Uttarakhand Caps Hotel Occupancy At 50% To Stem Crowding At Hill Stations

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered hotels in Nainital and Dehradun to cap the occupancy at 50 per cent as a large number of people are crowding popular hill stations after relaxations in the COVID-19 lockdown rules and a declining second wave of infections.

However, experts warn that violation of Covid rules can lead to grave results.

"We have issued an order regarding 50 per cent occupancy capping in hotels in Nainital and Dehradun. Challans are being issued to those who aren't wearing masks. We are making efforts and will follow guidelines to contain the spread of the virus," Mr Dhami told news agency ANI.

In neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Jairam Thakur has appealed to tourists to follow Covid norms, adding that "COVID-19 is not over yet".

"We need to save the tourism industry also. I held a virtual meeting with districts officials and directed them to monitor and regulate the crowd. COVID-19 is not over yet. Hotels are being asked to follow SOPs," he said on Friday.

Scores of people were seen in the popular and picturesque Dhanaulti, located 24 km from the hill station of Mussoorie, in Uttarakhand on Saturday enjoying themselves. People were pictured on the swings, at roadside eateries and taking a stroll.

"Due to opening of the place for tourists, revenue has increased. We're following social distancing and check the Covid reports on check points. All precautions are in place," Harvinder Rawat, Forest Inspector, Dhanaulti, was quoted saying by news agency ANI.

On Wednesday, the Uttarakhand High Court directed the state government to control tourist inflow and reassess its decision to relax COVID-19 restrictions.

"Last week a large number of people visited the tourist places in Uttarakhand. The RT-PCR test report will be seen at the border. We are in talks with hoteliers to not allow crowding at their properties. The police arrangements will be in such a way that there is minimum crowd," Nilesh Bharne, DIG, told ANI.

Propelled by the more transmissible Delta variant, coronavirus infections are rising across most regions of the world, said the World Health Organization's chief scientist, adding that the pandemic isn't on the wane.

The WHO this week urged governments to be careful when reopening so as not to put at risk the gains made.

After undated videos, circulated widely on social media, showed a large number of tourists bathing at Mussorie's Kempty falls without maintaining social distancing norms, the state government said only 50 tourists will be allowed at the spot at a time with a maximum time limit of 30 minutes.

The centre has warned against laxity in following Covid-appropriate behaviour, with particular reference to disquieting visuals from the past few days of large crowds at popular holiday and tourist destinations.

In India, large gatherings leading to an increase in Covid cases have taken place several times, including the Maha Kumbh in Uttarakhand in April, and during campaigning for elections in April-May.

A deadly and virulent second wave tore through the country in April-May during the second wave, bringing the health infrastructure to its knees with massive shortages of key medicines, hospital beds and oxygen supplies.