Make this lockdown count

Shreya Garg

While most of us, sitting at our homes, are busy guestimating as to when this lockdown will be lifted, very few among us realise how vital it is for this 21-day lockdown period to work out. Some of us have the inanity to say that it is humanly impossible to stay indoors for so long, whereas some have found fun in this too, with people playing hide and seek with PCR vans and running inside their houses on hearing the siren of the vans.

Come to think of it, we are vying for going out on movie dates, hanging around with our pals, joining back at our workplaces, but our cutting-us-slack kind of an attitude, borne out of either human will or human stupidity, is hampering our chances of going back to our routines.

For those who are non-serious and lackadaisical in their approach towards the lockdown period, feel this: this year’s harvesting season would go without a harvest. Harvesting of rabi crops such as wheat, mustard and pulses in major agri-states is under threat for the want of labourers. Farmers who have already harvested their crops, prematurely though, are facing difficulty in transporting them. Notably, a day beyond 21 days would mean that these crops would get ruined in the fields itself.

The accounts of most financial institutions could not be closed in the wake of lockdown, as ground data could not be collected in time. Hence, an extension of the lockdown would mean a further delay in financial closure, adversely affecting GST collection. Besides, it would adversely affect the fiscal deficit, which would in any case be high due to lack of exports. Another lockdown would mean a compounded fiscal deficit which would devaluate our currency and make imports more expensive in the years to come.

Most of the migrant labourers will not be able to sustain this lockdown period without government help. Besides, they will certainly not be able to sustain another lockdown even with the government’s support.

Also at the receiving end, the workforce of the country engaged in service-oriented companies is under constant dread that they might be sacked, or their pay might get slashed.

Hospitals come under essential services and yet, so many people with ailments and diseases that require urgent tending to are a hapless and harried lot. In hospitals, visitors not only fear getting infected, but also do not get treatment on time, leading to deaths of many.

Many companies have already shut down completely, while some have retrenched their staff and some have furloughed their employees.

Event management companies, PR companies, companies providing cab facility like Ola, Uber, hospitality industry, travel industry, adventure and sports industry are almost at the cusp of closing down.  If we don’t make this lockdown work, these industries and companies could be shut for a very long time and hundreds of youth can face unemployment.

During this time of the year, in Himachal, apple trees are bearing flowers, which is why a lot of beehive owners move to the state, as bees help in pollination of apple flowers and bee owners get good honey. It proves to be fruitful for the growth of apple crop in the month of August. However, due to the lockdown, the beehive owners wouldn’t be able to travel to Himachal, ruining the chances of a good harvest of apple.

Once the plateau of the curve is stable, we would be able to identify the infected people. This would straightaway lead us to a stage where China is right now. In the past 13 days, the curve has flattened. A short reprieve from the lockdown and then reassessment of the situation may go a long way in managing the situation well.

If we want our democratic rights to be restored sooner than later, then we must make this lockdown count. With our concerted efforts, we would have conquered this deadly virus before we know it.