Letters to the editor dated May 5, 2020

This refers to ‘India must be wary of Chinese investments’ (May 5). Protectionism is the new norm, at least against unethical business partners. It’s been proven time and again that China is a non-transparent country. There is a movement among like-minded countries to reduce China’s grip on the global economy. India, with support of developed countries, should be in the forefront of this initiative. This opportunity must also be used to build a trusted and transparent economic union.

Bengaluru

This refers to ‘Govt should go all out to ease pandemic pains’ (May 5), which describes the struggles facing migrant labourers. There are reports of some of them even facing starvation for want of money to buy food. The Centre and the States should at least now take concrete steps to alleviate the hardships of the migrants. Arranging transport for sending the workers to their respective States should have been arranged earlier.

Coimbatore

Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has aptly advocated the need to assist the daily-wage earners who have lost their jobs on account of the pandemic. The migrant workers are at the mercy of the government for food and shelter. Humongous number of workers are looking to return to their native places and the government has, finally, arranged for trains and buses to take them home. Who is to bear the train fare has been a controversial issue and political parties are trying to gain mileage even in the midst of a disaster like Covid. It’s time the government framed a concrete national policy on migrant workers and looked after their welfare.

Sivakasi

As the fight against Covid-19 entered its third phase with the government providing considerable relaxation in lockdown curbs as part of a phase-wise exit plan, hundreds of people have been lining up before government-run liquor shops since Monday morning, jostling and pushing in complete defiance of social distancing norms. At most places, many of the buyers were not even wearing masks. The over one-month-long nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus will become ineffective if the government does not control such crowding around liquor shops.

Kolkata

This refers to ‘With locks down, State revenues may get a ‘high’ from liquor sales’ (May 5). Reopening of liquor shops was bound to happen sooner than later as State finances are in really bad shape and they need these kind of revenues to fund social welfare schemes and pay their workers in these times. But the way people thronged these shops has proved that they really do not fear Covid-19. They have really thrown caution out of the windows. And with this casual behaviour of these liquor buyers, one really doubts whether they have undone lot of good created during last 40 days of lock-down.

Noida

The Centre has made the use of its contact tracing app Aarogya Setu mandatory for public and private sector employees without the legislative backing. On the face of it, it would appear that the measure must be wholly welcomed for its claimed usefulness in identifying and tracking down infected patients and those with whom they have come in contact or interacted. True, the utilisation of technology to tackle a health crisis must be agreeable to everyone. But then, the claimed benefit of the app as a complementary measure to manual tracing is not sufficient reason to overlook the risks of privacy violation involved in installing the app in smart phones and tablets. Privacy, like dignity, is intrinsic to the life of a human being and it must remain sacrosanct. A better way than trading it off for security or safety has to be found. A useful tool in the fight against Covid-19 should not double up as a surveillance tool.

Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

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