Journey of fate..

 In the ongoing pandemic crisis, some people propel themselves to discern new ways of earning, that's human nature, everyone wants some productive time even in their leisure time.

THE FIRST PART

Rakesh is 34 years old, in the evening he reached his home after accomplishing his menial job. He lives in a slum area of Delhi, he came in the city five years later and used to send money for his family in the native place. On reaching home, a small coloured television was purporting "Lockdown for 14 hours (on 22 March)" which was known as 'Janata Curfew'. Firstly, he was confused but after some time he became distraught.

From the next day, there were many uncertainties, mostly for getting work on the lockdown day. The first day of lockdown passed, hoping for getting a job as soon as possible but later India announced the largest lockdown of 21 days, from March 22 to 13 April.

Now imagine daily wage workers, students, delivery persons etc, the more types of people you count, more you will learn about the effect of lockdown.

Rakesh, in the beginning, he was only praying for the pandemic to end and was vigilant. Also bought some sanitizers and masks, watching television regularly and he was taking cognizance about the inundated coronavirus cases across the world. 

But the status quo was not productive and the hard time was about to come, neither Rakesh was prudent nor the government. The phase of the first lockdown was about to over and there was clamour about the extension of lockdown, Rakesh is not a skilled worker, neither he owns any digital gadget nor any certificate. 

At this time, he realised that it's a long battle but he was afraid of surviving it not because of the virus but due to the hunger. Neither he can go back to home nor he can feed his family. From the next day, his wife began skipping meals. Now, they are acquainted with the inevitable loom.

Now there comes a ray of hope with the rupees 1 lakh crore package for the poor. The package consists of distributing free ration to poor people. A good and necessary step was taken by the government. At what extent does the scheme implemented, is a different thing. When you will see some data about distributing ration, you will be surprised.

 Let's don't divert and learn that, many people didn't premeditated and gave knee jerk responses. It would be interesting to know that there is bereft leadership and how some of the things were evasive.

   

Now, second lockdown is about to begin and Rakesh was planning to leave the city, he was getting worried inside because of the foreseeable unprecedented future. Room rent, electricity bill, water arrangements (as he was in a slum area) and ration all these were the fulcrum. Now, he decided to leave the place before the landlord knock the door, before ration come to end, before the conducive environment become worse.

Sooner, they started hearing news that people are migrating to their hometowns on foot. Rakesh also had no choice and he left the place with his two children and wife. In the hope of reaching to home they were alone in the nights and hungry too.

 In the unknown dark paths they were fearless but hopeless, they were diligent but aimless, they were audacious but need bolstering.

Proliferating number of migrating workers was loom and need to be addressed. So some transport facilities were arranged but do you know the real problem? Many of the workers were not able to buy tickets, the facilities provided were fiasco because there are many stories of many people about covering miles on feet to reach their home.

 

 

THE SECOND PART

Now, Rakesh is at his hometown. His parents were happy to see them. From next day, Rakesh and his old father went outside in search of a job but in the evening they came back with sadness on their face. On one evening, they were having dinner and Golu (Rakesh's son) asked for some more rice, Rakesh shared his plate with Golu and assured that Golu is not hungry. 

After some days, Rakesh got a job under MNREGA, he was happy and borrowed some ration from a shop. In the evening, everyone was having a full plate of rice and filled the belly happily. As the month passed, Rakesh was about to receive a credit for his job under the MNREGA scheme. Before he could have asked for his payment, a person announced: that the payment of this month is delayed; receive your payments next month; don't leave your work otherwise you won't be paid for this month too.

Glimmering sun, simmering body, parched but a deluge of adversities. Rakesh discussed for the payments with his colleagues and was stumbling because the responses were: I didn't get paid for 2 months; I cannot leave the job as I can be paid next month or If I do not get any new job; I worked for 3 months but I paid for 2 months only.

 

One more month passed, the status quo, the government came up with 20 lakh crore package to revive the economy. That's great, it was the need of the hour but did the government managed to help the destitute people? Did the government manage to distribute ration equally? The answer is a big NO.

One day, Rakesh saw that Golu was picking up garbage with some of his friends, Rakesh did not stop him because that was the need of the hour for them. Golu was arranging food for himself and his friends also doing the same. The midday meal scheme was halted and children were managing food for themselves.

In the evening, Golu came home and said to his mother that "today I am not hungry and going to sleep". His mother's eyes were wet as she could not ask his son to eat a small bowl of rice. Rakesh told his wife that "Golu made some friends and they had dinner".

Mostly all poor families, in the rural or urban areas are facing these problems, they are not only under the threat of virus, but they also cannot manage to eke out a living. 

 

The outbreak was unprecedented and the lockdown was necessary to curb the spread of the virus but a premeditated plan should be executed for the sake of destitute people. In metro cities, menial workers constitute more than 30% of the population and all of them were dependent upon their daily wages. Do the government not have data regarding all these, the ever longest lockdown was a fiasco in terms of well being of poor.

In the ongoing pandemic crisis, some people propel themselves to discern new ways of earning, that's human nature, everyone wants some productive time even in the leisure time.

THE FIRST PART

Rakesh is 34 years old, in the evening he reached his home after accomplishing his menial job. He lives in a slum area of Delhi, he came in the city five years later and used to send money for his family in the native place. On reaching home, a small coloured television was purporting "Lockdown for 14 hours (on 22 March)" which was known as 'Janata Curfew'. Firstly, he was confused but after some time he became distraught.

From the next day, there were many uncertainties, mostly for getting work on the lockdown day. The first day of lockdown passed, hoping for getting a job as soon as possible but later India announced the largest lockdown of 21 days, from March 22 to 13 April.

Now imagine daily wage workers, students, delivery persons etc, the more types of people you count, more you will learn about the effect of lockdown.

Rakesh, in the beginning, he was only praying for the pandemic to end and was vigilant. Also bought some sanitizers and masks, watching television regularly and he was taking cognizance about the inundated coronavirus cases across the world.

But the status quo was not productive and the hard time was about to come, neither Rakesh was prudent nor the government. The phase of the first lockdown was about to over and there was clamour about the extension of lockdown, Rakesh is not a skilled worker, neither he owns any digital gadget nor any certificate.

At this time, he realised that it's a long battle but he was afraid of surviving it not because of the virus but due to the hunger. Neither he can go back to home nor he can feed his family. From the next day, his wife began skipping meals. Now, they are acquainted with the inevitable loom.

Now there comes a ray of hope with the rupees 1 lakh crore package for the poor. The package consists of distributing free ration to poor people. A good and necessary step was taken by the government. At what extent does the scheme implemented, is a different thing. When you will see some data about distributing ration, you will be surprised.

 Let's don't divert and learn that, many people didn't premeditated and gave knee jerk responses. It would be interesting to know that there is bereft leadership and how some of the things were evasive.

Now, second lockdown is about to begin and Rakesh was planning to leave the city, he was getting worried inside because of the foreseeable unprecedented future. Room rent, electricity bill, water arrangements (as he was in a slum area) and ration all these were the fulcrum. Now, he decided to leave the place before the landlord knock the door, before ration come to end, before the conducive environment become worse.

Sooner, they started hearing news that people are migrating to their hometowns on foot. Rakesh also had no choice and he left the place with his two children and wife. In the hope of reaching to home they were alone in the nights and hungry too. In the unknown dark paths they were fearless but hopeless, they were diligent but aimless, they were audacious but need bolstering.

Proliferating number of migrating workers was loom and need to be addressed. So some transport facilities were arranged but do you know the real problem? Many of the workers were not able to buy tickets, the facilities provided were fiasco because there are many stories of many people about covering miles on feet to reach their home.

THE SECOND PART

Now, Rakesh is at his hometown. His parents were happy to see them. From next day, Rakesh and his old father went outside in search of a job but in the evening they came back with sadness on their face. On one evening, they were having dinner and Golu (Rakesh's son) asked for some more rice, Rakesh shared his plate with Golu and assured that Golu is not hungry.

After some days, Rakesh got a job under MNREGA, he was happy and borrowed some ration from a shop. In the evening, everyone was having a full plate of rice and filled the belly happily. As the month passed, Rakesh was about to receive a credit for his job under the MNREGA scheme. Before he could have asked for his payment, a person announced: that the payment of this month is delayed; receive your payments next month; don't leave your work otherwise you won't be paid for this month too.

Glimmering sun, simmering body, parched but a deluge of adversities. Rakesh discussed for the payments with his colleagues and was stumbling because the responses were: I didn't get paid for 2 months; I cannot leave the job as I can be paid next month or If I do not get any new job; I worked for 3 months but I paid for 2 months only.

One more month passed, the status quo, the government came up with 20 lakh crore package to revive the economy. That's great, it was the need of the hour but did the government managed to help the destitute people? Did the government manage to distribute ration equally? The answer is a big NO.

One day, Rakesh saw that Golu was picking up garbage with some of his friends, Rakesh did not stop him because that was the need of the hour for them. Golu was arranging food for himself and his friends also doing the same. The midday meal scheme was halted and children were managing food for themselves.

In the evening, Golu came home and said to his mother that "today I am not hungry and going to sleep". His mother's eyes were wet as she could not ask his son to eat a small bowl of rice. Rakesh told his wife that "Golu made some friends and they had dinner".

Mostly all poor families, in the rural or urban areas are facing these problems, they are not only under the threat of virus, but they also cannot manage to eke out a living.

The outbreak was unprecedented and the lockdown was necessary to curb the spread of the virus but a premeditated plan should be executed for the sake of destitute people. In metro cities, menial workers constitute more than 30% of the population and all of them were dependent upon their daily wages. Do the government not have data regarding all these, the ever longest lockdown was a fiasco in terms of well being of poor.