Let us continue to be aware, let us be safe

People around the globe have been made to know, interpret and adopt two words right from the outbreak of this pandemic. One being 'social distancing' and second one to be 'quarantine' India did witness its first case of Covid-19 in the state of Kerala and the number of people being infected till date has gauged a steep rise touching 50k.

From politicians to general public, people in the armed forces to the civilians, industrialists to laymen, eminent leaders to illiterates, every person across the board has been made well aware of this disease through various channels of media and social networking platforms. We have realised that Covid-19 has nothing to do with the stature of birth of a person, it has finally made us believe the core fact of existence that is, all are equal in the eyes of nature.

If nature's balance is tweaked or distorted especially because of human intervention, it has every right to show how things would be in the hours of its fury. After all, we are a small of piece of life which have found some existence after birth in the place that's been provided to us by the nature in its extended umbrella of magnanimity.

When properly given a thought, it rings to each of our minds' that the above two words have made us self sufficient and self explorative. It did make our old timers words come true like maintaining personal hygiene and keeping yourselves up the rung of the ladder of cleanliness and reasonably adoptive food habits as designed by the nature for our survival.

Presently, the mindset of people have turbulently changed where they are not able to bear the sight of presence of a fellow human being. They are under the impression of contracting diseases because of mere interaction. The very purpose of human living is going to be challenged in terms of psychological factors.

Even the media has to provide only the necessary information or data to the public instead of panicking them by giving an experience of a situation between devil and deep sea. We have to take every input of social distancing or quarantine in a positive way rather than boycotting people or adding insult to the injury by condemning them.

Pandemic outbreak has been made us aware of nature's fury only because of human meddling with it. We have to be more and more concerned about the nature and its protection. Let's all put a combined effort hell or high water to see that India is covid-19 free as soon as possible and make people realise the value of nature than creating psychological distances in their minds.

Madhulika N, Hyderabad

Learn to co-habit with the pandemic

Unbearable extensions of lockdown periods has lead to deterioration of income to government coffers, hence both State and Centre eased lockdown restrictions to the maximum extent in spite of ongoing record of virus cases. Reopening of temples, bars, hotels, schools, shops, transport, markets, business houses etc., may likely shoot up virus infection uncontrollably. High Court was also surprised as to how the doctors and medical staff have tested positive when their bodies are fully covered with PPE kits and N-95 masks and following all other guidelines of ICMR.

How about general public who are without such gear except mask and sanitiser use? Government is fully aware of this fact. Life is more precious than anything and recouping the economy is much more vital. Co-habitation with virus by maintaining physical distance appears to be the only solution until a curable medicine is invented.

Dr NSR Murthy, Secunderabad

Be socially responsible

At present the positive Covid 19 cases are rising alarmingly in India which has overtaken and occupied sixth position in the world and may occupy the second place very soon. But looking at the economic situation of the country and states the governments have become mute spectators and helpless except saying wear masks and maintain social distance and giving relaxations for all.

In view of the serious situation, everyone must exhibit Social responsibility. Though all religious places are permitted to open from June 8, the Chilukuru Balaji temple authorities said, they will not open the temple for public now as the situation is frightening and worried, which should be appreciated.

Jakka Vijay Kumar, Secunderabad

The count is climbing…

India surpassed Russia in terms of Covid-19 cases which are rapidly increasing in large number day by day. According to the health ministry in the past week india touched 2,26770 confirmed cases, with 9,851 new cases. India had displaced Italy to become sixth worst hit nation in terms of infection cases. After the US, Brazil, Russia, Spain and the UK. Within the next week India could surpass the UK and Spain to become the fourth worst hit nation, if India continues to the present growth rate. Govt needs to do something from before situation gets worsened.

Karishma Meena, Hyderabad

The govt should be sincerely austere

The government at Centre deserves applause for realizing the need to be austere in these testing times where the pandemic almost drained the coffers.(Govt goes in to austerity mode - THI, 6 June). The badly bruised economy demands prudence at every level of economic management to be able to make a complete recovery from a gloomy economic situation. There is an urgent need for policymakers to explore avenues to boost economic growth and to pool resources to fight the dreaded Virus and it is commendable that the Modi government is making moves in right direction by focusing on austerity measures.

Not wholly unrelated here is the proposed construction of new parliament complex in Delhi known as Central Vista Project at a huge cost by dismantling the present buildings. Eventhough the construction of the grandest government buildings in the world was proposed well before the outbreak of the pandemic, there seems to be no second thought on the project and about its prohibitive cost in the context of an unprecedented economic crisis engendered by the pandemic.

At a time when the governments are struggling to pay salaries to its employees, a spending of this magnitude is certainly unaffordable and requires public consultation, parliamentary debates and political consensus. Moreover, the proposed construction stretching from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate is criticized much for lacking transparency with regard to estimated expenditure, architectural specifications and awarding contracts to construction companies. Critics say that the proposed huge expenditure on this project may be utilized either for purifying the toxic air of Delhi or for repairing the crumbling economy in the Post Covid-19 world.

It is hoped that the government at Centre will go for a pause in this regard and hold wider consultations with all the stakeholders to make the proposal revisited at a convenient time in future.

Narne Raveendra Babu, Hyderabad