एन. एच. आई. डी. सी. एल. क्षेत्रीय कार्यालय - गंगटोक द्वारा सिलीगुड़ी टैक्सी स्टैंड पर अतिक्रमण मुक्त राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग के लिए एक जागरूकता कार्यक्रम आयोजित किया गया।

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  एन. एच. आई. डी. सी. एल. क्षेत्रीय कार्यालय - गंगटोक द्वारा सिलीगुड़ी टैक्सी स्टैंड पर अतिक्रमण मुक्त राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग के लिए एक जागरूकता कार्यक्रम आयोजित किया गया। राष्ट्रीय राजमार्गों को अतिक्रमण मुक्त और सुरक्षित बनाने की दिशा में एक महत्वपूर्ण कदम उठाते हुए राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग एवं अवसंरचना विकास निगम लिमिटेड (एन. एच. आई. डी. सी. एल.) क्षेत्रीय कार्यालय - गंगटोक ने दिनांक 14.10.2024 को सुबह 11:00 बजे सिलीगुड़ी टैक्सी स्टैंड, गंगटोक पर एक जागरूकता कार्यक्रम का आयोजन किया। इस कार्यक्रम का उद्देश्य स्थानीय लोगों और वाहन चालकों को राष्ट्रीय राजमार्गों पर अतिक्रमण से होने वाले खतरों और इसके कानूनी परिणामों के बारे में जागरूक कराना था। एन. एच. आई. डी. सी. एल., क्षेत्रीय कार्यालय - गंगटोक द्वारा यह पहल राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर सड़क सुरक्षा को बढ़ावा देने और राष्ट्रीय राजमार्गों पर होने वाले दुर्घटनाओं को कम करने के उद्देश्य से की गई। राजमार्गों के किनारे अतिक्रमण, जैसे अवैध निर्माण, अस्थायी दुकानें और अनधिकृत पार्किंग, यातायात के प्रवाह को बाधित करते हैं, और दुर्घटनाओं की संभावना को बढ़ाते ...

Protection of the Marginalized community of India Amidst Corona


This Blog is written By Miss. Srishti Verma Student of Symbiosis Law School, Pune.

The novel coronavirus has impacted the planet in a devastative way, something that none of us imagined. While some countries are trying extensively to combat this disease with their well-thought and structured policies, India is also doing quite well on the world map with its early onset of imposing a lockdown and adopting measures like that of social distancing. Many Indians are in the comfort of their houses, even working from home, while there are people of the vulnerable sections of the society who are forbidden to travel to their home states to protect themselves with the rigid restriction on travel in place as a precautionary measure. The government indeed becomes accountable to take care of its people, be it the ones who can take care of themselves without any special policies drafted for them or the ones that need special protection and policies in place as they are the worst hit due to the pandemic resulting in the lockdown. The lockdown has been implemented in a multi-phase manner i.e. with the third phase of lockdown in action, some states are even anticipating a further extension to the lockdown to prevent community spread calling it as lockdown 4.0.
Owing to the seriousness of the communicable disease, the government was strict with curtailments in its first phase of lockdown. The second phase has brought a ray of hope of survival for the weaker sections of India. Well, some people say that the government should have been quick on its feet to predict and draft rules to protect these people from damage apart from what was caused by the virus and some genuinely appreciate and value the government’s efforts. Regardless of the varied views, this is going to be a debate which will not cease to exist as the virus has made sure that it is time for this country to implement laws keeping in the mind the minority for sustainable and holistic growth of the nation as it has been a collective realization about this weaker section being the backbone of the economy. The writer aims to bring a better understanding of the government’s line of action in a detailed manner encompassing the Central, State, and Local Government Initiatives and the public’s role.
First of all, the sudden announcement of a 21- day lockdown initially, made the weaker sections more vulnerable to the already worse situation. For some, it even created more panic and confusion as the information did not reach the underprivileged and left them clueless as to what comes next due to a lack of a plan of action for them. The news channels were flooded with videos of the working class trying to return to their homes in the rural areas. Hence, after witnessing the stress put upon the destitute, the government should have a well-planned, phase-wise uplifting of the lockdown to help the helpless to cope up with the extraordinary circumstances. In this regard, midway the national wide lockdown, some economic activities were given a green signal which primarily focused on the construction, transportation, and agricultural sectors in the efforts to keep the rural employment from sinking[1].
The center has now even allowed the travel of laborers to their home states from the effected metropolitan cities if they are not showing the symptoms of COVID[2]. In this regard, the union released fresh guidelines as to the relaxed inter-state movements. For facilitating the same, the government has made sure that proper screening kits will be set up on the arrival and departure places and buses are properly sanitized for transportation purposes. To further the cause, the states have requested the union-run trains to help the stranded return to their safe havens. This also calls for the states to be fully prepared to send off and receive people, all this has to happen while making sure that the ‘social-distancing’ norm is followed and that the respective states can handle such overflow and transfer of people with enough essentials in a stream, isolation beds, quarantine wards if needed. Despite pleas by states of Bihar, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, etc., the center replied that this crucial task of ferrying people should be carried out by the states ignoring the factors like strenuous administration and distance[3]
One of the main attractions to help the daily wage workers and laborers of India in this time of distress is the colossal financial relief fund of Rupees 1.7 Lakh Crore that is to be distributed and bridge the gap between the policies majorly aimed at the privileged at the cost of underprivileged suffering[4]. This fund positively aims to reach those in need of essential services and those who are afraid that “Corona will not kill us, but hunger will”. This fund has been approved with the background of India’s current poor economic standing. The government displayed short-sightedness concerning this issue by directly putting money into the hands of the poor families when compared to the possibility of maybe exploring an indirect but sure shot success in the long run of considering capital expenditure which in turn can generate a flow of economic gains. The other side to this is that the government wants to give its hundred percentage to help the marginalized community and will take care of GDP growth and Tax revenues later, once India recovers from this economic setback and immobility.
Out of the various schemes and policies in these testing times, what remains constant is the government handing out cash, increasing the daily wages, and directing the employers to not cut wages. Even if the employee does not come to work, it is made sure by the authorities that the employer pays the workers. Sanitation workers fighting the pandemic are promised to be awarded medical insurance and families covered under the Ujjwala scheme will be provided with cylinders for free of cost for the next three months. Cash is being given to the farmers covered under the PM Kisan scheme and wages under MGNREGA have been increased by an amount of Rupees 20 resulting in an extra Rupees 2000 to every individual worker. The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Scheme, which at present extends to approximately 80 crore poor people, will take care of their financial transfers and social security comprising of food and medical needs[5].
The individual states have implemented thorough policies to take care of the worst-hit section of the Indian community. Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh have each allotted a specific sum of rupees to be solely dedicated to the welfare of the weaker people of their states[6]. Apart from this and in addition to the relief funds, some states have also gone an extra mile by indirectly transferring the money to the bank accounts, deferred dates for paying water and electricity bills, have provided a medium for loans, advance payment of social welfare pension, tax reliefs for a certain spectrum of the poor community and reduced rates of food supplies, all in the wake of the coronavirus.
The center and the states have set up ‘PM Cares’ and ‘CM Cares’ to help battle the virus and its consequential issues. This has stirred a string of controversies like PM Cares fund is not to be audited by the CAG or donations in PM Cares qualifies as CSR but the same does not qualify for CSR if funds are donated to a respective state’s CM Cares, thereby diluting the whole essence of the spirit to make donations and be a part of the solution and a good cause. Otherwise, this mechanism of center and state level relief gives a platform to generate revenue in the form of donations to help build a financial army to fight against the deadly virus[7]
Many famous personalities, celebrities, and businessmen are donating generous amounts. Even the Defence and Military employees are contributing along with Supreme Court Judges and IAS officers and other various employees from several government offices and agencies. The arrangement is for the employees to donate their one day’s salary every month till march of 2021[8]. The general public is doing their bit of share by speaking for the cause in individual capacities and spreading awareness. Countless NGOs are also working to aid the government at the frontline of the corona byways of fundraising. To form a wider platform to serve and help the people to counter corona, the Ministry of Home Affairs has also advised the governments to tie up with these NGOs to achieve a wider and grassroots level reach[9]. The governments can also prepare strategies to develop state shelters and community kitchens with social distancing and medical safety measures in place.
Whatever the government does is not to be at the cost of human rights violations. There has been an an exponential increase in religion-based violence and stereotyping due to false news. This situation requires cooperation from the various stakeholders involved which unquestionably also includes the poor. It has made it to the news that the migrants are not following the instructions of the government not because they cannot process the directives but because they have been disrespected and not treated as humans on countless occasions, one, for example, them being sprayed with disinfectant and being given false hope of providing trains to reach home[10].  
The virus, though responsible for making India lose thousands of its people, has been successful to bring a paradigm shift to the extent where India and its administration are realizing its pros and cons. Once everything is restored to a normal routine, it is quite the hope that India will learn its lesson and will work towards a better future with its citizens which will also include the usually ‘often ignored category’ of people.



[1] Ravi Prakash Kumar,’ Coronavirus Updates: Full list of activities that will be allowed from April 20 during lockdown 2.0 (April 29, 2020, 4:35 pm), https://www.livemint.com/news/india/here-s-list-of-activities-that-will-be-allowed-from-20-may-during-coronavirus-lockdown-11586925498347.html/.
[3] Anindita Sanyal,’ States Ask For Trains As Migrant Movement Begins: 10 Points (April 28, 2020, 8:33 am), https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/coronavirus-states-ask-for-trains-as-migrant-movement-begins-10-points-2221122/.
[4] Suvojit Chattopadhyay,’ India’s $23 billion coronavirus relief package will help only if it reaches those in need (April 28, 2020, 8:56 am), https://qz.com/india/1826705/modis-coronavirus-relief-package-will-work-if-distributed-fairly/.
[5] Nikunj Ohri,’ 10 Government Measures To Help Poor Through Lockdown (April 30, 2020, 10:58 am), https://www.bloombergquint.com/economy-finance/10-government-measures-to-help-poor-through-lockdown/.
[6] BS Web Team,’ UP to Kerala: How states are helping the poor amidst coronavirus outbreak (April 29, 2020, 11:58 pm), https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/up-to-kerala-how-states-are-helping-the-poor-amidst-coronavirus-outbreak-120032400344_1.html/.
[7] Team Sahyog,’ State and National funds accepting donations for Covid-19 (April 30, 2020, 9:50 am),  https://www.investindia.gov.in/bip/resources/state-and-national-relief-funds-accepting-donations-covid-19/.
[8] Priscilla Jebaraj, Vijaita Singh and Manojit Saha, ‘Coronavirus | PM-CARES donations cut from government staff salaries’ (April 28, 2020, 9:55 pm),   https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/coronavirus-pm-cares-donations-cut-from-government-staff-salaries/article31383279.ece/.
[9] Shemin Joy,’ From food to hygiene kits, here is how NGOs are helping the poor fight against COVID-19’ (April 30, 2020, 5:57 pm),  https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/from-food-to-hygiene-kits-here-is-how-ngos-are-helping-the-poor-fight-against-covid-19-818409.html/.
[10] Geeta Pandey,’ Coronavirus in India: Migrants running away from quarantine’ (April 30, 2020, 6:00 pm),   https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52276606/.

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