Fighting a multi-pronged war on the pandemic

Your magazine deserves applause for analyzing threadbare the crisis caused by the current coronavirus pandemic the world over . It has has infected more than half a million people across the glove.
Recently, its epicentre shifted to Europe and America. Italy has surpassed China in the number of infected cases. One important message from the pandemic is to care for our environment and nature.
The informed world community must raise its voice to see to it that any noxious gas emission by power plants, cars, planes and factories declines in the coming days. We must have more dialogue around carbon neutral tourism.
A sensible suggestion is all travellers, domestic as well as international, decline to travel by flights which emit a lot of carbon dioxide. According to a study, Qantas and Virgin Australia combined accounted for seven million tonnes of CO2 in 2018-19.
The travellers may discard high carbon flight options and select the low ones. In 2019 , Portuguese airline Hi Fly operated the first single-use plastic-free flights and saved over 200 pounds of plastic per flight.
The company wants to be carbon neutral by 2021. Travellers could think of encouraging such flights.
The travellers may be prepared to spend a little more on tickets, if required .
They must understand some hike in ticket fares is a small price to pay for the massive contribution to green behaviour in the travel industry.

Krishna Murari
Allahabad

Grimy scenario

Donald J Trump Angela Merkel Narendra Modi All important world leaders, such as American President Donald J Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, must pay due attention and take all necessary measures aimed at combating the pandemic .
As a result of the pandemic spread, we are likely to see more and more of our work force without incomes.
India must learn from abroad to keep its work force employed and economically empowered . In February, Hong Kong announced a cash handout of HK$10,000 to every permanent resident to meet the pandemicgenerated crisis .
The United States is reportedly weighing the option of a cash handout totalling $250 billion to its citizens.
India could do the same. It can reach over 33 crore accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana .
It can help people also through its Public Distribution System with a total of 23.53 crore ration card holders in the country . India can back its businesses deal with urgent expenses such as salaries, lease instalments and loan repayments . The government can offer loan guarantees to affected businesses. Britain has pledged £330 billion of government-backed loans and guarantees, France and Spain have announced €300 billion and €100 billion respectively.

Cauvery Chatterjee
Kolkata

Need for more hospitals, ventilators

The number of c o n f i r m e d c o r o n a v i r u s - infected patients in India is still much lower . We need not be complacent and remain prepared for the worst. According to as study, the low number at present could be because India has been very poor in testing its populace . Only about 10 in a million people in India have been tested. We have a limited number of test kits. The prevalence in India may be upwards of 20% within a couple of months. We may expect to see about 200-300 million cases of COVID-19 infections and about four and eight million severe cases.
India is hardly prepared to meet this crisis. It has just over 70,000- 100,000 intensive care unit beds and a smaller number of ventilators. Our Health Minister Harshvardhan must see to it that the country is equipped with an adequate number of large hospitals. Our hospitals must get all necessary testing done to prevent infections. The government may resort to quarantining and closures wherever required .

Harpreet Kaur
Chandigarh

Unfair directive

Lalji Tandon and Kamalnath This refers to N D Sharma's piece on the fall of the Kamalnath government in Madhya Pradesh. State Governor Lalji Tandon should not have directed that trust vote should be taken immediately after the Governor's customary address in the Assembly on March 16, the first day of the budget session. The Governor should not have elaborated in his letter how it should be done.
This was not beyond his jurisdiction .
It is the prerogative of the Speaker. As mentioned in Sharma's piece our Constitution authorises the Governor only to send a message to the Assembly.
The Speaker shall read the message to the House and give necessary directions in regard to the procedure to be followed I am in agreement with Sharma that in ordering the trust vote in the Assembly, the Supreme Court conveniently evaded the issue of money power in forcing the fall of an elected government.

Madhurendra Garg
Indore



		EDITOR'S MAIL EDITOR'S COMMENT PANDEMIC EFFECTS FRANKLY SPEAKING NEW PANDEMIC REALPOLITIK PANDEMIC EFFECTS NEW PANDEMIC NEW PANDEMIC SECURITY SCENE KERALA MADHYA PRADESH J&K SCENE PAKISTAN WATCH SIGNS OF THE TIMES WATER CONSERVATION OPEC CHANDIGARH DIARY HITS & MISSES PANDEMIC EMERGENCY MEDIA SPACE ENGINEERING OUR CONSTITUTION ESSENCE OF THE GITA ART OF LIVING Issue:May' 2020 Subscribe Now	EDITOR’S MAIL Fighting a multi-pronged war on the pandemic Your magazine deserves applause for analyzing threadbare the crisis caused by the current coronavirus pandemic the world over . It has has infected more than half a million people across the glove. Recently, its epicentre shifted to Europe and America. Italy has surpassed China in the number of infected cases. One important message from the pandemic is to care for our environment and nature. The informed world community must raise its voice to see to it that any noxious gas emission by power plants, cars, planes and factories declines in the coming days. We must have more dialogue around carbon neutral tourism. A sensible suggestion is all travellers, domestic as well as international, decline to travel by flights which emit a lot of carbon dioxide. According to a study, Qantas and Virgin Australia combined accounted for seven million tonnes of CO2 in 2018-19. The travellers may discard high carbon flight options and select the low ones. In 2019 , Portuguese airline Hi Fly operated the first single-use plastic-free flights and saved over 200 pounds of plastic per flight. The company wants to be carbon neutral by 2021. Travellers could think of encouraging such flights. The travellers may be prepared to spend a little more on tickets, if required . They must understand some hike in ticket fares is a small price to pay for the massive contribution to green behaviour in the travel industry. Krishna Murari Allahabad Grimy scenario Donald J Trump Angela Merkel Narendra Modi All important world leaders, such as American President Donald J Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, must pay due attention and take all necessary measures aimed at combating the pandemic . As a result of the pandemic spread, we are likely to see more and more of our work force without incomes. India must learn from abroad to keep its work force employed and economically empowered . In February, Hong Kong announced a cash handout of HK$10,000 to every permanent resident to meet the pandemicgenerated crisis . The United States is reportedly weighing the option of a cash handout totalling $250 billion to its citizens. India could do the same. It can reach over 33 crore accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana . It can help people also through its Public Distribution System with a total of 23.53 crore ration card holders in the country . India can back its businesses deal with urgent expenses such as salaries, lease instalments and loan repayments . The government can offer loan guarantees to affected businesses. Britain has pledged £330 billion of government-backed loans and guarantees, France and Spain have announced €300 billion and €100 billion respectively. Cauvery Chatterjee Kolkata Need for more hospitals, ventilators The number of c o n f i r m e d c o r o n a v i r u s - infected patients in India is still much lower . We need not be complacent and remain prepared for the worst. According to as study, the low number at present could be because India has been very poor in testing its populace . Only about 10 in a million people in India have been tested. We have a limited number of test kits. The prevalence in India may be upwards of 20% within a couple of months. We may expect to see about 200-300 million cases of COVID-19 infections and about four and eight million severe cases. India is hardly prepared to meet this crisis. It has just over 70,000- 100,000 intensive care unit beds and a smaller number of ventilators. Our Health Minister Harshvardhan must see to it that the country is equipped with an adequate number of large hospitals. Our hospitals must get all necessary testing done to prevent infections. The government may resort to quarantining and closures wherever required . Harpreet Kaur Chandigarh Unfair directive Lalji Tandon and Kamalnath This refers to N D Sharma's piece on the fall of the Kamalnath government in Madhya Pradesh. State Governor Lalji Tandon should not have directed that trust vote should be taken immediately after the Governor's customary address in the Assembly on March 16, the first day of the budget session. The Governor should not have elaborated in his letter how it should be done. This was not beyond his jurisdiction . It is the prerogative of the Speaker. As mentioned in Sharma's piece our Constitution authorises the Governor only to send a message to the Assembly. The Speaker shall read the message to the House and give necessary directions in regard to the procedure to be followed I am in agreement with Sharma that in ordering the trust vote in the Assembly, the Supreme Court conveniently evaded the issue of money power in forcing the fall of an elected government. Madhurendra Garg Indore