The Lock-down to Continue or Not?
B. Yerram Raju*
Lockdown declared on 25th March
2020 has proved reasonably effective in India due to the two important
initiatives: social distance and staying at home apart from wearing masks while
going out for any emergency. The lifeline was kept alive – all emergency
services, food supplies and medicines are kept available at the hands of the
citizens. Police, Doctors, paramedical and sanitization staff have been
rendering round the clock. Still, a few violations are seeing here and there
and they are being tacked as they should. Even new ‘Normal’ has to wait for a
long time. Precaution continues as philosophy of life.
Hon’ble PM Modi asked for suggestions for
staggered lifting of lock out and your team should be working on it. CM KCR in
a very detailed press conference clearly voted against opening the Lock-out
now. In Telangana, people will obey the CM direction without demur.
There could be several other States wanting
a partial lock-down till June end to fight the Covid-19 effectively. In such
case, it is imperative that we should ensure that the spread is prevented
effectively even during the lock-down. Even if lockdown is opened with the
precaution given below, it should be re-imposed after five days for a period of
one month. During this period, those in home quarantine and several hospitals
should be supplied the masks and aprons. All Small enterprises should be
permitted to refurbish their machines for production or may be permitted to go
in for production of covid-combat materials where they can.
My suggestions for meeting the eventuality
of lifting lockdown are:
1.
All schools, colleges and technical education
and management education institutions shall remain under lock out till further
notice.
2.
Lockout should be lifted every day between 5am
and 10am and 4pm to 7p.m.
3.
All religious centres, temples, public offices
should be kept open between 5am and 7pm.
4.
Only 10 percent of liquor shops with special
approval from the concerned authority may alone be opened.
5.
All Malls should be opened between 11am and 5pm
who shall ensure social distance for purchase. Any mall found crowded shall be
ordered closure instantaneously.
6.
All public transport duly sanitized may be
allowed occupation only to 35% extent to maintain social distance among commuters.
The buses should stop only at the specified bus stops and not everywhere on the
route.
7.
All Senior citizens, citizens with deformities
and women should have separate transport facility. The mini school buses should
be used for the purpose.
8.
Metro to colonies connectivity should be
arranged through commissioning all the school and college operated private
fleet with tariffs well displayed.
9.
Inter-district movement should be restricted
between 6am and 6pm either side meaning thereby that the terminal time to reach
is 6pm
10.
.All Rythu Bazars should function as now – with
2 hours a day in the morning.
11.
All goods transport across districts shall be
given entry up to 8a.m into the city and all goods transport may be permitted
to start at 7pm in the night. At each checkpost (may have been abandoned, tea
stall may be allowed for the truck drivers to make use of. They should be
provided special facility.
12.
All sick persons or patients of any disease
other than Carona should be allowed free access and they should show their ID
and mobile communication from the Doctor to consult or take medication.
Supplementary list:
1.
No restrictions on movement of dead bodies during
any time of lockout for purposes of funeral rights.
2.
The already opened windows for vegetables,
fruits and essential commodities and medicines should continue.
3.
Transportation:
4.
Any auto should not carry more than two; no
motorcycle should carry more than the driver;
5.
All cars whether government or private or taxis
shall not Carry more than two persons with masks in the rear.
6.
All sanitized buses public or private should
carry one third of the capacity with everyone wearing masks.
All these vehicles shall be sanitized for
every trip before boarding new passengers.
7.
All trains should allow only one third of the
capacity in all three tier coaches. All coaches should be sanitized every eight
hours and washrooms kept clean with hot water cleaning of the commodes.
8.
Offices can operate between 10 & 4.
9.
Factories can work 2 shifts following due
precautions. The shop floor supervisor of the shift shall make sure that the
toilets and wash rooms are clean, loaded with the required sanitary materials,
with clean up every two hours. All employees, labour, executives shall wash
their feet before entry and sanitize
their hands both while entering and exiting.
All enterprises should display Cleanliness
is Godliness and saves their lives.
Exceptions: -
Companies' staff with ID's and vehicles
should be permitted to travel.
Postal service/couriers and electricity and
telephone maintenance staff should also be permitted from 6am to 9pm.
Extraordinary times require extraordinary
solutions and require tolerance and forbearance. The country so far, has
handled the situation exceedingly well and it is our duty to keep the
protecting staff in good health. Stop spitting in public; wear mask when outside;
maintain social distance and keep clean.
*The Views are personal and the author is
economist and risk management specialist.
