As the country enters the fourth phase of lockdown, albeit with the easing of many restrictions and opening up of some essential economic activities, it is still not out of the COVID-19 woods. With the total number of confirmed cases (as against the true number of infections) standing at 1,12,359 as of May 21, the caseload is still increasing at the rate of over 5,000 cases a day. Although the graph may appear to be showing some signs of levelling off, given the past trend, it is not certain that it may begin to decline soon.
The growth factor—the ratio of increases in caseloads on two consecutive days—has continued to remain mostly a little over 1, which means we are still in the exponential phase (Fig. 1). Of course, the national picture reflects the situation in some problem States. Barring Punjab, the other States that were discussed in the Frontline issue dated May 22 continue to be problematic. Moreover, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, whose trajectories had seemed to bend down from the exponential phase are now showing signs of trend reversal. Of serious concern will be the case of West Bengal, which will be subjected to the double whammy of COVID-19 and the supercyclone “Amphan”. The cyclone’s landfall and its continuing north-north-eastward trajectory over land, which has just passed 270 kilometres north-north-east of Kolkata into Bangladesh, with wind speeds touching 70-80 kmph, is likely to result in widespread devastation of life and property in and around that region.
This story is from the June 5, 2020 edition of FRONTLINE.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 5, 2020 edition of FRONTLINE.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Sarpanchs as game changers
Odisha manages to keep COVID-19 well under control because of the strong participation of panchayati raj institutions and the community at the grass-roots level under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
New worries
Kerala’s measured approach to the pandemic and lockdown has yielded results. But it still has to grapple with their huge economic impact on its economy, which it feels the Centre’s special financial relief package does little to alleviate.
Capital's Malthusian moment
In a world that needs substantial reorienting of production and distribution, Indian capital is resorting to a militant form of moribund neoliberalism to overcome its current crisis. In this pursuit of profit, it is ready and willing to throw into mortal peril millions whom it adjudicates as not worth their means—an admixture of social Darwinism born of capital’s avarice and brutalism spawned by Hindutva. .
Waiting for Jabalpur moment
The Supreme Court’s role in ensuring executive accountability during the ongoing lockdown leaves much to be desired. Standing in shining contrast is the record of some High Courts.
An empty package
The Modi regime, which has been unable to control the COVID-19 infection, restore economic activity and provide relief to millions exposed to starvation, trains its sights on Indian democracy, making use of the panic generated by fear and a lockdown that forecloses paths of resistance.
Job Offers Withdrawn, Internships Now Unpaid
Engineering and business school graduates stare at a bleak future as job offers are withdrawn or revised, while delays in joining dates add to the climate of uncertainty.
In search of a road map
It is now increasingly clear that the government did not think through and provide for the consequences of the lockdown.
Clueless captain
As the nation longs for relief from the pandemic and the economic misery caused by an ill-planned lockdown, the government prefers symbolism over substance, exposing its lack of meaningful leadership.
RISING TREND
There are no signs of any let-up in the COVID case numbers well into the third phase of the lockdown even as issues of violation of physical distancing norms, mistreatment of front-line health workers, inadequate public health infrastructure and increasing distress among the poor come to the fore in most States, besides of course the low testing numbers and haphazard screening and isolation of suspect cases.
Dystopian pipe dream
The reluctance of the Narendra Modi regime to extend fiscal support to those in real need of help during a prolonged lockdown suggests that it is promoting further concentration of capital. Dire consequences await the economy and the polity.
