WORLD is facing an unprecedented threat in the form of a new pandemic. Covid-19 has already claimed around 0.16 million human lives in the world. The total number of reported cases around the globe is 2.3 million in 210 countries according to the WHO.

In India also the situation is worsening. A country with 1.3 billion population and crowded urban centers, the possibility for a wider spread of the virus is high in India. Already we recorded around 13,000 cases officially and 430 deaths. But it is important to note that our rate of conducting required tests for identifying the disease is very low. Only a mere 0.04 percent out of per 10,000 people are subjected to proper testing. The official data of health ministry regarding the tests stands less than 2 lakhs. And half of them are conducted by only three States, Kerala, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

Prime Minister had announced a complete lockdown of the country since March 24th to check the social spread of Covid in India. But this had also brought immense miseries to millions of working poor. Only a four hours buffer time was allowed before the lockdown and thousands of people got stranded in various parts of the country without any means to reach their homes. The migrant labourers who had flocked to urban centers for livelihood was the worst affected. Thousands of them without jobs, money or adequate food in stock tried to go back to their home towns by walking hundreds of miles. This literally compromised the very intention of lockdown which was meant for checking the spread of disease by keeping people at their homes. In Kerala the Left government was quick to ensure food and safe accommodation for migrant labourers which is now praised by health workers and government agencies as a role model.

DYFI is in the front of battling this deadly disease which pushed out country into unparallel disaster. From the very beginning, after the virus was reported in India, DYFI committees started intense awareness campaigns across the nation. The central executive committee had submitted a memorandum to ministry of external affairs on March 20, demanding urgent intervention for ensuring the safe return of Indian citizens who were stranded in foreign countries due to the ban on air traffic. At national level we started a 24×7 help line for people who need any sort of assistance including food and medicines. We had received over a thousand calls from different states, majorly from migrant labourers who were stranded without any means to survive. By utilising whatever organisational capabilities we have in each state, maximum help was provided to the people in need. The Kerala DYFI committee conducted exemplary work during this period which was complimented by many. To ensure personal cleanliness of people who are venturing out for urgent things, all DYFI units arranged hand washing facilities in their area. Other DYFI states followed this model immediately. Blood donation volunteer groups were formed by DYFI in all states to resolve the problem of shortage of blood in government hospitals.

Despite the limitations of organisational infrastructure, many state committees conducted commendable work in relief efforts. In Haryana, DYFI is providing food materials to stranded migrant labourers and destitute who are living in streets. In Rajasthan, community kitchens are operated by DYFI in four districts. In Jaipur and Udaipur, DYFI volunteers are manufacturing cloth masks and supplying to the people. In Bihar, DYFI is providing free food packets in six districts. In Madhubani, which is one of the backward districts in the state, a community kitchen is being run by DYFI.

In Odisha, tribal belts are facing a tough situation due to lack of food. Around 2,000 food packets are being provided by DYFI in those areas daily. In Bhubaneswar and Gajapati districts also DYFI is running community kitchens. West Bengal DYFI already manufactured over one lakh bottles of hand sanitizer and provided across the state to people. Everyday DYFI volunteers are visiting government hospitals for blood donation. Food packets are being distributed in major urban centers where the migrant labour population is high.

In Assam, DYFI is providing free food packets on a daily basis in Gauhati, Karimganj and Barpeta districts. In Maharashtra, around 1000 food packets are being provided on a daily basis in Mumbai city alone. In Pune, Sholapur, Raighad, Thane, Palghad, Nagpur and Bandra districts also they are providing free food to the needy. The necessary food for cancer patients and bystanders of TATA hospital is also being provided by DYFI. Maharashra committee also started a help line for free counselling to people who are undergoing depression related illnesses due to lockdown. In Tamil Nadu, all district committees have started free food supply centers. In Tirupur belt alone, which is famous for textile industry, around 4,000 food packets are being provided daily.

DYFI CEC has submitted a charter of demand to the prime minister, finance minister and labour minister,  requesting urgent initiatives to help the people who are suffering from untold miseries due to the pandemic and lockdown. The major demands of the charter are as follows:

• Ensure job security to all. Termination of jobs during this pandemic should be strictly prohibited. Contract workers also need to be protected from losing jobs.

• Prohibit unjustified salary cuts in the name of lockdown. Pay minimum wages to all those who are registered under rural employment guarantee programme. All welfare pensions should be paid on time.

• Supply minimum 35 kg of food grains to all families free of cost irrespective of them having ration cards.

• Start community kitchen in all panchayats/wards under local self government bodies.
• Ensure facilities for rapid testing and thermal screening.
• Special helpline should be started in all the districts to assist women and children who are facing domestic abuse during lock down.

• Arrange special train service for migrant labourers to return to their home.

• All state governments should take mandatory measures to ensure the well being of migrant labourers.

• Facilitate the return of foreign migrants back to India.

• Facilitate blood donation drive for government hospitals with volunteering organisations.

• All pending amount under GST compensation scheme should be immediately released to the states.