Anil Anand
Expectedly Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced extension of lockdown for almost another three weeks. It was a natural corollary or a follow up of earlier lockdown for a similar period as it has shown encouraging results. There is a strong argument that the comparatively small number of COVID-19 virus afflicted persons in a vast country like India, could be on account of very small number of tests thereby vast multitude remaining untested. So the small number of COVID-19 positive cases.
It is not that the authorities concerned at the highest level are not aware of this factor but smaller number of positive cases has not pushed the system into any kind of inertia or complacency. Instead of lowering their guard the entire system from top to bottom, led by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi himself, has been going full steam in using the interregnum that the lockdown provided to muster the resources and jack up for the challenge ahead.
It is also true that the healthcare system of India is not among the best in the world but the COVID-19 propelled scenario is something which has taken the entire world including the most developed countries such as China, USA, Italy and United Kingdome by surprise. Who would dispute about the real efficacy of the healthcare systems of these countries but under current circumstances they are unable to counter the onslaught of COVID-19 despite their advancements in healthcare system and scientific Research and Development (R&D). Despite all this, these countries, with the exception of China, are finding it hard to fight back the pandemic. Given the nature of Communist China’s system of governance, it is difficult to hazard a guess about the real state of affairs in the country’s COVID-19 hit areas or whether it proliferated outside Wuhan to other areas of the country.
Under such circumstances the Centre took the right decision to extend the lockdown which was accompanied by a set of guidelines that reflected on apart from dos and don’ts on a roadmap regarding uneasing the restrictions in the days to come. The Prime Minister was right in stressing on the Governments’- Centre and the states- resolve to more firmly impose the lockdown and that the ease-out would depend on how people go about observing the lockdown conditions.
Well yes, it is the duty of every citizen to follow the Governments’ directions in this regard that would go a long way in helping reversing the ills effects of the deadly virus. And to a great extent the people have during the first three weeks of lockdown followed the directions. Not only the rich, affluent and privileged but even those on the margins and depend on their daily earnings for two-square meals also fell in line despite their difficulties on how to survive.
The lockdown has virtually brought the nation to a halt which perhaps was the only way out to ensure social distancing and thereby break the vicious circle of COVID-19 virus from spreading through contact. The first and foremost challenge before the Governments was to contain the spread on which the system has been steadfastly working despite shortcomings in the healthcare infrastructure. This would be an ongoing process till the proverbial curve flattens and would require simultaneous shoring up the system through increased R&D to develop new wares and drugs to find an anti-dote to this hitherto unknown virus and greater coordination at the international levels in this connection.
The announcement of extension in lockdown by Mr Modi, unlike the initial three-week closedown, was followed by a set of guidelines announced by the Union Home Ministry in regard to some relaxations in certain areas of activity related to daily needs, agricultural sector and industrial production but with a rider. The relaxation would depend on the outcome of evaluation of the situation in a particular area or a zone. This too is perfectly in order alongside the free food being served to needy by the Governments, NGOs and individual groups and some cash, though meagre, incentive provide to the poor families particularly women to run the household.
To extricate the nation out of the total lock out would need a herculean effort more so to rev up the economy as every sector has virtually come to a standstill. The Union Government has given some relief to the industrial sector. Manufacturing units and industries functioning from Special Economic Zones (SEZs) have been given relief to operate during the lockdown. It has also permitted activity in the agriculture sector in view of the harvesting season. The works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) were also be allowed from April 20. All this would be subject to a review of the ground conditions on or before April 20.
The Government has an onerous task at hand on tackling the virus threat by containing its spread and at the same time revive various sectors as closedown has seriously impinged on employment mostly in the corporate, private and unorganised sectors as a whole. The large scale reverse migration of the labour from the places they were working to their native states or villages has surmounted the problem which could have been tackled through some advance planning before the initial lockdown.
The Government and the people have to work hand-in-hand as was reflected in the Prime Minister’s latest address to the nation. He reiterated and reminded the people about their duties while lauding their sacrifice owing to the lockdown, but it is also imperative that the Government will have to do a lot to sustain the system and the masses as a whole. One believes that the efforts made by the Government so far are just of a preliminary nature and the bigger plan would unfold soon. If it is important that the people do not become lax during the observance of the lockdown it is more important that the Government expeditiously work on a broader plan to extricate the country out of a total seizure.
The third big challenge and equally if not more important, for the Government would be to work in restoring the social harmony which has been seriously disturbed as certain vested interests are missing no opportunity to communalise even the COVID-19 virus. Irrespective of the religion, caste or creed they belong to, all those who flout Government’s directions and add to the problem should be dealt with sternly under the law. It would also entail that the Centre and the state Governments also fix accountability of their respective agencies failure, for instance in situations like the one created by Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi’s Nizamuddin, and its serious fallout that is being felt throughout the country.
The Government will have to work simultaneously on all the three fronts as the time is ticking fast with dangers of ilks of migrant labour and daily wage-earners becoming restive. The others would be in line to exhaust their savings and feel a similar pressure.
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