31st Jul 2020 12:07:AM Editorials
Eastern Sentinel Arunachal News

At a time when the fear surrounding Covid-19 has enveloped the country’s populace with layers of it being added each day, there are also a few instances of adherence to societal responsibilities that warrant appreciation.

 

 In Arunachal, interestingly, the rural people are setting such examples by deeds that are not only aiding the administration which is overstressed due to the prolonged battle, but also showing ways of overcoming social stigmatisation that has unfortunately evolved simultaneous to the pandemic’s enlargement. Over the last four months, an encouraging number of such responsible actions have become news in the state and very recently, the wholehearted and absolutely voluntary involvement of the common people of Yomcha Circle in West Siang in mitigating the hardships of volunteers and frontline workers is one such. This involvement and also the preceding others of similar kind are the few rays of genuine hope amid the ubiquitous darkness the catastrophe has brought. The greater part of the mainstream media- print, TV or digital of the mainland care little to earmark a reasonable portion of space and time slots for highlighting these acts, perhaps because of their current engagement in mirroring the hype and hyper-nationalism surrounding the landing of Rafale fighter jets. But that doesn’t depreciate the weight and importance of these responsible actions since they serve as a way forward in dealing with the phenomenon of stigmatising the frontline warriors of the battle, a menace prevalent almost across the country.

Yomcha's response to Covid-19, which has involved building staying huts for frontline workers and youths serving as volunteers and many similar of the kind in scores of rural pockets in the state, under a critical assessment in the context of the subject of social science can be called an yet another example of successful community participation. This has been the state’s inherent tradition and that its core strength has remained intact has again been proved this time. The feeling of togetherness and the attitude of extending helping hands which form the centrepiece of any community-centric response pattern in Arunachal has managed to override the fear factor which has remained an inseparable element of the pandemic. But it has been nearly the opposite in most parts of the country and has evolved as an additional headache for the administration.

Positive cases are rising both across the country and state. Thursday’s national count shows 52,000+ additions and for state it’s 80. Consternation is bound to rise since the Union Health Ministry has said that herd immunity as a strategy against Covid-19 is not feasible in India due to its huge population.

With a discouraging backdrop like this, the overall response to Covid can bring little results if people’s participation is negligible. Rural Arunachal, however, has an answer. It’s worth emulating. 


Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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