under threatening times, the police realised that loosening the reins even that wee bit was harmful to health and once they mildly tightened the regulatory lasso things started limping back to almost normal lockdown times and by sunset the streets again took on the deserted look. Well, almost.
Then came the early morning thunder, lightening and lashing rain to pull down the 40� C of the preceding day to gift citizens a cooling effect after days of scorching times.
The streets were pleasantly wet with the occasional pleasant aromatic whiff when a parched earth laps up the first drops of monsoon but that incorrigible brigade of humans again ventured out to crowd all places to enjoy the volatile and virus potent beautiful atmosphere under a clouded sky.
But yes, you have to give it to these illicit viruses of Satan that most of them put on masks or tied dirty rags or kerchiefs around their faces. That can go as social concern with riders.
Sun, stars or clouds and rain, there is however, no respite for the police folks consigned to the cauldron of human safety. They thanklessly continue to care for a threatened species of the mammalian family who, in turn, repay the khaki pals with ingratitude by seeking every opportunity, wittingly or otherwise, to demolish the concept of lockdown.
Relaxation is welcome as long as man (and woman) cares for social safety. But with the trend observed before and during the relaxation period, saner citizens fear the emergence of coronavirus infection in the hitherto untouched and unblemished Kolhan Region.
It is expected that the slackening of lockdown is respected and man goes about in the routine of daily living which is tough for most anyway. Otherwise, God or who ever forbid, it may signal the heralding of ‘Amen’ time.