CII has suggested the idea of virtual political rallies in of the current third wave of pandemic.
By VIRENDRA SINGH RAWAT
LUCKNOW, Jan 23 (The CONNECT) -With the election fever gaining momentum in the poll-bound states, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has suggested the idea of virtual rallies by the political parties to curb mass gathering in the current third wave of pandemic.
CII Northern Region chairman Abhimanyu Munjal has said it is imperative that local containment measures be taken to tackle the third wave, “while ensuring a smooth flow of economic activities within States.”
“To minimise the damage, an innovative approach is needed in these trying times. Political rallies can be made virtual, mass gatherings be curbed, sanitisation ensured at each polling booth etc,” he observed in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India has extended the ban on mass rallies till January 31.
He said with these key recommendations, CII seeks to enable businesses to function within the parameters of the pandemic, so that disruptions to livelihoods are minimised.
Earlier, the Election Commission of India (ECI) had extended the ban on physical political rallies and roadshows in the poll-bound states till January 22. However, the parties could organise indoor meetings of maximum of 300 persons or 50 percent of the capacity of the hall or the prescribed limit set by the respective state disaster management authorities.
In a letter to UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, CII president T V Narendran had suggested a containment strategy based on micro zones, as small areas demarcated by district administrations, such as mohalla, neighbourhood, villages, taluka etc to monitor and manage the outbreak.
“By exhorting the respective CMs to focus on local containment, economic activities will remain protected and jobs will be preserved. CII will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with state governments to battle the pandemic, build healthcare infrastructure and ensure vaccination,” he noted.
According to the CII, the recent spike in Covid-19 cases globally has once again created uncertainties. “After almost two years of combating the health emergency, it is critical to ensure that economic recovery remains on track to enable people to recover to pre-pandemic income levels.”
The Confederation had drafted a paper on ‘Approach for Economic Activities during Covid-19 and a Safer Future’ after wide-ranging consultations, which has now been updated in the light of the Omicron variant.
