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It may be time to ease Covid-19 curbs
Updated On: 19 July, 2021 08:39 AM IST | Mumbai | Dharmendra Jore
With state govt wiser from its experience in managing the pandemic and population reaching a do-or-die situation, easing, if not complete lifting, of restrictions must be earnestly considered
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Civic health workers conduct Covid tests for arriving passengers at Dadar station on Sunday. Pic/Ashish Raje
With due respect to the fear of the third wave striking us, we would like to bring to the central and state governments’ notice the necessity of relaxing Covid-19 curbs where they can be managed with the participation of stakeholders and strict enforcement by the authorities. Such a time has come with the traders and shopkeepers, not-approved-for-travel suburban train commuters and all others affected raising the demand for easing the restrictions, if not lifting them entirely, because their very existence as commercial entities, small or big, is under grave threat. It appears to be a do-or-die battle for the sellers when on the other hand, the consumers face a different set of problems — rising inflation, reduced salaries (if they are still holding onto their jobs), employment loss.
After the first lockdown experience last year, there have been no uniform curbs across the country. The Centre has kept the disaster management rules in promulgation and authorised states to take calls as per the specific advisories that are issued from time to time. At times, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with chief ministers of the most affected states, of which Maharashtra has been a permanent member because of its highest caseload and deaths. Maharashtra reported 8,172 new cases and 124 deaths on July 16. With a recovery rate of 96.28 per cent, 8,950 patients were discharged the same day, but the condition in 10 out of 36 districts remains worrisome because they together account for 90 per cent of the state’s total caseload. People in the government say this situation is the primary reason for the hesitancy in unlocking the state further, though there are different opinions about it within the political leadership of the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Some people are of the opinion that the state should take a risk, if not immediately but very soon, and some are very cautious about not moving a word from Level 3 restrictions that are in place now.
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