EVEN though the first Covid-19 case in India was detected on January 30, the government of India failed to take proper steps to combat it until March. The nationwide lockdown call given by prime minister Narendra Modi leaving only four hours of preparation time, had become a cause of misery for millions of Indians across the country. The Andhra Pradesh state government didn’t pay attention to the Covid-19 warning till the local body elections were postponed.

In this background, the unorganised workers, migrant labour and the poor people were left in lurch. The leaders and cadre of CPI(M) and various mass organisations came to the fore and extended relief operations to help the needy by maintaining physical distance in most places.

RELIEF ACTIVITIES
The Covid-19 relief measures took off in the drought-stricken Anantapur district on March 25, Ugadi, the Telugu New Year day when seven tons of rice was distributed to 1,600 families in Anantapur town. In Visakhapatnam, the industrial city, the cadre distributed 26 bags (6.5 tons) to around 650 families on March 27.
Following this, rice, edible oil, dal, and other essential commodities are being distributed to the needy across the state at one place or the other, everyday. Food packets were distributed to thousands of needy people throughout the state daily, at hundreds of centres. In the state capital city Vijayawada, building construction workers, autorickshaw drivers, hamaalees, house maids etc of the unorganised sector have faced food shortage. The Party and mass fronts organised feeding centres at 40 points on March 29 and fed about 20,000 people in the city itself.

Party and mass organisations took up sanitation programmes at various places in Kurnool, Guntur and West Godavari districts. Masks, sanitisers and soaps were distributed to municipal workers in many places. In some towns and panchayats, food supplies and food packets were supplied to sanitation workers at their places of work.
Thousands of migrant labour, working in industrial areas like Pharmacity and Special Economic Zones (SEZ) who belong to Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Bihar etc were given food, and dry ration at 16 centres so far.
Employees, pensioners, officers, businessmen, professionals and others were among those who recognised the efforts of the Party during the lockdown period and had contributed generously to the cause. Some provided rice, dal, oil and vegetables for distribution. Teachers, workers and employees of organised sector contributed money and some of them participated in food distribution activity. Contributions have been received from Australia, Pune and other places after learning about the Party activity through social media posts.

HEALTH HELPLINE
Many private hospitals were shut down during the lockdown and others denied regular services to the people. In this scenario, a Health Helpline was started with the initiative of Forum for Peoples’ Health and with cooperation of the Free Software movement, a call centre has been started on April 1 and is serving the needy. More than 180 doctors and technical people are  involved in this and about 6,000 families received help through this Helpline so far.

In this background, the Party state and all the district committees offered the government to utilise the offices and other buildings for taking up Covid-19 relief operations. The Party enrolled volunteers and offered the government to deploy them in operations. During this distress, the Party and mass organisations intervened and took the peoples’ issues to the notice of the state government and concerned officers appropriately.

FOR COMMUNAL HARMONY
The BJP tried to divide the people on communal lines after the news about the spread of Covid-19 in the country through those who attended the Tablighi Jamaat prayers. The CPI(M) and mass front cadre explained the facts to the people and tried to inculcate secular outlook among them during these relief operations. We countered the attack of communal hatred in social media and tried to improve the health consciousness among the people.