Letter to BS: Covid-19 has brought focus on sanitation, health and hygiene

This refers to the article “Govt norms on resuming work may come as a burden to firms: Experts” (April 16). Gi­ven the context of this article, a brief deviation is required in order to elucidate the positive long-term impact created by Covid-19. India is a fast-growing economy. The pre-Covid-19 economy already had considerable negative elements like pollution, pre­ssure on land, poor quality of produce and lack of quality infrastructure. Health and hygiene were ignored and all that mattered was optimum utilisation of economic resources for maximum gains at minimum cost. In this context, the Covid-19 conditions have actually woken up the economy to lay greater emphasis on sanitation, he­alth and hygiene to improve the quality of its work force, thus ensuring superior return from labour. Social distancing norms are here to stay.

Although the restoration of the pre-Covid-19 economic conditions cannot be possible in the short term, improved infrastructure and hospitals and better sanitary conditions will prove beneficial in the long term. The view that the cost of operations will increase in this process is purely sho­rt-sighted. Economic strength should be more qualitative than quantitative.

Further companies offering transport facilities will reduce crowding in public transport. The restoration of labour, including in the informal stru­cture, will gradually improve when economic activity is resumed totally in the rural and semi-urban areas and partially in the urban areas. The present role of the government should be more protective with policy formulation and supervision over enforcement.

C Gopinath Nair  Kochi

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