We are witnessing a very
unfortunate situation that the lock down had brought upon a certain migrant
population across the country. The sudden stoppage of transport system along
with loss of jobs (and shelter too in many cases) set the stage for the exodus
of millions of these workers from big cities to their villages. The tragedy has
been unfolding over the last four or five days now.
Painful stories of these
migrants trudging along the highways, often with no money or food, with luggage
over their heads and children clinging to their shoulders (some barely a few
months old), hoping to reach their villages that are hundreds of kilometers
away, have filled the media and the internet. It was only on the 26th
of March that three Chief Ministers, Mamta Banrjee, Nitish Kumar and Navin
Patnaik requested Chief Ministers of other states to provide shelter and food
to the people of their respective States, in lieu of payment. Besides that, Mr.
Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi Chief Minister, started some shelter and food
facilities in Delhi almost as soon as the lock down began. However, the first
three were a few days late and Delhi facilities are not enough to cater to each
and every one, although they have been trying. Add to that the reports of the
Police beating up, tormenting people on the streets to ensure the curfew.
The central government’s
lack of response to this tragedy is incomprehensible. The silence is even more
befuddling because this is an absolutely solvable problem. It would have been
even easier to sort it earlier. However, it is not too late to step in even
now.
Why is it important for
the Government to stop this exodus?
This exodus not only
renders the lockdown a needless exercise, it may even lead to a much faster and
far bigger peak of infections than expected. The logic is simple. A mere look
at the visuals of the exodus tells us that if a single person in that crowd is
Corona virus positive, the spread is almost guaranteed among those who are
alongside him / her simply because of the proximity. As we already know, the
Corona Virus is one of the most contagious viruses in the recent times. The
long and stressful journey will ensure a far quicker and greater spread within
the group, as not many may be able to focus on the precautions or even have the
means to adhere to them during this time.
Since many of these
journeys may take weeks or even longer and traverse across States, the
infection, besides multiplying amongst the group, is also very likely to spread
all along the route. That is simply because people will need to find water and
food on the way. That implies coming in contact with people in the habitations
along the route. Alternatively, if they are unable to access any food and water
on this hazardous journey, that in itself may lead to morbidity and perhaps
deaths too. And even then it does not ensure that a lateral spread in the
habitations on the way will not happen.
In short, not only does
this exodus lead to a spread of the infection, it may also result in a large
number of preventable deaths and morbidity. So, whichever way we look at it, it
defeats the entire purpose of the lock down.
What can the government
do?
Much time has been lost.
Nevertheless there a lot can still be done. I suggest below a simple plan that
the government is welcome to adapt or modify as per operational possibilities.
This is both doable and goes hand in hand with the lockdown.
A. Stop the exodus. Bring people to shelters.
1. Police
Instruct the ENTIRE
police force across the country not to use force, abuse, insult or beat up people
on these journeys and instead be helpful and supportive.
2. Transport Department
State Buses from each
city / town / district, which is witnessing people walking towards, through or
from it, to be sent asap to collect people and bring them to shelters.
Caution:
Protect the Driver /
Staff (e.g. secure the drivers area).
Fill the bus to half
capacity. Families can sit together but maintain distance with others (as much
as is possible).
The buses may need to do
a few rounds, depending on the circumstances.
B. Create Temporary Shelters. Engage Civil
Society / NGOs
3. Municipal Department
If existing shelters lack
space, convert Stadia / Exhibition grounds / Parks / any other open ground on
outskirts of the city into temporary shelters. Engage local tent houses to create
temporary shelters.
Establish temporary toilets and other
sanitation facilities. Ensure cleaning / waste management with the same system
that already exists in the city.
Establish Kitchen with
Utensils (from Tent houses), Chulhas (basic temporary ones can be built with
brick, stones etc.) and wood or Gas burners and cylinders.
Create raw food material
supply.
Engage cooks for the
first few days. If needed, seek help from NGOs or citizen’s initiatives in the
city.
4. Medical facility
Provide basic medical
checkup facility in the shelter or connect with the city’s existing plan for
Covid-19.
5. Clearly communicate the government’s
assurance for basic necessities during the entire lock down period and the need
to stay put at the shelter. This may need to be repeated during the course of
time.
6. Civil Society / NGOs
If the govt. lacks people
to run such a camp, seek help from NGOs or civil society. There will surely be enough
helpful people in every city.
7. Once the people have settled down (in a day
or two) they can be assigned responsibilities to run the structure themselves.
That will reduce the burden of cooking, cleaning, maintaining the place. The
government would then only need to maintain the raw material supplies and
sanitation and perhaps a couple of person to oversee / lead it.
8. A curfew after that is unlikely to find
these people roaming on the roads.
C. If people refuse to stop
1. The suddenness of the lockdown and its
resultant impact on the people who were forced to choose to walk hundreds of
kilometers in a bid to reach home, and have already endured hunger, thirst,
heat and rain and emotions that we may not even be able to fathom, it is very
possible that they hesitate and even out rightly refuse to stay in any shelter
for long. In such a case, the government must ensure that they are provided transport
and safe passage to their homes and food to last the lockdown.
How to act?
All the parties need to
act together, with speed and ensure that each process of creating temporary
accommodation as well as bringing in people should be completed within a 24
hours period. It is a daunting task but not an impossible one. A will and a
coordinated effort between the Centre and the State Governments can get this
done.
Besides saving lives of
these people who have been pushed to the brink, it is also imperative to take
this action to ensure that the lockdown, that is meant to prevent the spread of
Covid-19, can serve its real purpose. Time is of essence, in this fight against
the virus. The Government cannot afford to ignore the situation of
these migrants, because in doing so, it will simply render its own lockdown
ineffective.
Parvez
28.03.2020
(The author is an erstwhile medical doctor who continues
to engage with public health issues. He currently lives as an artist /
filmmaker.)
