Only guaranteed income, PDS can rescue marginalised

How can we help daily-wage workers?

Give Rs 5,000 help to migrant labourers

Thousands of migrant labourers that survive on daily earnings are currently suffering because of the lockdown. To stop them from going back to their home states the Chandigarh Administration should give them Rs 5,000 in cash or through their bank accounts. Ration kits must be supplied to families, whose children benefitted from the mid-day meal scheme. Free rations through the PDS should be given till normalcy is restored in the country. As railways/roads have been closed, there is a greater need to make onetime arrangements to ferry migrants, who want to leave for their native states.

SK Khosla, Chandigarh

Arrange tranport for migrants

Migrant labourers are the worst sufferers among the poor. This is largely the floating population. They do not have a house and their families are divided between their native and the work place. They live day to day mainly on daily wages. They are also not able to avail government schemes as their permanent address is not of the tricity. Their Aadhaar/ration cards mostly relate to their village. Being ignorant, they are treated as outsiders. So, these daily wagers, construction labourers, rikshaw-pullers and others need to be specially looked after. For those, who wish to stay back, should be taken in the loop and each family/individual be provided with a lump sum of at least Rs 5,000 so that they can eat during the lockdown period.

Colonel RD Singh, Ambala Cantt

Stay at home to prevent infection

We can always stay humane especially in times of disasters or epidemics. The best way to help others is to stay at home and stop the spread of Covid-19 infection. Me and my parents are also following the lockdown gudielines and government’s directions. I am spreading awareness among domestic helps about the virus and its prevention through mobile phone. We are not hoarding essential items unnecessarily. I am encouraging my parents to provide our domestic help financial assistance or give him/her essentials whenever they need. I request other citizens to take such steps. The authorities should give financial and other kind of aid to the marginalised. They should distribute soaps and sanitisers and spread awareness among the weaker section of society. Introduce relief packages for migrants.

Saikrit Gulati, Chandigarh

Sanitise slums at regular intervals

The UT Administration is making all efforts to deliver milk, vegetables and other essential commodities to all residents, but still daily wagers need priority as they are completely dependent on to their limited resources. This is the most critical time for everyone. Patience is the only remedy. To keep positivity is other solution. To panic or create panic in society is like playing the role of villain. The Administration has to ensure supply of essentials at doorstep of migrants. Social organisations, NGOs, resident welfare and trader/industry welfare associations should come forward to help the poor. Slums, villages and unplanned area are susceptible to Covid-19 threat. These areas must be sanitized regularly.

Sukhpal Singh, Chandigarh

Public should maintain discipline

The period from March 31 to April 21 shall be more crucial in the context of Covid-19 as per celestial changes. Three big and effective planets – Mars, Saturn and Jupiter – will conjunct in Capricorn while Moon will join Rahu in Gemini for 27 hours. Astrologically, Mars is exalted, Saturn is in its own sign while Jupiter is in debilitated position. To add fuel to the fire is conjunction of Moon and Rahu. To top of it, all planets are forming Kaal Sarp yoga. The interpretation of this planetary position in the present context is to take utmost care during this period as in some parts of the world and India, the area surrounded by sea or nearby water, may be adversely affected by virus. It is for the public to observe strict discipline as per medical advice like distancing, cleaning, avoid public gathering and other precautions to flatten the coronavirus curve.

Madan Gupta Spatu, Chandigarh

Ensure no one dies of hunger

With the deadly coronavirus pandemic, which caught the world unawares, has come as a rude shock for the teeming millions of daily wage earners across the country, including vendors, rickshaw-pullers, construction workers and others of their ilk. Daily wage earners are musing over how to make ends meet in such situation. The Union and state governments must ensure that no one dies of hunger in the remotest corner of the country during the period of stress. They should make sure delivery of adequate free rations, medicines and other commodities of daily use at their doorsteps while maintaining transparency. We as a civil society have a pivotal role to play in looking after their small needs and making them aware of the disastrous outcome of the killer virus. NGOs need to contribute their mite in spreading awareness among the people and looking after their small needs.

Ramesh K Dhiman, Chandigarh

Add more night shelters in tricity

The biggest sufferers of the lockdown are daily wage earners, who mostly survive on their meager earnings. The UT Red Cross is doing a yeoman’s service in providing a meal for Rs 10 plus free food to those, who have no money. The Municipal Corporation should add more night shelters in the tricity and provide free food to its inhabitants. NGOs, RWAs and other organisations should extend a helping hand to sufferers. Apart from all this, public toilets should be cleaned and sanitised frequently.

Harish Kapur, Chandigarh

Help from all quarters required

The whole world is facing the horrors of coronavirus and so is our country. The lockdown to contain the virus is badly affecting daily wagers and other marginalised people. The government is taking many effective measures to mitigate their miseries. We all should stand with the ruling dispensation to prevent the spread of the disease. We will be able to defeat the monster with our unity as this country has done in the past too. India eliminated small pox and got rid of polio through collective efforts. The least we can do is not to cut salaries of our domestic helps for their absence during this period.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh

Do not cut pay of daily wagers

Covid-19 has created health emergency along with financial crisis. It would not have come at a worse time for India, already in the middle of slow down. The pandemic would render many jobless, especially daily wagers, who seem to have the raw end of the deal. It’s a long haul with great sadness and no buffer to carry loads. The government should provide essentials to daily wage earners. The people, who have employed them, should not cut their pay, as they are dependent on daily earnings to meet basic needs.

Charu Malhotra, Mohali

Onus lies on UT Administration

As a fundamental Right to Life guaranteed by the Indian Constitution the responsibility of assuring wherewithal to daily wagers and other such persons severely affected by the lethal epidemic devolves upon the Chandigarh Administration. The first step would be to utilise the fund allotted to the local Member of Parliament for paying wages to them for the entire lockdown period. Any shortfall should be made good from the Central treasury. The second move would be to supply them daily need items through the home delivery system. Arrangements should also be made for providing medical services such as free diagnosis of Covid-19, treatment, medicines and quarantine facilities.

DR SS Bhatti, Chandigarh

Give advance to domestic helps

Covid-19 has sounded warning bugle in India. It is a matter of great concern and challenge. Being highly contagious, need of the hour is social distancing and total ban on venturing in to public places. Lockdown has ramifications especially for the BPL population particularly daily wagers. The government is doing enough and has also asked corporates/employers not to cut their salaries or sack them. We should not cut salaries of our domestic helps and as far as possible give them advance for the lockdown period in order to help them sustain during these trying times.

SS Arora, Mohali

Give paid leave to maids, gardeners

As a complete lockdown has been announced by the authorities in the tricity, the fate of the daily wagers and other such persons is hanging in fire. There is no concrete plan to enable these people feed their families in this hour. Though the authorities are busy making plans to contain the deadly virus, they should come up with some measures to help the marginalised. On the other hand, we as individuals can also make a big difference in improving their condition. Maids, gardeners and sweepers, who serve us can be given paid leaves. They may even be given some advance payments, which will help them feed their families.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Chandigarh

MC should sanitise public places

With increasing numbers of Covid positive cases, lockdown is the only precaution to control the spread of the disease. However, the Administration should track affected persons and make adequate arrangements of isolation wards. The Administration should also ensure that items of daily needs are available for everyone, incuding daily wage earners, and there is no price rise in the city. The MC should ensure public places are sanitised.

Col Balbir Singh Mathauda (retd), Chandigarh

Officials should contribute salary

The government should start a charitable fund in which those interested can contribute money voluntarily. Bureaucrats can contribute their part of salary to the fund. Raise quantity of the ration for those below the poverty line. People can donate food, clothes, medicines and basic necessities to the fund started by government in order to help daily wagers. Residents too need to pay a respectable sum of wages to their maids and helpers in this stressful situation. Help of NGOs can also be taken.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

Rope in corporate houses for funds

Covid-19 has created panic in the world. The main problem is that no country has medical solution of this virus. The life of the common man is most effected, especially who depend on day-to-day work for their bread and butter. Now, curfew has brought everything to standstill. The question is who will pay for daily wage earners. The government should use its reserve and corporate houses should be roped in for generating funds. Government employees can contribute their one day salary for the purpose. Sanitisers and masks should be disturbed among residents with the help of the Administration, corporate and NGOs.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh

All must unite in fight against Covid-19

PM Narendra Modi’s ‘janata curfew’ call met with a positive response. It has proved that citizens are willing to make sacrifices to combat the virus. We are in for a long haul and unless governments can work out effective ways of lessening the scale of disruption, it will be hard to ensure voluntary compliance with social distancing. Many states are under complete lockdown. The job of governments goes much beyond these measures, which are to be backed by management of the situation, particularly with regard to providing essential supplies. At present, there are hospitals reporting shortage of even basics like masks, gloves and sanitisers. Respective state governments have to help returning workers rendered jobless by the current situation by compensating with a monthly money transfer. Centre must devise a package to make testing free for everyone, even in private labs.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

Government should increase intervention

The government has to expand its intervention and cover medical and survival needs of the population. It needs to immediately workout an action plan to mitigate the economic hardships of the informal sector, which has been the hardest hit by the Covid-19 situation. Several States have unveiled plans to use PDC grains to help the needy, particularly, daily wagers, but no official has explored the channel of distribution and execution of the last mile delivery. More needs to be done, especially on the health front. Each stakeholder needs to understand that we are in for a long haul, and unless the methodology for lessening the scale of disruption is worked out voluntary compliances like the ‘Janata Curfew’ will be history.

Rajiv Boolchand Jain, Zirakpur

The Chandigarh Administration should provide food to the needy at Rs10 as soon as possible. All government schools should be opened as shelters for the time being. Those who want to donate should not be made to run for passes. Policemen should be sensitive towards people around hospitals.—Anil Kumar, government employee

As we are aware that our country is passing through a crucial phase. It’s our responsibility to contribute for the lower section by providing them free masks, sanitisers and medicines. Food can be offered to the needy through NGOs. Creating awareness about Covid-19 is the need of the hour.—Apreet Buttar, student, govt college

I am not sure what the general public can do for daily wage earners. But people directly connected with them like landlords can leave one-month rent at the moment and contractors for whom they work should help them by paying somè money in advance. Food, medicines and esseentials are being provided by the government.—Rakesh Agarwal, Panchkula Vikas Manch

There are a number of daily wagers in Colony No. 4 area and other such places in the UT. People who want to help should come forward with food packets or other material. Besides, a shelter has been set up in Maloya and all efforts are being made to help those who have suffered due to the ongoing crisis.—Shakti Prakash Devshali, Councillor

We have asked all employers, be it in the industry, shops or commercial establishments , to pay wages of their workers on the due date without any deduction during the lockdown. Also, landlords of migrants, living in rented accommodation should not demand rent for one month.—Girish Dayalan, Deputy Commissioner, Mohali

QUESTION

The tricity has seen a rise in the number of Covid cases, mostly due to lack of imposition of self-quarantine. Do you think the authorities should have been more vigilant and strict in the implementation of home-quarantine, especially of those with a foreign travel history? What more could have been done? As citizens, what’s our responsibility to ensure strict implementation of government guidelines?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com