IN Jharkhand, with the confirmation of the death of two people from coronavirus and increasing number of corona positive patients, an atmosphere of panic is prevailing in the state. After Ranchi and Bokaro, new cases are surfacing in Hazaribagh and Giridih, increasing the total number of corona-infected people to 19 in the state. As a precautionary measure, the state government and the administration have completely sealed the areas where cases have been found.

But the number of test labs for testing patients infected with Covid-19 in the state is only two, the number of sample testing machines is only eight out of which only five units are working which is severely inadequate given the seriousness of the situation. The aforesaid information was given by chief minister Hemant Soren on April 10 in an all-party meeting held at capital Ranchi to deal with the corona epidemic. In the meeting, the CPI(M) emphasized on a long term action plan involving all political parties, mass organisations, social organisations and trade unions, in addition to providing immediate relief to the weaker sections of the society, whose lives and livelihood have been effected.

The chief minister agreed to the concern of the CPI(M) that the risk of infection in the state is evident, so the number of test labs should be increased so that the positive patients can be admitted to hospitals identified for treatment of Covid epidemic by speeding up the investigation. Further, the Party also raised the issue that in view of the announcement made by the prime minister regarding coverage of the corona infected under Aayushman Bharat Scheme, the state government should identify hospitals for the same, where treatment would be provided free of cost on priority basis, irrespective of the fact whether the identified hospitals are private or government owned.

The CPI(M) has also demanded that PPE be provided to sanitation workers, anganwadi workers and all others workers and employees who bear the risk of being infected. It has also been emphasized that universal PDS should be implemented in the state and on the lines of the government of Kerala, ration should include rice flour, edible oil, pulses, potato, gram, soyabean nuggets and other essentials and also the condition of quarantine centres be improved. The Party has urged the chief minister that an action plan should be prepared to deal efficiently with the situation arising after the return of more than eight lakh migrant workers, students, patients and tourists stranded in other states so as to avoid any atmosphere of chaos in the state. The Party also urged that strict action be taken against the anti-social elements who are disrupting communal harmony by spreading rumours on social media and targeting a particular community. It was also assured that our Party members, sympathizers, members of mass organisations and trade unions are always ready to be in frontline to collaborate with the government in relief operations like providing ration and essentials to the poorer sections of the society.

In this meeting, the chief minister said that Jharkhand falls in the category of a backward state, so there are a lot of difficulties in dealing with this epidemic effectively without central assistance. State finance minister Rameshwar Oraon, present at the meeting, said that the state treasury is drained and the recovery of government revenue is extremely low and only 62.43 per cent has been recovered against the annual target till the month of February. Since the last week of March, due to the implementation of lockdown, business activities are closed. In this situation, if the central government does not come forward then it would become very difficult to handle the situation. During the video conferencing with the prime minister on April 12, chief minister Hemant Soren has demanded an economic package for the state and has reiterated that the central government should ensure that the state GST dues and public sector royalty money are made available to the state in time. The chief minister requested the centre to provide adequate quantity of ventilators, testing kits and other necessary equipment soon. In this meeting, the Party gave some concrete suggestions to the chief minister to deal with the situation arising out of the corona epidemic and to get rid of the huge problems faced by the common people due to the lockdown.  Earlier in the beginning of March, our Party had given a letter to the chief minister demanding urgent steps be taken to tackle the upcoming situation. Our demands were accepted by him as a result of which, rations are being distributed to the needy since the inception of lockdown in the state.

ROLE OF THE PARTY AND
MASS ORGANISATIONS
A Hindi translation of the statement issued by the Party's Polit Bureau in March on the corona epidemic was immediately sent to all district committees and a call was given to conduct awareness campaigns among the general public. After the announcement of the lockdown, all the districts were contacted  and advised to provide ration kits among the needy people, provide food to the needy people through community kitchens and provide relief to the people by coordinating with the district administration, according to the local situation.

A helpline number was issued by CITU to the people of Jharkhand stranded in various states. The workers of West Bengal working in Jharkhand, mainly construction workers, were contacted and provided shelter and food by various district committees of CITU and administration. The West Bengal Party and CITU units were contacted and information regarding these workers was given to them. 268 calls have been received on the CITU helpline, on the basis of which information was provided to the nodal officer of the Jharkhand government and the concerned Party and CITU units regarding 8,619 workers stranded in nine states.

Community kitchens are being operated by the DSMM at two places in Bermo subdivision of Bokaro district in collaboration with CITU Union of Coal Industries, in which food is being provided to two hundred people every day. Ration kits are being distributed to the needy in Kolhan and Dhanbad and masks, sanitizers, hand gloves and glucose are being distributed to medical personnel and sanitation workers by the units of the Sales Representative Union and DVC Power Workers Union affiliated to the CITU. Apart from this, with the efforts of some district committees and Party state centre, food packets are being distributed among the needy in urban areas with the help of some social organisations. Food has been arranged for the transport workers stranded on the highways with the help of the administrations. Also permissions for opening of a few inns have been obtained, on the condition that social distancing would be followed, so as to cater to the needs of the transport workers. Apart from this, inter-district permits have also been issued for vehicles to unload goods inside the state, by our interventions.

Meanwhile, communal forces are spreading false rumours in a planned manner which includes a section of local Hindi newspapers besides social media. The Party directly interfered in this matter by identifying a dozen cases and bringing them to the notice of the DGP of the state through twitter. FIR has been registered after investigation in some cases. Letters were written directly to the editors of the newspapers which published reports that could disrupt communal harmony and in some cases complaints have been lodged with the Press Council of India.

A major problem in the state will commence after the end of the lockdown when lakhs of migrant workers will return to Jharkhand from other states. Apart from their physical examinations which are to be conducted, providing employment to them would be an uphill task. Survey work is being started by the Party and mass organisations so as to provide some relief to the labourers and the poor who are the biggest victims of this tragedy.