A Few Frames During Pandemic Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

A Few Frames during the Pandemic

                                                                                                    Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

            Recent COVID-19 pandemic has made man hygiene conscious so much that has led to strange scenes throughout the world. People have been using masks, sanitizers and adopting social distancing so as to avoid infection. It is a common belief that this virus infects the surfaces also like table laptop, key boards, car handles and the like that has led people to adopt strange methods to avoid the infection. I know one such person who uses tongs to pick up newspaper in the morning to avoid direct contact with the gate that may be touched by the hawker. Not only this he even disinfects the paper in direct sunlight for half an hour before allowing the family members to read it. Another person has even shown the ingenuity of putting the lock on the front door of his house so as to avoid any contact with the people, including the neighbors.

          It is difficult to restrain people indoors for a long time. Hence some countries are easing restriction so that people can enjoy outing with their friends in their favourite restaurants. But precaution is still necessary as prevention is always better than cure. So besides stressing sanitizing and wearing masks one restaurant in Europe has made a long round table so as to maintain social distancing. Another eatery has designed huts with transparent covers that is meant for two people only as it has only two chairs and a table. Similarly waiters with masks and even transparent visors take orders from customers by putting menu on a wooden plank and placing it on the table. After taking orders by listening carefully to the customers orders through the transparent veil as waiters can not enter the hut, the dishes are also served by keeping plates on the wooden plank and put it on the table by the waiter without removing the cover and entering the hut.

          Not only eateries and hotels even legal procedures have been adopted to suit the changing circumstances. People are signing the wills closed behind the cars of course after disinfecting the papers that have come from attorney’s office. Lawyers have even made booths for the customers in which they can go as they go to vote duringthe elections and sign legal papers after sanisitizing themselves and their pen and of course the papers they have to sign. They leave the papers in the paper which are gathered carefully later on. So during this crisis equipment like masks, sanitizers, tongs, locks, wooden planks and booths have nearly become a necessity .     

I'm Corona Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

I’m Corona

                                                                                                           Author :Dr. K.S. Kang

Though I do not know my real name but since human race has given a name Corona to an invisible, almost weightless creature like me so let it be so. While human beings are busy in debating my origin whether I have come from wet market of Wuhan or from its lab I am feeding happily on human beings. I have tried to burn the candle of human race from both the ends by making primarily the old people and young infants as my victims. Though WHO is hesitating in terming me as Pandemic but there is hardly any corner of the world that I have not invaded. I have succeeded in invading some of the most safe and secure places in the world like White Hall, where a powerful person like Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of England could not escape my might. I have even invaded the iron curtains of Kremlin by infecting Putin also. Even White House is also not beyond me and even Queen of  England Elizabeth II had fled to Windsor Castle in hope of escaping from me. Such is my might which is an invisible, almost weightless, unicellular organism known to the world as COVID-19 virus.

            It is not that human beings have not done anything to protect themselves from me. They have come to know that I can not survive in air for a long time and I need a human body to survive quickly other I get starved of breath and air. I transfer from one human body to another with the nasal droplets that come out of a body while coughing or sneezing. And I can infect a person if he touches a surface that had already been visited by me. So human have come up with three weapons of mask, sanitisers and social distancing though these can protect him from me for some time only. I along with my thousands brothers are taking advantage of the weakness of mankind who can not contain themselves inside their houses during lock down for a long time. Though human race has taken steps but still these steps are proving to be quite ineffective still as the real threat can only be given to me by discovering a vaccine that can build resistance against my assault or some medicine or some medical process like Plasma therapy that can build immunity against me in the people. Human beings have given me the status of World Wide Health Emergency because the rich and powerful people are as much prone to become my victim as the poor and the resourceless one. Till now I am infecting people without making any distinction but I am certain that day some cure is found that will be accessible to rich and resourceful section of society I would lose the status of Pandemic as there is hardly anybody in the world who shows concern on the sufferings of the poor and the simple. Till then I am basking in the glory of being a world menace.

            As there is purpose of nature behind every creation, so I believe that nature has created me with the main aim of punishing the human race for getting greedy, over populated and congested that has given rise to pollution, exploitation and coming of slums in the cities that are nothing but living hell. Due to necessity of lockdown people are now realizing the significance of neighbours and their family members and due to closure of factories and decline in traffic the air is getting cleaner, water is more pure and surroundings greener and calmer as a result of which birds and beasts are returning back to give company to suffering humanity.    

Opportunities, Not Challenges Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

Opportunities, Not Challenges

                                                                                                         Author: Dr. K.S.Kang

It is well said that misfortunes never come alone. So had been the year 2020 that had wrecked a number of misfortunes and sufferings on humanity one after another. When humanity already thinking of encountering the worst crisis on humanity there came hailstorm, and then the locusts spoiling the crops of worth of crores through out the country. Due to Corona crisis lockdown has nearly become a necessity putting economic strain on the society in the form of closure of factories, industry, transport and schools and job loss and spurt in unemployment resulting out of it. On the top of it came the great exodus of labour in India from cities to go to their native villages as they hope to get better life and security in their home village.

Amidst the gloom of crisis and chaos nearly leading to anarchy the basic trait of human race to turn challenges into opportunites had been a welcome and refreshing trend. A number of social organizations have grabbed these challenges by providing food and other essential items like footwear to the people with the aim of putting balm on the already suffering humanity. In the age of social distancing it is nearly impossible to prevent people from collecting at one place during the festivals. One such festival that was coming was Id ul Fitr, which is celebrated world wide by the muslims throughout the world at the end of the holy month of Ramzan. At the same social distancing had also become a necessity so as to contain the infection of Corona.

In such a scenario two incidents have come like a fresh air showing that after all humanity is one. In Punjab there are muslims only in the town of Malerkotla. Sikhs of the town have shown a noble gesture by throwing open the Gurudwara to their muslim brothers for praying during morning and evening in the month of Ramadan so as to avoid over crowding of muslims in one mosque . A similar anecdote has been reported from Germany where Christians have opened church for the muslims so that they pray following the rules of social distancing. These two incidents show that “ all religions are diverse paths that lead to the same destination.

Long live tolerance. Long live humanity.

Only this slogan can save humanity not only from the current crisis but from any crisis that may befall humanity in future.    

                                                          

Strange Summers Author: Dr. K.S.Kang

Strange Summers

Author: Dr. K.S Kang

In Indian climate normally the summer season-being the worst part of the year- is usually associated with separation and pain. Earlier when the new year dawned no body had thought even in their remotest dream that after a few months the whole world would come to stand and still due to an invisible, weightless, hidden lethal foe. Sukh Lal worked in a corporate firm as an accountant. He had joined this firm after clearing the final exams of Chartered Accountant. Though his place of work was far from his home town but he had decided to go for it keeping in mind the bright prospects, promotions in future and salary and perks which his mofussil home town could not have given him at any cost. After he put an year of service in this firm Sukh Lal’s parents searched a suitable girl for him as his life partner, though they had started the search the day he had joined this job. His wedding and engagement was finalized within a week of his approval of the girl. Before his wedding Sukh Lal had a glimpse of his life partner twice once when he approved the girl and then at the engagement just a couple of days before wedding in the month of February 2020 when he exchanged ring with her. His boss had approved just a week’s leave for this work out of which two days were spent in traveling though he went back by air and a couple of days were lost in wedding ceremonies and one day he had to take his newly wed wife to her town for Pagphera.

So the newly wed couple decided that bride would remain with her parents-in-law, as in rich Indian tradition and heritage it is almost mandatory for the new bride to remain with parents-in-law so as to serve them. So Sukh Lal went back to his pace alone and it was decided that she would join him a month later But just a week after their wedding exploded the bomb of Corona infecting and taking lives of number of people world wide. Duet to it curfew and lockdown became a necessity so as to contain the spread of this lethal malady that had no remedy so far. Government even cancelled all flights, trains and buses and everything came to stand and still. The only change in Sukhpal’s life that came after wedding was that now he spent most of his time indoors and working from home for his office. He even after marriage was still seen handling milk and cooking meals in the kitchen in the morning and evening. Though he was eager for her company but he could not take risk of making a journey to his home town and then bringing her here. In normal times he would have asked his parents to send her to him. He would have taken this risk of making a journey gladly if the risk had been confined to him alone. But he could not have afforded to bring infection to his near and dear ones in the journey.

In the name of honeymoon he had just spent two nights and a day with his bride but then thanks to technology as he could see her through video calls. But still even this technology could not give respite for long. It forced him to think that though summers are unpleasant and unbearable due to scorching heat of the sun but this summers due to lockdown resulting from COVID-19 had made this summer more unbearable and torturous for the new wed couples. Though still there was uncertainty even after a month of lockdown when things would get normal but still Sukhpal hoped that soon life would return to rails and everything would become normal including his wedded life and he would be united never to be separated again from his wife. 

    

Positive Take Away from COVID-19 Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

II

Positive Take Aways from Covid-19   

                                                                                                               Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

Though this virus has killed more than three lac people world wide and many Corona warriors have laid down their lives in service of humanity due to it like doctors, nurses, health workers, policeman, members of social organization and the like. No words can express our deep gratitude towards these people who have made supreme sacrifice in the war against this deadly virus. Many people had to face economic hardships due to lockdown that had nearly become a necessity to fight this invisible foe of humanity. Due to lockdown traffic is off road, streets are empty, parks and other public places like parks, malls and cinemas that used to bustle with crowd have been closed. It has led to a number of positive effects on nature.

            First of all due to lockdown a drastic decline in the air pollution level due to carbon emission of the vehicles and factories has been observed. That has made our environment a lot cleaner- air is purer and water cleaner. After a month of lockdown it is possible to view Himalyas clearly from Saharnapur and Jalandhar. Waters of the rivers and streams has become so crystal clear that even fishes, rocks and aquatic vegetation at the bed of the river is easily visible from its banks. Even in Delhi India Gate is easily visible from Rashtrapati Bhawan even at what used to be peak hours of traffic. But the real challenge before humanity is Can we preserve the purity of the environment even after the restrictions of lockdown are eased that appear quite imminent in the near future. If we want to continue to inhale clean fresh air human society will have to take some strong steps like using bicycles and electric vehicles as far as possible rather than fossil fuel vehicles. Not only there is a need to take these drastic steps but there is an equal urgency to implement these steps with the same strictness that is followed during a curfew or a lockdown. Mankind will have to learn to avoid unnecessary travels and crowding the place and where the journey is a must then public transport should be used as far as possible. Government should also take initiative in encouraging the use of vehicles with less polluting fuels like electric vehicles, or vehicles run by CNG, etc. Cleaner environment has led to the return of birds and beasts to the urban areas also after a long time as the surrounding have become greener.

            At the social level compulsion of remaining indoors due to lockdown has resulted in rediscovery of social relations like that of family and neighbours. Most of the people can be seen spending quality time with their family members as a result of which understanding between the members of family has increased. Some people are devoting their free time in pursuing their hobbies like gardening, carpentry, painting, music, dancing, reading and writing. Lockdown has reasserted the significance of neighbours who can be seen strolling on the roof of their houses in the evening and morning. It is essential to set up rapport with them as they are the people who will help you in  difficult times as it may take some time before your children, friends and relatives living at a distance are able to reach you, particularly in the times of Lockdown. Technology has reduced distances atleast virtually as broadband, internet, skype, google, or optical fiber connection that enables you to contact them at will through video calls. Now it is up to human society whether it wants to remain in the paradise of cleaner surroundings and purer environment or like another Satan to live in hell of dirt, pollution and smoke.      

Pandemic Write Ups Home Return Author: Dr. K.S .Kang

Pandemic Write Ups

I

-Home Return-

                                                                             Author: Dr.K.S.Kang

Suddenly the news in the town spread like a wild fire after a person who had come from abroad had tested positive. Curfew was enforced at once in the locality where the infected person lived and authorities clamped strict lockdown in the area declaring it to be red zone. Factories. Schools, colleges and offices and shops in the market were ordered to be closed at once with the exception of few shops selling essential items like medicines, groceries and milk. These shops were also allowed to open only for a couple of hours in the morning and evening. Such was the might of invisible, almost weightless virus named Corona that life in the town had come to stand and still. With that came one of the most severe crisis in the life of  Bholu who worked in the bicycle factory of the town. Owner of the factory showed his inability to continue their job and asked them to go away at once. This crisis was not only for Bholu but for hundreds of people like Bholu who had come from the distant parts of the country like Assam, Bihar, Orissa and Bengal to come in the number of industries in this part of the country that was more industrialized than the rest of the country. Now they were free to die if not from corona then from starvation. Perhaps in choosing the way to die also they were not free. Whatever money and food was left in the house was spent before the first week of the lockdown ended.

Different people thought of diverse ways to confront this crisis but almost every person like Bholu made up his mind to return to his village as he felt that it is better to die among his fellow villagers than among the strange people in this strange place. Some of them gathered at Bus Stations and Railway Stations to get some conveyance for their village but they only succeeded in getting lathis of the Police who were ordered by the administration to disperse the crowd so as to avoid the possible spread of Pandemic. As Bholu was educated so he knew well that despite the social, religious and linguistic divisions the humanity was broadly divided into three- rich, not so rich or middle class and poor and destitute people like Bholu. Each class had adopted different methods of facing lockdown. Rich and middle classes, as they had no worry of income and food, adopted every instruction of government like staying indoors, wearing masks, using sanitisers, social distancing and utilizing their time by pursuing their hobbies and devoting time to their families, friends, relatives and even neighbors. But people like Bholu who were entirely dependent upon their daily earnings had no option left either to die in this town or to reach their village or to die of some calamity on the way to their village. Bholu and his family decided to make an attempt to reach their village but government had stopped buses and trains. So Bholu and his family, like many others decided to rely on their own resources and means and started their journey towards their destination by foot in the hope of finding some means to continue their journey. Some people were moving on their bicycles, rickshaws- particularly a girl who was dragging an old man on the bicycle whose legs were injured in an accident as he was an auto driver. After covering a few kilometers on highway Bholu’s younger daughter got hungry, after walking for a few more kilometers they saw a social organization distributing food packets and water bottles. Though most of the people could not get food packet in the name of social distancing and flouting rules of lockdown but some how Bholu managed to get food packets and water bottle. There were many people like Bholu who were walking on the highway with their belongings with single undivided aim of reaching their village come what may. Some of them were trying to contact truck drivers who gave them lifts to their villages but of course for a price. Seeing the tiredness of his children he also tried to contact a tanker driver but the price that he asked was too much for Bholu to afford as moneywas the only thing that Bholu did not have to spare. So they decided to continue walking on the highway. By evening Bholu and his family were tired and hungry like a stray dog. Bholu met a tempo driver who knew him personally but he was unable to help him, though he wanted to as his tempo was already having eighteen people comprising of men, women and children belonging to same family. So they continued walking for another kilometer when they stopped a road side hotel. As it was getting darker and Bholu did not consider it wise and safe to continue the journey with the family during the night though it was pleasant during the night on the highway. Hotel owner agreed to give them food and shelter for the night but in return he wanted Bholu and his wife to clean the utensils and the hotel campus as his workers have run away to their near by villages and have not returned since yesterday. So they spent the first night on the highway under the cover of moonlight and shining stars as the weather was quite pleasant and as they were tired so after having their fill they had a good and sound sleep. They resumed their journey early in the morning next day as they hoped to cover some distance before the merciless scorching heat of the sun gets unbearable. After walking for a couple of kilometers Bholu’s eyes hit a seemingly familiar sight. On coming closer he found that it was upturned tempo whose owner could not take Bholu and his family on his tempo as it was already over loaded. Some speeding car had hit it from the back resulting in the death of the driver sending him to his ultimate destination within no time. His wife was wailing and an ambulance was taking injured people to the hospital and some workers of social organization was handing over biscuits and water bottles to them. Good sense prevailed over Bholu he also grabbed a packet of biscuit and bottle of water from them. That day Bholu saw another tragic sight of a overturned truck that had killed atleast a dozen people like Bholu who hoped to reach their village safely and earlier and so paid some money, that perhaps they got from their uncles in the villages, to the driver and in this attempt reached their final Home instead.

In afternoon while taking biscuits that were given by the social organizations Bholu heard that police authorities were driving people like Bholu from the highway and forcing them to return to their respective town. Now Bholu did not want to return back to town that was nothing less than a hell. He met another man with his family named Jaita, who like Bholu was coming from another big town of the contry and heading towards his village. Both Bholu and Jaita decided to leave highway and walk on the nearby railway as they hoped that it was safer and it would also take them to their destination. In the evening they came to a pond where railway line merged into another branch line. Here Bholu and Jaita decided to call it a day and rest for the night. As there were no social organizations on the railway lines so they had depend on the whatever food packets and biscuits were left. Although they had luxury to drink as much water as they liked from the pond. Jaita’s family decided to sleep on the railway line making the railway tracks as their pillow as they knew that government had stopped all the trains, while Bholu’s family decided to move near the pond. At midnight there was sudden bright light and noise and cries of Jaita, his wife and two young boys who were mercilessly cut down by a cargo train that only God knows where it came from. In the morning Bholu was feeling depressed at the sudden and tragic loss of his fellow passengers. However they continued walking on the tracks. At a place where Bholu stopped to have a cup of tea he heard another rumor that some people like Bholu who had succeeded in reaching their villages were driven away, beaten up and one even was killed. Bholu could not imagine even in his dreams that this virus has made people so much afraid and insensitive that even his own friends and relatives with whom he had spent his entire childhood will kill him. Sometimes he even questioned his decision of leaving the town and move towards his village. Will it be so near yet so far for him and his family too. There was an air of uncertainty as he did not know whether he and his family would succeed in reaching their village or not, will they die on the way or even by his own fellow villagers yet inspired by the couple who had undertaken the journey of 1100 kms on foot and by the girl who had ferried across her father successfully on bicycle by covering the journey of 400 kms, he took another step towards his desitnation.