Message from Nature

The world is going through an existential crisis unprecedented
in the recent past even though there are accounts and records of the Spanish Flu and a few other pandemic outbreaks. Economies are tumbling like the dominoes and countries are sanctioning unheard of amounts of money to fight the present pandemic situation and despite the best efforts of the most brilliant minds and cutting edge technology, a definite cure still eludes humankind.
The present developments also show that despite the lack of proper personal healthcare system, the Community Healthcare model implemented by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in India even with the limited resources at its disposal have so far managed to contain and prevent the present crisis from spiraling out of control unlike those in the developed countries like the USA, Spain, Italy and other European countries where personal healthcare system has been perceived to be the best in the world.
Back home, the state authorities are doing a brilliant job of prevention, containment and treatment of the dreaded COVID- 19 outbreak. Rapid urbanization and rising global connections has been a major attribute to the spread of infectious diseases, and with the world becoming a global village, almost everybody is at risk, although those at the periphery or away from the metropolis have a lower incidence which might explain the very low incidence of infection in the Northeastern states of the country, helped, in no small measure by the strict lockdown imposed throughout the country. This development brings up an interesting point, one which should be looked into more closely- that of the possibility of self-sustenance and the necessity for reprioritizing our collective lives. Although the people in the state has been inconvenienced by the ongoing lockdown imposed by the central government to curb the spread of infection, instances of acute hunger and other related tragedy due to the unavailability of essential items have been almost negligible. Add to it the long-standing custom of social organizations, groups and individuals volunteering for relief materials to the needy and less fortunate both in the valley and hill areas have kept any potential tragedy at bay.
Manipur has a history of producing in excess of its own requirements, and till today, migrant workers are risking a lot to sneak into the state in the conviction that the land will provide them a livelihood. It is the social convention of providing for a pond and a kitchen garden for every household which is helping in supplementing with the basic necessities regarding food and water. While the world is immersed in the gloom and doom of the present pandemic, perhaps it is time to try and grasp with the undeniable fact that the epidemic will run its course given its present condition. What has so far been perceived as the top priorities of our developing or developed lives will definitely take a rethink. The wisdom and foresight of our forefathers need to be reviewed and reexamined in light of the present situation. The future should be one which complements nature and not one that competes. We should strive for self-sustenance for our whole state not only as a means of livelihood but as a way of appreciating and conserving nature. We should take this unfortunate development as nature’s way of hitting the Restore Point and trying to save the planet. Our development and technical advancements need to work in tandem with nature. This will be the only way for mankind’s continued existence. Any other way forward will certainly spell doom for humanity.