The Supreme Court on Friday refused to pass any orders staying the sale of liquor during the lockdown. The top court, however, said that states could consider online delivery of alcohol to check the massive crowds outside liquor shops across the country and maintain social distancing.
The observation came from a three-judge bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by one Guruswamy Nataraj objecting to across the counter sale of liquor.
The petition argued that the government cannot meddle with human life by allowing crowds to gather outside liquor shops.
As the government took first steps to relax the Covid-19 lockdown to revive the economy, hundreds queued up at liquor stores in New Delhi and other cities.
Some stores in parts of Delhi had to be closed due to the large number of people gathered there.
The Delhi government even imposed a special tax of 70 per cent on retail liquor purchases to deter large gatherings but that did not stop people from coming out and heading towards the liquor shops.
It then introduced a token system which people can buy online. The move is aimed at stopping people from coming out and gather outside liquor shops.
The Uttar Pradesh government recently announced an increase in prices of all categories of liquor, including country liquor, to mop up additional revenue of Rs 2,350 crore.
A similar plea has also been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking direction to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi to start online sale of liquor to ensure social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The petitioner sought direction to the Delhi government to evolve a proper policy to start the online sale of liquor and deliver it to the consumers’ homes at a time when the entire machinery of the country is tirelessly working to contain the Covid-19 outbreak.
After the lockdown was extended till May 17, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued new guidelines allowing liquor shops to open.
Holding that the fight against COVID-19 cannot be just from the PMO, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday asked the prime minister to devolve power and make the states partner in decision-making.
Gandhi said there will be a “calamity” if the fight against coronavirus is centralised.
Addressing a press conference through video conference, he also asked the government to adopt transparency in its actions to tackle coronavirus and work together with states.
His remarks came after complaints by Congress-ruled states that they were being pushed into fiscal distress in the absence of the Centre providing them resources to fight the pandemic.
Gandhi also called upon the government to immediately put money into the hands of the poor and provide a financial package to the industry to help revive the economy.
He said the lockdown is not an on/off switch, but is a transition which requires cooperation of all – Centre, states, district magistrates and the people of India.
“We need to decentralise power in dealing with the virus. If we keep this fight in PMO, we will lose. The PM must devolve power. If we centralise, there will be a calamity. PM has to trust chief ministers and chief ministers have to trust district magistrates,” he said.
Gandhi also asked the government to tell the people what criteria it would use to open the lockdown or continue it post May 17, as the transition out of it is a serious challenge before the country.
He said the government needs to work on a psychological change and if it has to open lockdown, it has to convert people’s fear of the disease into confidence, as it is not deadly for most of them.
Noting that the country is facing an emergency situation, the Congress leader said the idea of injecting immediately a sum of Rs 7500 directly into the hands of poor is critical.
He also called for providing a financial package soon to protect the industry which provides jobs.
“We have to protect the job creators and have to build a wall for them to protect jobs and wages of workers. We have to give them financial support,” Gandhi said.
The former Congress president said the economic package is being delayed as the government feels India could be downgraded by international agencies.
“We need to start our domestic economy soon, the more time we lose, the worse impact it will have,” he noted.
At least sixteen migrant workers sleeping on rail tracks while returning to Madhya Pradesh were crushed to death by a goods train in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra on Friday, police said.
The workers, who were walking to Bhusawal from Jalna, were returning to Madhya Pradesh, an official at the Karmad police station told a news agency.
They had been walking along the rail tracks and slept on the rail tracks due to exhaustion, he said.
Mokshada Patil, SP Aurangabad said police has ordered an inquiry into the incident.
“Early morning, a freight train ran over 16 labourers from Madhya Pradesh. We are investigating the matter,” Patil said.
Ch. Rakesh, Chief Public Relation Officer (CPRO) of South Central Railway (SCR) speaking to ANI over the phone said: “An empty petroleum tanker train was moving from Cherlapally Station to Panevadi Railway Station. The incident occurred early this morning. A high-level enquiry at the level of Commissioner Railway safety has been constituted.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish over the death of 14 migrant workers in the train accident. He said all possible assistance is being provided.
Extremely anguished by the loss of lives due to the rail accident in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Have spoken to Railway Minister Shri Piyush Goyal and he is closely monitoring the situation. All possible assistance required is being provided.
They were mowed down by the train at 5.15 am, the official added.
Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Office announced ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of those who were killed in the Aurangabad train accident.
“Rupees five lakhs each has been announced as ex gratia to families of the deceased in the Karmad (Aurangabad) train accident,” said Maharashtra CMO.
मुख्यमंत्री उद्धव बाळासाहेब ठाकरे यांनी संभाजीनगर(औरंगाबाद) जवळील करमाड येथे सटाणा शिवारात मालवाहू रेल्वेखाली येऊन परराज्यातील १६ मजुरांच्या झालेल्या मृत्यूबद्दल तीव्र दू:ख व्यक्त केले असून मृतांच्या कुटुंबियांना मुख्यमंत्री सहाय्यता निधीतून प्रत्येकी ₹ ५ लाख मदत जाहीर केली आहे.
According to Railways officials, migrant labourers were native of Madhya Pradesh working in SRG Company, Jalna in Maharashtra.
During early hours today after seeing some labourers on track, loco pilot of goods train tried to stop the train but eventually hit them between Badnapur and Karmad stations in Parbhani-Manmad section Injureds have been taken to Aurangabad Civil Hospital. Inquiry has been ordered
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) May 8, 2020
“As per the version of survivors they had left Jalna at 7 pm on May 7 by foot. They initially walked on the road (upto Badnapore) and later shifted onto the track towards Aurangabad. After walking for about 36 KMs, they became tired and sat on the track and most of them slept there causing the mishap,” read a statement by railway officials.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan condoled the death of the migrant workers from his state and announced a financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each to their families.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar termed the death of the migrant workers as heart-wrenching and said the Centre must work closely in unison with state governments to ensure labourers reach their homes safely.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, while addressing leaders of various political parties in a meeting via video conference on Thursday, indicated that the lockdown may be extended till the end of May in the red zones, especially the Mumbai and Pune metropolitan regions.
“We managed to control the spread of the infection due to stringent implementation of lockdown. Now, we have to take more care till May-end,” Thackeray said during the interaction on Thursday, adding that it could only be done with everyone’s co-operation.
He said the BMC had set up a large number of isolation centres at BKC, Worli and Race Course to tackle the rising number of cases. The chief minister said the state government has also requested the Army and the Mumbai Port Trust to make available ICU beds.
“We are taking all possible care while transporting migrants to their home states. We will also take proper care before granting permission to people for their transportation within state so that it won’t create any danger in orange and green zones,” he said.
The meeting, held through video-conference, was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Assembly Devendra Fadnavis, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Pravin Darekar, ministers Balasaheb Thorat, Ashok Chavan and Eknath Shinde, MNS chief Raj Thackeray, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi leader Prakash Ambedkar and leaders from other smaller parties.
An official said such an extension was likely. “Since the number of cases is rising every day, it is likely that the lockdown may be extended till May end,” the official added.
Among the suggestions made was one by MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who said SRPF platoons should be deployed in containment areas especially in Mumbai. Some other leaders spoke of stranded migrants and of the lack of coordination in administration which had resulted in flipflops such as revised orders on the opening of liquor and standalone shops.
Bahujan Vikas Aghadi MLA Hitendra Thakur said, “CM indicated about the extension of lockdown when he said that more care needs to be taken till May end to stop further increase in coronavirus cases.”
Thakur demanded that a few local trains be started for people working in essential services. “There is a lot of crowding in buses that essential service workers use. If a few trains are started in morning and evening, then these people can maintain social distancing and travel safely. Entry on these trains can be given after checking their ID cards,” he added.
Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said the state government has requested the Reserve Bank of India to give crop loans to the farmers who have availed the benefits of the farm loan waiver. “The talks are on with RBI.
Also, the government will ensure that there is no shortage of seeds and fertilisers for the kharif season,” he added.
Meanwhile, Devendra Fadnavis said thousands of migrants could be seen walking to their home states. “The state government should seek more trains from the Centre. It should also give more attention on the health situation in Mumbai and Maharashtra,” said Fadnavis, while extending complete support to the government. The government should ensure better coordination in the administration, he added.
Mumbai’s COVID19 lockdown leaves transgender community at discriminating risk of poverty and hostile because they are on the margins of society.
Aryan Pasha, first Indian transgender man told Afternoon Voice, “Transgender’s source of living is big issue because they don’t fall under main stream community. There is no work from home for them. There is no specific help for them, they cannot go out and seek help just because they are transgender and cops and other society members vent their anger on them, India’s estimated two million trans people would be among those worst hits by the move because many make their living on the streets.”
Adding to Pasha, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi a transgender rights activist said, “Transgender community do not have the social honor of operating within a distant ‘online’ world when their lives are precariously balanced on the thread of social interaction and functions, Hajras in Mumbai are known for begging on signals and standing beside highway for earning daily bread, apart from that they don’t have enough space in their rooms, in 10 by 10 area many adjust their stay, in such circumstances, where there is no source of earning, no bread, no fire in the kitchen burning and not even enough space to breath becomes very difficult.”
Navya Singh, Transgender Model and beauty queen said, “In spite of Supreme Court ruling in 2014 that transgender people had equal rights, but bias against them continues and they are often rejected by their families and denied jobs, education and healthcare. Due to lack of opportunities, many trans women or you can call hijras, survive through begging at busy joints and on trains, performing at social functions such as weddings or selling sex. That work has impacted big time due to long lockdown”.
Hema transgender woman who is always seen on Borivali west signal also HIV positive said, “I barely had any work and was scorching through her limited savings buying the food she needs to stay healthy. She said we went to relief centres but people and cops were not very kind to us. My community is starving, but we have no special attention from anyone. Society don’t even consider us as needy or poor.”
Asha Mamidi, Social worker from Kamathipura said, “Trans people often face discrimination forced many into slums, where isolation is impossible and their risk of contracting the virus increases, last year the government passed a bill to protect transgender Indians from discrimination in education, employment, healthcare and housing but that all is just berried in files.” In my capacity I am helping them with food and basic medical facilities, but I cannot reach across Mumbai, people should take up some responsibilities and reach them, they are needed for blessing your new born and get good omen to you but they are unwanted when such social crises arrive”.
This year, amidst the coronavirus lockdown, the community is facing battles on different front. The coronavirus-induced lockdown has hit the transgender community very hard, with the closure of public spaces and cancellation of wedding events leading to a loss in earnings. Little support from the government meant they have been pushed to the brink. Alms, donations and begging is the only source of their income. The government has completely forgotten about the transgender community who are facing worst condition after the lockdown.
Amidst the coronavirus lockdown, the transgender community is facing battles of survival on various front. The coronavirus-induced lockdown has hit the transgender community very hard, with the closure of public spaces and cancellation of wedding events leading to a loss in their earnings. Little support from the government has further pushed them to the brink. Alms, donations and begging is the only source of their income. The government has completely forgotten about the transgender community who are facing worst condition after the lockdown. Since a 21-day official lockdown was imposed in India beginning 23rd March to tackle the coronavirus outbreak, the lives of these people have been impacted in varying degrees. The common population is at least living with their families and they are taken care by one or the other. Government rendered help to many migrants, slum people but this particular community got completely ignored. For the transgender community, coming down to main stream population and standing with them is just a dream because there is still no social acceptance for them and they are shunted and humiliated on various occasions. Though the notion that the country is coming together to fight this pandemic is being adopted and celebrated, the fact is that such a notion stems from both a place of privilege and a narrow-minded perception of the world. Shelter, food, money, access to information and basic safety measures though may seem essential but are not within the reach of all citizens, especially this community. The worst affected are those who belong to the lower below poverty line sections of society, daily-wage earners, migrant workers and the homeless. Also, part of this group is India’s transgender community which continues to exist on the boundaries of the social order and is defenseless to poverty and health hazards.
This community is dependent on traditional livelihoods, such as sex work, badhai (offering blessings at weddings and other festivities) and begging. Today Hijras and intersex people are hard to miss. Dressed in glittering saris, their faces heavily coated in makeup, they sashay through crowded intersections knocking on car windows with the edge of a coin and offering blessings. They dance at temples. They crash fancy weddings and birth ceremonies, singing bawdy songs and leaving with fistfuls of rupees. Imagine, when all this halts for months. Some of them are starved to death. Hijra is considered physically and psychologically uncertain and because of ambivalence people consider them freaks (hiding their sexual identity). They are physically, verbally, and sexually abused. Hijras have been stigmatized and marginalized to a large extent. Thus, from the ancient India to the present day, Indian society made a distinction between Hijra and predefined gender category. The term Hijra encompasses a wide range of identities, appearances, and behaviors that blur and cross the biological gender lines in India. We might talk about evolution, law in their favor, social acceptance and blah blah, but the fact remains unchanged that they are always neglected and sidelined community. Their vulnerabilities, frustrations, and insecurities have been always overlooked by mainstream society. Therefore, they are a marginalized and stigmatized community. The mainstream society does not understand their culture, gender, mentality, and sexuality. Dimensions of their social deprivation and harassment rendered to them have never received attention in the developed society. There are many myths, legends, rituals, religious roles and themes in Hinduism which entertain the notion of “sexually ambiguous” or dual gender manifestations. We are bothered about starving stray animals, birds, poor people, travelers, migrants and also those cops, doctors and beyond all even the zoo animals, but what we conveniently ignore is this community simply because we never accept them as normal human beings.
Many Indians believe Hijras have the power to bless or curse, and they trade off this uneasy contradiction. People believe that they can create their bread, because they have powers but in reality, they are the worst hit by this pandemic and subsequent lockdown. The red-light areas are closed, shops are shut, weddings and other forms of celebration stand cancelled. All their sources of incomes have shut down. The trans community lives have come to halt, but hope presents itself through welfare initiatives but no government or social organizations has given them preference or priority. They are trapped in the multiple loaning systems, either for their daily needs or for gender transition procedures etc. The money is usually borrowed not from banks but private money lenders. Now, the money they would use to pay back these loans has stopped coming in. One of the current concerns facing the community, the one that has been an issue for centuries now is the discrimination as well as denial of basic rights by both the government and society at large. The effects of ostracisation are exacerbated during a pandemic. The risk of the virus spreading and being exposed to it is increased because of their living conditions. Mostly, the Hijras live in groups of three to four in cramped spaces, in close proximity. Because Landlords don’t rent their homes out to trans people as nobody wants a trans person living in their neighborhood. As a result, when they do eventually find accommodation, they end up paying a much higher price than general people on average, about Rs 5,000 – 6,000 more. They can’t afford to pay such high rent. Moreover, their landlords are nagging them because they too need the money. Those who live in slums don’t even have proper rent agreements, which means that their daily existence is like walking a tightrope. Added to this is the poor infrastructure of such spaces. They are restricted to being in small, dingy rooms with no proper ventilation. They can’t use fans or air conditioners during the summer, because they can’t afford them. Many don’t have smartphones and are cut off from the outside world so invariably all this affects their physical, mental health and overall wellness. Many don’t have documents like a Ration card or Aadhaar card. Since the passing of the Transgender Persons Bill (2019) in Parliament, the community has faced many hurdles in the process of obtaining identity proof for themselves. Even reaching out for help is often difficult because they are looked at with fear and derision. There are a lot of mohalla lunches being organised in cities, but Hijras are very hesitant to attend them because they fear they will be harassed and won’t be treated properly.
Their living conditions and the nature of their profession exposes Hijras to conditions like tuberculosis and HIV among others. While some cannot travel to buy medicines for these conditions, others simply don’t have the money to afford them. Those who are HIV+ need to get their ART (anti-retroviral therapy) medication every month, but doctors and medical experts presently aren’t available to address their healthcare concerns. Not to mention that there is stigma and discrimination in the healthcare system as well. There are no specialized beds for trans people, they are either put into a male or female ward. Even if they do think they have symptoms of COVID-19, they know they have nowhere to go.
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The death toll from the styrene gas leak near Vishakapatnam on Thursday climbed to eight and the Andhra Pradesh government ordered a probe into the incident, the state police chief said.
Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy held a high-level review meeting to take stock of the situation and ordered a probe into the matter, state DGP D Gautam Sawang said.
As many as eight people were killed in the styrene gas leak incident at LG Polymers Limited plant at R R Venkatapuram near Visakhapatnam in the wee hours of Thursday.
The DGP said there was no more leakage of gas and the situation was now “stable and under control”.
At least 246 persons with health complications are undergoing treatment at the King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam and 20 of them are on ventilator support, he told reporters after the meeting with the chief minister.
In all, over 800 persons were evacuated from R R Venkatapuram following the gas leak and most of them only needed first aid.
The chief minister ordered an inquiry into the gas leak incident, the DGP said.
“How the gas leaked and why the neutraliser at the plant did not prove effective in containing the leak will all be investigated. Styrene, though, is not a poisonous gas and can be fatal only if inhaled in excess quantity,” Sawang said.
As the state economy sucked due to lockdown, state decided to reopen liquor shops without any planning of managing crowd. All of sudden by breaking all the rules of lockdown people bee lined to purchase alcohol in which ever amount and price it was available. Due to this relaxation, there have been huge crowds gathering near these shops and there it has been impossible to maintain social distancing. There were few instances of law and order situation arising out of such crowds gathering. Most people were without any safety measures of masks or required distancing discipline. After demonetization, this was second time people spent their maximum time in queue, so be it for buying essential commodities, be it health certificate, be it for travel desk, hospital checkups or now liquor. Standing in line for hours has become life style of people. Finally, after all the mess Mumbai Municipal Corporation has decided to let only essential services function in the city and liquor shops will remain closed. On one hand state government extended the lock down period and on the other hand they are inviting crowds to the shops by relaxing lockdown norms bringing forward a contradicting stand. Mumbai has seen a number of positive cases and the down ward trend is yet to set in. Gathering of crowds in large numbers without following social distancing will be detrimental to the control of spread of the virus and the gains of the lockdown instantly lost to people gathering in large numbers. We don’t know what was the medical history of the people standing long hours in queue, we don’t know who can be the carrier among those on the streets, here BMC is asking cooperative societies to close the gates for guests and unknown people and there you are allowing people to stand without any precaution on open roads to buy liquor?? The big question is about the government’s double standards.
This forced de-addiction and imposed rehabilitation, by banning liquor to people who have habit of consuming it on daily basis brought misery to their lives. In addition to being the “perfect adjunct” for many occasions, alcohol carries with it some specific attributes that serve other purposes at parties. Alcohol helps those people forget about their usual reserves and concerns, and there are many who have habit of healthy consumption. People who have underlying depression issues or social phobias may need alcohol as a result of their attempt to self-medicate their undesirable conditions. Government needs to understand, more than boosting the state economy, liquor boosts the moral and conduct of person who has need for it.
Idealism promotes alcohol to be a bad thing and its consumption is rated on the lower rungs of moral radar. Alcohol is need for people and for some, it’s like any daily requirement and can be labelled as addiction. But one must also realize, so is tea and coffee. Millions consider it as their basic morning and evening drink, they mentally and physically crave for it and cannot do without it. Deprive them of this and see how much physical and mental discomfort those people will experience. Certain facts of how addictive our lifestyle has become are undeniable. In the lineup of various options like teas, coffees, alcohol, drugs; all that varies is the addiction intensity and health impact they have on body and mind. So, let it be the so-called minor tea and coffees versus major alcohol and drugs, the medical impact of that intake cannot be denied. It’s perhaps less painful when one is deprived of tea and coffees, but if an addict wants to give up alcohol or drugs, he needs to participate in a month-long rehabilitation program and get enrolled at a de-addiction centre. Training your body to ween off alcohol or drugs is a gradual process done with the help of professionals monitoring one’s health and medical supervision. Sudden deprivation can only cause extreme craving plus mental and physical reactions in a person. The response can be controlled by some, but not necessarily by all. The extent of their imbalance is determined on their alcohol dependency.
These long queues are proof of how much alcohol is needed by people and perhaps some can manage with less food, but now alcohol is an equally important need and an inevitable part of their lifestyle. As this need definitely influences their personal and social life, its no surprise that there is rise in domestic violence cases during this lockdown. Government must understand how to balance social welfare and address matters carefully on all fronts. Idealism without reality check can only cause damage. Most adult parties offer some alcoholic beverage options. Wedding receptions typically involve raising a glass of champagne to toast to the new couple’s future. Many people ring in the new year with alcohol. Even dinner parties and dining out oftentimes involve a glass or two, if not a bottle.
Forget about people’s life style, but look at greater perspective, the ban on alcohol has generated the problem of unemployment among the local people. Apart from alcohol shops, if the door supply like other commodities get started, that can employ the local people, just like Swiggy and Zomato delivery boys. Online ordering options can be created. Most of the people in the states broke the liquor ban law, the black markets were open and liquor was sold randomly it has caused a huge loss to government. The sale of alcohol contributes to the economy of the state through the tax directly and indirectly. The State Excise in India is mainly imposed on the sale of liquor, which is commonly known as Liquor tax. The states like Maharashtra earn a large portion of their revenue from the State Excise. Maharashtra’s liquor business is in private hands and so the revenue is assured. Only liquor itself provides 20 percent of the share of the government’s own revenue in most States. India is the largest whisky market in the world and there is an ever-increasing demand for imported whisky and wines. Economic affluence, urbanization, changing lifestyles and social mores are all persuading young people to take up drinking. For State governments, the fast-growing liquor market means an increase in the inflow of funds.
State government really lost on many fronts, forget and keep the state economy aside, but think of people’s mental health associated to it. Human requirements are many and due to the abrupt lockdown, in spite of imposed silence on the surface, somewhere a very important need has been simmering in the lower layers which today is visibly exploding in the form of long lines and crazy crowds rushing at wine shops. Hasty pronouncements by Government have thrown people’s life and livelihood and very existence into mayhem. From demonetization to COVID-19, people are compelled to stand in long queues. The struggle is never ending.
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The simplification of the lockdown trials came with its own set of challenges for police personnel as they struggled to manage the crowds outside liquor shops in the city, they had to resort to lathi-charge to bring the situation under control. Especially, near the slum areas controlling large crowd and maintaining social distancing was big issue. With the Home Ministry allowing private vehicles in all zones with restrictions, traffic is back on the roads in cities — a departure from the peculiar quiet that had descended over them during the 40-day lockdown. While the restrictions have not been eased in containment areas, movement of private vehicles has been allowed in red zones with two passengers other than the driver for cars (earlier it was just one passenger in all zones) and no pillion rider for motorcycles. With the never-ending queues and long waits, some buyers started standing in lines from midnight itself.
In April, excise collections were only a little over 1 percent of the projected collections by the state government. Many say this has prompted the re-opening of liquor stores. State governments are increasingly relying on alcohol revenue to pay their bills. Roughly one-fifth of most State government budgets are funded by liquor. And, that share is progressively going up by the year. The alcohol industry is one of the biggest industries in India and it is believed to bring in a lot of money and profits.
A Social Activist and Naturopath Sangita Almadi told Afternoon Voice, “During the lockdown period, the domestic violence cases are on the rise. The government should have waited till relaxing lockdown before reopening liquor shops, an extended period of two weeks with alcohol supply can boost disharmony in families. Moreover, people are already in short of funds, but now the male members of the house will give more importance to their booze than other priorities.”
Vikas Kumar Gunjan, General manager in US-based Telematics company said, “Restriction on Liquor during the lockdown was a very poorly judged decision by the government. First of all, in India Alcohol comes under essential food items. Secondly, people are not very keen to change their food habits, be it any situation. The fact of the matter is that during the lockdown also people who had alcohol as an essential part of their food/drinking habits managed to get it through various resources. Is it approaching a friend keeping the stock or a bar & restaurant guy or a known person from liquor & wine shop? People managed to get their booze at prices as many as five times high than the actual. The result was people who could have pumped the money into the market during this crisis threw it into the pockets of black marketers that resulted in huge revenue loss to the government. The major portion of revenue for state government comes from the taxes on liquor and petroleum products. If at all the intent was of imposing social distancing the government could have come up with innovative ideas like making liquor supply mandatory by home delivery. Be it through aggregators or by giving passes to liquor shop delivery guys by charging extra money to the customers. This could have served the purpose of social distancing by restricting crowds at liquor shops and giving extra revenue to the states rather than losing the revenue at once. For compliance, they could have even used the UID while delivering. There could have been many measures saving the pockets of taxpayers and government coffers.”
Social Worker Navnath Kardade says, “Opening up wine shops is a wrong decision because you feel you shall generate a revenue of 50 crores per day. But in this process, even if 50 patients are infected with corona virus, imagine the risk you are creating. Although alcohol sale was officially stopped during lockdown, there has been tremendous sale in black, and no doubt that revenue also must have reached the govt. But for revenue if you are opening wine shops, then you are playing with human life and will have to bear the repercussions of this decision. Also, alcohol is available all the time. Even though you have created green and red zones and selling alcohol in green zone, it is easily possible to get the red zone alcohol into green zone. During lockdown, when huge alcohol sales were happening, the government should have taken very strict action at that point itself. The lockdown decision of closing alcohol shops should have been continued in the extended lockdown period also to avoid playing with human life.”
Meanwhile, the Consulting advocates to file a PIL to prohibit sell of liquor to those who don’t have permits to prevent black marketing by punters and only permit holders would be getting quota. Legally wine shops are supposed to sell only after verifying permits. So far, the government has not scrapped permits system but rather made easier.
As the migrant laborers started queuing up for forms and required medical check-ups, some doctors are issuing 100 to 500 certificates in the range of Rs 200 to Rs 500 as fees. After the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation issued a circular directing all its medical facilities to issue the mandatory medical certificate to migrants wishing to go back home, many private doctors too have started this business. As the circular said all medical colleges, peripheral hospitals and municipal dispensaries could issue the certificate after taking a clinical examination and attesting that the person does not have any influenza like symptoms. It said the regular patients should be treated on priority and that medical dispensaries should fix certain hours for the purpose of issuing these certificates. In different parts of the city, workers have been told to make their own arrangements for the certificate, while in other parts they have been informed of medical camps for their group. The private doctors, by maintaining good distance ask patients only three questions, is the patient suffering cold, cough or fever, to which obviously the person says NO! And then go to next counter, pay the fees and seek certificate. Even BAMS and BHMS doctors are issuing these certificates.
When we spoke to Mumbai Mayor, Kishori Pednekar she said, “The DCP of every zone has issued such orders and that’s how these migrants are seeking certificates from available doctors. The police department should also keep check on the authenticity of such doctors. Meanwhile, I will inform this development to concerned department so that the action can be taken against such doctors.”
Dr. Deepak Chaturvedi, M.D. (Medicine) and President of Being Doctors said, “In the current situation of chaos of migrants and travellers everywhere, there is burden on the doctors to issue certificates to the people about ‘Corona Covid-19’. The guidelines are yet to come.”
He further stated that, “Who can issue such certificates is an important question. Can B.A.M.S.; B.H.M.S. doctors issue such certificates? Can such certificates be issued simply on history given by the patient and/or clinical picture? Can such certificates be issued without doing the lab test for Corona Covid-19? If the lab test for Corona Covid-19 needs to be done then who would bear the cost of the test?”
“What if Corona Covid test is not done and the certificate of travel is issued to a “Asymptomatic corona Covid-19 carrier?” What is the Medico legal liabilities of doctors issuing such certificates? Can a Doctor charge money for issuing such certificates? There are many such unanswered questions. The guidelines should be released very clearly from the authorities”, Dr. Chaturvedi added.
Dr. Anshuman Manaswi told Afternoon Voice, “Without the lab test of RTPCR or the Rapid test, nobody can say absolutely confirmed that this is a COVID positive or COVID negative patient. And those tests also have some false-negative results. So, to definitely say that this patient is positive or negative requires test, sometimes repeated the test. Now that is not possible that as so many tests are not available, so many kits are not available, as well as the charges are so high so there are various limitations. Now when a person comes to a doctor for a certificate, the doctor can only base his certificate on a few questions, which are the symptoms, if he has any symptoms of COVID, suggestive of a disease that is like COVID.”
Dr. Shilpa Ambekar (MD) says, “It is good that the medical check-up camps have started across Mumbai, but no doctor should violate medical ethics. Just certifying a person COVID negative on verbal questioning is a threat to the entire society. The government should take immediate action against such doctors who are doing such malpractices.”
Migrant traveller Vijay Panchal told us, “We were told to get a certificate so we got it done from a private doctor. We had to pay ₹200 each, which all of us had to borrow. In spite of all struggles not everyone had managed to get a certificate, and the group could submit its form only when everyone had one. I am trying to go back to Rajasthan from past 15 days. I want to go back home and each day has been nothing short of hell. Government is just issuing statements, but the ground reality is very horrible.”
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, while addressing leaders of various political parties in a meeting via video conference on Thursday, indicated that the lockdown may be extended till the end of May in the red zones, especially the Mumbai and Pune metropolitan regions.
Mumbai’s COVID19 lockdown leaves transgender community at discriminating risk of poverty and hostile because they are on the margins of society.
As the migrant laborers started queuing up for forms and required medical check-ups, some doctors are issuing 100 to 500 certificates in the range of Rs 200 to Rs 500 as fees. After the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation issued a circular directing all its medical facilities to issue the mandatory medical certificate to migrants wishing to go back home, many private doctors too have started this business. As the circular said all medical colleges, peripheral hospitals and municipal dispensaries could issue the certificate after taking a clinical examination and attesting that the person does not have any influenza like symptoms. It said the regular patients should be treated on priority and that medical dispensaries should fix certain hours for the purpose of issuing these certificates. In different parts of the city, workers have been told to make their own arrangements for the certificate, while in other parts they have been informed of medical camps for their group. The private doctors, by maintaining good distance ask patients only three questions, is the patient suffering cold, cough or fever, to which obviously the person says NO! And then go to next counter, pay the fees and seek certificate. Even BAMS and BHMS doctors are issuing these certificates.