Letters to the editor dated April 21, 2021

Apropos ‘Lockdown, only the last option: PM’ (April 21). With daily Covid cases touching nearly three lakh, the situation is alarming and both the Centre and States have to work together.

The Centre is already making efforts to double the production of the vaccines and make them available to the States. On their part, the States have to ensure all safety precautions are followed, else the situation will get out of control.

Hyderabad

In his address to the nation, the Prime Minister appealed to State governments to use lockdown as a last resort, so that economic activities can continue. This is in sharp contrast to the sudden and strict nationwide lockdown imposed on March 25, 2020, with a notice of just four hours. This brought immense hardship on the people of the country.

Recently again, the Centre allowed mass election rallies to go on. Also, a super-spreader, but avoidable, event like the Kumbh Mela was allowed to take place.

Guwahati

The new Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National Covid-19 Vaccination Strategy coming into effect May 1, talks of the manufactures making available 50 per cent of the doses to the Centre and the balance 50 per cent to State governments/open market.

The manufacturers are to declare the price at which the supplies to States/open market shall be made before May 1. While the price at which they supply to the Centre shall not be the same as to the others, one can expect a steep hike in the rate. Thus, vaccination at a private facility, which at present costs ₹250 per dose, will cost much more.

Given that Covid-19 is pandemic, the vaccination needs to be administered free of cost. To meet the cost towards this mammoth exercise, the funds available under Member of Parliament/Member of Legislative Constituency Local Area Development Schemes may be used. At present, most of these funds do not get used up.

Chennai

A year has gone by, but the fight against Covid-19 is still far from over. This despite scientists developing vaccines in record time to tame the contagion. With many countries grappling with a ravaging second wave, a vociferous and well-justified call for waiver of patents for Covid vaccines has emerged from different quarters It is time developed countries shun vaccine nationalism and made equity a significant component of global policy in tackling Covid. Public good and not private profits should guide our response to the ongoing pandemic.

Sholavandan, TN

Apropos ‘Inflation check’ (April 21), with pandemic hurting the economy, the surplus liquidity in the system is of no utility due to the crippling credit absorption capacities of enterprises. The likelihood of a supply-side crisis is rising, which will raise the prices of goods, especially food articles, and services. Cutting the policy rate further and measures to expand liquidity will force the banking system to reduce deposit rates.

Containing inflation through non-fiscal measures is essential at a time when the economy is grappling with the threats posed by the fast-spreading pandemic.

Changanacherry, Kerala

This refers to ‘WFH isn’t smooth sailing’ (April 21). To improve productivity and employee satisfaction, employers should apply a different yardstick when it comes to WFH.

The environment in many Indian homes is vastly different from the workplace. There could be more distractions unless the employee has the benefit of a separate, quiet area to work.

The new code may provide for longer hours but with fixed duration of work. Barring emergencies, work must be planned such that employees have some fixed time exclusively for their families.

Pune

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