Easing of lockdown and allowing stranded people back to their respective states created apprehensions about the contract and community spread of coronavirus. Of late, netizens have come across a watermelon meme warning if we cut open the green rind of the watermelon, we could see the fleshy red. The meme was perfect in foreseeing what is happening in many Indian states, including Nagaland.
When the Covid-19 pandemic is raging out of control throughout the world, Nagaland enjoys green zone status. With the rest of the country, Nagaland enforced strict lockdown measures to help prevent contracting the virus from outside of the state. Also, to address the problem of stranded people from Nagaland in other parts of the country, the Government of Nagaland (GoN) has promised to credit a meagre amount of money into their accounts. Anticipating mass exodus, GoN again extended help by offering ten thousand to stranded Nagas, who wish to remain in their respective places. But it did not attract many.
So, GoN has to bring its citizens home from different red, orange, and green zones. On the fateful day of May 22, a Shramik Special train from Chennai landed at Dimapur and around 1500 returnees disembarked their special journey train. Unfortunately, with its arrival, the green rind of the Nagaland’s melon started to crack and peel. More have arrived, more are on the way, many have already tested positive coronavirus, and many will be contracted. And, the logic of easing lockdown when the positive cases show a rising graph is something like darkness that disorientates people.
The government of the day in Nagaland has attracted widespread criticism due to its inefficiency in combating the pandemic. It has left no option for the government but to walk a difficult tightrope. But we should also understand that it is not only Nagaland that struggles but the entire world is: the US, the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain, too have to bend to the Covid-19 and still far from recovering. Increase in criticism at this stage would be counterproductive. However, people in public life must always be open to criticism, and the people must also offer constructive criticism.
Covid-19 unleashes a crisis of gargantuan proportion. Government alone cannot stem the tide of this crisis. Therefore, if the Nagas think that they are sane human beings, it is the time to act like one; it is the time to shoulder the collective responsibility; and, it is also the time to think what we can do to thwart the spread of the pandemics.
One thing that amazes many in the blogosphere is the despicable behaviour of some inmates at quarantines. From day one, some of them had launched a vituperative attack concerning food provided to them at quarantines through social media. Bet that many frontline workers are risking their lives and working round the clock to give comfort to the returnees.
Consider thousands of people in the mainland India, who are walking on foot without food and water; thousands of people are dying due to hunger, but our Naga brothers and sisters, though not comfortable as they like, are quarantined with available basic amenities. Remember, the whole world is under siege by Covid-19 pandemic. People living in their own homes are no better than yours- they too are fighting the same enemy. If you think you have an iota of human heart, dare to say thank you for bringing you home alive.
Nagaland is no greener now. The virus is with us today. So, the crux of the matter is to contain the ‘community spread.’ In this regard, the best thing that we should do is to change the lifestyle by following three simple things: social distancing, masking and personal hygiene. Everyone knows it, but nobody does it. That is the problem, not the virus.
Senkatoshi, Dimapur
