Chennai,  Even as the Tamil Nadu government has been working overtime to vaccinate maximum number of people, in many districts, the Covid protocols, including safe distancing and wearing of masks are not being followed by people.

In Kallakuruchi district for instance, several people were seen travelling in the Tamil Nadu State Road Transport buses without masks. Youngsters even travel on footboards on the bus in full public view without wearing masks. Most of the commuters in the state-run buses, including women are not seen wearing masks.

Selvaraj.M, a 46-year-old government employee in Kallakuruchi told IANS: "I am a regular commuter of state-run buses and I fear that I will get the disease as most of my co-passengers are not wearing any mask. In peak hours, the buses are full and there are high possibilities of people getting the pandemic if authorities continue to remain blind eyed on this. I do agree that the government is working overtime for vaccinating people but preventing such slip-ups is also needed."

In Kanyakumari district also a similar situations prevail.

Manikantan Kumaran, who works in a private shop in Kanyakumari, told IANS: "Most of the people who commute in the buses are not seen wearing any masks and the buses are always full. I don't have an option and I come to the shop where I work on a bus and return home in a similar manner. I have taken both doses of vaccine but,I don't want the people to behave this casually and callously while the possibility of a third wave is staring at your face."

While policemen are flagging down two-wheeler travellers who are not wearing masks, the commuters on buses are spared.

In urban centres like Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Erode and Salem things are much better and people are adhering to the Covid protocol.

A senior health department official told IANS: "This is indeed unfortunate. If people are not cooperating curtailing a pandemic is next to impossible. It should be a joint effort and people's responsibility and serious participation is very very important. I will look into what happened in these districts."

Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian said that strict action would be taken against those who are violating the Covid-19 protocol. The minister told IANS: "The government is taking all measures to end the pandemic and we need the support of the people of the state for this. I have already directed the concerned district officers to act on this violation of protocol.