THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Like the rest of the country, Kerala, too, is paying a heavy price for indifference to and defiance of the covid-19 protocol. The disastrous results are there for all to see.
In a determined effort to get a grip over the grave situation arising out of the virus’s macabre dance of death and destruction, Kerala has imposed stricter restrictions with immediate effect. A two-week night curfew – from 9 pm to 6 am – has been imposed from April 20. The decision to go for harsher steps was taken at a meeting presided over by Chief Secretary V. P. Joy. The meeting, however, decided to allow emergency travelling at night by private vehicles. Nor will public transport be disrupted.
There will, however, be no celebrations on the counting day – May 2 – of the elections. Victory celebrations are out. The working hours of malls and theatres have been reduced by one-and-a-half hours. Hereafter, they will have to down the shutters from 7.30 pm. The Public Service Commission has postponed written examinations scheduled to be held from April 20 to 30 till further notice. The State will, however, go ahead with the ongoing SSLC and Plus Two examinations. The Health Department has decided to conduct three lakh tests on April 21 and 22.April 20 saw fresh cases numbering 13, 644. The test positivity rate was 15. 63 per cent. This is a slight decline from the 18, 257 cases reported on Sunday.
A welcome feature of the serious situation has been the Centre’s decision to allow the States to procure vaccine directly from the manufacturers. The State, however, demanded that the Centre provide vaccine for poor patients free of cost. The State, it may be mentioned, had also demanded that vaccines should be made available in the open market to facilitate availability of the vaccine in the private sector. The advantage is that, once it is available in the open market, those who can afford it can buy from the private sector. The Centre has also conceded the States’ demand for reducing the age cap for vaccination. From May 1, the vaccination drive will include all above the age of 18.
Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition (LOP), Ramesh Chennithala has met Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and sought a review of the covid management strategy. This has become necessary in view of the exponential rise in cases. The covid management protocols and the strategies need to be revisited so that the pandemic is controlled without affecting the livelihood of the people. This is the crux of Chennithala’s argument.
Other demands in the list the LOP submitted to the Governor are: request the Centre to allocate vaccines to Kerala on a priority basis; extend by at least six months the health insurance for health workers announced by the Centre, which expires on May 1; extend the insurance to frontline warriors like the police, the municipal workers and local body and revenue officials. He also wanted immediate filling up of 1200 posts created in the Directorate of Health Services. Chennithala drew the attention of the Governor to the unilateral decisions being taken by district collectors without proper discussions. The kind of decisions made , for instance, by the Kasaragod district collector that people coming to the district should have negative RT-PCR test results should be avoided.
It must also be pointed out that the Government’s decision to make RT-PCR tests mandatory for all domestic travellers entering Kerala has greatly inconvenienced the people who have to move in and out of the State frequently. The coast – Rs 1,700 per RT-PCR test- is beyond the paying capacity of a big slice of the population. The cost of the tests is higher in Kerala. While the State is charging Rs 1,700 per RT-PCR tests, Karnataka is charging only Rs 800 and Maharashtra and Telangana only Rs 500.This being the ground reality, there is an urgent need to reduce the cost of the RT-PCR tests. The Government had, on Sunday, brought in a new travel advisory: that all domestic travellers should undergo RT-PCR tests within 48 hours prior to entering the State or immediately after arrival. The new restrictions have been put in place following the recording of the highest-to-date daily covid case count out – 18, 257.The high number of patients on consecutive days is being attributed to the mega testing campaigns undertaken on two days on April 16 and 17. Consequently, April 18 and 19 saw the daily cases topping the 2000 mark for the first time with Ernakulam and Kozhikode districts recording more than 25,00 and 2800 cases for two days.
Another important decision taken by the Government – a welcome one in view of the extremely dangerous situation – is that the famous Thrissur Pooram festival would be held but devoid of all pomp. The Government also decided not to allow the participation of the public in the Pooram – a decision which has come in for vehement criticism by the organisers of the Pooram. But the Government has put its foot down – and rightly so – and the organizers have been forced to bite the bullet. Such show of firmness is most welcome. It is the failure of the government to exhibit such iron will which has resulted in the situation getting from bad to worse.
Better late than never. The harsh decisions have been taken considering the opinion of the district administration, including the police and the health authorities. It may be mentioned that the Devaswom had gone ahead with the preparations of the Pooram on April 23on the basis of an earlier assurance given by the Government before the elections. But the Government has had to change its decision to conduct the Pooram in all its glory and show in view of the rapid deterioration in the covid situation. The decision, needless to say, has deeply disappointed the people. But it is an extraordinary situation. And drastic situations demand drastic decisions, too. Safety of the people overrides all other considerations.
In conclusion, it must be said that the situation has worsened mainly due to lack of proper planning on the part of all concerned – the Centre and the State Governments. For instance, the campaign rallies and road shows on display in the election-bound states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal without caring a heck for the covid protocol has been the main factor behind the big rise in fresh covid cases. The Election Commission also cannot escape the blame. It should have restricted road shows and rallies conducted by various political parties.
It is extremely unfortunate that Union home Minister Amit Shah has come up with an astounding explanation: that the surge has not taken place in election-bound states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Nothing is further from the truth, Mr. Shah. Also, a shiver goes down the spine when one thinks about the consequences when millions from the Kumbh Mela return home. Thanks to the intervention of the Prime Minister, the duration of the Mela has been reduced. Otherwise, the consequences would have been to dreadful to contemplate.
The Government must also address the acute shortage of vaccine and oxygen reported from many states. There is an immediate need for enhancing the facilities. Otherwise, the very purpose of the massive vaccination drive will be defeated. The Centre cannot shirk its responsibilities by shifting the entire blame on the States. The time to implement the laudable concept of cooperative federalism – the government loses no opportunity to hawk its delights – is now. Tomorrow could be too late. (IPA Service)
