22nd Mar 2020 11:03:PM Editorials
Eastern Sentinel Arunachal News

It has been one of the most extraordinary Sundays the nation has spent in recent past, to be remembered long due to an overwhelmingly voluntary participation by the people in endorsement of the lockdown to fight the coronavirus crisis. If the figures, as on the day’s evening told that positive cases had crossed 340 and deaths touched 7, reading between the lines, it’s now certain in next few days there will be little signs of a slowdown of this marauding march. ‘Lockdown’ is the moment’s buzzword and going by the trend of its embracement by states after states, it’s also near-certain that Sunday’s miniature edition will be that which the nation must brace up for a long-term tenure. If, as a protective firewall it has become an entirely unavoidable proposition, there will also be thoughts, although of a different kind that would be too relevant to ignore which will circle around a single apprehension- what will be the economic consequences of the corona maelstrom?
It’s often said that a single-day bandh called due to reasons whatsoever always entails a negative impact on economy of the place and losses run into crores. Taking a little help of arithmetic, it’s easy to gauge what lies ahead for Indian economy, particularly since it has already weaken over last few years and has till now, displayed not a single sign of turnaround. Supply-chain disruptions hitting production & investment, bleak GDP growth forecast for 2020-21 fiscal and a long list of worrisome facts in between are all arriving one by one and the already crippled sectors due to economic recession are awaiting only extended nightmares. There had been no answer to unemployment over last three years or so and the current lockdown which is already knocking at doors will take the problematic scenario to further monumental proportions with the hardest hit to be the unorganised sectors, ironically the largest employer in the country. The sight of hordes of daily wage earners jostling for space to board trains from Pune or Mumbai or their Western or North India counterparts to return homes to escape the corona wrath is an information to take notice by the central government that these people have been rendered jobless overnight. The picture will be just equal in rest of the country without any doubt.
There are news that an economic response task force, to be headed by the FM will assess the situation and ‘suitable steps’ are in the offing. A humanitarian approach is the need of the hour and the above seriously affected class must be extended economic help which must be continued till the troubled times are over. In no way they must be left in the lurch.  


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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