Show Patience & Perseverance To Covid Resurgence

Very Good Morning. Continue battle against Covid Effectively. Fully Conform to Protocol & Rules.Cases Spiking day by day. More Care called For.

Above human appeal, I made with my spouse to friends, well wishers & relatives, ten days ago, in addition to our many past pleas for an year.

Did it have any impact or it fell on deaf and immune ears?

For, one week Covid Spike along length and breadth of the nation and more specifically, Maharastra, has been simply mind boggling, if not flabbergasting. Of 13.9 million current cases nationally, leading to 1.72 lakh deaths, Maharastra’s share was 3.52 million cases and 58,526 deaths. It had contributed 58 % of national cases and 34% of deaths, a week ago.

Coming to 24 hour cases, figure of Maharastra was 58,526 as against 1.84 lakh cases all over India. To add further, active cases nationally have gone to an unimaginable height of 8 lakhs plus as on 13th April and to add fat to the fire, national positivity rate of 24% has the wherewithal to shake all of us.

Mercurial & Maverick Kejriwal

2) If One is permitted to say, Delhi CM believes in mostly swimming against the tide. So 296 % rise in “his” 24 hour positive cases as compared to 16% rise from 10,013 on 6th April in Mumbai in ONE week, calls for a profound dissection. Also it is unfortunate to see its 66,300 cases in the last eleven days. However, rightly reverting to demarcating Covid and Non-Covid set ups and looking into ICU,Oxygen and Ventilator related issues deserves kudos.

Pace of National Vaccination Does Not Inspire

3). At a time when we are the hallowed world leaders in achieving over 10.47 crore vaccinations upon testing 27 crore samples, we have covered barely less than 3 percent of population as regards inoculating both the doses.

Tiny Bhutan(62%), Israel (51%) & U.K. (49%) occupy top 3 places. One can learn from a record of only 12,906 active cases in Israel. Barely 470 cases were reported on 7th April.

While speeding up the process and maintaining current 1% rate of re-infection, we have to deal more firmly with black marketing of preventive and curative vaccines. Involvement of doctors in some is shameful. Alleged ruling and opposition factor too will have to be dispensed with. Also, be it Chinese or Russian cure, its better to postpone.

Complete Lock Down?

4). The former L.D. in contrast to present ‘Chain Breaker’ could have saved many more precious human lives.Nomenclature change hardly matters. While most of the State authorities appear having pulled up sleeves,Maratha warriors of SS variety refrain from being decisive, time & again, not in the so called public interest but their AIM may be to ensure their stability vis a vis the regular latent and manifest salvos from a ‘Superman’.

5) Could we blame political weakness/instability or unknown fear(?) for this OBSTINATE STATE OF MIND ?
Lock Down coming, coming, coming……….. .When ? It’s becoming akin to the infamous Wolf Coming.

When do we wake up? After causing irreparable damage?

Plight & Duty of Labour Class

6) When helpless migrant & daily wagers have begun departing yet again for knocking in dark alleys, Is it not easier passage for them now?

Despite ‘willingly’ breaking all Covid records, we are yet to close public gathering joints, cut down hours for buying vegetables & grocery, withdraw selected city & inter state buses, metro and trains.

Perhaps in our unique situation. Is it learning from phase 1 to perform better in phase 2?

Learn, Burn & Earn

7) Either in a Pandemic situation we LEARN or do something perhaps in a hurried way to BURN.But we need to also ensure EARN factor for the servicing class.No motivating word from the lender of last resort or suspected cajoling expressions of astute, self focusing international institutions is expected to take us out from the unwanted mess ,we have novincingly created for ourselves.

Put An End To Celebrations

8) Why do we need days & anniversaries, neo new year bashes, Shahi Snans, Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, Bihu, Navratras, Ramzan, Teeka Day, Ambedkar Jayanti etc within or outside when chips are depressingly down at present?

Adequate Control measures need to be taken.

How To Contain?

9) One had used an expression- ‘War Footing’ earlier.Now it is the correct and appropriate time to say ‘DO OR DIE’.

On the contrary “Hum Nahin Sudharengey” (Determined Not to Improve), a famous Hindi film expression of yesteryears, also gives us a cue, if not GUIDANCE.

Elections & Catastrophe

10) If elections are due, fear of getting inflicted from Corona virus is usually swept below the huge red carpets of Gigantic Raisina Blocks.In the post poll scenario, we resume picking up threads of mundane data collection, tabulation, compilation etc.But definitely we lag much behind in assessing afresh for taking quick remedial steps.If at all taken half heartedly, these become an APOLOGY TO AN ANALYSIS.

Urban Rural Divide, Masters & Decision Makers

11) Why is it that urban pockets infested, over exploited and polluted by the novo rich with or without their nagging partners & favourite pets, continue to keep the malaise alive while rural folks seem satisfied with their alleged obsolete, yet sustainable lifestyles?

OR they do not attract the profound and sophisticated attention of our competent, yet pampered Bureaucracy as also otherwise self centred and money churning Medicos.

12) Whereas the former can not afford a BREAK, latter attempt to do so, off and on. Many a time, they too succumb.Those who manage to survive by tolerating a hole formation inside their deep pockets, attempt to give contradictory advice, statements & appeals mostly through social media.

As such, plethora of information results into compounding confusion.

Is Social Media Actually Social? We May Dare To Ask next time.

To wind up

“Mask Jaroori Nahi Atyavasyak Hai. It Reduces Risk By 60%”

Slogan

“Full Lock Down Needed in major State pockets with the Rider that Black Deeds of medicines, drugs, gutka, condoms, prostitution, arm twisting, Ratri corruption, off the cuff deals etc do not occur”

A retired IAS officer, the writer was Chief Secretary, Sikkim