[ashokrajagopal]

Unfortunately, this thread sometimes goes to an explanation of why we need lockdown -- as if people who point out issues with the current lockdown are advocating for no lockdown at all.

I dont think the members who are commenting on the ill effects of lockdown are Bolsonaros who want the economy to be opened in full swing.

There is a new issue every day with a new social problem. There is no doubt this could have been planned and executed better.
Daily conference meetings with all DGPs/Chief secretaries would enable central Home Dept to sort out all interstate transport issues in 1-2 days.
A virtual grid for water, food, medicine and health care personnel could have been set up on centre's command where the much needed supplies could be channeled effectively across the country. Just requires a hundred or so civil servants to be put together with states help to run a control room in respective zones.
We also have a large and disciplined army who should have been deployed to each state to work on the state home secretary's command to assist in moving people or stuff.

The states whose chiefs do daily press briefing would know this -- it works immensely well in dispeling fake news, providing clear official information, answering all kinds of concerns from social media and mainstream media. Even Trump is doing it in such a federal system in US. If PM is not a fan, so be it, but there has to be a single daily press briefing by somebody from top where official information and plans have to be clearly provided.

Most states are working very well. Most bureaucrats are working very hard. However, there is no centralized strategy. Would be okay for the first day or so, but we are already ending the first week.

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by m8002?

And there are elected representatives who want to shoot at sight against these people since they are coming out of quarantine.

That is what I meant by imprisonment and detention for (Stage 1 period) international travelers to India. If we'd only done dead serious quarantining at that point... No use crying over spilt milk now!

[kiku007]

Did the workers and their family deserve the below? Who's job was it to protect them?

Link: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/coro...home-topscroll

"At a time when thousands of migrants across the country are trying to return to their hometowns amid nationwide lockdown over coronavirus or COVID-19, a shocking video has emerged from Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district - about 270 km from Lucknow - that shows a batch of migrants being sprayed by disinfectants.
In the video, some men in protective gear are seen spraying disinfectants on a group of migrants, including women and children, sitting on the road. Among the spectators are some policemen. "

Who's job was it to think and plan?

"The fear and the panic over the coronavirus pandemic is bigger that the virus itself, Chief Justice of India SA Bobde said today as the Supreme Court heard two petitions seeking relief for thousands of migrant workers who are leaving big cities en masse for their hometowns because they don't have the resources to sustain during the 21-day coronavirus lockdown."

Link: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/coro...=home-bigstory

Time and again people are being misled by rhetoric and ill-planned big-bang overnight sweeping announcements.

After some months I hope people don't come and defend this exercise with benefits like a drop in pollution and road crash deaths. We've seen a similar scenario earlier where the objective was changed to suit the outcome.

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by kiku007

some men in protective gear are seen spraying disinfectants on a group of migrants, including women and children, sitting on the road. Among the spectators are some policemen. "

seeking relief for thousands of migrant workers who are leaving big cities en masse for their hometowns because they don't have the resources to sustain during the 21-day coronavirus lockdown."

Time and again people are being misled by rhetoric and ill-planned big-bang overnight sweeping announcements.

After some months I hope people don't come and defend this exercise with benefits...

I have been thinking about this a lot, not just Covid19 issue and the Administration, but our Government and the Administration in general.

1. One is, the people in the Administration are disconnected from those upon whom they impose their actions - Solution - the person responsible for the law/action must be put on the receiving end of the action to evaluate its full impact
2. Lazy "first order thinking" (thank you, thought up that phrase myself!) - The administration never thinks beyond level one of any plan. What would happen if a particular plan is executed, the action, its ramifications, the possible solutions and its ramifications and so on. Solution - penalize those responsible for not thinking of the ramifications - like, make them walk 300 KM without food and water. Thinking beyond the first level is hard and the effort grows exponentially, but not even an attempt is made to fix the problems generated when some action is taken. e.g. put up a speed breaker in the middle of a National Highway!

We need to fix our government's ways urgently.

Mods: Kindly delete my post if it is irrelevant to this topic.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by kiku007

a batch of migrants being sprayed by disinfectants.

Saw this a while back on NDTV, they need to clean their brains with such disinfectants which seem to have some parasites.

I dread to think, what will happen when/ if this virus reaches the hinterland of India? Especially here in North part where even the Authorities, including some of the very senior guys in administration, gives a hoot to human rights or do they even consider them as a human being?

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Well, this was circulating since more than a week, and apparently from downsouth.
the cops nearly spray from head to toe!!

Looks like water mixed with some soap, even the cops have not covered themselves. In the case of UP, it appears to be harsher or probably the way people are feeling, after a tiring foot journey of multiple days. I am not sure how the villages are going to accept such people- social distancing, no food or ration - used to be very common many years ago.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

I dread to think, what will happen when/ if this virus reaches the hinterland of India? Especially here in North part where even the Authorities, including some of the very senior guys in administration, gives a hoot to human rights or do they even consider them as a human being?

Well, this was circulating since more than a week, and apparently from downsouth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf1kv3GxnOE

Only difference here is that the spraying doesn't look harsh but the cops nearly spray from head to toe!!

[ramzsys]

Well, what's wrong with this method of getting disinfected? These are extraordinary times and everyone are trying to whatever they think/believe/feel is right: migrants trying to reach the comfort of their own families and villages, authorities trying to disinfect them as much as possible - humane or otherwise which is still better than typing paragraphs from the comfort of the homes.

[doxinboy]

Originally Posted by ashokrajagopal

there has to be a single daily press briefing by somebody from top where official information and plans have to be clearly provided.

Most states are working very well. Most bureaucrats are working very hard. However, there is no centralized strategy.

I think the beauty of federal structure is the fine balance between the center and the state. We already know that the union government will not hold press briefing everyday because there was never a press briefing in the classical sense for the past six years. Partly because of politics of onemanship. It is only through the dreaded 8 PM briefing, or man ki bath, we know the status of the union.

To give them the benefit of doubt, I feel the union government has taken a stand to involve the state government to implement its policy with local sensitivity. However, there are clarification coming from the union from time to time when situation is going out of hand.

Atleast in Karnataka, the government is briefing public on a daily basis and it is working well. But as a citizen concerned about the country, I would have liked the Minister of Health and Family Welfare to hold briefing everyday during this grave crisis and shun the cult of personality.

[poloman]

Karnatak Govt Showing some spine.
Karnataka schools demanding fees for 2020-21 may face criminal cases, warns minister
https://www.newindianexpress.com/sta...r-2123436.html

[srishiva]

Planning requires one to know what is the current structure that exists. Our country runs on adhoc measures.

Best way is do something and then see the impact :( Even there the reaction is just talk and no action. But looking at whats happening around the world, there seems to be not much of planning anywhere. Action has been slow everywhere too.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

Well, what's wrong with this method of getting disinfected?

Really? And how do these guys become Virus-free if they are already carrying it? What's next - Bury them alive or make them drink disinfectants?

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

Well, what's wrong with this method of getting disinfected.
And yeah the usual disclaimer: No offense meant.

Interesting point of view - this is how the police and the administration think?! I would like to know why the people spraying are wearing suits, why is it that they feel they themselves would not benefit from the purifying spray? Why would someone even come up with the idea of spraying others?

[Lobogris]

For the lower 25% of the population there is no possibility of any lockdown. Whether they work, stay cramped together in makeshift shanties, are locked down in some government shelter or eat at community kitchens, they are going to stay close in small spaces without proper sanitation. Close the construction and factories, they will walk in large groups and cram on trains and buses to go back home. We needed to work on proper accommodation and sanitation for the past 10 years. Now it can’t be changed in 10 days.
So, please let them work. At least they will make money and won’t have a reason to migrate in large numbers and we won’t cripple the country. Construction ban is totally unnecessary as an example. Making a road in open air presents low risk and people can be kept apart to some extent.
Another benefit that India has is the warm weather along with almost no use of air conditioning in the poorer population. People live in open airy homes and travel in open vehicles or buses with open windows. These factors would, hopefully reduce the risk of infection to some extent.

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

Well, what's wrong with this method of getting disinfected?

What are they trying to disinfect? Chorine will harm humans than viruses inside humans.

Here is WHO myth-buster - https://www.who.int/emergencies/dise...c/myth-busters

Originally Posted by wheelguy

An MLA from Karnataka state comes out with his grandson to play on the open & traffic free roads. I wonder where are the back whacking police now.

https://twitter.com/nkaggere/status/...800486400?s=20

Wasn't there a 2-year jail term for violators? The prosecution should be easy with video evidence.

Originally Posted by m8002?

The photos in this article reminds me of the partition scenes in Gandhi movie.

In case we need to restart the factories, industries, these folks have to return back. How many would? Hope we don't end up with labor shortages after lockdown.

Originally Posted by volkman10

To put a stop to migrant workers exodus, Punjab allows factories to open.

Even to keep an essential like pharmaceutical factory running would need peripheral industries like plastic, paper (for packaging) & dye (for printing). So the factory can work till it runs out of raw materials. This is after the factory owners get the required labour to work. Since no factory has a lodging facility, the workers must be transported back to their homes daily.

New guideline: Farmworkers, agriculture companies exempted from lockdown: Home Ministry
(This was announced on Day 3 of lockdown but must have been announced on Day 0)

The Union home ministry has issued fresh guideline exempting additional categories related to agricultural operations. “They have been exempted under the Disaster Management Act, with respect to the 21- day lockdown,” an order stated.

BTW, fear of police excess has ensured nobody ventures out. Many farmers are being forced to discard their produce since they are unable to arrange transport.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

I am not sure how the villages are going to accept such people- social distancing, no food or ration - used to be very common many years ago.

The village head / mukhiya [मुखिया / सरपंच] are keeping these people at village's community place / school or at block offices, they aren't allowing them in. Food goes from the respective person's home or maybe community pool-in.

This ain't true for all places, but for few.

Since all offices / schools etc are closed, there are enough place for ~14 days to isolate them.