Large New Year-eve gatherings at several places and blatant violation of COVID-19 protocols despite the impending danger of the third wave marked the New Year celebrations in Anantapur district.
The number of the COVID positive cases, which were in single digit for a long time after the second wave, went into double digits with 18 cases reported on Saturday, and at least three Omicron variant cases detected in the last 15 days.
The appeals by the Central government and the State Health Department to refrain from resorting to celebrations in mass gatherings, were not heeded even by the ruling party leaders.
Face masks were the first casualty among people at all gatherings and outdoor places, and ironically, even the police personnel controlling the unruly behaviour of youth on streets were seen without a mask. The police personnel, however, were successful in checking rash driving of bikes and large gatherings on the streets at midnight.
The threat of municipal authorities and the police to impose penalties on those not wearing masks was not taken seriously.
Both the Members of Parliament from Anantapur orgnasied gatherings at their houses to treat some groups to sumptuous food. At Roddam in the district, a ZPTC member organised his birthday celebrations on a grand scale with thousands of followers gathering to greet him and having lunch on New Year day.
At Tanakallu, a TDP leader organised free meals for the locals and there were a near-stampede condition. All this went unnoticed.
In Kurnool city, however, the police led by Ch. Sudheer Kumar Reddy imposed strict rules and there was no gathering seen on the streets, except for small gatherings on the city outskirts in hotels and resorts.
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