Tuesday Brief

It looks like Covid 19 is reaching its peak in India, as for the 4^th day running, the number of new cases hit a new high, with 2900 being added yesterday, as the total corona virus cases crossed over 45,000. With death count reaching near 1500. The death count on 4^th May stood at 99, which is also a joint highest on a single day. Out of 45,356 cases till yesterday, the recovered cases are now12,763, which means that the recovery till date is about 28%. The death due to pandemic stands at approx at 3.3% of registered cases.

The most worrying part in the whole pandemic is the spread of virus in Maharashtra. Uptil now Maharashtra accounts for a total of 31% of cases and 40% of total deaths which has occurred in India due to corona pandemic. The fatality rate of Maharashtra stands at 4.22%, which is almost 1% higher than the national average. There is still no satisfactory explanation and reasoning for the excessive number of cases and deaths in the state of Maharashtra.

I do not understand, what was a great hurry in opening the liquor shops in the country including red zones. Yesterday there was chaos in front of liquor shops which were open in all the major cities. People thronged to shops from the early morning, and social distancing norms went for a toss. Now what was the reason behind opening liquor shops, OK if govt have opened these shops in green zone, but opening the same in city like Mumbai (red zone), which is  reeling under the corona virus badly, as about 70% of cases and deaths in Maharashtra have come from Mumbai city only. Funny thing is in the adjoining area like Thane, Kalyan, Dombivli and Navi Mumbai, which is part of Mumbai Metropolitan region NO liquor shops were open yesterday. In the National capital Delhi (red zone), there also liquor shops open yesterday and like Mumbai, there was great chaos every where near these shops, no social distance being followed and people buying liquor like there is no tomorrow.

As per the latest, Delhi govt has decided to levy a fresh tax of 70% on the MRP of liquor product, which is being labelled as corona hardship tax.  So it looks like all the state govts decided to open the liquor shops, because there is state excise duty/other taxes on the liquor product, which directly go into state’s kitty. So it seems that this way states are trying to generate cash flow from liquor sales. One side  the govt always tell and advertise the consumption of liquor is bad  for health, and on the other side during this pandemic also, state govt can not resist to back liquor sales for getting cash in their kitty. On top of this Delhi govt has imposed more tax on liquor sales. Now with liquor available, the poor who had started living without liquors for more than 40 days, with domestic bliss at place, now again there will be domestic quarrels due to consumption of liquor, at the time when income is curtailed or no income.

One more issue which took a prominent place in news channels, was the travel of migrant labour to their home state. It was Congress party who alleged that Govt is asking migrant to pay for their travel by Rail to their home  state. Congress President Sonia Gandhi, in a TV interview made a statement that Congress Party offers to fund railway tickets of migrant labours. Central govt immediately came into fire fighting mode and said that it was decided with all the state govts that state from where the train is originating will bear 15% and central govt will bear 85% of the cost of travel. When first train from Nasik in Maharashtra left 3 days back for UP, it seems that migrant were asked to pay. Govt spoke person commented that it is state like Maharashtra which is refusing to bear the cost of travel, as decided. And the reality is that Congress party is part of coalition govt there. After Sonia’s statement, CMs from Congress ruling states Rajasthan and Chhatisgarh confirmed that no charges are being taken from migrant labour, and cost of travel is being borne by Central and state govts in 85% and 15% ratio respectively.

It has so happened that UP and Karnataka are not keen on taking back migrants from Maharashtra. This is in response to what happened when pilgrims from Punjab who were stuck up in Gurudwara Huzur Sahib in Nanded in Maharashta, when they were sent back in buses (which were deputed by Punjab govt), these pilgrims were not checked properly for corona virus, and when these pilgrims were received by Punjab govt, and tested for Corona virus, it so happened that many of them were found to be +ve with virus. So few state govts are apprehensive in welcoming migrants who are coming from Maharashtra. The UP govt has also said that unless they give approval the train should not leave from any city in Maharashtra, and apart from this, more than one migrant train should not be despatched to the same location in UP in a 24 hour span.  Only Rajasthan and MP govt has given blanket approval to receive migrants by train. Maharashtra is also expecting more that 2600 migrants from Andhra Pradesh to Chandarpur and Gadchiroli in Maharashtra.

These bickering between state govts will keep on happening for quite a while in near future also.

Friends this is the first time I have written complete blog on the  Corona issue, till now I was writing short brief note on pandemic. but today I could not refrain myself from writing total blog on the issue

Waiting for your feed backs/views/comments.

Anil Malik

Mumbai, India

5^th May 2020.