Editor,
On Sunday I read a Facebook post showing Mr Micheal Kharsyntiew and other like-minded souls giving out food packets to street kids somewhere in Police Bazar.
Who are these kids? Does anyone know the number of homeless in our state? Can anyone think of themselves in that same situation? What can we do for these homeless kids? These are some of the basic questions that we as concerned citizens should not only ask but also come out with answers. Homeless kids are poor children who live in the streets of a city, town or village. For them the street has become a habitual source of livelihood; they have no proper guidance by responsible adults. Homeless kids either work and live in the streets or work in the day time and return to their homes at night to their families. In India according to the 2019 census there are nearly 18 million street children aged 5-14 years who work to support themselves and their families. But coming to Meghalaya there are no definite numbers.
Looking at the current global scenario which is being swept by the novel corona virus or COVID-19 – a health emergency it is all the more reason to save our homeless kids. Seeing these in our state with no proper meal nor shelter and no one to guide them they are also most vulnerable to infection should COVID19 enter Meghalaya. But what’s more painful is that these homeless kids are often subjected to abuse, neglect and exploitation. All we can do is to raise our voices on their behalf. But it is also our duty to make them aware of the contagious virus and the predicament that the world is in. Following this we should also be providing hand-wash or hand sanitizers and to teach them the utility of these products. In our city these kids are seen in public places like markets, outside churches and other crowded places. I request our Government to kindly look into this matter before it’s too late.
Yours etc.,
Pdianghun Nongbet,
Via email
Take a leaf out of Kerala
Editor,
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan doesn’t believe in bankrupt meaningless rhetoric unlike the “empty vessels sounding much” models of leadership! Rather, he silently engages in concrete measures to tackle the Covid19 pandemic. So his Government has announced a Rs.20,000 crore package to help those economically crippled by the virus that has shut down income-generating opportunities. It would facilitate advance payments of social welfare pensions, free food grain for all, subsidised meals, loans for the needy and other welfare measures including a health package of Rs 500 crore.
No salute is enough for Vijayan. Not only is he a kind, noble responsible soul but through his humanitarian initiative Vijayan has also proved that his ideology (much-hated around the world) which does not believe in existence of God is infinite times more sensible and compassionate than the ideology of the “Bhakts” of various kinds of gods and goddesses. This Comrade sees divinity within common human beings, not within idols, temples and certain epic heroes! Sooner the rest of the folks appreciate it, the better it is for humanity as a whole.
Yours etc.,
Kajal Chjatterjee,
Via email
Our roles in small matters
Editor,
With students returning home from various cities, relieved parents are picking them up from Guwahati. However the chances of such chaperones picking up an infection, if any returnee is infected do exist, multiplying the chances of more infection. Can the students be picked up in one vehicle, and if they come from affected areas, get into monitored self-isolation without touching their loved ones? Maybe the government can arrange a common transport?
This is the dry season but with so much washing of hands the community usage of water surely increases. Both the poor and well-off need water. Can we all as citizens be careful with water use?
Yours etc.,
Barkos Warjri (IAS Retd),
Via email
Let’s help one another
Editor,
Let me get down straight to the point. Allow me to appeal to all your esteemed readers to contribute whatever little amount of money they can afford towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, during this time of great calamity. It’s obvious our Government will need a lot of money to help the sick and the needy. I request all the readers and their circle of friends and relatives to stand by our Government (Government of Meghalaya) till this catastrophe is over.
I like to make one more appeal to all the readers to adopt one poor family (don’t care for the family’s race, colour or creed), just do it and donate whatever amount of food supplies you can afford and medicines too. Let’s take care of one another for God’s sake! Mother Teresa said, and I quote, ‘Even a little drop of water counts in the ocean of needs’.
Yours etc.
P Thangkhiew
Shillong – 1
Govts must rise to the occasion
Editor,
Nutrition helps us build our immune system which is the most essential weapon to fight against Coronavirus. On the other hand a malnourished body can become a fertile ground for viruses like Covid-19. To effectively combat Coronavirus, India needs to solve her problems of hunger and malnutrition. India is now at the 102nd position even behind Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan in the 2019 Global Hunger Index. According to ‘The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2019’ report, 51.4 per cent of Indian women in the 15 – 49 age group are anaemic. Moreover, hunger and malnutrition make 37.9 per cent of our children stunted and 20.8 per cent suffer from wasting.
Given the fact that 194.4 million i.e 14.5 per cent of our population are undernourished, they are susceptible to many diseases like pneumonia. If they are not immediately provided with nutritious foods, they can become the epi-centre of Covid-19. Food is not a problem in India. The problem is management. The FAO estimates that 40 per cent of fruits and vegetables and 30 per cent of cereals are lost in India due to inefficient supply chain management. The government should buy the surplus food and distribute among the needy. This will not only solve the problem of hunger and malnutrition but also improve the condition of the farmers.
One of the reasons for China’s success to effectively control Covid-19 attacks is that its stands much ahead of India in respect of hunger alleviation and nutrition. It will be impossible to remain healthy when a large section of the population start spreading the disease. The British government has announced ‘the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme’ in which 80 per cent of worker’s wages will be paid for at least three months to compensate for their losses for not working. The Central Government of India needs to immediately take labour welfare schemes such as this. Moreover, all the state governments in our country must emulate Kerala and take relief measures to alleviate the sufferings of the vulnerable section of society. Need based distribution of money and nutrition must immediately be taken among other measures as a preventive step to ensure zero breeding ground for Covid-19.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata