Everyone heaved a sigh of relief when the two positive COVID-19 cases of Manipur were recovered. It is quite commendable on the efforts put up by everyone from our Chief Minister to the obscured frontline warriors. Slowly life is returning to normalcy in Manipur as there are no new positive cases in Manipur. And the focus of the state is now on the well being of the people out here in the state as well as outside the state.
The talk of the town now is the recent bringing back of stranded 87 Manipuris from Guwahati to Imphal and the Bus fare they were charged. Many are complaining that the fare was exorbitant and are questioning the rationale behind it. Also, people from other camps supporting the move by the government and the fare, is of the opinion, that the total bus seating capacity was reduced to half to maintain social distancing and as such, the fare was high. So what is worth pondering over here is can’t the government something like a subsidy if not the total fare for the people who have suffered enough because of the lockdown. For Assam Rs.7000 was charged as bus fees for bringing back stranded students and guardians in Kota, Rajasthan. The distance between Kota and Assam is 2000 plus kilometres and the distance from Guwahati to Imphal is a mere 500kms approx and why this stark difference in the bus fare? It is worth questioning who fixed the fare for bringing back the stranded brethren from Assam, was it the Government or the private Bus operators? If it was the private Bus operators, why didn’t the government intervene? Also, the government could have used the fund from the CM COVID fund which is being donated by the people every day, or is the CM COVID-19 running out of funds? If not used during this time, when will be the appropriate time to use the fund?
Also, one cannot miss the initiatives taken up by the MLAs of Bishnupur and Thangmeiband Assembly to bore the cost incurred in bringing back the people stranded from their respective constituency. Why can’t our remaining MLAs follow the above two MLAs footsteps? If they can sponsor such a thing from their pocket or other funds, then other MLAs and leaders can do the same too, this is what comes to one’s mind.
Whatsoever, doesn’t mean that our CM is not doing enough during this COVID-19 pandemic. It is under his dynamic leadership that the state has remained free from the clutches of CoronaVirus. But as being the head of the state he needs to answer the needs and wants of the people and whatever he does good for the people, a single misstep like such can go down the drain and people will forget all the good things he had done so far in a flash.
