Letter to BS: Try opening up economic activities in a staggered manner

This refers to the editorial “End lockdown or not?” by Shankar Acharya (April 9). The author’s well-reasoned argument, going against the majority view, makes social and economic sense. If the lockdown is continued in the present form, the hands that feed us will have no compunction about hitting the streets soon, following the ancient saying “vubhukshitah kim na karoti papam” (a hungry person knows no sin)”. The concepts of working from home and social distancing do not work for a farmer, small trader, helps, drivers, labourers and so on. An extended lockdown could give rise to social unrest.

The lockdown is also systematically destroying the supply chain mechanism, severely affecting the farming community like the proverbial last straw that broke the camel’s back. The economy, which was earlier lying on a stre­tcher, is now heading straight into the ICU. The solution lies in opening up economic activities in a staggered manner.

Ganga Narayan Rath  Hyderabad

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