As per the statement of the Chief Minister of Manipur, so far over 35,000 Manipuris who were stranded in various parts of the country have returned and among them being quarantined at various designated centres for a mandatory 14 day period. Many more are expecting to be on the wait for their turn to return to the state. These are certainly trying times, both for the common public as well as the administration. And though certain oversights and loopholes are expected to emerge, there are more serious and deliberate sounding blunders committed which has come to light that reeks of opportunism and self-serving motives. Among those returnee 143 have been tested positive and so far 11 have been recovered. Active cases of coronavirus stand at 91. Accept for the nurse from Churachandpur who got infected by the virus while contacting with a patient. That means the number of people infected by the virus still manageable. Saying so the state needs extra-ordinary measures to make sure that the virus didn’t spread at local level.
The entire world is getting preoccupied with the battle against the raging Covid-19 pandemic which has been eluding a definite cure to this day despite the best efforts of the best minds and unlimited resources combined with cutting edge technology at the disposal of the experts.
With the battlefield expanding with each passing day, our little state has joined the fray and today, the rising sense of insecurity and concern amongst the public is getting more intense and vocal. On the other hand, there are reports of increasing pressure on the health workers due to the lack of manpower and equipments to handle the increasingly worsening situation in the state.
The need of the hour which should be considered as important if not more, as keeping the people safe from the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic is to provide a sense of fairness and empathy of the uncertainties and psychological challenges of the common public. Addressing any grievance, however trivial it might seem at the very onset should help in preventing issues from blowing up and adding to the crisis.
The mark of a true leader is to display the ability to rise over petty politics and individual concerns and commit to the good of the people. This is the perfect opportunity to shine, and the people are expectant.
