Pre-Bakrid easing of lockdown draws flak in Kerala
The Hindu
Curbs on retail shopping eased till July 20.
The decision by the Kerala government from July 18 ahead of Bakrid, has evoked mixed response. A large section of the public welcomed the brief respite after 71 days of tough curbs. However, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi tweeted: “Deplorable act by Kerala Govt. to provide 3 days relaxations for Bakra Id celebrations especially because it’s one of the hotbeds for COVID-19 at present. If Kanwar Yatra is wrong, so is Bakra Id public celebrations.” The Indian Medical Association also objected to the easing of curbs and threatened to move the Supreme Court against the decision.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.