Covid-19: Grief and loss echoes Manipur

Bramhacharimayum Sadananda Sharma *

Covid-19 Fatalities for May 2021 :: Pix - The People's Chronicle

Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic majority of the families are facing many significant issues not only financial problem as a result of the current situation prevailing in our state. Some people experience multiple losses during this disaster or large-scale health emergency.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, most people are unable to be with loved one when they die, or unable to mourn someone’s death in-person with friends and family.

Some losses jobs become unemployed; some are unable to earn money, loss or reduction in health support services, unable to get proper health care, on one hand tension of inadequate vaccines; on the other hand contagious deadly virus spreading and claiming more lives than everand such sudden changes in one’s life will be hard for everyone to adjust. The sound of grief and loss echoes Manipur.

Hearing news of state government latest and revised SOPs, curfew, movement restriction and strict order to stay at home to cope spread of virus gave most of the families a nightmare. Just because some people resist capturing or reflecting signs of poverty doesn’t mean everything is going well.

There are huge setbacks inside our society in terms of financial, health infrastructures, social economic status (SES) and at time of pandemic the situation is quite unimaginable. The expanding gap between rich and poor is not only widening the gulf in incomes and wealth in our state.

It is helping the rich and well connected people lead longer liveswhile cutting short the lives of those who are struggling.There is a wall slowly building between rich and poor, and it is aware by most of us during this hard time. This might be hard to say “We didn’t notice the change”.

Of course, a lot of government welfare schemes, incentives are being provided for the welfare of the public during this pandemic. But,the question is all this government schemes really mitigate the problem faced by the needy families in this present context. The problem is very real, countless families in our state sleep with one single meal.

Earlier they had to work even after taking sleeping pills because they need to work to fill their stomach, now imagine their condition. And the fact that our state has less beggar doesn’t mean our State is excellence in managing under privileged community compare to other State.

A scheme or programme without any systemic planningis just like pouring water outside the cup where resources are spent without its effectiveness. One thing is clear that many self serving people and agents inside our society which acts as a middle man making a huge profit out of all these welfare schemes and policy. And common people being bargain by shutting their voices with some mere supplies even during the hard time of pandemic.

Various schemes and policies launched by our government doesn’t reach to targeted peopledue to lack of awareness and information about the schemes and policies. Yes, it will be wrong not to mention and applaud the role of various print and electronic media providing such essential information about those various schemes and subsidized foods.

But the reality lies when that person who has to work from morning till night and they have no additional time to focus on such ideas and standing a long queue. Even, if they want to apply for such schemes, all those lengthy process and procedure which create another wall of problem for them.

Any State with high rate of conflicts, crime, violence, confusion, will surely go backward in term of uplifting under privileged peoples. All these issues become our breakfast and dinner. Everyone is busy analysing and putting effort to fill their belly with such issues.

Of course, a lot of problem also needs to be prioritized first, but the whole idea is that in between this problem and getting solved, we are missing the voices of many under privileged people. For their side there will be no agitation or movement to protestor address to the government and concern department because in crucial hours they needa dedicated organization to adress their issues and grievances in a proper channel.

Few Civil Society Organisations and NGOs stands and work for them but our government should also focus and address their issues for long time measures. A society become paralysed when all capable persons put their hands in pocket.

Honestly speaking, may be our under privileged communities or families might slowly give up the idea, believes and hope inour own government policies and welfare schemes in days to come if present trend continues.

Life is an easy road for some but hard a race for most of the people and the hope of survivability is what gives us the courage to fight for tomorrow. They will continue to fight just for survival nor less or more. Hope our present society’s capable, powerful, willingness to act and serve people help sincerely in solving some of their problem especially during this hard time of pandemic.