#ThreadAhead #IndiaFightsCorona
1- Yesterday was my birthday and many batchmates had called to wish. Since most of them are posted in different states, we discussed about the situation all over. Sharing a few things, the perspective of an #administrator at the cutting edge.

2- The administration in all states is stretching itself & they have only one thing in mind, to defeat this. They are all in, daily, not thinking about their own well being. Working from 6 in the morning to 9-10 in the night is the new normal for DCs/DMs,SDOs/SDMs etc

3- The sad part is that many people who can afford to stay home are not doing so. They are not cooperating. One such story was told by a batchmate posted in one of NE states. He said, “I was getting a lot of calls regarding this one shop & how many people were gathering there..

4- ..,I was surprised since we have provided home delivery facility from that shop. On asking the owner, he said, sir we’ve been literally begging people, that we are delivering for free but they insist on coming out, saying it’s an excuse to get out of their homes. How..

5- ..do you deal with such people, we can’t be harsh as they’ll say we are out for essentials, it’s a tricky situation.” I told him a similar story from my place, I also heard a similar story from Delhi. People who can afford to stay back, are wilfully not doing so.

6- Another way how the privileged are behaving are their unreasonable requests. “Sir, my son is in Kota, he is alone & scared, I want him here.” On asking if he has food, money & shelter and getting a positive reply, I wonder what is it that he is not getting about the crisis.

7- Everyone wants to be home, I get it. It’s human nature. But, think of the migrant labour stuck all over the country. You feel you are privileged and hence you are above the law, well, you aren’t. Creating a false emergency won’t do it either, cases of which I have come across.

8- “Sir my daughter needs these shots every 15 days, she is staying with her grandparents, I want her to come here.” On asking, “Can’t she get them there itself, are these not available there?”, he said, “sir they are not & she must see the doctor as well, he asked for it.”

9- On calling the doctor & putting the phone on speaker, “No sir, these shots are fairly easily available, anyone in any health centre can administer them & she need not see me at all, I didn’t ask for her to see me, not at all required.” I said a very simple thing,

10- Think about the real emergencies. Why do you want to put your own daughter and so many others at risk?” There is no answer at all. She has gone to stay & study there. She is with her grandparents, inside, with everything availabile, she would’ve stayed there anyways.

11- Another issue is rumour mongering. Calling in to say, “sir these people have come from outside the district & they have Coronavirus” might be a small thing for you but it spreads fear & creates panic. Situation can get out of control in a matter of minutes. Again, I get that

12- you are fearful but that doesn’t give you any right to spread misinformation, something which can literally put lives at risk. Administration is doing its best but you have to understand, we need cooperation. You can’t just hope everything will automatically take care..

13- of itself. Nothing does, this surely won’t. I would also like to warn all of you that even after the lockdown is lighted, do not rush to your homes if you wouldn’t have anyways. Do not rush for vacations & travel unnecessarily. Do not make it tough for all the rest of us.

14- As a citizen, this is the right time to show some sense of responsibility, to show some sense of solidarity. These are unprecedented times, this is an unprecedented situation and thus the measures are also of the same intensity. Cooperation is key.