COVID-19

It’s become the model for containment zones now being declared in many cities across the country. The Bhilwara model. A positive story of how a much-maligned district and state administration successfully contained the country’s first corona hotspot. Today, there is reason to cheer the news from Bhilwara. All the 25 COVID-19 positive cases have recovered as on April 9th. (The first positive case emerged on March 19th. Out of the total 28 infected since, two had died earlier). Though the news of a fresh positive case on April 10th came as a dampener, it is only the second case since…

Translated by Sandhya Raju நாம் அனைவரும் நெருக்கடியான சூழலில் உள்ளோம், நம்மைச் சுற்றி அனைத்தும் இடப் பிழற்சி போன்ற நிலை உள்ளது. மனநல மருத்துவர் மற்றும் ரிச்மண்ட் பெல்லோஷிப் சொசைட்டியின் பெங்களூரு கிளையின் ஹானரரி ஆலோசகர் Dr  எஸ் கல்யாணசுந்தரம் அவர்களுடனான நம்முடைய முந்தைய உரையாடலில், மன நலம் சார்ந்த பிரச்சனைகள் வெகுவாக அதிகரித்துள்ளதை பார்த்தோம். Dr Kalyanasundaram S கொரோனா தொற்றால், நாம் இந்த பிரச்சனையின் நிலையை தற்போது உணர முடிகிறது - கார்ப்பரேட் நிறுவனத்தில் பணிபுரிவோர் அனைத்து வேலைகளையும் வீட்டிலிருந்தபடியே செய்ய சிரமப்படுவது, பெற்றோர்கள் தங்களின் குழந்தைகளை சமாளிப்பது, முதியோர்காளுக்கு தொற்றை பற்றியும் நிலைமையும் எடுத்துக் கூறுவது... இதையெல்லாம் விட இந்த சவாலான நேரத்தில் தொடர்ந்து பணி புரியும் மருத்துவர்கள், செவிலியர்கள், துணை மருத்துவ சேவை புரிபவர்கள் ஆகியோரின் முடிவில்லா வேலை! இத்தகைய சூழலை சமாளிப்பது எப்படி? Dr  எஸ் கல்யாணசுந்தரம் அவர்களிடம் உரையாடியதிலிருந்து: "மிகவும் மன உளைச்சலில்…

The coronavirus pandemic that has swept the globe is perhaps going to be recorded in history as the most impactful and consequential event of this century. It has stretched the capacities of governance, public health infrastructure and social administration of affected nations to their limits. At the same time, the lockdown enforced to prevent the spread has brought economies to the ground and jeopardised the job prospects of many. With unemployment soaring during these tough times, recent graduates waiting in the wings and looking for their first job feel marooned. According to the All India Survey of Higher Education by…

In this series, individuals, citizen groups and RWAs explain how they have dealt with the COVID-19 crisis in a constructive manner. In this third part of the series, a resident of Vasanth Nagar describes the measures he took. In these times of crisis, we are all stepping forward to take care of our fellow citizens, and animals too. But what about our plants? Who will take care of them? Will the thousands of small, weak and vulnerable plants lining Bengaluru’s streets survive these five weeks of nationwide lockdown without water, especially during the peak Bengaluru summer? We, Citizens for Citizens…

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on both lives and livelihoods in India -- the virus has claimed 239 lives, the lockdown has reportedly claimed another 20. While there's not much cause for cheer in what's being observed all around, a recent briefing released by Climate Trends points to a possible silver lining: a drastic reduction in air pollution. 'Good-air days' for many Indian cities The briefing paper says that over 90 Indian cities showed minimal air pollution since the lockdown. 35 cities ranked "good" on the fourth day of the lockdown. These levels have been seen for…

In this series, individuals, citizen groups and RWAs explain how they have dealt with the COVID-19 crisis in a constructive manner. In this second part of the series, a resident of Sadashivanagar, Bengaluru, describes the measures he took. Here’s something that just three people – my friend Sumir Hinduja, my daughter Amala, and I – managed to do in our locality Sadashivanagar. There are many construction sites in this area as old homes are brought down to build new apartment complexes. As a result, several migrant workers reside in this area. Most of them have not received their pay for…

With the dairy sector falling under essential service, dairy farmers, milk collectors, manufacturers and distributors are functioning irrespective of the 21-day nation-wide lockdown that is being observed to prevent the spread of Covid-19. In fact, the chief suppliers are putting in more hours to ensure that the supply of milk during the period is not disrupted. The producers, however, are noticing erratic demand owing, perhaps, to reverse migration and shutting down of restaurants. The Bengaluru Urban, Rural and Ramanagara district Cooperative Milk Producers Societies Union Ltd (BAMUL), the city’s main supplier, is working overtime. Coming under the umbrella of the…

Media reports indicate that the Centre and state governments are looking at options for a graded exit from the lockdown. This note lists certain factors to be kept in mind before deciding that strategy. The consequences of the lockdown have been felt most sharply by urban daily wage earners like street vendors, auto drivers, migrant workers, and marginalised and stigmatised communities like sex workers and transgender communities, nomadic communities who earn as they move, frontline workers engaged in cleaning and health, farmers and landless farm workers. There has been a severe impact on food security, livelihood, security and health. Besides,…

It is the best of times and the worst of times for police around the country who have been ordered to enforce the Prime Minister’s nationwide lockdown, with images and videos of police behaviour, swinging from humane to violent playing out on TV screens and smart phones in every home.   Take the case of Bhairon Lal Lohar, for instance. A furniture dealer in Thane near Mumbai, Lohar received the news of his mother passing away in their village in Rajasthan’s Rajsamand district and as the only son, wanted to go to his village to cremate her. A Shiv Sena leader arranged an…

COVID-19 has caught us all unawares, but in the last few weeks Bengaluru has sprung on its feet to tackle the crisis. BBMP has set up a war room to centrally oversee the situation, police are working overtime, and so are hospitals and medical staff. Besides, innumerable citizens are doing their bit to distribute money, medicines, food and other essentials to those in need. It’s heartwarming to see how the city has come together yet again. But what we have now is an adrenaline-filled system - both formal and informal - that’s working overtime, doing whatever it takes to cope…