PUNE: The sudden announcement of the 15-day
night curfew has drawn sharp criticism from
Puneites, many of whom had plans for the year-end.
While some called the move illogical, others, like city-based working professional Aditi Munot, likened the curfew to moral policing.
Experts too have chimed in, and said the seven-hour restriction on movement at night will have little effect, as people continue to ignore
Covid safety protocol during the day.
Arjun Arora, a city-based event manager, said people will find a way around the curfew. “People have found a way to party away from cities in farmhouses, or other tourists spots. In fact, many have planned to travel, which is the first thing to be discouraged during the pandemic,” Arora said.
The outlook was bleak for a restaurateur. “Business was finally bouncing back, but the curfew has put an abrupt end to this slow recovery,” he said.
Sandhya Jog and her husband, residents of
Lullanagar, had planned to ring in the
New Year with relatives in
Baner. “We planned to come home in the early hours of January 1, but now that is not possible. We cannot stay overnight either because of the recent spate of burglaries. This is utterly disappointing,” Jog said.
Surya Thakur and his friends, all IT professionals from Baner, had pooled together money for a big New Year’s bash. “We have been planning to go to a club for a month — this year has taken a mental, physical and financial toll on us. Now, we are very disappointed,” Thakur said.
Mitali Dandekar, a resident of Dhole Patil Road, was in the same boat. “My parents allowed me to go out after months — to a restaurant for New Year’s Eve. Now, they won’t let me go to even a friend’s place,” Dandekar said.
However, others had a more balanced view of the curfew. Nayeisha Dsouza, principal of
Vivero Pre School and Child Care, conceded that the curfew would be hard on some businesses and said, “It is much needed to ensure the virus does not spread further. Unfortunately, as a nation we seem unable to self regulate and need external policing to do the right thing.”
A city-based event manager said, “The night curfew may be able to contain the spread of the virus to an extent, as I have seen people being irresponsible lately. There is been a lack of Covid-appropriate behaviour and a night curfew was needed during the party season.”