‘People should be able to earn a living while keeping safe from Covid’

Tribune News Service
Amritsar, May 10

Volunteers of the Youth Bharat Sabha, an umbrella organisation formed by various student organisations of Punjab, have been campaigning against the restriction on small businesses and inaccessibility to general medical services due to Covid-19. The student volunteers have been visiting slum dwellings and marginalised communities, educating them about healthy practices, while making them aware about the issues that have been overshadowed due to pandemic.

Gagandeep Kaur and Ravinder Kaur, both students and members of the Punjab Student Union (Lalkar) have been going door-to-door, campaigning against the forced restrictions implemented by the state government. “Covid-19 is not the sole issue at hand here, though it indeed is a major one. With lockdown like restrictions imposed as a short-sighted solution, several people mostly from poor or middle class income group have lost their livelihood and are continuously being forced to face financial hardships, without any incentives or relief,” they said.

Small time shopkeepers, labourers, daily wagers are out of work, all healthcare services besides Covid have been suspended as most hospitals have shut down their OPDs. Schools, colleges have been shut down and online education is not quite possible for children from poor families. No alternative has been provided to this problem by the government. All these aspects have not only made life difficult for the marginalised but also the fear of Covid-19 has added further to their woes,” said Ravinder.

The volunteers have been carrying out similar campaigns in cities like Ludhiana, Patiala and Jalandhar. “Our aim is to educate the masses about Covid-safe practices and to remove the Covid fear among masses. They should be able to earn a living while keeping safe from Covid,” said Ravinder.

While doing so, the volunteers are also helping out children, who have dropped out of school due to online education. “We have been visiting areas where poor families live and held tuition and classes for kids as schools have shut down. Most of the kids, who are yet to start with school education, are unable to study as they are not familiar with the concept,” shares Ravinder.

Gagandeep said the imposed restrictions would not help but only add to people’s dissent. “Lockdown, curfew, forced tests and vaccination and issuing challan etc. are not the solutiona. Tests and vaccinations should be completely voluntary. The government should stop spreading fear and take appropriate steps for the treatment of all diseases, including Covid. OPD service should be restored immediately. Compensation or financial relief should be provided for small businesses and daily wagers who have lost out on work. Ration, vegetables and milk should be delivered to the unemployed and schools, colleges and universities should be opened in a cautious manner,” she said.