What’s clear by now is that a wholesale lifting of the lockdown, effected since March 25, is out of question. Neither was this to be expected, considering the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic is refusing to go away, and continues with its dance of death in several cities across the country and abroad too. Under the circumstances, what the Centre is trying to do is this: to progressively lift the curbs and allow activities to resume in areas that remain unaffected by the Covid-hits and at the same time take the fight against the pandemic forward. As much is clear from the words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who held a video conference with the chief ministers for six hours at a stretch on Monday and took a final call on Tuesday.
Realization has dawned on India that we have no way but to learn to live with such situations. Agricultural, industrial and commercial activities cannot be allowed to remain suspended for long. The nearly two months that India lost is set to have worrisome impacts on the national economy. Latest projection from international rating agencies is that the GDP will touch zero growth, against China’s minus growth this year. US president Donald Trump had drawn jeers when he stated at the outset that a complete lockdown was out of question for the US, and that the people should face the situation squarely. Long-term lockdown is not the way forward for India too.
Even as Covid-19 remains a major problem in Mumbai, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, as also elsewhere, large segments of the eastern sector remain unaffected. Some one-third of India is free from Covid-hit. It is here that activities will see a surge now, followed in phases by others. Train services are resuming in a small way this week, and special trains carrying migrants have rolled out for the past few days. The aviation sector too is opening up as over 10 flights carrying stranded or desperate Indians from abroad landed in various cities on Tuesday. The Prime Minister is promising more steps towards normalization of life in areas other than the hotspots.
This is the way forward, and more relief can be expected in the days and weeks ahead for people across the board. Yet, as the PM stated, the post-Covid days will be entirely a different proposition from what life was in the pre-Covid days. The spirit of human perseverance is such that this adversity too might eventually and hopefully be turned into advantage.