‘If You Want Your Driving Test, You Better Sit…’- Staff at RTO Driving Test Centre in Vamanjoor, Mangaluru Yells at Woman, who was reluctant to sit on the bench closer to other people (who were disobeying Social Distancing), when she had gone for her riding and driving test at this RTO facility. Gloria Veigas, from Mangaluru, is the person who was following the COVID-19 guidelines, preferred to stand at a distance from others, rather than sit on the bench, until her turn came for her tests- thereby showing others an example, that she cared about her safety and also others in not getting infected with Coronavirus.
Mangaluru: Following close on its heels after Team Mangalorean had published an article about social distancing not maintained at government offices (Ref:Where is SOCIAL DISTANCING? Covid-19 Guidelines Flouted at Mangaluru City Corporation Office Bldg ), here we highlight yet another government-run facility which is seen totally flouting Social Distancing, and other COVID-19 related guidelines, including wearing Face Masks. Even after the entire world, including India, and for that matter, Mangaluru has experienced the hardship and torture after this COVID-19 pandemic has haunted every one of us, but people are still ignorant and careless in following the guidelines of this disease in order to remain safe- it’s not only the citizens but also our Netas whom we voted into power, are the FIRST ones to break the norms/rules.
In this Education Hub, we still see Educated people flouting COVID-19 guidelines, especially by not maintaining social distancing or wearing face masks. The way people are moving around in the City seems like Coronavirus has totally disappeared after the government relaxed the lockdown. With a relaxed lockdown, we are seeing COVID-19 cases increasing day by day. But unfortunately, why are people still ignorant, by not following the virus guidelines. A question one would ask -“Why Some People won’t Practice Social Distancing?”- even when they are aware of the virus and its deadly impact, and ignore government advisories, and media warnings because of their obsessive need for instant gratification.
Probably they are all groomed with the “Chalta Hai” attitude, and that no one can stop them. Many don’t ever think about how to behave in public, and what their duties and responsibilities are towards the society. Many are thinking that what is happening will not affect them. It is not their disease. It has happened in China, and will not affect them, I suppose. Or people are not responding to social distancing is it because they are not fully aware of the seriousness of the problem. Forget about COVID-19 guidelines abused at private places/businesses, but we are seeing these guidelines are not followed even at district administration or government offices- and one such place we are highlighting today, is the RTO Driving Test Centre, located at Vamanjoor, Mangaluru.
One of the ardent readers of Mangalorean.com and an active member of Peoples’ Forum, Mangaluru, Gloria Veigas from Mangaluru, bringing to the notice of Team Mangalorean said, ” I was at RTO Driving Test Centre, in Vamanjoor for my two-wheeler riding and car driving test. Reaching the facility I was totally freaked out and tried to stay as far as I could from the craziest people at the facility who were not maintaining social distancing, and many not even wearing face masks, which seemed like they think COVID has vanished and won’t come back. By looking at the video posted here, you will know what exactly I am talking about”.
“At the RTO facility, we were all forced to sit on those benches, with not even one-arm distance. I was reluctant to sit on the bench closer to other people, instead I preferred to stand at the side maintaining distance. One of the staff at the facility yelling at me said, “If you want your scooter and car driving tests done, you have to sit and not stand, Or else you will be made to go last. I immediately gave him a befitting reply in loud saying, “I have kids at home, and since there is zero social distance here, I’m scared of myself and my family. On what basis you will not let me have my tests”. The RTO officer hearing my loud conversation with the RTO staff, quickly stepped out of his office and said to me “Ma’am, you can still continue standing, and everything will be taken care of”. Wow, how lucky was I- the very next person to take the test was me,” added Gloria.
She further said, “You know what’s shocking, I’m really afraid, is that people are not concerned about their own safety. Forget about another person or persons. Having done with the scooter riding test, I once again stood at a corner rather than sit with others on the bench, until my turn came for the driving test. Looking at the situation at the facility, I would have left, but since my driver’s license had expired, there was no option than to stay and experience the hassles. My tests were scheduled for 25 March, but as lockdown clicked in, I had to wait until June, and face all this circus, which I couldn’t avoid”.
“On second thought, now my dilemma is, Should I speak or shouldn’t?? I feel it’s totally wrong, where regular business people trying to earn their living are penalized by having to invest in digital thermometer, liters of sanitizers etc in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Even at the beauty parlor, you have to take hell lot of precautions, and here we see this government-run center is least bothered about the safety of the people. Absolutely no social distancing and many people weren’t even wearing masks, some tied hand-kerchief, while few others covered their face/nose by lifting their T-shirt, just for namesake. What a joke? Why different rules for us and different rules for others. And it was all accepted by even the so-called educated people who had come for their driving tests. I felt like the only loony one, Getting worked up. Thanks so much for Listening” concluded Gloria Veigas.
And sadly, while a nearly five-fold increase in COVID-19 positive cases in Dakshina Kannada since the beginning of June has raised the hackles of the district administration, and the admin is bracing for more cases with people coming into the city from abroad and nationally, the raging economic crisis that this pandemic has wrought, but people are still careless in following the COVID-19 guidelines, thereby putting their lives and others in risk. We are seeing people move about unmindful of a pandemic around. In spite of 54 FIR’s being filed against people for violating home quarantine norms, still, there has been no change in behaviour of people when it comes to the safety of this virus.
Regular checks should be made on violators of this pandemic, and they should be imposed with hefty fines, and not 100 or 200 rupees? Just going around for a day to check on people wearing face masks or not, like what MCC Mayor Diwakar Pandeshwar did yesterday, will not serve the purpose- it was nothing but a joke. More and more crackdowns should be made on violators. Government offices should strictly follow the COVID-19 guidelines, and not ignore them, like what we are going to see in the video here. IMPLEMENTING rules/orders WON’T HELP in Kudla, authorities strictly ENFORCING them WILL HELP – and then only we could see the difference, and prevent Coronavirus/COVID-19 from spreading!
All these persons should be identified and levied with hefty penalty.