My Voice: Views of our readers 20th April 2020

Migrant labourers need urgent attention

There are many people who migrated from small places to Hyderabad for petty jobs just to earn money. Due to the lockdown in India, they are unable to go back to their homes to their families, these people migrate to metropolitan cities just to earn money. A few of them have a hand-to-mouth job. In this pandemic situation, they are unable to earn money and are unable to feed their family. Several NGOs have come forward to help these people by giving them ration and basic facilities. But there are still many more people who are unable to afford one meal per day. So the government should look into this matter and help the needy in this hour of crisis as they are unable to help themselves.

K Nikitha Rachel Melissa,

Tarnaka, Secunderabad

Physical health depends upon environmental health

The statement of American scientists that social distancing measures being enforced during lockdown might have to continue intermittently for a couple of more years (US scientists say... Social distancing till 2020, THI, April 17) should serve as a precaution to be observed even in post lockdown periods to prevent the possible re-emergence of the dreaded coronavirus due to large gatherings in public places and functions. The world needs to be on alert until an effective vaccine is found to control the Covid-19. Though the lockdown has shattered several dimensions of civic life, it should be noted that the lockdown has brought about several welcome changes in the lifestyles and some noticeable improvement in the environment.

At present, the world nations are all passing through a public health crisis besides a climate emergency. Governments should look at the current scenario as an opportunity to rethink their economic development policies towards a more sustainable and environmental-friendly economy in the larger interests of people and the planet. It is not yet established whether climate change has any effect on the emergence and spread of the novel coronavirus. However, as the world celebrates Earth Day 2020 on 22 April, governments should seriously think of 'Climate Action' by increasing their national commitments to the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. It is also pertinent to remember the observation of the WHO experts that "we see the Paris Agreement as a fundamental public health agreement of the century. If we don't meet the climate challenge, if we don't bring down GHG emissions, then we undermine the environmental determinants on which our health will depend."

Dr E R Subrahmanyam, Amalapuram, EG dist, AP

Bridge gap between rich and poor

We see on one side the poor who are in distress struggling to earn their daily bread as their livelihood is stopped, the poor migrants who are away from home, wanted to go home, are eating only once in a day and many are waiting for help from governments. On the other side, the rich are celebrating marriages and other functions, we saw in Karnataka that powerful and rich politicians crossing the Laxman Rekha drawn by our Prime Minister. The rich are happy, relaxed and enjoying lockdown as holidays. They have lot of money to buy food. After the emergence of coronavirus, we see the clear picture of inequality in India, and a very long gap between the poor and the rich. It is heart-breaking to see how migrant workers walking kilometres to reach their home with their little children in the hot summer. These reflect the failures of successive governments. As the rich brought the virus to our country and now community transmission into the slums like Dharavi in Mumbai is an example of how now poor are suffering from viral infections. Now governments should give more importance to the poor and ensure supply of essentials such as food, medicine and other commodities to them.

D Kishan Prasad, Ramakrishna Colony, Karimnagar