A 40-day lockdown may be essential to curb the spread of coronavirus but with the relief for the migrant workers far from being adequate, the question is whether they would be able to survive it.
As per the last official count, India has recorded over 12,000 cases of COVID-19, with more than 400 deaths.
While a lockdown may be an effective way to flatten the curve, it also has to be accompanied by substantial relief measures for the poor, who bear its worst effects. However, such measures have been far and few between, leaving a lot to be desired from the governments.
The condition of daily wage earners on the banks of the Yamuna and the congregations of hundreds wanting to go home in Mumbai's Bandra are a testament to this.
Perhaps the easing of restrictions on 20 April, especially the opening up of the agricultural sector and some industrial activity, would bring in some relief. However, a comprehensive relief package, over and above the Rs 1.75 lakh crore financial package of last month, still remains the need of the hour.
(Kaafi Real is a series of cartoons on The Quint. You can check out all our other Kaafi Real cartoons here.)
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