BEING the second worst affected state in the country, Tamil Nadu has been struggling since March 22 to contain the spread of Covid-19. However, the ever-loyal acts of the AIADMK government threw a spanner in the works all through.

The CPI(M) state committee in a series of appeals has requested the state government to undertake welfare measures on a war footing for unorganised-sector workers who are bearing the whole burden of this lockdown and requested it to release adequate funds to the recently elected local bodies to provide relief to the people as well as to prevent the spread of the virus. However, the unmindful restrictions on agricultural operations resulted in withering of produce in many thousands of acres in the state.

While appreciating the untiring and dedicated service of the medical personnel of the state in containing the spread of the virus, the CPI(M) demanded extension of the personal insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh given to government medical personnel, to the staff of private hospitals as well as contract workers in this sector.

Similarly, the CPI(M) raised the question of widespread testing to be undertaken in containing the virus. Only such tests will result in realising the extent of spread among the people. However, the test kits ordered by the state government from China got diverted to US and there is no word till now when the kits will reach the state. In this connection, the CPI(M) demanded the state government to convene an all-party meet to discuss the situation in detail and undertake relief measures with the cooperation of all concerned.

Many thousands of migrant workers are working in Tamil Nadu for many years in various sectors, more notably in construction and service sector. This lockdown since March 25 has destroyed their livelihood and created panic among them. Across the state, along with Party district committees and units, mass organisations such as CITU, DYFI, AIDWA and SFI are working overtime in assuaging their despair and supplying essential dry food materials to them. They are also extending such relief to patients from other states who are stranded in large numbers around Chennai and Vellore. They are also reaching out to the tribal people who are living in inaccessible areas across the state.

DYFI and SFI in various districts are working overtime in distributing relief materials to the needy across the state and they are also collecting essential drugs and distributing to numerous patients besides organising blood donation camps as and when required through their branches.

Among the mass organisations, AIIEA has remitted more than Rs 1 crore to the CM’s Relief Fund besides providing cash support of Rs 5,85,000 to the families of sweepers, scavengers and security employees connected to LIC after the lockdown was announced. Adhering norms of social distancing strictly, AIIEA units have rushed to the field with direct relief throughout Tamil Nadu. The total relief has been planned for Rs 25 lakh in the state. State government employees have donated one-day salary to the CM’s Relief Fund for the fight against the novel coronavirus besides involving themselves in the field. State PSU workers including electricity and transport workers are also getting into the field to provide relief to the downtrodden as well as to the migrant workers who got stranded in the state.

In the first week of April, the government of India has credited Rs 500 to Rs 2,000 to 30 lakh account holders as part of the relief. A large number of them are thronging to bank branches which amount to virtual breakdown of lockdown norms. Without proper transport arrangements, nearly 10 lakh bank employees and officers are working in public, private, regional, rural and cooperative sector banks. While the BEFI-TN took up this issue with various authorities for a possible resolution, the authorities were insensitive to the dangers being faced by the public as well as the bank employees and officers on this score.

On April 8, the BEFI-TN approached the Madras High Court for a resolution to this issue by making the central government, RBI, IBA, state government and the convenor of the State Level Bankers Committee party to it, suggesting measures to distribute all cash benefits to the beneficiaries at their doorstep without breaking the lockdown; to ensure social distance in the bank premises; to allow the bank staff to join duty at nearby branches during this period; to provide transport arrangements; and sufficient safeguards between the residence and the office and vice-versa for the staff attending the banks. The High Court has served notice to the parties concerned on this issue.  

As the state government was unmindful in consulting other political parties in the state, the DMK came forward to convene such a meeting to consult other political parties in the state to devise ways to fight against the virus. Though the proposed meeting is to be held inside the party office, the Chennai City Police refused permission to conduct the meeting. In this regard, K Balakrishnan said in a statement that the emergency provision was invoked only to fight the virus and not to suppress human rights or political rights of political parties. He also condemned the ban imposed by the state government on the relief activities undertaken by various political parties, NGOs and people's representatives and requested the state government to rescind the order.

He also pointed out that while prime minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of lockdown across the country till May 3, he has not uttered a single word about the measures taken so far by his government in providing relief to the crores and crores of migrant workers stranded in many states and financial relief to the states which are really in the battle field fighting this health calamity. In this condition, the lame-duck AIADMK government is afraid of seeking the opinion of other political parties to take up the fight earnestly to safeguard the state from this pandemic.