Crime to let someone die of hunger: Dr Chinglen
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, May 11 2021: Manipur University Professor Dr Chinglen Maisnam has stated that the state government should have announced care/relief packages including food and money for the people while imposing lockdowns/ curfews so as to ensure that people stay at homes effectively.

Speaking to The People's Chronicle in this regard, Dr Chinglen pointed out that even though it is part of government policy to impose lockdown/ curfew for the safety of the people, it could have been more effective if another policy was put in place to ensure people especially the poor do not stay hungry.

"It may be the second wave of Covid pandemic outside, but there is a growing hunger inside homes", the professor remarked, adding that Manipur should look at other states like Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, etc, and provide basic food and cash packages for its own people during the lockdown.

"It is a crime to let someone die of hunger", he contended.

"The sirens of police vehicles should be accompanied with food packages.

Albeit there is nothing wrong in extending the curfew/lock-down period, the disaster management team and police should work together to provide the essential items required by each household through a policy, including providing monetary aid to assist in buying medicines in times of emergency.

Without such measures in place, lack of money and food coupled with the hysteria over the pandemic would lead to an increase of domestic violence and frequent discords within the family", Dr Chinglen stated.

Citing the Kudumbashree Mission of the Kerala government, the Prof said that under this system, food items are distributed to each and every household of the state during the pandemic.

Even when the epicenter of the virus in Wuhan, China went into lockdown, the Chinese government ensured that its citizens did not go hungry by delivering packages to every household.

All medical treatments which did not require hospitalisation were done through tele-consultation.

Thus, for the stay-at-home order to be effective, people should be provided with the basic necessities right at their doorsteps for free.

For the wealthy, the same could be provided at subsidized rates, he proposed.

"A snake often slithers out of its den when the sun is shining brightly.

Similarly, the government should understand the reason why the people, despite restrictions and strict measures by police, are stepping out of their homes", Dr Chinglen remarked.

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