Bihar: Residents hail, traders’ body flays lockdown

PATNA: As the state government ordered statewide lockdown from Thursday till July 31 in order to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission, people from cross-section of society had a mixed reaction. While some termed it as a need of the hour, others said lockdown is not a permanent solution.
Bihar Industries Association president Ram Lal Khaitan said lockdown is not a remedy to check the increasing number of coronavirus cases in state. “Allowing services like transport, public vehicles and work on constructions sites will certainly bring people on the streets, causing a surge in Covid-19 cases. Until and unless the government enforces strict rules like wearing of masks at public places, the infection rate will not decrease,” he said.
Social scientist and professor of economics at A N Sinha Institute of Social Studies, DM Diwakar, said there should be a scientific reason for every action. “It seems like the government has finally realized that the entire state is in danger. However, lockdown won’t help in curbing the spread of the virus. It can only stop the chain till it’s imposed. As far as I can see, the situation will be the same after July 31,” he said.
“The authorities, in fact, need to increase testing besides doing micro analysis at block level to trace the contacts of infected people,” he added.
As several doctors, laboratory technicians and nurses have been infected by the virus, Dr Sachidanand Kumar said lockdown won’t bring any respite to the health workers or their families. “The government may say it will break the chain, but what about the doctors, who stay in contact with so many people. Not only do they transmit the virus to their family members but to the patients, too. In a situation like this, the least authorities can do is to keep us away from our families and give testing facilities after every 10 days,” he said.
Teachers, businessmen and residents, on the other hand, said the lockdown could only keep people confined to their homes. Shailesh Kumar, director of Bishop Scott High School, said it is the only way to manage social distancing. “There were very few cases when the lockdown was imposed in March. Had we followed it with strictness, the situation wouldn’t have been so bad. Also, I feel this is the right time for lockdown, considering the number of people getting infected with the virus,” he said.
Cinema halls are the worst hit by the pandemic. But the owner of a cinema hall, Ajay Kumar, hailed the government’s decision. “There’s no point in opening unnecessary establishments in the pandemic situation. It’s not only dangerous but life-threatening too,” he said.
People rush to buy essentials: As the news of lockdown spread on social media platforms, residents rushed to the shops and markets across the city to stock up on essential commodities such as rice, flour, cooking oil and spices. Wholesalers, supermarkets, small shopowners and even online retailers said demand for groceries and packaged food went up sharply. Mahesh Shrivastava, an executive at a supermarket on Boring Road, said products went out of stock.
Residents said they didn’t have options. “Even though essential shops are allowed to open, several small shops in my locality remained closed last time. Hence, I didn’t want to take any risk,” said Sanjay Kumar Singh of Kadamkuan.
Meanwhile, in view of the increasing number of cases in Samastipur, shopkeepers have decided to keep shutters down on the call given by the District Chamber of Commerce from July 13 to 20, said Rakesh Kumar Raj, general secretary of Samastipur Galla Grocery Retail Business Association.