Editor,
As per press reports, there are around 7000 people undergoing self quarantine in Meghalaya. This is a huge challenge for the Health Department which has to ensure that the 7000 people meticulously adhere to the quarantine protocol. In this regard, our authorities may perhaps take a leaf out of what the Karnataka Government is doing. In Karnataka, people undergoing self quarantine are required to send 14 selfies per day to those monitoring them at different times of the day to ensure that there is no violation of quarantine.
To further strengthen this requirement, the authorities may also put in place an “Immediate Selfie on Demand” condition on those undergoing quarantine to make sure that they do not roam around. Further, the parents/caretakers of those under quarantine should also be made jointly responsible for any violation as such violations are equivalent to wilful acts of murder and stringent punishment should be meted out for any violation.
While on the subject, I would also like to appeal to the relatives, friends and neighbours of those under quarantine not to hesitate to report any violation to the authorities for our old altitude of saying, “Its none of our business” (Kam die ka Kam jong Ngi) may end up killing them or their loved ones besides scores of other people.
Yours etc.,
Samuel Swett
Shillong – 2
Why this racism?
Editor,
Reports are pouring in from various parts of the country about the harassment on our fellow citizens of North-East after outbreak of Corona-related crisis with the latest incident happening in Mysore! A Mysore supermarket manager and it’s employees are so “nationalist” that even in this hour of universal and national crisis, they simply refuse to let two Naga students shop there for essential items because “they are not Indian”! Perhaps in the concept of the “nationalists”, the geography of India lies between Delhi and Mysore (or at the most Kanyakumari) only, with the Kashmiris being “Pakistanis/terrorists”, Bengalis are definitely “Bangladeshis/infiltrators” with North-Easterners nothing but “Chinese/Chinkies”! Even if the students had been Chinese Nigerian or Afghan instead of Naga, still there was no reason to prevent them from purchasing essentials because at the end of the day all are basically human beings — the ultimate truth and identity of all.
No wonder great personalities ranging from Rabindranath Tagore to Albert Einstein had all along hated the concept of “nationalism” which indeed acts as the measles of mankind encouraging the zealots to treat themselves as “superior” with the others of course “inferior” who “deserve nothing but contempt and hatred”! It is high time those racists daring to insult our fellow North-Eastern brothers and sisters or discriminating against persons on grounds of race, language, religion, caste, colour or nationality be awarded strictest of punishment by adopting zero tolerance policy to set an example before the eyes of racists and self-declared nationalists and make them aware that they would not be allowed to escape scot-free by indulging in such gross racism and other divisive agenda.
Yours etc.,
Kajal Chatterjee,
Via email
Poor decision by Kerala Govt
Editor,
The quote ‘Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown’ is very apt in the case of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who is very much upset over several suicidal deaths for want of alcohol as beverages outlets were closed due to lockdown. Taking a lenient stand towards boozers, Pinarayi Vijayan kicked off a controversy by directing the State Excise Department to provide liquor to those carrying medical prescriptions in view of the suicide cases reported from various parts of Kerala after liquor sales were stopped during the ongoing ‘lockdown.’
Till Monday, the state had reported seven suicides by persons suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Kerala State Beverages Corporation, the State-owned wholesale and retail traders of liquor had downed their shutters since last Wednesday following the nation-wide lockdown announced by Prime Minister against the backdrop of coronavirus.
In a statement Indian Medical Association on Monday said, “Alcoholics with withdrawal symptoms can be treated at home or in hospitals with medicines. It is not scientifically acceptable to offer alcohol to them. Doctors have no legal obligation to provide a prescription for alcohol. Writing a liquor prescription can result in the cancellation of the right to treatment.” Alcoholics with withdrawal symptoms are considered to be patients and they need medical treatment in hospital, whereas they cannot be given prescription by doctors to buy liquor.
In Kerala society, social drinking is catching up like a wild fire. It is alleged that school children too are frequenting bars to gulp a few drinks. Serving alcohol at social functions is now a lifestyle. The danger is that alcohol consumption slowly picks up momentum and soon a person becomes an alcoholic wreck. He is reduced to a chronic addict of liquor with withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal symptoms are the various physical and psychological effects of detoxification. This condition strikes those who use alcohol regularly and suddenly stop. This medical condition is to be medically treated rather than superficially treated with liquor. The striking irony is that while the government speaks volumes on the ill-effects of alcohol consumption, it also provides liquor to those who want to drink it. But the hard truth is also that it is impossible for mankind to put an end to alcohol consumption and wherever it was prohibited, it came back with a bang. Tackling alcoholism and making people stay away from alcohol requires a complete mindset change.
Yours etc.,
TK Nandanan,
Via email