Physical distancing on account of the COVID-19 pandemic went for a toss at a school here on Saturday when a large gathering of women swarmed to collect five-kg free rice from Minister G. Baskaran.
By 8 a.m., about 500 men and women had gathered though policemen on duty told them that the distribution would begin around 11 a.m. But they did not disperse and by 10 a.m., the crowd swelled to more than 1,200. By 12.30 p.m., the Minister, accompanied by Collector J. Jayakanthan and office-bearers of a rice mill owners association arrived.
And the distribution started. The women jostled with one another to go near the dais and collect the rice bag. The very few police personnel could not manage the big crowd. Many did not wear a mask.
Though the State government had permitted people to move out from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., many women were seen waiting on the school campus beyond 1.30 p.m. hoping that the organisers would return with rice bags for those who were unlucky to get it the first time.
Only two days ago, when the opposition parties and non-governmental organisations objected to the State government’s order that no doles shall be handed over directly to the needy by political parties or any organisations, citing COVID-19 pandemic control measures, the blatant violation happened right in the presence of a Minister and the top brass.
