The lessons from the chapter - Corona

Now it is 3.30. pm in the evening. I am peeping through the window of my bedroom. The whole world it appears has gone into deep slumber. The chirping of birds from a tree near and distant is clearly audible. The chatter of the squirrel is as clear and loud. Even the caw of the crow is heard. All these sounds are pushing me to those nostalgic childhood days when I used to play without bounds, scream, jump and fall in a carefree manner in the lap of nature. 

These animal/creature's sound made me reminiscent of my childhood in my village. All these indicate that man in those days was living on the lap of the nature coexisting with other flora and fauna. 

In this age, all these sounds were absent and only the rattling noise of the vehicles, the nonstop honking and the hustle and bustle of the modern day life was evident to our eyes and ears. Modern day man has drifted away and far from the lap of the nature. 

Today traffic on the roads is so minimal that it gives an impression that vehicles are just being invented.

The roads are so silent, calm and pleasant that they are attracting the much harassed two wheelers so much that they want to enjoy this once in a lifetime opportunity ride to the full satisfaction of their mind.

What a turnaround, what a comeback and what an irony. Have we come a full circle. No. This is only a temporary truce. Perhaps a warning bell for man to behave, respect the environment and the animal kingdom. A warning to rejig his his approach towards other living organisms. A message to live coexistentially with other living things and not to conquer, not to encroach, not to poach their habitats.

After we come out of Corona, will the man make a new beginning. Rejig and reorient his attitude towards neighbourhood. We should stop destruction of forests. At the same time we have to intensify afforestation Felling of trees in the name of development should be stopped. Cities have become concrete jungles. Constant awareness should be created through TV channels and other media and all available communication channels about preservation of nature, conservation of water. 

We have a duty and obligation to handover this planet to the posterity in the same way as we have received it from our forefathers. Otherwise the well being of our posterity will be in real jeopardy. 

Nature may not give another opportunity.

KN Krishnan.     31.03.2020

The Corona the challenges and the options.

The Corona virus has engulfed the entire globe at an alarming pace. It has sent the administration and governments to their kneels. And the governments are grappling and gasping with the enormity of the situation. The situation is so collosal and humongous that it makes the people who are fighting it clueless and blank. It is natural. The worst example is before us. Italy - one of the most advanced country in the world has given up. Ours is not so much infrastructurally equipped and added to this is one of the most populous countries in the world. So the problem here at home is himalayan. The situation is extraordinary and there is emergency. So facing extraordinary situation with mundane and normal methods is like taking a knife to a gunfight.  It requires extraordinary methods, innovative strategies and out of box thinking. 

Keeping this in mind, Indian government would do well, will be in a better position to fight the war against Corona should it adopt the following measures.

1. Make a war room at central government level consisting of

A. Social scientists (Sociologists) 

B. Eminent doctors

C. Scientists 

D. Planners

E. Administrators 

F. Health administrators

G.Economists

H. Police

This Committee should discuss, deliberate and devise the appropriate measures and swing into action swiftly without loss of precious time. 

This Committee should not hesitate to approach and seek guidance and help from the countries who have successfully tackled the virus.

This Committee should be vested with absolute discretionary powers to take the decisions it deem fit and the government should implement it in all seriousness.

Why this committee is because as I have already noted the usual administrative composition may not have the required competency, technological edge and above all a single command ( a single window type) is very convenient and effective at this juncture. Multiple departments giving multiple directons will only add to the confusion.

Other possible options in addition to the already announced CARES program, government may consider are

A. Introducing tax amnesty scheme to generate the funds. 

B. Let political parties also contribute from their party fund as they are sitting on huge pile of funds. 

C. Let the ruling party set an example as it has collected huge party fund.

D. Let the funds lying with world's richest Gods like Tirupati, Ananthapadmanabha, Shirdi Saibaba, Ayyappaswamy, Mathura, Ayodhya Udupi etc. to name a few be confiscated and used for this emergency.

E. Various religious maths also have huge unaccounted black money. Explore how it can be channelized.

F. Tax amnesty at this time can be 

simplified and limited. For example government can straightaway provide tax amnesty to whoever donates to CARES.

These are all my thoughts. They may sound outlandish but definitely doable. What it requires a will of iron and nerves of steel. And none other than Modiji fits the bill well. He is capable of pulling the rabbit out of the hat.

All the best Modiji in your efforts. The whole nation is with you in this hour of crisis. 

KN Krishnan. 29.03.2020

The Corona calamity

The Corona virus ie COVID-19 has engaged the attention of the entire world. It has created havoc on human lives. The most advanced countries have lost human lives in thousands. Their medical infrastructure is much more sophisticated and well equipped to handle the crisis than ours. When such is the case they could not contain the virus the way they wanted. And it took the lives in thousands. Italy has just given up conceding defeat in the war against Covid. The super power ie America is struggling in its fight against the virus. China is one country which is able to contain Corona in quick time of course after taking a heavy toll of human lives. The dangerous dimension to this pandemic is that there is no vaccine that can contain or cure the infection. We are way behind as far as our medical preparedness is concerned. On top of it we are the populous country with poor governmental health infrastructure. 

When such is the case, our response should be quick and decisive. The State should act with great alacrity and on a war footing. The government has clamped 21 day lockdown effective from midnight of 24th on entire country followed by a single day janata curfew on Sunday. This is the first and most important step in the war against the pandemic. This assumes importance against the fact that there is no vaccine available to fight the menace and prevention is the only tool available for us till now. We have an advantage too. Corona is a late entrant to India. We have the advantage of hindsight. We have the experience of other countries before us. We should therefore not fritter away the lead time we have. Urgent, effective and tough decisions have to be taken without resorting to wait and watch mode. We don't have that luxury. 

Therefore the compliance of the citizens to the advisories of the state in this regard is of utmost importance and an absolute and paramount necessity. When such is the case, the  sporadic incidents of citizens rebelling against the police while enforcing lockdown is most unpardonable and unthinkable. This resistance to law should be dealt with a heavy hand. It should be curbed immediately. It should be nipped in the bud. Zero tolerance to such anti social attitude should be the aim of the government.

Government should not hesitate to declare a state of emergency if the situation doesn't come under control in quick time. People should understand that the fight against the Corona pandemic is not only a national challenge and a national emergency but a global emergency too. It is not only a health emergency but has a serious global economic implications. It has crippled many a strong economies including America. It has set the global economy into recession India not excluding. India already reeling under low GDP growth, job losses, and serious crises in financial sector is in for another big jolt in the form of Corona. It is a double whammy for India. 

What is required urgently is Education followed by Action. Government has to explain to the public in a very clear and lucid manner in a layman's language step by step - of how it spreads, how it can be controlled, what precautions one has to take in the direction etc. For this, government has to appoint a single window governmental agency to disseminate the information. Government has to stop the TV channels from broadcasting anything of their own. Because umpteen no of channels each giving its own account of the story will confuse the public and the public tend to ignore an otherwise important message. These channels, of late have lost credibility. They make noise instead of news. Therefore, governmental agency should periodically air the information along with the latest updates in all the channels. This will be taken seriously by the public. 

Regarding action, government has already announced some measures in the form of package. This will be an ongoing process. Government should rope in corporates, industrial houses, NGOs and tap all possible sources of assistance and help. Especially the corporate hospitals should come forward to join hands with the government by providing their services, infrastructure etc. Opposition parties should also come on board in this hour of national crisis. One redeeming news is that Sonia gandhi has extended her support to the government in all its endeavours in the fight against Corona. Rahul gandhi has donated 5 crores to PM relief fund. Others should follow suit. I only hope and wish that Corona provide an opportunity for the government and the opposition to work in tandem as their relationship is strained and bruised by vendetta politics persued the Modi government. (Of course, where is the opposition? It has been decimated. That is an altogether different subject.) 

Let us all join together in this national task setting aside our affiliations, caste, colour creed religion etc., in the fight against this deadly menace. It is a threat to humanity itself transcending all barriers. 

Let us all give a big salute to all those warriors the Police, the Doctors, the paramedics, the bankers, the municipality workers, the delivery boys, the drivers and all those who are out there to keep the supply of essentials unhindered to make our lives comfortable when we are indoors. 

K. N. Krishnan           26.03.2020