Thirteen months ago, looking at the devastating speed of Covid 19, I had dared to quote Malthus (1798), a British classical economist: “When man fails, nature takes over”. By now, it is in the public domain that Covid-19, an offspring of SARS-I Coronavirus, is not only going to stay but could be still in ‘circulation’. It may be due to the detection of 770-odd variants and the unwanted advent of neo-colonial tendencies of business-minded, so-called “developed” countries.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
If we count from ‘ground zero’ of a live animal unhygienic market of Wuhan (31 December 2019), 1.3 years has passed by. Vital origin data, however, could not be extracted even by WHO experts. But owing to the unquestioned might of some UN veto-wielding powers, 219 countries have entered into a state of subjugation and barely ten developed countries have pocketed the vaccines.
WHAT WHO DID DURING COVID
WHO, on the contrary, after embarrassing itself during the painful phases of 2020, is unable to make a dent even now when it comes to a fair distribution of vaccines to needy and suffering poor countries of Africa and Asia. What transpired after setting up a special fund for the purpose?
INDIA’S HUMANITARIAN GESTURE
On the other hand, India after crossing limits of the belligerence of having supplied vaccines to 84 countries, may not be regretting the out of the way humanitarian gesture. But looking at the coverage of our barely less than 10% population, don’t we take a cue from a time-tested dictum? “Light the Candle at home prior to a mosque”.
MEASURES NEEDED ON WAR-FOOTING
By bringing up the issue at a crucial juncture of the second Covid wave or fourth one according to inimitable Arvind Kejriwal, one is not casting any aspersion but certainly one is hinting towards addressing more immediate issues, such as:
• Control over social and e-media, issue quick rebuttals
• Check unnecessary visits
• Swift coverage of the entire 45 plus population
• Locating missed out initial front-liners
• Intensive counselling about the efficacy of vaccines
• Zero tolerance towards rule and instruction violators
• Out of turn-taking up serious cases
• Further improving health infrastructure
• Drawing a roadmap for students and uncovered categories on a war footing.
8.40 CRORE VACCINATIONS VS 25 CRORE TESTS, A POOR REFLECTION
The element of war footing has to be taken by making available 24×7 fully equipped vaccination centres and ensuring safety and rest to medics and front liners of identified and tried categories. Reporting of record 42 lakh vaccinations on 5 April indicates that we can perform.
VILLAINS IN THE CURRENT SCENARIO
Also, not only bowing to pressures of economic revival has to be ignored, people of all “caste and creed” have to be suitably fined, punished and also denied the right to have vaccination when non-conforming to the Covid protocol.
THE OUTBREAK
Having recorded 7,88,000 active cases, 1,65000 deaths and 103,796 new cases nationally (surpassing 10 September’s record) under the “leadership” of apparently “mismanaged” Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Kerala, if we are still toying with “partial lockdown”, “night curfew”, “weekend lockdown” only, there is something wrong with our administrative acumen.
IMPOSE LOCKDOWN IN VULNERABLE POCKETS
Inspired by affected West Europe in the first half of 2020 if we could enforce an effective country-wide lockdown, why are we hesitating to repeat it for a month or two in the above-named states? Also uncalled for philanthropy towards “friendly or needy countries” should be done only after meeting our domestic obligations. Do Pakistan, China, and Canada qualify?
MIGRANT LABOUR PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE
In the ultimate analysis, if our valuable manpower loses track again, the crucial plan of the revival of the national economy or a trillion-dollar economy will be a misnomer. After all, of four factors of production, labour is vitally important.
WELFARE ECONOMICS
At this stage, it is our profound duty to display the characteristic features of welfare economics rather than reverting towards state capitalism.
“Aatmanirbharta” for whom? That’s the question one may pose before withdrawing the elusive mouse. I may be again tempted to quote from Classical Economics: “In the long run we will be dead.”
The writer is the ex-Chief Secretary, the Government of Sikkim. The views expressed are personal.
