COVID HITS HOME the Pandemic’S Spread to Rural India Will Have Huge Economic Ramifications for the Country in the Months to Come Young.Downtoearth.Org.In

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A website on Environment and Development for the Young and the Curious SUNITA NARAIN \EDIT The real oximeter ELEBRATING WORLD Environment Day in the time of an ongoing horrific health pandemic is difficult to contemplate. In this time of immense human grief and loss, what does the environment even count for? C But take a moment to reflect. The most important element that we gasped for in the past month was oxygen. Think of the hours and days we spent finding oxygen for our loved ones; how we saw patients collapse and die because hospitals did not have oxygen in the tanks; how the courts stepped in to regulate the transportation of oxygen from industries across the country; how we learnt about the business of oxygen concentrator—a machine that sucks in air and gives us oxygen on demand. Our desperation cannot be recounted without pain. We saw the gasp for each breath—and just how precious it is. This then is what we must remember this World Environment Day. The oxygen that we get from nature is about increasing green cover and ensuring that our air—our every breath—is not polluted. Something we talk glibly about and yet discount with our next move. The theme of this year’s World Environment Day, celebrated every year on June 5, is ecosystem restoration. Increasing the tree density and repairing the ecosystem health means the world will sequester carbon dioxide— that is filling up our atmosphere and leading the world to an inexorable downward spiral of climate change impacts—and release oxygen. It’s a win-win. But what we need to understand is that planting trees or restoring ecosystems will require us to first restore our relationship with nature and society. The fact is trees are about land—who owns it; who protects and regenerates it, and who has the rights over the produce. In India, the forest department has the “ownership” of vast areas of common forest land. But countries like India do not have “wilderness”. Instead, we have habitats where people coexist with wild animals in forests. These are the same forest districts classified as the most backward and poorest. It is also a fact that using all the legal and administrative, and sometimes, muscle power, the country’s forest department has kept the tree cover somewhat intact. It works hard every day to What we need is an keep people and their animals out. It shuffles files between the bottom rung of evergreen revolution guards and the top bureaucrats to minimise the cutting of trees for “develop- that secures livelihood, ment” projects—from mining to dams. provides for energy But “growing” trees needs people to take ownership of its management; so security and combats that livestock is kept out; so that the saplings survive. More importantly, trees climate change have a value—whether for their ecosystem services or for timber—which needs to be paid to the grower. This would then make for a tree-based renewable future—where timber can be used for making houses and wood for generating energy. This will be an evergreen revolution that puts money in the hands of the poor; secures livelihoods; and at the same time provides for energy security and combats climate change. Today the entire world is talking about nature-based solutions—what I have described above—but without putting the poor community at the centre of the solution. The reason is not difficult to understand. It is about the political economy of land tenure; the power of the most voiceless and marginalised; and about the cost of growing trees when people matter. In this scheme the value of land and labour needs to be paid for, not in terms of the cheapest options for mitigating carbon dioxide from the air but in terms of livelihoods that this solution will provide. This will make the entire idea of buying cheap carbon offsets unfeasible. Then, of course, there is the challenge when with every breath we inhale poison and not oxygen. We discuss this every year, when winter comes and the pollution gets trapped in the heavy air and moisture. We feel it then. We scream. But then we forget. So, just as winter ended this year, the Indian government decided to change the rules for coal-based thermal power plants to give them a licence to pollute. Simply, it said, you can pay for non- compliance and this penalty will be lower than what you would spend on pollution control equipment. The rules are oxygen for the power companies and death by breath for the rest of us. The fact is our oxygen cannot be secured in a cylinder or by an oxygen concentrator machine that I suspect every rich Indian household will now buy and keep. It cannot even be secured by the air purifier that we already have bought and installed in our houses and offices. Instead, oxygen needs us to value it as the most important and critical life-support system of our world. So, this World Environment Day, when the ravages of the pandemic have left us angry and shattered, let’s not beat around the bush any more. We know today, more than ever before, that talking the talk does not save lives. We need to walk the talk. The oxygen in this battle for a greener and more inclusive tomorrow is our common anguish—this is our fight for survival. Nothing less. DTE @sunitanar

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Vol 30, No 2; Total No of Pages: 92 Editorial, subscriptions and advertisements: Society for Environmental Communications, 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi 110 062, Phone: 91-11- 40616000, 29955124, 29956110, 29956394, 29956399 Fax: 91-11-29955879. Email: [email protected] 2021 Society for Environmental Communications. All rights reserved throughout the world. Reproduction in any manner is prohibited. Printed and published by Richard Mahapatra on behalf of Society for Environmental Communications. Printed at International Print-o-Pac Limited, B-204, 205, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase I, New Delhi-110020, India, and published at 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi 110 062. To subscribe, sms 'dte Subscribe' to 56070 The pandemic in its second or visit www.downtoearth.org.in/subscribe wave is fast spreading FOR ADVERTISEMENTS Jyoti Ghosh through rural areas. This will [email protected] have a devastating impact FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS on the Indian economy K C R Raja, [email protected] 30

10 Digest 20 Combined effort Home chefs across the country Collective farming gains more open up their kitchens to WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY SPECIAL traction among small, landless 1-15 JUNE, 2021 CLICK NOW COVID-19 patients, families farmers during the pandemic DownFORTNIGHTLY ON POLITICS OF DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTTo AND HEALTH EarthSubscriber copy, not for resale `60.00 COVID HITS HOME Super storms River rebirth The pandemic’s spread to rural India will have huge economic ramifications for the country in the months to come 16 26 Rapid warming of ocean waters Revival of the Odi in arid intensifies frequency, severity of Bundelkhand region changes cyclones along India's coasts the fortunes of seven villages

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The last of Gandhi’s men no more Kalyanam Venkitaraman, personal secretary to Mahatma Gandhi, recently passed away in Chennai. He was 99. He had joined Gandhi’s ashram as a volunteer in 1942 (for the salt satyagraha) and become his personal secretary following the demise of Mahadev Desai, the right-hand man of the father of the nation. Venkitaraman was standing a yard behind Gandhi when the latter was assassinated on January 30,1948. Years later, he made news by saying that Gandhi’s death was instant, and that he never uttered the words “Hey Ram” as is believed in popular culture. With Venkitaraman’s death, we have lost the last grand old thatha (grandfather) of the Independence era. C K SUBRAMANIAM An experiment with NAVI MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA immense potential No stopping The refers to the article “Breaking new ground” (16-30 April, 2021). The stray cattle This is with reference to the article Broadbalk field experiment, which has been going on for 175 years, makes “India needs to look beyond gaushalas quite a significant contribution to science as it reveals the potential of soil to to address its stray cattle problem”, improve the yield of a crop like wheat through different methods. However, it published online on April 5, 2021. The rise is not known whether the density and diversity of the Broadbalk soil has in the number of stray cattle seems to be been tested. In a bioethical context, it is imperative to experiment with the due to the ban on cow slaughter. Other soil to increase fodder productivity for livestock. measures suggested in the article are Joseph Henry Gilbert and John Bennet Lawes, the original researchers unlikely to have a major impact. Is there behind the Broadbalk experiment and the founders of the Rothamsted any practical method we could consider, Research institute in Harpenden, UK, have also been the pioneers in the apart from allowing the export of beef, to production of synthetic chemical fertilisers. By acidulating phosphate rock check cattle numbers? with sulphuric acid, they introduced to the world for the first time a chemical VINAY fertiliser, thus paving the way for a whole new agrochemical industry. VIA EMAIL Therefore, from an agroecological perspective, such long-term studies should be conducted worldwide in all major agricultural experimental stations, Temperature see-saw keeping in mind the benefits derived from them and the potential to improve, The article “Cold comfort” (1-15 October, maintain and sustain all forms of life on Earth. 2020) predicts a cold period from the SRINIVASA KUNUTHUR years 2020 to 2053, projecting that global PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY: ROTHAMSTED RESEARCH INSTITUTION RESEARCH ROTHAMSTED COURTESY: PHOTOGRAPH VIA EMAIL

DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN 16-30 SEPTEMBER 2020 DOWN TO EARTH 7 DTE TV Overuse of steroids to treat COVID-19 a concern With COVID-19 patients falling seriously ill, doctors are increasingly prescribing steroids to save them from developing a

hyper-immune response to the virus. A hyper-immune response causes inflammation in the lungs and organ failure, which can be fatal. However, excess use of steroids in early stages of COVID-19 can be quite harmful because it leads to replication of the virus and viral pneumonia. temperatures will become 1ºC to 1.5ºC lower. In contrast, the article “All talk, no Such cases have a higher show” (16-31 October, 2020) states that the world’s biggest greenhouse gas mortality rate. COVID-19-recov- emitters are not doing enough to contain emissions and that there is a lurking ered patients who used steroids fear of temperatures rising by 1ºC to 1.5ºC. Both these articles confuse the can also develop mucormycosis narrative on climate change. The bottom line is that powerful nations like the US or the “black fungus” infection. and China do not show rational behaviour in dealing with climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. Their tendency to flex their muscles on these issues FOR MORE VIDEOS, SCAN should be the point of focus. L R SHARMA SUNDERNAGAR, HIMACHAL PRADESH NOTICE BOARD

DTE responds SHOLAI SCHOOL The article “Cold Comfort” (1-15 October, 2020) does not say global Located in the campus of the Centre for Learning, Organic Agriculture and Appropriate Technology, temperatures will reduce by 1ºC to 1.5ºC between 2020 and 2053. It quotes in a beautiful sylvan valley of the Palani Hills, we are scientific literature which shows that during the Maunder Minimum period a non-conventional, 70 acre residential School registered with the University of Cambridge from 1645 to 1710, when solar activity reduced significantly and there was International Examinations (IN499). The students no global warming, temperatures had fallen by 1ºC to 1.5ºC in the northern take IGCSE (Xth standard) and A level exams. Having a teacher : student ratio of 1:6 we are able to hemisphere, especially Europe. The article quotes a scientist who predicts explore learning well beyond the confines of syllabi. global temperatures might fall by 1ºC, but counters this with a statement from Comprehension of conditioning and its limiting effect on the mind and reflecting on responsibility and sensitivity the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration. With regard to “All in relationships are some of the themes explored talk, no show” (16-31 October, 2020), there is enough scientific evidence that between students and teachers. Send for brochure to: global temperatures are rising, and there is a fear they might increase by 1.5ºC Sholai School, P.O.Box 57, Kodaikanal - 624 101. Telephone-04542-230393/297/487 Email: [email protected] Website: sholaicloaat.org

IMAGE: NASA IMAGE: or more if greenhouse gas emissions are not curbed.

8 DOWN TO EARTH 16-30 SEPTEMBER 2020 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN DigestWHAT’S INSIDE

Home chefs cater to COVID-19 Arctic is warming three times Supreme Court directs states to patients in quarantine P10 faster than the Earth P12 detail pandemic responses P13

1,000 WORDS VIKAS CHOUDHARY

A trader at a wool market in Bikaner, Rajasthan. India is the ninth largest producer of wool in the world and Rajasthan ranks third among Indian states in terms of wool production units. However, procurement of the indigenously produced fibre has seen a sharp decline over the years, primarily due to the increased use of synthetic wool and imports from countries like China and Australia.

FOR MORE PHOTOS, SCAN

DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWN TO EARTH 9 Comfort food Home chefs across the country are opening their kitchens to provide healthy meals to COVID-19 patients

DAKSHIANI PALICHA NEW DELHI

THE FIRST wave of the novel coronavirus Lockdown and quarantine rules made by her son or through ride-hailing pandemic that hit India in 2020 pales in seeking outside help nearly impossible. application Uber’s food delivery services. comparison to the severity of the current "This is why when the second wave began “We charge a nominal amount of `75 per situation. But for Kamal Kothari and her this year, my husband and children decided meal; for those who cannot afford to pay, family, the first wave was quite debilitating. to help others avoid the hardships we the food is for free,” she says. To ensure that Kothari, an accountant based in faced,” she recalls. "So we began cooking the meals reach people who truly need it, Kolkata, her husband and their two children simple, healthy meals for COVID-19 Kothari asks her customers for a copy of all contracted COVID-19 last year, around patients and families in Kolkata," she adds. their COVID-19 reports as proof. the same time. It was extremely difficult to Kothari makes homely, filling meals of Kothari and her family are not the only run the household, and especially to make dal, rotis, green vegetables and curries, Good Samaritans that have stepped up proper, nutritious meals for everyone. cooked in low oil. The meals are delivered amid the increase in COVID-19 cases.

10 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN COVID-19 WARRIORS\ Digest

portal launched by professional chef services to a full-time business, there are Saransh Goila of Mumbai to connect home some for whom this was already an cooks with patients during the pandemic. occupation. One such example is Mamta She charges a nominal amount that varies Bhalla of Gurugram, Haryana, who quit a with every meal. “It is not just patients who high-paying job of a software engineer to have contacted me. One Good Samaritan in pursue a culinary-related career. Business Mumbai is arranging free food for people in was booming until last year, when the first need during this time; even for those who COVID-19-induced lockdown saw a drop in do not have COVID-19. I help him with demand. “At the time, I thought about meals when I can,” she says. Like Kothari, shifting focus to cater to COVID-19 patients and most other home chefs who are or to those who were in need. But I could not providing meals, Rai sends food through do so because of the restrictions," she says. ride-hailing and delivery applications. Since limited movement is allowed this While social media helps Rai spread year, she is able to provide meals to the news of her meals to those in need, COVID-19 patients and families along with for several other home chefs, it has other customers. “However, I only deliver served as a medium of inspiration to take within my gated society due to the alarming up the task. Nupur Birla of Bengaluru, for rise in cases,” she adds. instance, began her home-cooked meals Given the fact that most COVID-19 (From left, facing page) Mamta service after seeing her friends in Pune patients are looking for affordable meals Bhalla, Gurugram; doing the same, on social media. She during the quarantine, Bhalla has tweaked Kamal Kothari, Kolkata; Priyanka took the help of her mother, Malti Birla, a her lunch menu from “premium” items such Halduniya, Delhi; naturopath and health specialist, to make as rajma, chole and paneer to simple meals Amisha Rai, Mumbai; Nupur a rotating menu for clients. “We currently of rotis, dal, vegetables and rice. She also Birla, Bengaluru; offer oats, soups, rice, breads and mixed provides lighter food for breakfast and Janaki Kanya Rajesh,Chennai vegetables—depending on what the dinner; the meals cost `80-140. Customers customers want and what is available in are grateful for the fresh and safely the market. All the food is steamed, with prepared food delivered on the doorstep very little spices and almost no oil, to every day of the quarantine, Bhalla shares. keep it nutritious,” she says. Prices However, she may revert to her original depend on the portion, she adds. offerings once the cases subside, as Several home chefs across the country Janaki Kanya Rajesh of Chennai was juggling two menus would be difficult. have opened their kitchens to COVID-19 also inspired by social media posts of her Priyanka Halduniya of Delhi, who had patients, frontline workers and their friends in Australia—where she currently only recently started a home meals service, families, seeking to share the burden they studies—offering meals. But the real push says the call to cater to COVID-19 patients face while battling the particularly came when she checked on the parents of came from non-profits. “My mother-in-law aggressive infection this year. an acquaintance in Chennai; they had and I started ‘Priyanka’s Kitchen’ last year as Like Kothari, Amisha Rai of Mumbai, COVID-19 and were unable to cook. “Since I a non-vegetarian meals service. At the end who used to work for a non-profit, decided have the resources and I do love to cook, I of March this year, when COVID-19 cases to take up cooking for COVID-19 patients thought of helping out more senior citizens rose again, a few non-governmental after contracting the disease herself a few or those falling really ill due to COVID-19. organisations asked us to help them months ago. Initially, she aimed to only limit So I began the lunch and dinner service in provide food to patients. So we shifted her services to a few people. “Even if I could Chennai,” she says. Rajesh serves around focus,” she says. have helped one family, it would have been 100 meals a day—lunch is sambar, rasam, Halduniya adheres to government- enough,” she says. However, the response to dry vegetables or gravies with rice and recommended menus for COVID-19 her home-cooked lunch and dinner, proteins such as chickpeas, while dinner is patients—proteins such as dal, rice, rotis comprising rotis, vegetables, upma, idlis, easily digestible food such as idlis, upma or and vegetables cooked in low oil. The price rice and sambar, has been overwhelming. idiyappam. “Initially, I provided food for free; of one meal is `120. “Patients often return “In the two weeks since April 27, when I but since people were taking advantage, I explaining how our food helped them began providing meals, I have sent out 300 now charge `50 a meal,” she says. recover safely,” she says. orders,” she says. While Kothari, Rai, Birla and Rajesh are There is no doubt that humble, Rai primarily gets requests through currently focusing on reaching those in home-cooked meals of such COVID-19 covidmealsforindia.com, an online social need and are not keen to expand their warriors serve as a lifeline for patients.

DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWN TO EARTH 11 Digest/SNIPPETS

QUERY BITS GLOBAL

Arctic warming 30 per cent higher rate than in Ahead of their 47th summit in the UK in June, previous decades. As per one the G7 countries, a grouping of the world's outpaces Earth's theory, snow-covered ice reflects seven largest "advanced" economies, have 80 per cent solar radiation, but agreed to stop international funding for coal How much has the open water can absorbs 80-90 projects. G7, which includes the UK, France, Arctic warmed? per cent of it, raising the water’s Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and the US, said The Arctic 's average temperature and making a loop on May 21 that this was the first step to limit the 0 annual temperature that causes even more melting. global temperature rise to 1.5 C, in line with rose1 by 3.1oC between 1971 and the Paris Agreement. In a report on May 18, the International Energy Agency had said that there 2019, compared to 1oC for the What is the impact of should be no new oil, gas or coal development if planet as a whole, says a report a warmer Arctic? the world is to become carbon neutral by 2050. released on May 20 by Arctic Warmer temperatures Monitoring and Assessment rapidly melt Arctic sea Programme (amap), a research 3ice. amap says the region's ice foundation. cover declined 43 per cent from 1979 to 2019. This raises global Why is the Arctic sea levels and shrinks habitats warming faster? of polar animals. Indigenous The reasons are not people are unable to hunt for clear. Since 2004, food. Melting ice caps also open 2the warming has been at a new sea routes for exploration.

TRACKER

Climate change litigations—that 13.95% (241) challenge environmental Rest of the China issued its first tradeable forest laws, government policies world carbon credit stamps at Sanming City in Fujian and corporate actions— Province in the eastern part of the country on have risen globally since the 75.74% 6.60% (114) May 20. Forest carbon credits allow companies 2015 Paris climate agreement. (1,308) Australia to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide The US has seen most of the US in return for added forest areas. The first five 1,727 cases since 1986. 3.71% (241) UK credit stamps issued allow emission of 29,715 1,727 cases recorded between 1986 and 2020 tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

OVER 50% OF THE CASES HAVE BEEN RECORDED AFTER 2015 Conflicts and natural disasters forced 160 40.5 million people into internal displacement in 2020, says the Global Report on Internal 140 Displacement 2021, released on May 20, by 120 the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre of the Norwegian Refugee Council. Despite 100 COVID-19-induced movement curbs, the total 80 number of people living in displacement within their own countries is now a record 55 million. 60

40 The world's largest iceberg broke off Antarctica's Ronne ice shelf and is floating 20 in the Weddell Sea. Named A-76, the iceberg

0 measures 4,320 sq km. A-76 was spotted by the British Antarctic Survey and confirmedby 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 Source: Climate Change Litigation Insights into the evolving global landscape, The Geneva Association, with data the US National Ice Center on May 19. Iceberg from Climate Changes Laws of the World and Sabin Center for Climate Law, Columbia Law School, US breaking is a sign of temperature rise, and their melting can drastically alter sea levels.

12 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN SNIPPETS/Digest

BITS INDIA FRAMEWORKS

India ranks third in professional services n The Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy firm Ernst & Young's (EY) 57th Renewable Energy (AYUSH) has published the Draft Drugs and Cosmetics (Amendment) Country Attractiveness Index released on May Rules,2021. The new rules amend the provisions on manufacturing Ayurvedic, 18. India follows the US and China in the list. Its Siddha or Unani drugs for sale, under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945. rank improved from fourth last year due to its performance in promoting solar photovoltaic n The Meghalaya government has announced an Electric Vehicle Policy 2021 energy as a cost-competitive power source, EY whose key goal is to ensure 15 per cent all vehlicles in the state are electric. For this, says. The company expects the country's solar the government aims to bring in 20,000 electric vehicles in the state by 2025. sector to outperform coal by 2040.

n The Jammu and Kashmir administration has sanctioned the implementation of a A panel under the Union Ministry of new Industrial Policy 2021-30 and its procedural guidelines with effect from Environment, Forest and Climate Change April 1, 2021. All industrial units beginning commercial production in the region from has allowed a baseline study for the NITI April 1 and existing units undertaking expansion shall be entitled to incentives. Aayog's Great Nicobar plan for infrastructure development. The decision came after meetings on March 17-18 and April 5-6, as per the website of the Environment Appraisal IN COURT Committee (EAC) Infrastructure I. However, EAC has also raised concerns about the impact of SUPREME COURT HIGH COURTS the project on tree cover, seismic and tsunami n The apex court has directed the nThe High Court of Delhi has asked risks and protection of wildlife in the Great Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to approach the pharmaceutical company Roche Nicobar island. Upper Yamuna River Board (UYRB) India to explore increasing supply for allocation of water to the National of Tocilizumab 400 MG to treat Capital Territory. DJB had asked the COVID-19. Roche told the court it Supreme Court to direct Haryana plans to supply 10,000 doses in to provide more water to meet the addition to the 33,000 given, but the capital's needs. The court constituted court noted this is too short of the a committee to look into the matter, estimated demand of 180,000 doses. and noted from the subsequent report that UYRB is responsible for n The Telangana high court has distributing the Yamuna's waters directed the state government to across states. ensure legal orders with respect to COVID-19 issues are followed. The Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh n The Supreme Court has asked court also asked for an affidavit on will get eight cheetahs from Africa in the Centre and Delhi, Uttar Pradesh the state's strategy to handle the November, under India's first inter-country big Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat potential third wave of the pandemic. cat relocation project, the state government and Bihar to detail their respective said on May 23. The Endangered Wildlife Trust, measures to ease the burden of nIn a case on fatalities at the Goa South Africa, will donate five male and three COVID-19 induced lockdowns on Medical College due to poor oxygen female cheetahs. The relocation is part of rural labourers in cities. The court supply, the state's health secretary India's efforts to reintroduce the species after also directed the Union and the state told the High Court of Bombay at Goa the Asiatic cheetah went extinct in the 1950s. governments to ensure that such that steps have been taken to ensure However, conservationists say this may disrupt workers are given dry ration, cooked oxygen storage at the college. the ecosystem of carnivores in the country. meals and transport to return home.

India added six places on UNESCO's So far... NATIONAL SUPREME HIGH tentative list for world heritage sites—the Number of cases on GREEN COURT COURTS Satpura Tiger Reserve, the Varanasi ghats, the TRIBUNAL environment and development megalithic site of Hire Benkal, Maratha military tracked from January 1 to architecture in Maharashtra, Bhedaghat- May 18, 2021 74 Lametaghat in Narmada Valley and the 158 52 Kanchipuram temples—the Union culture FOR DETAILED VERDICTS, SCAN minister said on May 19. The Archaeological Survey of India proposed nine sites for the list. Digest/CARTOON CROSS HAIRS SORIT GUPTO

BIG NUMBER VERBATIM

"WHEN YOU ARE IN A WAR AND US $700 YOU ARE ALL ALLIES, YOU MUST billion USE ALL YOUR WEAPONS WITHOUT HIDING BEHIND PROFIT AT THE The shortage in global funds required to protect the EXPENSE OF LIVES" world's biodiversity by 2030 CYRIL RAMAPHOSA President, South Africa, on COVID-19 vaccine inequity at the Global Health Summit organised by Source: A Market Review of Nature-Based G20 nations. Only 1 per cent of the 1.53 billion Solutions: An Emerging Institutional Asset Class vaccines administered globally so far have been in by Green Purposes Company and Finance Earth Africa, as per the World Health Organization

Compiled by Aditya Misra, Sanjit Kumar, K M Sheeja, Susan Chacko and Dakshiani Palicha

14 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN ONLINE TRAINING ON EIA: A REQUIREMENT BEYOND CLEARANCE COURSE DATE: July 1-10, 2021 I LAST DATE TO APPLY: June 27, 2021 I COURSE FEES: INR 2,500

In 1994, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification was brought in with an objective to minimize the adverse impacts KEY TAKEAWAYS of developmental projects. But it has become a mere clearance Consequences of poor process. This is, in part, a result of weakening of the Notification EIA reporting through amendments. But another factor is also responsible for the enfeeblement of EIA. Methodology for EIA preparation There are three important stakeholders in an EIA study: project Methodology for data collection proponent, consultant and regulators. Each of them has a role to Analysis of socio-economic play in identifying and quantifying the impacts of a project and impacts implementing appropriate mitigation measures. A good EIA study can actually prove beneficial to the project proponent and save Preparation of Environmental them the cost incurred due to non-compliance. However, there is a Management Plans lot of ignorance on the mechanism of EIA and this also leads to its Case studies on good non-optimal implementation. environmental practices In order to make the process of EIA substantial, clearer and Review and evaluation of deeper understanding is the need of the hour. To this end, Centre EIA reports for Science and Environment, is organizing a 10 day-long online training course on the topic. EIA legislation: India and developed countries Course Objective: The online course has been designed to capacitate environmentalists and prospective environmentalists WHO CAN APPLY? to develop a better understanding of the Industry professionals, EIA process. The course will be conducted through environment consultants Participants presentations, recorded videos, discussion and environment will be awarded engineers with experts and reading material. a certificate of

completion on Researchers and COURSE COORDINATOR successful academics completion of the Ishita Garg Students aspiring to programme Progarmme Officer, Industrial Air Pollution work in the field of Email: [email protected] environment DISASTER/CYCLONE

Side effects Rising sea surface temperatures are leading to rapid intensification of cyclones not just in the historically turbulent Bay of Bengal but also in the Arabian Sea AKSHIT SANGOMLA IN NEW DELHI WITH JAYANTA BASU IN KOLKATA; ASHIS SENAPATI IN KENDRAPARA; AND HRUSIKESH MOHANTY IN BERHAMPUR

People trying to stop gushing water in Pather Pratima, Sundarbans, amid rains brought by cyclone Yaas. Tauktae and Yaas impacted several states in the country and forced

PHOTOGRAPH: BASU JAYANTA the evacuation of over 2 million people

16 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN N RECENT history, no other pre-monsoon cyclone did as much damage as the two very I severe cyclonic storms that battered India’s east and west coasts in May this year. In a span of just 10 days (May 17-26), the two cyclones—Tauktae in the west coast and Yaas in the east—caused extensive damages in seven states and one Union Territory; forced the evacuation of over 2 million people; and caused economic losses to the tune of `35,000 crore, show estimates by the state governments. Worse, these cyclones hit most of those states, such as Maharashtra, Kerala and Odisha that were already struggling to curb the spread of covid-19 pandemic. “Managing two disasters at the same time brought a lot of challenges for the authorities and the general public,” says Sanjay Srivastava, chairperson of Climate Resilient Observing Systems Promotion Council, a private firm that works on research and development with regard to natural disasters. Trends in recent years show that pre-monsoon cyclones on Indian coasts have become frequent as well as ferocious—particularly in the Arabian Sea on the western side, where they are uncommon, as against in the Bay of Bengal to the east that experiences them regularly. Since 1980, this is the first time that the Arabian Sea has seen pre- monsoon cyclones four years in a row. The India Meteorological Department (imd) has confirmed that Tauktae was the fifth-strongest storm in the Arabian Sea since 1998 and the strongest pre- monsoon cyclone since 2010. According to imd’s historical data, the decade of 2011-2020 recorded the highest number of cyclones—17— in the Arabian Sea since the 1890s. Of these, 11 were severe cyclones. Moreover, the Arabian Sea saw five of the eight cyclones that hit India in 2019. Normally, the region only records one cyclone in a single year. “(This rise) equals the previous record of 1902 for the highest frequency of cyclones over the Arabian Sea,” imd says in its Statement on Climate of India During 2019. In 2020, the Arabian Sea saw two of the five cyclones that hit the country, says imd data; both were severe. In the Bay of Bengal, Yaas was the third consecutive severe cyclonic storm to hit the east coast during the summer in as many years, after Fani (April 26-May 5, 2019) and Amphan (May 16- 21, 2020). As many as 541 cyclones have formed in the region since the last 130 years, of which 96

DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWN TO EARTH 17 DISASTER/CYCLONE

(including Yaas) have hit Odisha, of the Intergovernmental Panel on The frequency of very severe says Pratap Kumar Mohanty, Climate Change’s Special Report on cyclones in the Indian Ocean region professor, marine science, the Ocean and Cryosphere in a has also increased by one per Berhampur University, Odisha. Changing Climate, says, “The decade in the last two decades, Yaas made landfall in the state’s frequency and intensity of cyclones according to the Assessment of Balasore district on May 26—the in the Arabian Sea have increased Climate Change over the Indian 28th one to do so since 1891. This is in recent years because of rapid Region published by the Union the highest number for any district warming, which has made the Ministry of Earth Sciences on in Odisha, adds Mohanty. relatively cooler area (compared to June 17, 2020. This is despite a the Bay of Bengal) a warm pool decrease in the overall frequency of WEATHER AS CATALYST region that can actively support cyclones in the region in the latter Tauktae showed some unpredictable cyclone formation.” half of the last century and the first characteristics, like many other Scientists from the National two decades of the 21st century. storm systems in the recent past. Oceanic and Atmospheric Administ The north Indian Ocean The storm intensified into an ration and Princeton University in region—which includes the Bay of extremely severe cyclone in the the US and the University of East Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the early hours of May 17, which imd did Anglia in the UK analysed 90 peer northern part of the Indian not forecast till the afternoon of reviewed articles to understand the Ocean—is exposed to 6 per cent of May 16. “Cyclone Tauktae under- impact of a changing climate the world’s cyclones, according to a went rapid intensification, attaining son tropical cyclones—a combined December 2020 pre-print paper ‘Category 3’ status,” says submitted by Koll and Vineet Roxy Mathew Koll, climate ARABIAN SEA EXPERIENCED Singh, a researcher at iitm, in scientist at the Indian Insti- 17 CYCLONES FROM 2011 TO the journal Atmospheric and tute of Tropical Meteorology 2020, THE MOST IN 130 YEARS. Oceanic Physics. It notes that (iitm), Pune. Rapid intensi- OF THESE, 11 WERE SEVERE sea surface temperatures fication happens when a CYCLONES. THEIR FREQUENCY (ssts) prior to cyclones in the cyclone’s maximum sustained Arabian Sea have been 1.2- winds increase by at least 55 AND SEVERITY HAVE RISEN— 1.4°C higher in the recent km per hour, within 24 hours. TAUKTAE INTENSIFIED FROM A decades, compared to ssts “Tauktae intensified from a DEPRESSION TO A SEVERE four decades ago. The report depression to a severe cyclone CYCLONE IN TWO DAYS says: “Recent studies show in two days, which is a record. that rapid warming in the Previously, cyclones took four to five name used for hurricanes, cyclones north Indian Ocean associated with days (to do so),” Raghu Murtugudde, and typhoons. In a study published global ocean warming enhances the a climate scientist at the University in the journal Science Brief Review heat flux from the ocean to the of Maryland in the US, tells in March 2021, they have concluded atmosphere, and is fuelling a rapid Down To Earth. that there could be a 5 per cent intensification of these cyclones.” “But the real indicator of its increase in maximum cyclonic wind For instance, explains Koll, during uniqueness is that the cyclone speeds if the world warms by 2°C by Amphan last year, ssts in the Bay remained strong and stalled after the year 2100. of Bengal were 32-33°C—one of the hitting land. This was because of The impact is evident already: highest ever recorded in the region. the warm ocean and the outflow of extremely severe cyclone Fani and Circular ocean currents similar desert winds because of excessive super cyclone Amphan intensified to whirlpools, known as eddies, heating in the neighbouring from weak to severe category in less also play a role in the intensification countries of Iran, Afghanistan and than 24 hours due to warm ocean of cyclones, the paper observed. Pakistan. These conditions were conditions, adds Koll. Even state-of- Eddies may be generated by winds also responsible for the recent the-art cyclone models were unable or by density differences of the string of cloud bursts in to pick up on this rapid intensif- waters and can change the ocean’s Uttarakhand,” says Murtugudde. ication as they do not incorporate heat content. DTE Koll, who is also the lead author ocean dynamics accurately, he says. @down2earthindia

18 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN KNOWLEDGE SHARING TO ENSURE CONTINUOUS LEARNING

There is a 76% survival rate for children ﬁghting cancer in India when they receive good medical treatment. But due to extensive treatment and chemotherapy sessions, these kids miss out on going to school or continuing their education. Providing educational support to these kids while they undergo treatment at the hospital boosts their morale and helps them return to school with dignity and confidence. Himalaya is supporting Samiksha Foundation, a creative learning initiative for children with cancer and their caregivers. Samiksha has centers at the Kapur ward in Kidwai Memorial Institute and Mazumdar Shaw Cancer Center, Narayana Health, Bengaluru. The initiative focuses at motivating these children by providing them with educational, creative, and spiritual support while they undergo treatment. As part of the curriculum, the children are taught yoga, meditation, art, and have access to a multilingual library with a plethora of books. Storytelling sessions are also conducted to make these knowledge-sharing activities more engaging and are very popular among the children at the hospitals. Himalaya has been actively associated with Samiksha Foundation from 2016 and has supported around 1800 children so far. Children getting admitted to these hospitals for cancer treatment can enroll with Samiksha and avail all the facilities provided to help them continue with their education. Himalaya has always been committed to addressing primary and community healthcare challenges. Through initiatives such as comprehensive community health camps, we have strived to take care of the basic healthcare needs of socially and economically marginalized groups. We have also worked towards spreading awareness about menstrual hygiene management, WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), CHD (Congenital Heart Disease), zero hunger, and cleft-lip treatment. AGRICULTURE/GROUP FARMING

Collective response

Small and HEN CHOUUDAMALLA due to the pandemic. “Despite being Shamala was pregnant pregnant, I contemplated applying landless farmers Wwith her second child last for works under the Mahatma Gan- join hands to year, she knew her husband’s dhi National Rural Employment salary of `8,000 a month was not Guarantee Act (mgnrega) ,” says the survive the going to be enough. So, she applied 26-year-old. It was then that she pandemic, make for a teaching job at the government heard about an all-women farming school in Jagiripali village of group or sangha being set up in the group farming Telangana’s Karimnagar district. village by Hyderabad-based non- Soon after, the national lockdown profit Bhumika Women’s Collective. relevant again was imposed to curb the spread of She immediately signed up. SHAGUN KAPIL covid-19 infection and the school The group of 10 women took was closed. 1 hectare (ha) of farmland on lease KARIMNAGAR, A few months later, her last December and started growing TELANGANA husband, who works at the village paddy. They harvested their first

panchayat office, faced a salary cut crop on May 10 and are now in the PHOTOGRAPH: SHAGUN KAPIL / CSE

20 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN Group farming has also bene- owns a piece of land. In a group, the fitted women farmers in Kerala. risks are divided. This is important There were over 30,000 all-women as rains are erratic and irrigation group farms in the state cultivat- is non-existent in the region, she ing in March 2020 and 87 per cent explains. “Even if we suffer a loss of them economically survived the in this crop, we can tide over it and pandemic, says Bina Agarwal, return loans we may have taken professor of development econom- collectively.” The yield also goes up ics who has closely researched and because group farms can afford documented group farming in the tractors, pesticides and fertilisers. country for over a decade. The “These are normally too expensive groups were able to sell their for a small farmer,” she adds. produce, especially fruits and Jaya has leased 0.2 ha to the vegetables, locally or to the sangha for `20,000. She will get community kitchens run by the state an additional `6,100 as her share government under its poverty eradi- in the profit made by the group. Of cation mission, Kudumbashree. “In this, `4,650 will be in cash and the contrast many individual male farm- remaining in paddy bags. She will ers suffered losses,” says Agarwal. also receive `600 a day for the “In Gujarat, 16 all-women labour that she put in during the group farms were formed after I cultivation period. Jaya, conducted a workshop there in While the sangha grew paddy in Chouudamalla Shamala, August 2018. They are now food the first year because of the assured S Balava and secure amid the pandemic, where- minimum support price and good K Lakshmi of Jagirpali village as several individual farmers have rains, they are open to diversifying. in Telangana’s lost out because of labour and sale “If the rains are good, we might Karimnagar district. They bottlenecks,” she adds. There are continue with paddy, if not, we will belong to similar initiatives in Gujarat faci- go for groundnut, maize or millets,” the village’s all-women litated by other organisations (see says Jaya. They are also exploring farming group ‘Women’s groups help...’ on p24). goat rearing in the future. set up by non- profit Bhumika Agarwal cites similar success Women’s Collective stories for Bihar where the higher OLD IDEA, NEW TWIST wheat yields of farmers’ collectives The concept of group farming is not provided the members enough new to the country. Several states process of selling it. “We will make grains for subsistence during the have in the past experimented with a good profit even if the paddy sells crisis, while individual farmers it but with limited success. While at the minimum support price set were dependent on a less reliable the initiative has worked well in by the government,” says Shamala. public distribution system. Kerala, Bihar and parts of West Bhumika Women’s Collective Bengal, it has faltered in most other has helped at least 200 small and MUCH-NEEDED CUSHION states, including Telangana (see landless women farmers in Karim- “Two years ago I borrowed `50,000 ‘If the government...’ on p22). nagar and neighbouring Siddipet for farming but I lost the entire “The latest initiatives in districts to start group farming crop. I felt so bad that I didn’t eat Telangana are different,” says during the pandemic. It has provid- food for three days,” says 45-year- P Prasanthi, director, Bhumika ed `50,000 as one-time funding to old Jaya, the only member in Women’s Collective. “Earlier, the 20 women’s groups in the state. Shamala’s group in Telangana who size of the group was large (around 30). The women were working only THERE ARE OVER 30,000 ALL-WOMEN GROUP for a few hours in the sangha while FARMS IN KERALA AND 87 PER CENT OF THEM focusing more on their family land. ECONOMICALLY SURVIVED THE PANDEMIC The income was also lower as the

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“If the government is serious, group farming can transform Indian agriculture” BINA AGARWAL, professor, Development Economics and Environment at the University of Manchester, UK, says it can solve the production constraints of small farmers

You have studied group farming for over Why did Kerala perform better? 10 years. What benefits can it bring? Kerala’s groups received technical training Group farming involves voluntarily pooling and support from the Kudumbashree land, labour and capital and cultivating in Mission. They were connected through groups. This can help small farmers registered panchayat-level community overcome their production constraints. The development societies which gave them majority of Indian farms are too small to be local negotiating power. Their small groups economically viable. Some 86 per cent of of 5-6 members are appropriate for farmers cultivate under 2 hectares, in cooperation and for getting subsidised fragments. Most lack access to irrigation, credit from NABARD. The members are bank credit, technologies and information, literate; caste-heterogeneity enlarges their and bargaining power in markets. A large social networks and access to leased land; proportion are women. and commercial cropping improves profits. Group farming can provide an Telangana’s groups lacked state institutional solution. Farmers would enjoy support after the UNDP project ended in economies of scale, have more investable depended mainly on leased land, since few 2005, although support from APMSS funds and skills, reduce input costs, and women own land. In Bihar and North continued. The groups were too large address climate change. Women can gain Bengal, however, you find all-male and (22 members on average) and most independent identities as farmers. My mixed-gender groups. Here the men often members belonged to scheduled castes, research, which has also catalysed new pool their own land. which narrowed their social reach and experiments in India and Nepal, land access. A focus on food grains demonstrates this. Most groups also You studied group farming rigorously in without much irrigation led to low yields. survived economically under the 2020 Kerala and Telangana. What did you find? Basically, Telangana added group farming COVID-19 national lockdown, while most I organised a meticulous collection of to an existing social empowerment individual farmers incurred losses. weekly data for every input and output, crop programme while Kerala designed theirs for and plot, for a full year in 2012-13. The data livelihood enhancement. Can it also be practiced on leased land? covered 250 group and individual farms in Absolutely. In Kerala, group farming is two districts of Kerala and 763 farms in How has group farming performed in based largely on land leasing. The state three districts of Telangana. Bihar and West Bengal? government began promoting all-women In Kerala, I found group farms had Here group farming was influenced by my group farms in the early 2000s, under achieved 1.8 times the annual value of writings. Exciting models have emerged its poverty eradication mission, output per hectare and five times the net with varying gender composition. Some Kudumbashree. Today there are over returns per farm relative to the individual cultivate collectively throughout the year, 68,000 such farms. In Telangana, a smaller farms (95 per cent of which were male others for one season or crop. The farmers experiment to form 500 group farms was managed). In Telangana, the group farms pool contiguous plots which enable tried by the UN Development Programme did worse than individual farms in terms of efficient irrigation. All the collectives report (UNDP) in 2001 in collaboration with the productivity but equally well on net returns, higher crop yields than individual farms. In Centre and implemented by a quasi-NGO, since they saved on hired labour. In both Bihar, those leasing land have negotiated Andhra Pradesh Mahila Samatha Society states, group farming empowered women lower rents from powerful landlords. That (APMSS). Here too all-women groups socially and politically. group farming can work in feudal contexts

22 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN produce was distributed among all destroy crops. This can be avoided the women in the sangha,” says through fencing, but it is too demonstrates the replicability of the Prasanthi. In the current model, expensive for most small farmers. basic model. the group size has been reduced to “Many people have returned to 10 making it more manageable. villages and are resuming farming What can enable wider replication? The women now view the collective because of collectively built Farmers need technical support and work as their primary source of affordable fences,” says Furtado. As performance incentives from the income, she says. The model also per government records, farming government; a local NGO to guide them has a provision for the sangha activity in the taluka has risen by as they gain experience, at least to retain 5 per cent of its about 20 per cent and around 20-25 initially; small group size; some social profits so the initiative remains ha of land has been reclaimed for heterogeneity among members; and financially sustainable. farming since last November. crops suited to local ecology, including In Goa, a modified version of The state has another interest- commercial crops. group farming is helping people ing variation where entire villages return to agriculture during the collectively hire modern expensive Do farmer producer organisations pandemic. “Over 95 per cent of the machines like harvesters on rent to (FPOs) differ from group farms? farmers in the state are small and work on individual fields. This FPOs mainly do joint marketing of output marginal. Over the generations, practice was first put into action in and sometimes bulk input purchase. this land got further divided and a 2015, when the residents of They rarely undertake joint cultivation, major share of the land is now St Estevam village decided to stop with farmers pooling land and labour. uncultivable,” says Nevil Alphon- a builder from developing a piece of However, group farms and FPOs could serve complementary functions if FARMING ACTIVITY IN SOUTH GOA’S SALCETE clusters of group farms formed an FPO. TALUKA HAS INCREASED BY ABOUT 20 PER CENT

Why is the government reluctant to AND AROUND 25 HECTARES OF FALLOW LAND IS promote group farming? BEING CULTIVATED DURING THE PANDEMIC First, it is preoccupied with agricultural marketing, paying little attention to the so, state agriculture director. So fallow land in the village into a car- production constraints that small the state government decided to riageway to transport coal. The farmers face, or to institutional roll out a programme in 2018 200-odd residents formed the Ilha innovations. Second, it is sceptical due where farmers could collectively Verde Farmer’s Club and jointly to failed experiments in group farming create irrigation facilities or carry cultivated paddy and turned in the 1960s, without analysing why out farm fencing and receive a around 45 ha of fallow paddy fields those failed. Basically, they used a one-time subsidy worth `2.5 lakh arable. The group took help from flawed model, pushing small and large per hectare for the same. Father George Quadros of Don farmers (who have conflicting interests) What sets the model apart is the Bosco Society, who had been exper- to cooperate. There was little fact that while farmers have to imenting with mechanised farm- understanding of institutional design. collectively create the assets, they ing since the 1980s. Currently Today’s group farming programmes do not need to farm together. The 1,000 farmers across 25 villages have adapted the successful Self-Help reason, says Shariff Furtado, zonal hire the machines in a group. Group model which has worked for officer, Salcete taluka in South Goa, “Farm mechanisation is costly, savings and credit. This is based on is that the state already provides a but can reduce farming cost by 60 principles of voluntariness, small group lot of incentives to individual per cent when used over large size, and egalitarian relationships. If the farmers, making it lucrative. areas,” says Furtado. Now when a government were to seriously support The first group of farmers in machine reaches a village, it does group farming, it could institutionally Salcete taluka received the not work on a single farm, but over transform Indian agriculture and incentive money in November 2020 20 to 25 small farms. Such collective farmers’ livelihoods. and the impact is already visible. benefits are at the heart of group Stray cattle often enter farms and farming. DTE @shagun_kapil

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‘WOMEN’S GROUPS HELP FARMERS ASK FOR ENTITLEMENTS’ Women farmers lose out on beneficial schemes due to poor representation. Cooperatives can empower them

In 2009, Lataben, an agricultural labourer substantial record for this unpaid labour. in south Gujarat’s Tapi district, noted that the In this regard, cooperatives ]empower people in her village were unable to access women farmers to ask for their collective welfare schemes like MGNREGA. With support entitlements. This leads to improved from the Self-Employed Women’s Association livelihoods and access to social security. (SEWA), a trade union that works for women’s One of the biggest challenges for rights, she and others joined to demand their farmers in Tapi district was a drop in yield entitlements. This collective action enabled due to high dependence on chemical-based SALONIE the formation of Megha Mandli—a coopera- fertilisers and pesticides. To remedy this, MURALIDHARA tive of 1,000 indigenous women farmers. Megha Mandli adopted a two-fold approach HIRIYUR Lataben is now the president of this profitable of building awareness and capacity. To create cooperative. Supported by SEWA Cooperative local markets and promote organic farming, Federation, which aids interventions of SEWA’s the cooperative provided early-stage financial cooperatives, Megha Mandli provides a support to initiate organic farming and platform for women farmers to pool resources vermicompost. This created a group of village- and create linkages with social protection and level agri-entrepreneurs. These members carry the market—an integrated approach. out sales of organic inputs—creating ad- Despite a high contribution of 55-66 per ditional income as well as a local market with cent to agricultural production, women farm- affordable prices. During the 2020 lockdown, NIKITA CHETTRI ers often struggle to establish their identity the cooperative and members faced huge as workers, which hinders their access to re- losses despite agriculture designated as es- sources. The National Policy for Farmers, 2007 sential. Megha Mandli was quick to adapt and has a broad definition of farmer to include provide relief to members. landless farmers. However, the agriculture There is still a long way to go. In the census only records the number of operation- backdrop of the new agricultural laws al agriculture land-holdings. Further, govern- (coupled with farmers’ distress) and the ment benefits for farmers require submission double-whammy of health and economic of land title records. This has adverse impacts, loss caused by COVID-19, the Union Budget RIYA KOTHARI especially on women farmers since they for 2021-22 was significant. But it missed the seldom own land titles. The National Council opportunity to include gender budgeting or of Applied Economic Research’s study from support for farmer collectives. What is needed 2018 reveals even though 42 per cent of the is a process for women to register themselves agricultural labour force in India are women, as farmers with the local government. Such a they own less than 2 per cent farmland. record will expand the outreach and benefits Women farmers work under precarious of programmes and help develop targeted conditions without child care, insurance, schemes. Cooperatives like Megha Mandli healthcare, maternity benefits, among other and farmer producer organisations can help things. A study by the Federation in Tapi district provide information for registration. of Gujarat says 90 per cent of women who (Salonie Muralidhara Hiriyur is Senior listed agriculture as their primary job included Coordinator, Nikita Chettri is Research cooking, cleaning and caretaking as their Associate and Riya Kothari is Policy Intern at main activities outside this work. There is no SEWA Cooperative Federation)

24 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN ADVERTORIAL WATER QUALITY MONITORING AND SURVEILLANCE-CASE STUDY OF KARNATAKA

The United Nations General Assembly has recognized the significance of “Right to safe and clean drinking water, sanitation” as essential for life. The Niti Aayog June 2018 report, declared that 600 million people in India face high to extreme water stress in the country. About three-fourth of the households in the country do not have drinking water at their premises. With nearly 70% of water being contaminated, India is placed at 120th amongst 122 countries in the water quality index”. About 2,00,000 people die every year mainly due to inadequate access to safe water, leading to water borne diseases such as typhoid, cholera, dysenteries etc. A validation. As per JJM, the States have to year after the alarming Niti Aayog report, the establish multi-level water testing mechanism Central Government announced the formation for the chemical parameters to be tested once a of Ministry of Jal Shakti by merging Ministry of year and bacteriological twice a year (pre and State Level Water Resources, River Development & Ganga post monsoon). *Tied up with KSPCB Rejuvenation and Ministry of Drinking Water and Lab Sanitation for an integrated approach to water Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance conservation and management. The Ministry Mechanism in Karnataka District Level launched Jal Jeevan Mission, the Flagship Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation *30 no. of Labs programme of the Prime Minister on 15th August Department, Government of Karnataka has established a multi-layer water testing 2019 with an aim to provide functional household Block / Taluk Level mechanism covering the entire State. The State tap connection to every Rural household by 2024, *47 no. of Labs under which utmost importance is given to water has 30 District labs and 47 Sub-Division labs and quality monitoring. The Ministry of Jal Shakti has tied up with KSPCB for detail lab testing of 13 in March 2021 has launched a framework and parameters while presumptive water testing is Grama Panchyath guidelines for testing, monitoring and surveillance undertaken by the community at Gram Panchayat *Field Test Kits Multi level Drinking Water Quality of drinking water quality as well as Water Quality level using field test kits and bacteriological vials. Testing in the State of Karnataka *Bacteriological vials Management Information System (WQMIS), an The Department intends to test around 1,20,000 online portal that provides detailed information for sources every year. The water samples are this purpose. collected by the sample collectors by using Time Groundwater quality depends on multiple stamp and Geo stamp mobile application. quality monitoring and surveillance while Quality factors and is a dynamic one; hence, there is RDWSD has also fixed a nominal rate of water Managers are trained on ISO 17025:2017. a need to constantly monitor it. Water quality quality testing for the public. NABL accreditation Capacity building of lab personnel is carried testing is important for monitoring the operation is also being taken up for the laboratories in a out through induction and on job training. of water supply works, investigation of disease phase wise manner. Standard Operating Procedures, Quality outbreaks, selection of appropriate water Manual Management System Procedures and purification technology to be adopted and its Monitoring & Surveillance documentation formats are being maintained in Monitoring is done by the Quality labs. The water quality results are updated timely Parameters Tested at RDW&SD Water Quality Testing Laboratories managers and Executive Engineers at on Integrated Management Information system established by, Government of Karnataka the Districts and WQMS team at State (IMIS)/ Water Quality Management Information Sl. Parameters Acceptable Permissible Office through regular reviews, VCs, System (WQMIS) portals of GoI. No limit limit field visits, audits. Surveillance of the 1. Colour (Hazen units) 5 15 drinking water sources from the public Outreach 2. Turbidity, (NTU) 1 5 health point of view is carried out by the Awareness on water quality to general public is rural community of Gram Panchayats. provided by Implementation Support Agencies 3. Total Dissolved solids, mg/L 500 2000 (ISAs) which are empanelled at District level. 4. pH 6.5-8.5 No relaxation Human resources development Video documentation on water quality

5. Alkalinity (as CaCo3), mg/L 200 600 RDWSD, GoK, headed by analysis (English and Kannada versions) has 6. Total Hardness (CaCo ), mg/L 200 600 Commissioner, has a team of been prepared and disseminated. Training is 3 technical experts for WQMS vertical. provided to grass root level workers (like Asha, 7. Chloride (as Cl), mg/L 250 1000 It is managed by Chief Engineer and Anganawadi workers, NGO workers & Teachers 8. Calcium (as Ca), mg/L 75 200 assisted by State Technical Coordinator who are a part of VWSC) on presumptive water and other Consultants at the State 9. Magnesium (as Mg), mg/L 30 100 quality testing. 26,000 VWSCs are established, level. The laboratories staff includes and 10,922 women have been trained. 10. Fluoride (as F), mg/L 1 1.5 Quality Managers, Analyst, Sample cell The water quality monitoring, surveillance

11. Sulphate (as So4), mg/L 200 400 in-charge, Microbiologist, and water and outreach activities in rural areas have sample collectors. brought the public and the administration on a 12. Nitrate (as No3), mg/L 45 No relaxation The Executive Engineers and common platform for conserving the precious 13. Iron (as Fe), mg/L 1 No relaxation Lab in-charge are oriented on water resource: ‘Water’. WATER/RIVER REVIVAL

S YOUNGSTERS, we used to dive in its deep waters A from tree tops. Over the Second years, it receded and then disappeared completely. It is quite remarkable that the river is now back in all its glory,” says 59-year- coming old Atar Singh, a farmer from Gora Khurd village in Uttar Pradesh’s Revival of the Odi river has helped Lalitpur district. The Odi, a non-perennial rain- villages double their agricultural yield in fed river, once ran a 20-km stretch a drought-prone Bundelkhand district from Madanpur village on the southern edge of Lalitpur, to the

BHAGIRATH LALITPUR, UTTAR PRADESH Jamni dam, providing water to SANSTHAN SEVA BUNDELKHAND BHAGIRATH, PHOTOGRAPHS:

26 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY SPECIAL

(Right) The Odi river started drying up in the 1990s and completely vanished by 2000; (Left) The river has been revived and, in March 2021, is still full of water it received during the 2020 monsoon

of Bundelkhand, too, did not help matters. With the river drying up, the water table of the area dropped—wells and hand pumps went dry, and the villages faced severe water scarcity. “The story of Odi’s rejuvenation began in 2017, when the then district magistrate Manvendra Singh took a keen interest in it,” recalls Vasudev Singh of Bundelkhand Sewa Sansthan (bss), a non-profit based in Lalitpur, who was also actively involved in the revival of the river. The district magistrate ordered a survey of the area across the length and breadth of the river, and the findings indicated that desilting the check dams and dredging the riverbed would help in Odi’s rejuvenation. Manvendra Singh then asked the irrigation department to make a detailed plan for revival. “We also consulted Rajasthan- based water conservationist and Magsaysay awardee Rajendra Singh, who suggested that the revival plan be implemented under the Mahatma Gandhi National seven villages on either side of its dams to hold its water, and Rural Employment Guarantee Act banks (see ‘Brought to life’, p28). completely dried out by 2000. Due (mgnrega) to ensure 100 days of The river’s main source was the to poor maintenance, the check guaranteed paid work in rural Madansagar pond believed to have dams got filled with 1.5-2 m of silt, areas,” says Vasudev Singh. Once been built around 10th century which made the river extremely the plan was approved by the under the Chandela dynasty. The shallow and the waters would not district administration, bss spread pond is still there, but the river hold, says Singh. The annual awareness to ensure public began to dry up in the 1990s after average rain of 800 mm in the participation under mgnrega. the government built 10 check chronically drought-prone region The first of the three-step revival plan involved removal of silt from the check dams. Next, the ODI’S REVIVAL HAS RESULTED IN R9.73 CRORE engineers identified 42 points ADDITIONAL INCOME FOR 3,500 FARMING FAMILIES across the length of the Odi—at IN SURROUNDING VILLAGES—11 TIMES THE INITIAL Madanpur, Didoniya, Pahadi R87 LAKH INVESTED IN REJUVENATION WORKS Kalan and Hasera villages—for

DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWN TO EARTH 27 WATER/RIVER REVIVAL Jamni dam increasing the depth of the river. BROUGHT Of these, 33 points were dug up in TO LIFE April-June 2018, while nine were Lalitpur district Pahadi Kalan dug in March 2019. The depth was administration also increased at five additional made a three- spots, taking the total number of step plan to Agra such points to 47. revive the Odi In the third step, silt collected river—de-silting Gora Khurd from the check dams was used to of check dams, build embankments. Around increasing the Hasera 25,000 plants were grown along river depth and Pahari Khurd the embankment to check rain- construction of water runoff. Didoniya embankments— Vasudev Singh says the revival which now works were carried out with a Uttar Pradesh budget of R87 lakh—R23 lakh from helps farming in gram panchayat funds and seven villages Lalitpur R64 lakh as wages under mgnrega. The work provided waged 10 check dams built along Darutala employment to 558 families. the river were de-silted The results became evident Odi River within months and were quite The depth of the riverbed astonishing. After the 2019 was increased at 47 points, as part of MGNREGA works Madanpur monsoon, the river, for the first time in 20 years, filled to the brim 25,000 trees were planted with water. Barring Madanpur on embankments built with and Darutala villages, which are silt from the check dams at a relatively higher altitude, all the other villages on the river’s path now have water throughout average of 1.5 tonnes of wheat per like vegetables. “I am considering the year, unlike the 1990s when it ha. This has now increased to 3 growing potatoes,” he says. was available for only five months tonnes per ha, as per bss. Similarly, The increased yield has raised around the monsoon. Downstream, black gram (chana) yield has risen the average income of a farming the Odi now also recharges some to 18 tonnes from 1.2 tonnes per family to R68,000 from R40,200 a 250 wells. When Down To Earth ha, while peas and lentil (masur) year, says Vasudev Singh, on the visited Lalitpur in March 2021, production is up by 50 per cent. basis of bss data. For 3,500 the river still had water from the Water availability has also families, this means an additional rains it received last year. resulted in farmers taking up income of R9.73 crore a year—11 double cropping, which is now times the R87 lakh invested for the GOOD FORTUNES practised on 2,428 ha, shows revival of the Odi. In recognition The Odi’s revival immediately district administration data. “The of his efforts, the district improved the lives and livelihoods excess water and yields have magistrate received National of 3,500 families in the six villages, encouraged farmers to grow both Water Award in 2019. shows bss data. The river irrigates kharif and rabi crops,” says Urmila “Odi’s example has shown that nearly 3,885 hectares (ha) and 283 Saharia, a farmer from Pahari if the local administration and ha of barren land has been made Khurd. Some farmers, like people collaborate to revive more fertile, as per data with the district Rajendra Singh of Didoniya rivers and streams in Bundelkhand, administration. Yields, too, have village, whose 3.2 ha land is wholly the region can end its water improved drastically. Before the irrigated by the Odi, are taking up scarcity,” says Vasudev Singh. DTE river’s revival, Lalitpur grew an cultivation of water-intensive crops @down2earthindia

28 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES BY SRINIVASAN SERVICES TRUST, THE CSR ARM OF TVS MOTOR COMPANY

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R O O F T S H O

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ACTIVITIES RESULTS  Participatory desilting and  Enhancement of water holding capacity to 1387 million litres strengthening of embankments in through desilting 272 MI tanks. minor irrigation tanks.  Sequestering and fixing carbon to a tune of 1274 tonnes by  Participatory planting of trees in planting 6.40 lakhs tree in community & private land in last community and private lands. five years in addition to economic benefits.

COVID-19 SECOND WAVE NO RURAL SAFETY NET THIS YEAR COVID-19 has reached the hinterland and is likely to hit rural India to an extent that it will not be able to hold up the country’s economy like it did last year BY PRONAB SEN

HE PANDEMIC has spread really fast across rural India this time. During the first wave last year, rural areas were not as severely affected. Most rural activities, both agrarian and non- agrarian, continued quite smoothly. Farmers harvested bumper rabi crops, which are usually cash crops, and were able to market them smoothly. Problems did crop up a little later, after the rabi harvest, when farmers took up inter-harvest crops (short-season crops between kharif and rabi). Amid the nationwide lockdown, Tthey suffered losses due to restricted transportation and marketing of these crops, which are essentially horticultural produce and have a short shelf life. Due to reverse migration, some states like Punjab faced labour shortage. But the impact was limited and was not felt across the country; South India was pretty much spared. The kharif season, too, went very well. This year also, the rabi foodgrain production has been good, and the crops have been, by and large, marketed. I am rather concerned about the inter- harvest crops, which are sown in April, and kharif crops, whose sowing is about to begin. With covid-19 spreading really fast across rural India, PHOTOGRAPH: REUTERS

DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWN TO EARTH 31 COVER STORY/PANDEMIC

availability of labour may soon become a serious concern and productivity may not remain at last year’s level. Maybe farmers will manage to sow the crops, but the productivity is still likely to drop sharply. Non-agricultural rural activities (such as carpentry, construction and cycle repair) are going to experience a lot of damage since these require close human contact. The sectors that did relatively well last year on the basis of rural demand, mainly the fast-moving consumer goods sector, are not going to do that well this time. The extent of the damage, however, depends on how quickly the fear of the pandemic spreads and grips rural India. This time, the fear levels are much higher, particularly in rural India where medical facilities are not adequate. If the fear factor becomes strong and persistent, then the damage is going to be substantial. So we should not expect rural India to hold up the Indian economy the way it did last year (when the agriculture sector kept the rest of the economy buoyant). This is the real problem. The national lockdown, imposed last year to curb the spread of the covid-19 infection, lasted for a little over two months. All economic activities, other than essential services, remained suspended during the period. This time around, it is not the case. Now, that sounds a lot better. Unfortunately, this time the uncertainty about the lockdown is huge. Last time, the damage was large but limited for a fixed period. Economic activities bounced back very quickly as soon as lockdown restrictions were eased. This time, the damage is going to be partial, but will continue for a longer period. Think of an integrated production system or a transportation system, in which people need to plan in advance. If you are not sure when the lockdown is going to be imposed and where, it leads to uncertainty and affects your decision making. This will have a rippling effect on investments, which will suffer. As of now, we have plenty of food stocks and the delivery and food supply chains are working fine. But we do not know what’s going to happen in the future as a lot depends on the production in post-rabi seasons. Horticulture products are definitely going to get severely hit. The sowing data will tell us how bad the situation is going to get. The country’s rural poverty is going to get worse. There are primarily three ways how covid-19 is going to impact India’s rural poverty. First, because of reverse migration, a lot of urban poverty is now being exported to rural areas. Last year, we saw a mass exodus of labourers from urban areas to their villages after the nationwide lockdown was announced. This year, it is not just the lockdown but also the fear of the virus that is driving a lot of workers back to their villages. The second way is the damage to horticultural crops and kharif crops. Many farm houses who used to employ landless labourers as farm hands may not do so this time, due to fear factors. This means a lot of landless labourers, who already are poor, are going to become poorer. The third reason is, a lot of non-agricultural activities, as I mentioned earlier, are going to be seriously impacted this time. Studies already show that rural salaried employment has fallen during the past one year of pandemic.

INFLATIONARY IMPACT Till a few weeks ago, I was not expecting such an acute spread of the pandemic in rural India. My fear at that time was only related to the supply chain. But now, there is a threat to production. The supply of food products (other than food

32 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN AS OF NOW, WE HAVE PLENTY OF FOOD STOCKS AND THE DELIVERY AND FOOD SUPPLY CHAINS ARE WORKING FINE. BUT WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE AS A LOT DEPENDS ON THE PRODUCTION IN POST-RABI SEASONS. HORTICULTURE PRODUCTS ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO GET SEVERELY HIT. THE SOWING DATA WILL TELL US HOW BAD THE SITUATION IS GOING TO GET.

grains) to urban India is going to be affected both due to supply chain disruption and rural production loss, which will very soon fuel inflation—food inflation in particular. India may also need to import items like vegetables. India has traditionally been the exporter of horticulture products like potatoes and onions. This will also have huge disruptive effects on the global markets as first we will stop supplying to the international market; and then, we become a buyer. The rates in international markets are going to go through the roof.

CORRECTIVE MEASURES Some of the important measures introduced by the government last year were free food distribution, R500 cash transfer for three months for all women Jan Dhan account-holders and raising wages for works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Act (mgnrega). Free ration under the public distribution system (pds) should continue for long. Some studies show that cash transfer to vulnerable households through Jan Dhan accounts did help people; but it worked only to a limited extent. It is not a bad idea to continue with it, but since pds has a better reach, it should be considered for such cash transfer. Then comes mgnrega. We know that the demand for mgnrega works has gone up enormously. The question is once the mgnrega sites start operating, will the fear factor prevent people from coming there? Will we be able to manage mgnrega sites in a way that are covid-appropriate? If no, then mgnrega may not be able to support rural livelihood as effectively as it did last year. In the immediate short-term, focus on making the supply chain work better. We know what went wrong last year—there was a total lack of clarity; there was total lack of coordination; at least fix that. This time, it can be done relatively quickly by focusing on two things. One, the Centre, state and local authorities should be on the same page on what is allowed and what is not allowed, and the message should go down to the law and order machinery in very clear, specific terms. It should also be made clear that any violation of these instructions will invite punishment. covid-19 is not India’s first rural pandemic. Cholera was very much a rural pandemic. It took many lives and caused illnesses for a very long period of time. This was also true for typhoid. What is new about the current pandemic is that it is an airborne disease. Since the infection is spreading from person to person, the fear factor is much higher. It is also socially disruptive. Our long-term hope is vaccination. So far we have botched the process. But the quicker we roll out the vaccination, the better off we are, as it is the only way to address the fear factor. (As told to Snigdha Das) (The author is an economist and former chief statistician of India)

DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWN TO EARTH 33 COVER STORY/PANDEMIC TROUBLED INTERIORS The second wave saw COVID-19 N MAY 4, the Odisha government was thro- spread beyond urban centres, wn into a tizzy after three people of the infecting rural and tribal populations. Bonda tribe tested A report from the country’s 16 positive for covid-19. OThat the novel coronavirus would infect severely hit districts on how the this tribal community, living in scattered hamlets in inaccessible forests, was pandemic is unfolding in rural India beyond anybody’s speculation. Identified by Census 2011 as one of India’s 75 RAJIT SENGUPTA, NEW DELHI Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, RANJU DODUM, ITANAGAR the Bondas are estimated to have arrived in the region some 60,000 years ago ROHIT PRASHAR, SHIMLA during the early human migration from Africa and have traditionally led a AAKRITI SRIVASTAVA, BIKANER secluded lifestyle, residing atop forested JUMANA SHAH, AHMEDABAD hills in Malkangiri, the southernmost district of the state. Other than the RAKESH KUMAR MALVIYA, BHOPAL occasional visit to local haats (weekly

DOWNLOAD RELATED EDITIONS RELATED DOWNLOAD rural markets) to sell their produce or ARVIND MOUDGIL AND DEEPANKAR barter it for minimal household essentials, DHOUNDIYAL, PAURI GARHWAL their interaction with the outside world is extremely restricted. Officials suspect ANAND DUTT, GUMLA that the Bondas at Mudulipada village in the district contracted the disease at a IMRAN KHAN, MUZAFFARPUR AND nearby market in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, which they visited since all WEST CHAMPARAN rural markets in their own region had G RAM MOHAN, ANANTAPUR been shut as part of lockdown measures. The Odisha government has since sealed BIJAY MISHRA, ANGUL Malkangiri’s borders with Andhra Pradesh and the local administration has PURUSOTTAM THAKUR, DHAMTARI restricted access to Bonda hamlets. K A SHAJI, PALAKKAD Though the infected persons have been admitted to specialised hospitals in the VIVEK MISHRA, MATHURA district, the number of infected Bondas increased to 12 over the next week.

34 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN Spread to rural areas In May* 2021, India recorded 28.8% of its total COVID-19 cases and 31% of its total deaths Rural Urban IN MAY, RURAL DISTRICTS RECORDED MORE NEW CASES ... 4 4 3.8 3.5 3.1 3

2 1.4 1.2 1.1 1.0 0.9 1 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 Monthly new COVID-19 cases (in million) COVID-19 new Monthly 0 May June July August September October November December January February March April May 2020 2021

...AND DEATHS OVER URBAN DISTRICTS 47 43 40

24 24

20 16 16 15 13 13 12 11 10 (in thousands) 9 7 6 6 5 3 3 3 3 Monthly COVID-19 deaths COVID-19 Monthly 2 2 2 1 0 1 May June July August September October November December January February March April May 2020 2021

Source: How India Lives; Census 2011 and various district websites; Data as on May 23, 2021 The analysis is based on district-level numbers for all states / Union territories, though partial data is available for Andaman and Nicobar, Assam, Goa, Manipur and Telangana

Last year, as the news of indigenous made India the pandemic’s global hotspot. communities getting affected by covid-19 In this phase, the virus is pervading the trickled in, the National Commission for country much beyond urban agglomer- Scheduled Tribes had asked the Odisha ations, sweeping across areas that are government to adopt special strategy for home to arguably the world’s largest the Bonda tribe, saying that covid-19 rural population of over half-a-billion. would be a threat to their “existence”. The May 2021 has been the most tragic population of the tribe is either stagnant month for the country in recent memory. or, some say, on the decline. Between May 1 and 26, India recorded covid-19 breaching the hills of the 8.2 million new covid-19 cases—the Bondas marks the most worrying phase highest in a month since the first case of the second wave, which has already was reported from Kerala in January COVER STORY/PANDEMIC

2020. In those 26 days, 103,382 people May stood at 49 per cent, up from 32 per succumbed to the illness—this is more cent in April. In Uttar Pradesh, rural than double the lives the country lost in districts accounted for 68 per cent of the April and over a third of the country’s new cases in May, up from 57 per cent, total death count of 315,235 recorded and in West Bengal, the figures rose to 48 since the outbreak of the pandemic. A per cent in May from 43 per cent in April. Down To Earth (dte) analysis shows that The daily case count on the government in those 26 days, India accounted for dash board has, however, been on a every other new covid-19 case and every downward trend since May 8—the last third death due to the infection recorded date when the country recorded more globally. What escaped everyone’s notice than 400,000 cases in a day. Does this is that every second new case and death mean the worst is over? No one is sure. reported from India in May was from the The weekly district-wise positivity rural districts. This means every fourth In first 26 days rate report, till May 21, released by the case reported in the world that month of May, India Union Ministry of Health and Family was from rural India. accounted for Welfare indicates that more than half of The pandemic’s shift from urban to every other new India is still not testing enough and may rural areas (see ‘Spread to rural areas’, case of miss new chains of transmission in the p35) had, in fact, begun in April. That COVID-19 and community. For the uninitiated, positivity was the month when rural districts every third rate is the percentage of people who test (where at least 60 per cent of the death due to positive of all the tests done. A high population live in rural areas) for the first the infection positivity rate indicates that either the time reported 3.1 million new cases, up recorded number of infected people in a community from 0.4 million cases the month before. globally. That (positive tests) is too high or the number This was a little lower (by 0.6 million) month, every of total tests is too low. In either case, it than the number of cases that second new suggests higher transmission and that overwhelmed health systems and the case and death there are likely more people with covid-19 sentiments of most people in urban reported from in the community who have not been districts. The number of deaths due to tested yet. The World Health Organization India was from covid-19, which stood at 5,600 in March, recommends that the daily positivity rate saw a significant increase to match the rural districts, be below 5 per cent for at least two weeks urban death toll of 24,000 in April. The meaning every before the health measures are relaxed. numbers kept growing, and in May, fourth COVID-19 As per the ministry report, 382 of the outpaced those in urban districts. Rural case reported 741 districts in the country continued to districts accounted for 53 per cent of new in the world have a positivity rate higher than 10 per cases and recorded 52 per cent of covid-19 was from rural cent. Worse, 77 per cent of these districts deaths (see ‘Shifting geography’, p36). India were rural. Thirteen of the 15 districts This is a deviation from the overall trend with the highest positivity rates are also from March 2020 to April 2021, when rural. Of the five districts with highest urban districts accounted for 52 per cent positivity rates, four are in Arunachal of new cases and 54 per cent of deaths. Pradesh—Changlang (96 per cent), East The pandemic’s shift from urban to Kameng (80 per cent), Namsai (77 per rural areas is particularly evident in cent) and Upper Subansiri (67 per cent). states worst-hit during the second wave. These are the areas now bracing for Rural districts in Maharashtra, for the an explosion of cases. dte reporters first time in May, recorded more cases travelled to 16 districts with high covid-19 (61 per cent of the total new cases) than positivity rate to understand how the their urban counterparts; the state’s pandemic is affecting rural India and rural share in April was 42 per cent. In how prepared the rural health Karnataka, the share of rural districts in infrastructure is to tackle the virus.

36 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN SHIFTING GEOGRAPHY In May, most states reported more cases and deaths in rural districts

States with more Rural cases Urban cases % share of 00 rural and 00 urban cases,deaths in May The analysis is based on district-level numbers for Jammu and Himachal all states / Union Kashmir Pradesh Uttarakhand territories, though partial Cases Cases Cases data is available for 67 I 33 100 I - 68 I 32 Andaman and Nicobar, Punjab Assam, Goa, Manipur Cases Deaths Deaths Deaths and Telangana. 52 I 48 49 I 51 100 I - 55 I 45 Deaths Delhi 59 I 41 Cases Bihar Sikkim Cases Cases 100 I - Uttar Pradesh Haryana Deaths Cases 83 I 17 35 I 65 100 I - Cases Deaths Deaths 53 I 47 68 I 32 Deaths 81 I 19 9 I 91 Rajasthan Deaths Cases 63 I 37 64 I 36 73 I 27 Arunachal Pradesh Deaths Cases 67 I 33 70 I 30 Gujarat Deaths Cases 67 I 33 33 I 67 Nagaland Deaths Cases 37 I 63 15 I 85 Madhya Deaths Pradesh Maharashtra Assam 9 I 91 Cases Cases Cases 56 I 44 61 I 39 80 I 20 Manipur Deaths Deaths Deaths Cases 67 I 33 65 I 35 72 I 28 32 I 68 Deaths Tripura 29 I 71 Karnataka Cases Cases 100 I - Mizoram 49 I 51 Deaths Cases Deaths 100 I - 5 I 95 45 I 55 Odisha Deaths Meghalaya - I 100 Cases Cases Kerala Tamil Nadu Telangana 85 I 15 41 I 59 West Bengal Cases Cases Cases Deaths Deaths Cases 25 I 75 19 I 81 54 I 46 82 I 18 19 I 81 48 I 52 Deaths Deaths Deaths Deaths 26 I 74 14 I 86 - I - Chhattisgarh Jharkhand 40 I 60 Cases Cases Andhra Pradesh 100 I - 55 I 45 Cases Deaths Deaths Source: How India Lives; Census 2011 and various 86 I 14 100 I - 36 I 64 district websites; Data as on May 23, 2021 Deaths Rural districts are those with more than 60 per cent rural population; Analysis period is for May 1-23, 2021 82 I 18

DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWN TO EARTH 37 COVER STORY/PANDEMIC

also do not want to adhere to the protocols ARUNACHAL PRADESH of wearing a mask and maintaining social Dispersed settlements and poor telecom service distancing despite awareness campaigns make testing, vaccination a challenge at villages. Between April 2020 and May Positivity rate of 2021, as many as 7,667 people across the districts visited* state have been penalised for violating 100 Changlang covid-appropriate behaviour. 80 77.7 96% However, in a state that is home to at 62 70 Upper Siang least 26 diverse tribes, each with its own 60 61.4% specific prescribed lifestyle and spread Share of rural districts In % 40 in total positive cases Dibang across a topography that ranges from Valley humid plains to alpine mountains, the 20 38.1% reasons for the spread of the virus are 0 March April May equally varied. Upper Siang district, *As on which is overlooked by the Himalayas 2021 May 21, 2021 Source: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, How India Lives, Census 2011 and where the Tsangpo river enters India Note: Rural districts are those where 60% of population lives in rural areas from Tibet (and is called the Siang) before eventually becoming the Brahmaputra, or a state that had not reported a also recorded a high positivity rate of single instance of death due to 61.4 per cent in the week preceding F covid-19 complications for five May 21. District medical officer, Dubom straight months since early December Bagra, says the most-affected villages 2020, except for a handful of cases during are those of the Adi tribe. The communities the period, a sudden surge in the numbers recently celebrated Etor, an annual could be baffling. That’s what happened festival that marks fencing of farmland to when Changlang district recorded the protect crops from being raided by wild country’s highest positivity rate of animals. As is customary, community 91.5 per cent in the first week of May. The gatherings and feasts were held and may officials quickly dismissed the report. have contributed to the spread of the virus. Speaking to dte, state health secretary In Dibang Valley, which reported a P Parthiban says the figure was wrong positivity rate of 38.1 per cent on May 21, and a letter had been sent to the Centre district deputy commissioner Minga

DOWNLOAD RELATED EDITIONS RELATED DOWNLOAD to rectify the information. On May 21, Sherpa attributes the increase in cases to Changlang again topped the list of the neighbouring district of Lower Dibang Conducting districts with high positivity rate. Valley that shares a boundary with Changlang’s deputy commissioner, testing and Assam. “There is constant movement of Devansh Yadav, cites a number of reasons vaccination in people between the two districts. So for the high caseload in the district that Dibang valley is sooner or later, any infection affecting shares an international border with a challenge as Roing (headquarters of Lower Dibang Myanmar. “It is the second-most populous the district has Valley) will have an affect in Anini district after the capital region, which a population (headquarters of Dibang Valley),” he says. could be the reason for such a high density of one Conducting testing and vaccination is a caseload. Besides, we have a long porous person per sq challenge because Dibang Valley has a border with Assam, which already has a km. Officials population density of one person per sq high number of active covid cases,” Yadav say it is easier km. Reaching out to a large number of says. Curbing the spread of the infection to vaccinate a dispersed settlements is “human resource is a major challenge for his administration village of 100 intensive”. “It’s easier to vaccinate a as, says Yadav, many people still think than 10 villages village of 100 than 10 villages with a covid-19 is a viral fever and are not with population population of 10,” Sherpa says. willing to get themselves tested. Many of 10 The challenges do not end there for

38 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN Online Training Programme on GIS and Remote Sensing for Designing & Implementing Green Infrastructure

Part A (Online): 23 June to 9 July 2021 | Part B (Residential): 28 – 30 July, 2021 Language: English | Platforms: Moodle and Zoom

BACKGROUND This tailor-made training on Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote PROGRAMME DESIGN Sensing (RS) will go long way supporting practitioners as well as allow managers Part A: Context setting and Introduction (Online and regulators move efficiently from traditional planning and design techniques Platform) 23 June to 9 July, 2021 to smart, cost effective and sustainable water and sanitation solutions. Part B: Action Learning (Residential Training) GIS Package: The course will be run on open-source GIS package, 28 – 30 July, 2021 Quantum-GIS (Q-GIS). GIS proficiency is not a requirement. However, participants must have basic proficiency in using of AIM computers, and access to a computer system with To equip practitioners, managers and regulators with state of art tools and minimum requirements for downloading, installing techniques required for water sensitive urban design and planning. and running Q-GIS package.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES TRAINING FEE  Build skills to use GIS and RS in sustainable water management in city/region. `3,500 (Indian Participants) US$ 100 (Participants  Enhance understanding on various data portals: USGS Earth Explorer, Bhuvan, from outside India) OpenStreetMap, Toposheets, etc.  Prepare maps and perform analysis using open-source GIS packages for designing ‘Free one year DTE subscription to participants who and implementing green infrastructure for improved water security in city/region. complete the course’ Note: Only shortlisted candidates will be informed. FOR REGISTRATION, PLEASE VISIT: bit.ly/3g6CZIG

EXTERNAL TRAINERS

Dr Pramod Kumar Dr Nevil Quinn Mr Ujaval Gandhi Prof. A. K. Gosain Dr Sandhya Rao IIRS Dehradun, UWE Bristol, Spatial Thoughts, IIT Delhi, INRM Consultants, India UK India India India

FOR MORE INFORMATION, KINDLY CONTACT Training Coordinator, Dhruv Pasricha, Programme Officer, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, India, Mob. +91 8527447891, Email: [email protected] Training Director, Dr Suresh Kumar Rohilla, Senior Director & Academic Director, School of Water and Waste, Anil Agarwal Environment Training, Institute — AAETI, Email: [email protected] COVER STORY/PANDEMIC

the rural districts of Arunachal Pradesh. Ready to erupt Though the government had begun the On May 21, 382 of 750 Indian districts had a positivity rate higher third phase of vaccine rollout on May 17, than 10 per cent. Of these, 77 per cent districts were rural after a delay of two weeks, many Rural Urban Number of districts with positivity rate over 10% complained that they were unable to 0 10 20 30 40 register on the Cowin portal due to poor telecom networks. The state in-charge for Tamil Nadu 17 20 vaccination, Dimong Padung, says the Karnataka 25 4 Centre insists on online registration of Odisha 27 1 those seeking to get vaccinated despite the state government citing the Rajasthan 22 2 challenges. He suggests that a blended Maharashtra 20 3 mode of offline and online registrations West Bengal 18 5 must be employed in the state to get Haryana 13 5 people vaccinated. Madhya Pradesh 15 3 Food, fertilisers in short supply Gujarat 11 5 More than covid-19 or vaccines, people in Arunachal Pradesh 13 1 the rural districts of Arunachal Pradesh Kerala 8 6 are concerned about their livelihoods, which has been affected because of the Punjab 10 4 lockdown and other covid-related Andhra Pradesh 11 2 restrictions imposed by the state Assam 11 1 government. Kamin Pertin is the owner of a small general store in the semi-urban Himachal Pradesh 12 town of Mariyang in Upper Siang. The Jammu and Kashmir 10 2 town is 350 km from the state capital of Chhattisgarh 10 Itanagar and 80 km from Pasighat, the Manipur 7 3 oldest town in the state. On the phone from Mariyang over a crackly network, Uttarakhand 9 1 Pertin tells dte that businesses in the Meghalaya 8 1 town have been allowed to operate only Nagaland 7 2 for one hour between 9 and 10 am. Jharkhand 2 2 “Opening the shop, arranging the goods in the store, and eventually closing Puducherry 4 Positivity rate is the % of shaves off around 10 minutes. We are people who test positive for the Sikkim 3 1 virus among those who have finally left with only around 40-50 Tripura 4 been tested overall. minutes when we can actually sell anything,” he says. A and N Islands 11 WHO recommends that the Stocking supplies for his store has Delhi 2 daily positivity rate be below also been made difficult. With the 5 per cent for at least two Goa 2 government limiting the number of weeks before relaxing public Bihar 1 health measures. A positivity people who can travel together in one vehicle, public transportation fares have Chandigarh 1 rate of 10 per cent is acceptable. increased. Pre-covid, a trip to Pasighat Ladakh 1 to restock his supplies in a Tata Sumo Lakshadweep 1 taxi used to cost him R300. Now, he has Uttar Pradesh 1 to shell out R600 for a one-way trip. All these have slashed his earnings. Source: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; As on May 21, 2021 Like most people in the district,

40 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN Pertin also grows rice as a subsistence Assam, often referred to as “tea-tribes”. farmer. But now that most of his family Arunachal Pradesh Since the covid-19 outbreak, travel rest- is home to at least members have returned home because of 26 tribes, each with rictions have greatly affected movement its own lifestyle and the lockdown, the stored grain will not topographical spread, between states. The Arunachal Pradesh last them for long. Meat, an essential with many believing government’s decision to suspend the COVID-19 to be just commodity for the indigenous people, is another flu and so issuing of inner line permits, required by also in short supply. hesitating to get tested non-native people to enter the state, has Tea growers in much of eastern added to the problem. Arunachal Pradesh are undergoing a Occasionally, restrictions are also different experience. Near the village of placed on the movement of non-essential Namphai Singpho in Changlang is the goods, says Guha, for which he is not Lagao Tea Estate. Spread over 4 ha, it able to buy weedicides and fungicides. can be called a small tea garden when The nearest place where the inputs are compared with the larger ones in the available is a commercial hub in Assam’s neighbouring Assam. Amitabh Guha Tinsukia, which is 120 km away, says who operates the garden on lease, Guha. “There seems to be an increased supplies tea leaves to local buyers and demand for tea during covid-19. But I am even to a few from Assam. not sure if I can benefit from it as long as Like other tea growers, Guha depends the restrictions are in place, either in

PHOTOGRAPH: MINGA SHERPA MINGA PHOTOGRAPH: on the skilled workforce brought from Arunachal Pradesh or in Assam.”

DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWN TO EARTH 41 COVER STORY/PANDEMIC

and start returning around March. The HIMACHAL PRADESH virus could have travelled with them to the valley. “Since the district does not Farmers caught between life and livelihood as second have a laboratory for testing, infections wave coincides with the year’s only farming season remain undiagnosed for days. The virus finds easy hosts as few in the valley adhere 100 Positivity rate of to covid-19 protocols, like wearing mask district visited* 80 100 100 100 and maintaining social distancing,” says Share of rural districts Lahaul & Spiti Sushil, acting president of the Young 60 in total positive cases 34.3% Drukpa Association Garsha, a non-profit In % 40 engaged in welfare activities in the valley during the pandemic. 20 Ranjit Vaidya, chief medical officer, 0 March April May Lahaul and Spiti, offers another reason *As on 2021 May 21, 2021 the virus has had a field day in the valley Source: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, How India Lives, Census 2011 in the past two months. As soon as snow Note: Rural districts are those where 60% of population lives in rural areas. By this definition, all starts thawing in mid-April, the cold districts in Himachal Pradesh that recorded cases in March-May are rural deserts become flush with vegetables, particularly with exotic ones like broccoli, or almost six months a year, the lettuce, celery and coloured capsicum. tribal communities of Lahaul and Since farming work in the district is in Spiti valley remain isolated behind Online registration full swing, some people avoid getting F has made the Rohtang Pass as it gets covered with tested due to fear of losing work, Vikram vaccination a thick snow. Last year, their isolation was challenge for says, adding that earnings from these longer. After being shut for almost a year people in Lahaul crops are vital for people as the region’s and Spiti where because of the pandemic, the cold desert phones or access to inhospitable climate allows only one telecommunication mountain valley was all set to welcome is difficult cropping season. tourists in February this year. The Spiti Tourism Society, travel agents, hoteliers and community leaders were jubilant because the recently inaugurated 9-km Atal tunnel, built to bypass the Rohtang

DOWNLOAD RELATED EDITIONS RELATED DOWNLOAD Pass, had brought the high-altitude tribal valley closer to the rest the world and opened up new business opportunities for the residents. The district administration also set up guidelines to be followed by tourists visiting the valley. But the district, which had not reported a single covid-19-related death and only a handful of new cases since December 2020, soon witnessed a sharp surge in numbers. On May 6, the administration imposed a curfew and closed the valley for tourists. The restrictions were in place till the magazine went to press on May 31. Sham Azad, a social worker from Lahaul, says most people from the valley, particularly from Spiti, migrate to the PHOTOGRAPH: ROHIT PRASHAR plains during the harsh winter months

42 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN Vaccination, which needs registration on the Cowin portal, has also remained a GUJARAT challenge as people in the valley either do Amid a rapid surge in case numbers, communities not have phones or access to telecommuni- face shortages of food, wage works and hospital beds cation. The administration has demanded some changes in the Cowin portal for Positivity rate of 100 district visited* vaccination, and now 80 per cent of the Panchmahal people will be vaccinated offline and only 80 19.7% 20 per cent of the youth will be vaccinated 60 Share of rural districts through the online portal. in total positive cases In % The district administration has formed 40 33 a Rapid Action Team for random sampling 17 20 23 in every village. Those found covid- 0 March April May positive with mild symptoms are advised *As on home isolation and are given an isolation 2021 May 21, 2021 guide, paracetamol, sanitiser, multi- Source: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, How India Lives, Census 2011 Note: Rural districts are those where 60% of population lives in rural areas vitamins, calcium, zinc, and vitamin C on behalf of the administration. Those in eetaben Vasava is an Accredited need of oxygen are being admitted to Social Health Activist (asha), who hospitals. Since the district lacks G has not had a single day off in the surgeons, specialist doctors and modern last five weeks. Based in Ghoghamba health facilities, the district admini- taluka of Panchmahal district, she some- stration plans to airlift serious patients. times walks the undulating terrain for On May 22, a kit distributed to patients over an hour to reach a patient, who is by the chief minister, however, included a complaining of shortness of breath but mask, thermometer, chyawanprash and refuses to visit the primary health centre some ayurvedic medicine. (phc). Knowing that she is going to see a covid-19 patient, she carries with herself paracetamol, vitamin C and zinc supplements, while praying that the patient is not serious as she neither has a blood pressure machine nor an oximeter to ascertain the patient’s health condition. She urges them to visit the phc for a follow up but the tribal family would not budge. A prerequisite to ensure that the rural health infrastructure works effectively in the tribal-dominated area is to convince people that it is safe. Those who do overcome the fear of covid-19 medicines being a “shot of death or infertility” and make it to the sub-centre or phc for treatment, are invariably directed farther to the community health centre for want of staff or testing kits. “There is a severe staff shortage at phcs. Every team is shared between two to three centres. Patients are asked to wait two to three days to take a test, whose results arrive after another three days. For CT Scan or

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oxygen support, the patients are invariably medical staff is because appointments are referred to urban centres like Godhra or made on an 11-month contract. This Vadodara,” says Neeta Hardikar, an makes the government jobs less lucrative activist who has been working in the and the process cumbersome. We need a tribal areas of Panchmahal and Dahod dedicated full-time health worker cadre districts for 25 years. immediately,” says Dileep Mavalankar, At the urban centre of the district, director of the Indian Institute of Public Godhra, Anwar Kachba is the nodal Health, Gandhinagar. person at the designated covid healthcare centre that was started last year by a Staring at starvation local trust. In February this year, it The slowdown in the economy has halted was disbanded, but restarted in early growth in urban areas, but some rural April on short notice in coordination with households are already facing starvation. the state government. For five weeks, Social activists “Most people from the region migrate to between early April and mid-May, Kachba working in cities to work as construction labourers. received at least 15 calls per day from Ghoghamba Following the lockdown in early May, covid-19 patients seeking hospitalisation. and Shahera they have returned and are seeking wage- Of these, the makeshift healthcare talukas say works under the Mahatma Gandhi Rural facility, created from donor support on the starvation is Employment Guarantee Act (mgnrega). premises of a mosque, could admit less emerging as a Last year, mgnrega helped the than half. “Five of the 15 needed ventilator problem in returning informal workforce tide over support, which we did not have. So they about 35 per the lockdown. This year, due to the went to other government or private cent of the rollover of the financial year and the hospitals,” he says. “At one point, I have households government law requiring renewal of job seen two patients sharing a bed in they work with. cards every year, several needy families hospitals,” says Zuber Mamji, secretary of A study are unable to apply for mgnrega works. the trust that has set up the covid conducted in Payment disbursement, too, is not timely. healthcare centre. eight districts of “We see starvation as a problem in about Responding to the crisis, the district Rajasthan and 35 per cent of the households we work collector converted a section of Godhra Gujarat shows with in Ghoghamba and Shahera Nursing School into a 40-bed intensive 58 per cent talukas,” says Hardikar, whose non-profit care unit (icu) with 20 ventilators. Godhra households in Anandi works on issues of food security DOWNLOAD RELATED EDITIONS RELATED DOWNLOAD Civil Hospital, too, added 15 ventilators. Panchmahal and women’s health. At the Narayan Eye Hospital in Tajpura, and adjoining The Centre for Labour Research and Halol taluka, 15 ventilator beds and a Action, a Udaipur-based non-profit, rece- areas suffer medical facility were added by mid-April. ntly conducted a study of eight districts in from food The district has over 400 covid care beds Gujarat and Rajasthan, including with basic oxygen support. shortages Mahisagar and Dahod districts that are The availability of oxygen, however, is contiguous with Panchmahal and share another story. Kachba says, “we could similar socio-economic conditions. It has deal with everything, except oxygen and found that 58 per cent households in the medical staff crunch. Nobody anticipated region suffer from food shortages. Project things would get so serious,” he says director Sudhir Katiyar says, “We are repeatedly, shaking his head in despair. still investigating the reasons for Panchmahal had elections early this year unusually high number of deaths in starting from the Godhra nagar palika Panchmahal and surrounding regions. It polls in February, gram panchayat polls in appears that construction labourers March and by-poll of the Morva Hadaf employed in Ahmedabad are badly hit. assembly seat, a tribal region, as late as The inter-state portability of ration cards mid-April. “The shortage of trained is also not working.”

46 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN officers and 13 posts of trauma specialists MADHYA PRADESH were vacant even when the cases started rising in April. Ventilators supplied Rural communities left in the lurch as administration through the “PM Cares Fund” could not deploys doctors from rural areas in cities be commissioned; there were not enough machines for medical examination; the 100 Positivity rate of oxygen plant was also incomplete. The district visited* plan of setting up 1,200 hospital beds at 80 Share of rural districts in total positive cases Katni 18 government hostels and 31 marriage 10.2% 60 56 gardens were scrapped and the district

In % 40 56 hospital was left with only a 20-bed covid 38 care centre. Worse, doctors from rural 20 areas were deployed in cities, prompting 0 local legislator Pranay Pandey to write a March April May *As on letter to the chief medical health officer on 2021 May 21, 2021 May 5, and demanding that these doctors Source: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, How India Lives,Census 2011 Note: Rural districts are those where 60% of population lives in rural areas be sent back to rural areas. By then, covid-19 had spread to 124 of the 407 OVID-19 is a thing of yore. That In the absence of gram panchayats in the district. basic health facilities was the message coming out of all and human resources As the government tightens lockdown the steps being taken by the state in rural areas, the measures to curb the spread of covid-19 C management of the government around February-March this epidemic has proved infections, farmers appear to be the worst year. In Katni district, 25 posts of extremely difficult in hit. Rajesh Kushwaha, a farmer in Bijouri Madhya Pradesh specialist doctors, two posts of medical village, says those who grow grains have PHOTOGRAPH: RAKESH KUMAR MALVIYA

DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWN TO EARTH 47 COVER STORY/PANDEMIC

already harvested and sold their produce. logistical difficulty, especially in case of Small farmers like him, who grow an emergency. Sometimes, the average vegetables and sell in nearby towns, are travel distance to a basic health facility is not able to venture out because of the fear 50 km; access to a specialised doctor, of the police. “I am now forced to sell my available only at the district headquarters, vegetables to local people at throwaway is 150 km. Appropriate medical facilities prices,” he says. Milkmen are also not able are only available at the block level, but to distribute and are facing huge losses. they are now stretched to the limit. Sarman Singh, epidemiologist and “The situation here is worsening by director of the All India Institute of the day,” says Umashankar Yadav, a Medical Sciences-Bhopal, says, “We have doctor at the community health centre kept our health facilities centred around (chc) in Bajju block. “We receive patients cities, and in the absence of basic health from Bajju and surrounding villages of facilities and human resources in rural Bangadsar, Bhaloori, Mithadiya and areas, the management of the epidemic Charanwala. On any given day, at least 50 has proved extremely difficult.” There is people visiting the chc show active no hesitation in accepting that the actual symptoms of covid-19. But they have little number of covid-19 cases and deaths can awareness about the illness or its be even higher. infectivity,” says Yadav. Till last year, Bajju block was just a receptor for returning migrants. This RAJASTHAN year, between April and May, people in Scattered hamlets means COVID cases either remain more than 204 villages, with a population undiagnosed or go untreated in the desert state of around 8,000, have tested covid- positive. Hundreds other could not be 100 Positivity rate of district visited* tested because of lack of awareness and 80 73 Bikaner shortage of testing kits. The Bajju chc 66 receives a total of 100 testing kits in one 60 14.14% 70 batch, with no definitive frequency of the In % 40 Share of rural districts next round of supply. These are used up in in total positive cases 20 a single day. The problem is exacerbated as there is no access to instant infor- 0 March April May mation channels. *As on 2021 May 21, 2021 In the neighbouring Kolayat block, Source: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, How India Lives, Census 2011 which comprises 209 villages, there are Note: Rural districts are those where 60% of population lives in rural areas three chcs; only two have a covid-19 n a desert, cold or hot, it is difficult to facility with a capacity of 10 beds each. All say what is more challenging: surviv- of them were occupied in the last week of I ing the harsh conditions or accessing May. “At least 16 people in our village basic facilities like health, education and have tested covid-positive. One patient governance. Preparing for the pandemic died of the virus. He was a truck driver and coping with it is probably last on and had travelled from Delhi when he everyone’s mind in such regions. And this first started showing symptoms. We are is what is happening in Rajasthan’s Thar vigilant of the situation,” says Savitri desert—one of the most inhospitable yet Bishnoi, sarpanch, Mithadiya village. populated ecoregions in the Indo-Pacific. “But now, even the accredited social Families here migrate between the health activists (ashas) are hesitant to village and dhanis (hamlets in farmlands), visit the infected households.” The depending on the rain and yield season. actual spread of the infection in Mithadiya

This makes availability of medical care a is unknown. MOUDGIL ARVIND PHOTOGRAPH:

48 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN literally, an uphill task in this Himalayan region. District surveillance officer UTTARAKHAND Ashish Gusain admits that it is a Denied the tag of COVID warriors after the first wave, challenge for the administration and village heads did not help this time Positivity rate of health workers to negotiate the tough district visited* topography of Pauri Garhwal and reach 100 Pauri Garhwal the far flung areas. 23.5% 80 62 68 As a desperate measure, the block 60 development officers (bdos) have been 60 asked to form a covid Niyantran In % 40 Share of rural districts Committee (village-level covid control in total positive cases 20 committee) under the gram pradhan. ashas (Accredited Social Health Activists), 0 March April May *As on anganwadi workers and members of 2021 May 21, 2021 Mahila and Yuvak Mangal Dal, who Source: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, How India Lives,Census 2011 are essentially women and youth Note: Rural districts are those where 60% of population lives in rural areas volunteers at the grassroots level for welfare works, are required to form this n a district that had remained largely committee to tackle the pandemic in the untouched by in the first wave of the rural areas. I pandemic, cases are pouring in large Satya Prakash Bhardwaj, bdo, Kalji- numbers, with deaths due to covid-19 khal, says all villages in the block have complications already reaching 182. The been given 20 medical kits and the covid district administration has created 24 Niyantran Committee is being formed micro-containment zones to curb the Last year, people now in every village. The state government returning to Uttarakhand spread and has set up dedicated covid had to undergo a has provided R20,000 to all gram pradhans care centres and private facilities, 14-day quarantine to tackle the pandemic in their villages and their health was including 478 general beds, 407 oxygen regularly monitored, but and a doctor has been deputed at the beds and 73 intensive care units. But the mechanism was not community health centres in every block. followed this year accessing healthcare facilities is, quite Meenakshi Devi, gram pradhan of COVER STORY/PANDEMIC

village Paidul in Kot block, says that on May 23 she received a letter from the BIHAR government asking her to form the Selling farm land and jewellery and borrowing for committee after her village was declared COVID-19 treatment are fast becoming the norm a micro containment zone with 14 positive cases. “I have no idea how to form this 100 Share of rural districts Positivity rate of in total positive cases 83 districts visited* committee without the help of the 80 Muzaffarpur administration,” she says. 62 77 The panchayats had played a crucial 60 0.47% role in keeping the virus at bay during the In % 40 West Champaran first wave. Along with the district 20 0.64% administration, they had set up 0 quarantine centres in each village—at March April May schools, at panchayat bhawans or on the *As on 2021 May 21, 2021 outskirts of the village by setting up Source: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,How India Lives,Census 2011 makeshift huts. People returning from Note: Rural districts are those where 60% of population lives in rural areas different parts of the country after the nationwide lockdown was imposed had to to a private hospital where he tested covid undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine positive in an rt-pcr test. By that time, his period at these isolation centres, where oxygen saturation level had dropped below their health was regularly monitored. 60 and he had developed severe lung This practice was not followed during infection. The delay in proper treatment the second wave. People entered the pushed him to death,” says Manoj. To pay villages without any restriction, wielding for the costly treatment at a private a rt-pcr negative report not older than 72 hospital, his family had mortgaged gold hours. Jagmohan Dangi, a social worker jewellery and borrowed money. from village Dangi of Kaljikhal block, Such stories of families, who have sold says festivities like wedding ceremonies, their farmland, spent savings and taken people’s reluctance to adhere to covid loans from local moneylenders to save protocols and delayed test results have their loved ones, are being heard across played a role in spreading the infection. rural Muzaffarpur and other districts of Unlike last year, gram pradhans were Bihar. On an average, people are spending reluctant to perform their duties because R2 to R5 lakh on covid treatment at private their names were not included as frontline hospitals. “Local chemist shops are the warriors and they were not rewarded for only hope for those who are too poor to their efforts. Neither vaccination nor even borrow money,” says Suresh Mahto, health insurance was provided to a resident of Naurangia village panchayat pradhans on priority, Dangi adds. under Bagha-2 block in West Champaran. The primary health centre (phc) in his he pandemic has robbed us of village is not functional, with windows everything,” says Manoj Kumar, a and the gate missing. No doctor has T resident of Kurhani panchayat in visited the phc in years, Mahto says. His Muzaffarpur district. In mid-April, his words appear true as 50 per cent of the relative Angad Kumar developed cough 5,000 covid deaths reported from across and high fever. “He went to the community the state, as between April and May are health centre at Kurhani block, where from rural areas. only a rapid antigen test was available. Worse, in the second week of April as We were relaxed after his test report was the second wave of covid-19 infection negative. Three days later, Angad swept through Bihar, all doctors and developed breathlessness. We rushed him health staff at phcs and health sub-

50 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN SCHOOL OF WATER AND WASTE AAETI 2ND ONLINE IMPACT WORKSHOP CUM MASTER CLASS ON CAPACITY BUILDING INITIATIVE FOR CITYWIDE WATER AND SANITATION MANAGEMENT

Date: August 11-13, 2021 I Platform: Zoom

School of Water and Waste (SWW) is organizing its second together the SWW alumni, institutional programme ‘Impact Workshop cum Master Class’ of the two-part partners, key resource persons – participants of various series events to re-connect with alumni and resource short-term trainings (including residential, online trainings/ persons for evaluation and assessment as core strategy webinar), workshops, knowledge conclaves, field to achieve higher outcomes of capacity building exposure visits to identify the ‘change agents’ interventions. The 3-day workshop aims to bring – water manager and leaders.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER PROGRAMME DESIGN Date: 11th August 2021 (9.30AM – 1.30PM) Date: 12th August 2021 (9.30AM – 1.30PM) Theme: Sustainable Water Management Theme: Sanitation, Wastewater and Faecal Sludge / Water Sensitive Urban Design and Planning, Rainwater Septage Management harvesting, Green Infrastructure and Nature Based Tools and Approaches for Citywide Sanitation, Citywide Solutions, Urban Lake Management, Water and Inclusive Sanitation, City Sanitation Plans & Faecal Communication, Tools and Approaches for Citywide Sludge Management, Excreta Flow Mapping – Shit Water management, Mainstreaming Water-Energy Flow Diagrams, Decentralised Wastewater Treatment Nexus in Wake of Climate Change, Green Infrastructure including Local Reuse, SaniPath, Water and Sanitation Knowledge Conclave 2020 Safety Plan, SFD Week Knowledge Conclave-2019

Date: 13th August 2021: Aspirational Talks by Invited Global and National Experts First Session: 10AM – 12.30PM Second Session: 3PM – 5.30PM Theme: Sustainable Water Management Theme: Sanitation, Wastewater and Faecal Sludge/ and Technical Session Septage Management Dr John Cherry - Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Dr Kate Medicott - Team Leader - Sanitation, WHO, Switzerland University of Waterloo, Canada Juliet Willetts, Professor - University of Technology, Dr Veena Srinivasan - Senior Fellow- ATREE, Bangalore, India Sydney, Australia Anusha Shah - Director Resilient Cities, Arcadis, UK Christoph Luthi, Professor - EAWAG SANDEC, Switzerland Tony Wong, Professor - Monash University, Australia Dorai Narayana - International Consultant FSM, Malaysia K. Madhavan - Chief Executive Officer, WaterAid, India Arne Panesar - Head Sanitation Programme - GIZ & Sustainable Aloka Majumdar - Head CSR HSBC, India Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA), Germany Dr Kala Vairvamoorthy - Executive Director, IWA, India

If you are an Alumni of CSE – SWW or CSE institutional partner and interested to be a speaker at the Impact workshop to share your experience on above mentioned objectives, kindly submit a short abstract (max 500 words) of your presentation before 4th July, 2021 to the undersigned coordinators. • Top 10 impactful alumni will be awarded a Certificate as “Water Champion” • Top 10 impactful alumni stories will get a full fellowship to attend a 3-day residential training cum knowledge conclave at AAETI.

WORKSHOP COORDINATORS ACADEMIC DIRECTOR

Ms Nupur Srivastava Dr Sumita Singhal Dr Suresh Kumar Rohilla (Theme – Sustainable Water Management) (Theme–Sanitation Wastewater and FSM) Senior Director, CSE Programme Manager Programme Manager Academic Director, Water Programme Water Programme School of Water & Mobile: +91 7506843420 Mob: +91 8884646146 Waste, AAETI Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] COVER STORY/PANDEMIC

centres were asked by the principal Litchi farmers, artisans hit hard secretary of the health department to join Muzaffarpur is known for its summer covid-dedicated hospitals at the district fruit, litchi. As lockdown was imposed in headquarters on deputation, leaving the early May, it badly hit not only thousands health services in villages non-funtional. of litchi farmers and labourers engaged In Muzaffarpur alone, nearly 90 doctors in plucking, packaging and loading, but and hundreds of paramedical workers also hundreds of local agents who deal joined covid-dedicated hospitals and with fruit traders from outside the state. health centres in Muzaffarpur head- Like last year, the lockdowns and quarters. Most phcs remained locked or restrictions on interstate movement closed for weeks as covid-19 made inroads mean that traders from other states will into villages. not come to their villages to buy the fruit. The missing rural doctors were noticed Litchi orchards are spread over nearly in the second week of May. Following a 12,000 hectares in Muzaffarpur, which surge in deaths due to covid-19 complications along with some of the neighbouring in rural areas, the health department districts, accounts for nearly 40 per cent ordered the return of doctors and health A youth in West of the country’s litchi production. Litchi Champaran carries workers back to phcs. Pratyaya Amrit, his COVID- infected Utpadak Sangh officials say more than mother on a hand cart additional chief secretary, health depart- from his village to the 5,000 litchi farmers are likely to face ment, announced that the government has hospital in a nearby city. another bad year for business. Thousands In early April, the state decided to reactivate 1,451 additional phcs government had asked of labourers and artisans in the district, to augment health infrastructure in rural all doctors and health who make light wooden boxes for workers in rural areas to areas and has deployed 80,000 asha join the workforce at packaging litchis, will also be rendered workers to monitor covid patients in home district headquarters on jobless if traders do not visit Muzaffarpur deputation isolation. But it is too late for many. to purchase the fruits. DOWNLOAD RELATED EDITIONS RELATED DOWNLOAD PHOTOGRAPH: MD IMRAN KHAN village, says, “The government is going to JHARKHAND provide training for covid-19 treatment in rural areas. For this, his name has gone The state plans to train jholachaap doctors to meet to the block development officer. For the acute shortage of healthcare workers in rural areas time being, we understand that the lives of the village residents are saved only 100 Positivity rate of through the help of the medicine shop and district visited* 80 Share of rural districts doctors like us,” he says. in total positive cases Gumla 60 55 This is unsurprising for a tribal 12.1% district with 1 million population, where In % 40 21 44 just 59 doctors are available against 127 20 posts approved. This means, Gumla has

0 just one doctor for every 17,372 people. In March April May *As on Kondara block, the health centre buildings 2021 May 21, 2021 are used to accommodate paramilitary Source: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,How India Lives,Census 2011 personnel and police officials, deployed in Note: Rural districts are those where 60% of population lives in rural areas the area for anti-Naxal operations. In one ulpa Ghasi, a 45-year-old resident village, Qatari, sarpanch Aruna Ekka of Chatakpur village in Kondara informs that even the panchayats have G block of Gumla district, was not been provided with any funds or suffering from cold, cough and fever for medical kits this time to provide isolation almost a month. Since the community or treatment facilities to people. health centre was 28 km away, he relied on Panchayats are, however, managed to the village jholachhaap doctor, an ensure that people, particularly informal individual without a degree to practice workers who have returned to the village medicine but who still disburses pills for following the lockdown restrictions, are common ailments and is the only source of able to earn through jobs under mgnrega. medical aid available in remote areas. At least six projects are running in every Suddenly, one day in early May, Ghasi village, though delays in payment is started gasping for breath. By the time the defeating the purpose at several places. village sahia (health worker) reached with According to James Herrenj, convener of an oximeter, Ghasi died. According to his Jharkhand mgnrega Watch, R94.15 lakh is daughter Koyli, he earned by making pending as mgnrega wages for labourers mandars, a traditional musical instrument. in Gumla. As reports of cold, cough and fever Selling vegetables like watermelon is started pouring in from almost all villages another major source of cash for people in in the district, the administration the region, where most farmers are small conducted an investigation camp between or marginal landholders with less than 2 May 4 and 17. It found patients infected ha land. They are not able to sell their with covid-19 in 406 villages. produce since the government imposed “Every day, we receive 30-40 patients,” lockdown in April 22. Arpan Oraon of says Govinda Mandal, also a jhola chhaap pradan, a non-profit that organises people doctor from Kondara village in Gumla. for farming, says, watermelon crops are “Almost everyone complains of cold, cough ready for harvest on most farms now. But and fever these days. I give medicines very few traders are willing to pick up the worth R500-600 to each patient. If someone produce. To ease the process, the shows symptoms of covid-19, I prescribe government has introduced e-pass system them vitamin C, zinc supplements and using which farmers can transport their also recommend a covid-19 test.” Kamlesh crop to markets. Himanshu Kesari, Kumar, another rural doctor from the president of Gumla Chamber of

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Commerce, says, “the e-pass system is of In Anantpur district ncertainty and worry are writ little help as most farmers in the region do of Andhra Pradesh, large on the face of C Ram Mohan MGNREGA works have not even own a mobile. Those who have come to the rescue of Reddy, a fruit farmer in informal workers who U access to one, do not know how to register Gongireddyypalle village in Raptadu have returned home for e-pass.” Harishwar Dayal, an economic because of COVID-19 mandal of Anantapur. Of his 3.2 ha farm, restrictions. It is also expert and director of the Center for benefitting farmers he grows bananas on 1.2 ha, grapes on 0.4 Financial Studies, Jharkhand, says who have left their land ha and pomegranate and sweet lime on fallow as traders are during the nationwide lockdown last year, either reluctant to pick the remaining. For the past two years, he 850,000 labourers had returned to up produce has not been able to earn from his crops Jharkhand. All of them migrated as soon due to repeated lockdowns imposed due to as they ran out of savings. To maintain covid-19. Untimely rains and strong winds the rural economy, the government must in May this year have only made matters bring in more works related to agriculture worse for him. and non-farm sector under mgnrega. The 18-hour-a-day lockdown, from 12 pm to 6 am, in Andhra Pradesh has reduced the rate of his banana crop to ANDHRA PRADESH rock bottom levels, he says. “Traders are Long, repeated lockdowns have destroyed local not prepared to pick up the crop for any businesses; farmers reluctant to grow crops price now. The small window of time left for people to shop does not give confidence 100 Positivity rate of to traders about the quick sale of this 86 86 district visited* 80 75 perishable product. They are offering me Anantpur not more than R2,000 for a tonne of 60 40.7% bananas, which should have earned me Share of rural districts In % 40 in total positive cases R15,000 to R16,000,” he says. After facing similar losses during the lockdown last 20 year, Reddy had borrowed R2 lakh to meet 0 March April May his expenses. This time, he has invested *As on 2021 May 21, 2021 R3 lakh on the banana crops alone and Source: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,How India Lives,Census 2011 earned R1 lakh so far. Desperate, Reddy Note: Rural districts are those where 60% of population lives in rural areas now plans to fell his entire plantation, PHOTOGRAPH: BY ARRANGEMENT

54 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN which still can bear fruit for a third year. Similar is the case of V Chennappa, a ODISHA chilli farmer in Kanaganapalli village. Absence of a mechanism to test and isolate “A good crop of green chillies requires returning workers caused a rise in cases heavy investment on inputs. Since traders are offering half the price for it, I have 100 Positivity rate of decided to leave the land fallow for some 85 85 district visited* time. Instead, I plan to shift to a new vari- 80 83 Angul ety of red chillies, grown in Karnataka, 60 34.1% Share of rural districts which can be dried and stored and thus be In % in total positive cases 40 sold whenever the market is suitable,” says Chennappa. His words mirror the 20 undaunted spirit of hope that keeps the 0 March April May farmers going in the face of adversity. *As on The only crop that has fetched a good 2021 May 21, 2021 price for farmers during the pandemic is Source: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,How India Lives, Census 2011 Note: Rural districts are those where 60% of population lives in rural areas sweet lime, which sells for R1,10,000 per tonne. “I have never received such a good t the beginning of the second wave price for sweet lime in my life,” says of the pandemic, Angul, a district M B Ramudu, from Mukundapuram A where mining, industrial and village of Garladinne mandal. “I initially agricultural activities go on side by side, sold the first tranche of my crop for R62,000 23 cases of covid-19 were registered on a tonne. The rate quickly rose to R1,10,000. April 1. By the last week of May, the I still have 30 tonnes of crop ready for district had registered 778 cases, the harvest.” Though Ramudu has lost some highest in the state. Such a steep rise is of the plants on his 4 ha farm during the unprecedented for a state that was at the recent heavy rain and gales, he is confident forefront of India’s fight against a rapidly to recover the losses. “Citrus fruits are in growing covid-19 pandemic at the time of high demand during the pandemic as they the first wave. help boost immunity,” he says. “Social gatherings that defied all For the landless and small farmers, covid-19 protocols are the main cause of mgnrega seems to have emerged as a rise of infections in rural Angul,” says lifeline. They now rely on the wage works Trilochan Pradhan, chief medical officer to tide over the lockdown period. To ensure of the district. “Unlike last year, no strict that covid-19 remains under control, the quarantine measures were put in place by district administration is conducting fever village panchayats this time. covid care surveys every three days. “Institutional centres were also not established by the isolation centres have been set up for panchayats. So the informal workers who symptomatic persons,” says District returned home, either because of the medical health officer Y Kameshwara second wave or due to closure of businesses, Prasad. “Our anms (auxiliary nurse were not asked to stay in isolation. This midwives are trained village-level health caused the infection to spread,” says workers) have been given a thermometer, Purna Chandra Sahu, resident of Tainsi pulse oximeter and home isolation kits to village in Angul block, which has had a monitor people in home isolation. In high number of cases. hospitals, we have increased the number The home isolation system has of oxygen beds by three to four time, added completely failed in rural areas, as 150 ventilators and increased beds. We families are relatively large and houses are now prepared for any eventuality,” have few rooms, says Swapna Sarangi, Prasad adds. team leader of the non-profit Foundation

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of Ecological Security. Official quarantine Talcher only on April 30. A 66-bed dch has centres are the best way to isolate infected been set up on the premises of Employees’ patients to break the chain of transmission. State Insurance (esi) Hospital, Banarpal, But micro-containment was not done on May 3. asha and anganwadi workers adequately this time. A poor health have also begun conducting house-to- infrastructure in the industrial-rich house surveys. “We have introduced the district is now unable to tackle the surge, first-of-its-kind emergency covid-19 auto says Sarangi. covid-19 patients even sat ambulance service in all blocks, so that on dharna at Talcher hospital protesting serious symptomatic persons can reach the negligence in services. medical facilities at the earliest,” says covid-19 management became further district collector Sidhartha Sankar Swain. difficult in rural Angul as half of the eight Across the state, the government has sanctioned posts of block development decided to appoint 786 doctors and 5,137 officers are vacant in the district. The paramedics and declared incentives for administration did intensify its efforts to gaon kalyan samitis (essentially village- bring the surge under control, but after level welfare volunteers), ashas and almost two months of the second wave. It anganwadi workers for their contribution set up rt-pcr laboratories for covid-19 in managing the pandemic. The scope of testing in 16 district headquarters only mgnrega works has also been increased. towards the end of May. The 120-bed After a sharp rise But untimely payment have dashed all in cases in Odisha, Dedicated covid Hospital (dch) with 10 the government hopes of the informal workers, who are ventilators, 20 high dependency units and rushed to make making desperate attempts to return to necessary 90 general beds were made functional at arrangements cities and towns. PHOTOGRAPH: C R SAHU

COVER STORY/PANDEMIC

hamtari lies in the heart of Chhattisgarh. A large number of CHHATTISGARH D its villages are forested, where The infection is in extremely remote areas where people live in scattered hamlets. It did not people are hesitant to report Positivity rate of come as a surprise when the district district visited* started reporting covid-19 cases on May 100 Dhamtari 25, 2020, five months after the first case 100 100 100 14.3% of the infection was diagnosed in the 80 Share of rural districts country. An alert administration has 60 in total positive cases

since then recruited more medical staff, In % 40 increased beds for covid-19 patients and also secured oxygen beds. 20 Yet, when the second wave took the 0 March April May country by the storm, Dhamtari reported *As on May 21, 2021 10,180 positive cases in April 2021 alone. 2021 Source: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,How India Lives,Census 2011 This was five times the number of Note: Rural districts are those where 60% of population lives in rural areas. By this definition, all cases reported in September last year. districts in Himachal Pradesh that recorded cases in March-May are rural PHOTOGRAPH: PURUSHOTTAM THAKUR

58 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN This is because the district still suffers from some basic challenges, explains D K Turre, chief medical health officer of KERALA the district. Making people aware of Treating tribal population, migrant workers and covid-appropriate behaviour, of the inter-district travellers is the big challenge importance of timely reporting to control rooms or to the helpline numbers in case Positivity rate of 100 district visited* of covid-like symptoms; and persuading Palakkad 80 them for vaccination are some of the 27.6% major challenges, he says. 60 Share of rural districts A walk through the district shows in total positive cases In % why people are reluctant to report about 40 28 25 their illness or getting themselves tested. 20 27 “My parents and I have cold, fever and 0 March April May dry cough. Our neighbours, too, have the *As on same problem. But none of us are willing 2021 May 21, 2021 to go for testing. There are long queues at Source: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,How India Lives, Census 2011 Note: Rural districts are those where 60% of population lives in rural areas hospitals. So we prefer taking medicines from a village doctor,” Mahendra Tarak, a 22-year-old resident of Donar village, river and trekking for about 17 km to had told dte in early May. Tarak used to reach a covid-19 affected forest village in work as a contract teacher at a Central Attappady, Kerala’s tribal heartland, in government school in Dhamtari. He now Palakkad district. Sukhanya was runs a small business as his job did not accompanied by health inspector Sunil get renewed after the lockdown last year. Vasu, junior health inspector Shaiju, and Later that month, at least 25 residents of her driver Sajesh. Their destination was the village were diagnosed covid-positive the Murugala tribal hamlet located deep in tests organised for the village. Within inside the Western Ghat forests, which days, the number has increased to 84. spread across Kerala and Tamil Nadu. A social activist who does not wish to Almost marooned by the rains and flash be named says that the situation could be floods in the river, the hamlet of 40 worse in villages like Nagri and Magarlod, families are living in fear after many of which are located deep inside forests. them developed covid-19 symptoms. Cases of fever and deaths are already “The whole journey was tedious as being reported from these areas but there was no road access to the hamlet people avoiding testing means they do not and the terrain was difficult. Our get officially reported. ambulance was able to move only for 13 km of the 30-km distance,” recalls he east-flowing river Bhavani was Sukhanya when contacted by dte. “Seven in spate during the third week of of the hamlet residents were showing T May due to heavy showers symptoms of covid-19 and it took a lot of precipitated by Cyclone Tauktae. But that persuasion to take them out of the remote has not prevented 40-year-old medical forest dwelling. They later tested positive, officer K A Sukhanya from crossing the and we ensured their isolation and treatment at the domiciliary care centre (dcc) at Pudur, a town in Attappadi. They are getting monitored now.” People in Chhattisgarh’s Dhamtari Home to 32,956 tribals, Attappady is district are reluctant to get themselves tested or visit hospitals among the most backward regions in for treatment. Activists fear that Kerala. However, the countryside that infections could be spreading in remote forested villages of the district

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shares a border with Coimbatore district The administration of and Parambikulam in Palakkad. of Tamil Nadu is one of those rural areas Kerala’s Attappady Though the risky outreach by district is on its toes that witnessed a rapid spread of the after seven people Sukhanya and her team became a major pandemic in its second wave. R Prabhudas, in the tribal hamlet of topic for discussion on social media, with Murugala have been nodal health officer of Attappady, says the diagnosed COVID Kerala’s new health minister Veena health department is making extra positive. There is no George congratulating her over the road access to the efforts to access remote tribal hamlets in hamlet, which is located telephone, Palakkad’s preparedness in deep inside the the face of the second surge. Still, there Western Ghat forests the face of the second wave of covid-19 are several of them which are inaccessible. remains dismal. On May 30, the covid-19 “There are limitations in reaching covid- nodal officer of Government Tribal related awareness to these remote forest Specialty Hospital (gtsh) at Kottathara, villages. Most people refuse to adhere to SR Rejaneesh, wrote a letter to the covid-19 protocols. As these villages have hospital’s superintendent detailing the several forest routes to Coimbatore, they alarming shortage of human resources mingle freely with people in other areas and equipment to deal with the surge and where the caseload is already high,” to run covid-19 intensive care units (icu). points out Prabhudas. Similar is the case Across the district, 60 tribals tested covid-

of other tribal hamlets like Nelliyampathy positive on May 30 alone. KALISAMY ATTAPPADY PHOTOGRAPH:

60 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN with the district collector, we urgently need a liquid medical oxygen plant of 1-tonne capacity. That amount is not even adequate to run three to four ventilators at a time, in full capacity,” he says. In the absence of adequate health infrastructure, the district administration has deputed 500 trained volunteers to apprise people of successive waves of the pandemic. “covid treatment facilities have been set up at one government medical college hospital and a district hospital. The authorities have empanelled several private hospitals to ensure treatment to beneficiaries of government health schemes, especially tribal communities and the rural poor,” says district collector Mrunmai Joshi. The state government has already declared to provide vaccines against covid-19 free of cost to all and has sanctioned r1,000 crore for vaccine procurement. According to Muhammed Asheel, the state’s social security mission director, the government is battling the second surge, which has spread to rural areas, by quickly expanding capacity in rural hospitals and primary health centres by adding more icu beds, ventilators and enhanced oxygen supply. “The state has 0.38 million community volunteers who are helping the “Most often, we have to run the whole government in this fight against covid-19. intensive care unit (icu) with a capacity of The laboratory network has been 11 patients and just one nurse. Such a strengthened from a single testing centre situation will seriously affect the quality at the beginning of the pandemic to 2,667 of care. We need a minimum of four staff facilities now for covid-19 testing. A nurses and a corresponding number of treatment package for covid-19 patients support staff on duty,” Rajaneesh tells at private hospitals was also declared, to dte. He has also sought to increase bring in fairness in treatment costs across ventilator beds to 10 from the current various hospitals,” says Asheel. four. “When we increase the ventilator Though over 2.3 million cases of beds to 10, there should be a minimum of covid-19 had been reported in the state so eight staff nurses and corresponding far, Kerala has managed to contain support staff at a time for the smooth deaths to over 6,000 cases. On May 30, functioning of the icu.” Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the Rajaneesh highlights the need to number of active cases dropped ramp up oxygen capacity. “Currently, we significantly during the past three weeks. have five multipara monitors. We need “We need a lockdown to bring it down eight more. As highlighted at a meeting further,” he, however, added.

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anonymity, blame this complex and UTTAR PRADESH prolonged battle of Mathura against Though the numbers are falling, a lot of people are covid-19 on a variety of reasons. Being a unsure of symptoms, report associated illnesses city considered holy by Hindus, it is regularly thronged by visitors from far and wide. A sequence of events—right 100 Positivity rate of from the festival of Holi, the weeks-long district visited* religious congregation of Kumbh Mela in 80 68 Mathura Haridwar, a nearby pilgrimage site in 0.76% 60 46 Uttarakhand, and panchayat elections in

In % 57 the state—are also believed to have 40 Share of rural districts contributed to the district’s caseload. in total positive cases 20 R K Gupta, who retired last year as 0 additional director (Integrated Disease March April May *As on Surveillance Programme) from Uttar May 21, 2021 2021 Pradesh’s Directorate of Medical and Source: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, How India Lives, Census 2011 Note: Rural districts are those where 60% of population lives in rural areas Health Services, cites another reason. While some people are not willing to report about the illness fearing stigma, oth the residents and the Gupta says, many others are not aware of administration of Mathura are its symptoms and hence ignore it. “It is B nervous even as the Uttar Pradesh too early to say that the epidemic is over government starts easing the over until we do complete surveillance.” two-month-long covid-19 lockdown As people recover, they now find restrictions. “We cannot take the risk themselves in another fix. Anil right now. The two private medical Chaudhary, a resident of Khushipura colleges in the district will continue to Majra in Ral village, tells dte that wheat- function as covid-19 hospitals this month. loading activities are currently ongoing In view of the third wave, we are in the village. “Our farmers used to sell increasing the capacity of the District wheat earlier at Hodal in Palwal district Women’s Hospital and the District of Haryana, which offers a price higher Combined Hospital Vrindavan, where the than the minimum support price oxygen pipelines have already been announced by the government. This time installed,” says Rachna Gupta, chief too the tractors have been waiting there medical officer of the district. for our produce since mid-May. But due to The temple city had started reporting the inter-state travel restrictions because the illness much before Uttar Pradesh The temple city of the lockdown, we are neither able to emerged as a covid-19 hotspot in the had started deliver to them the crop nor can they country. But its downward turn of the reporting the enter the district to lift the grains.” infection rate has been rather slow. While illness much Chaudhary says he and several other the rate of infection in cities across the before Uttar farmers from his village have now state had slowed down, on May 17 the Pradesh registered for government procurement positivity rate in Mathura was still quite emerged as a of the grains as they have no place for high. And on May 23, the district still had COVID-19 storing. “Even for procurement, I have 1,000 active cases. There had also been a hotspot in the to transport my 5,300 kg of wheat to few cases where the illness was caused by country. But its the purchasing centre 50 km away. I am the South African variant of the virus, downward turn not sure if I can transport the grains which is known to be more contagious or of the infection to the centre,” he says. “Following susceptible to spread widely. rate has been covid-19, I am now broken physically Some officials, on the condition of rather slow and financially.”

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CONSUMED BY THE SECOND WAVE COVID-19’s impact on the rural economy is likely to be much worse than that of disasters like droughts and floods SHAGUN KAPIL AND RICHARD MAHAPATRA

HE PANDEMIC had never really This high level of unemployment, flattened for rural India. With the particularly in rural areas, is referred to as T second wave making inroads into the tipping point. “In 2017-18, the the hinterlands, experts foresee a vicious unemployment rate was at a 45-year high. cycle for the country’s over-half-a-billion covid-19 has magnified this problem,” says rural residents. Rural Indians—mostly Santosh Mehrotra, visiting professor, an informal workforce and poor by any Centre for Development, University of accepted definition—have been living Bath, UK, and former economics professor, with irregular jobs as the pandemic ECONOMIC Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. The continues to ravage the world for over a IMPACT OF THE second wave, as various estimates show, year. The second wave, with more cases of SECOND WAVE has hit the unorganised sector the most. infection in rural India, will aggravate WOULD BE “Unlike the first wave, rural supply this economic crisis. Expenditure on HARDER DUE chains will be impacted because farmers health may also go up as cases rise, TO LOSS OF and cultivators are also infected,” says draining people’s income or savings. DEMAND IN Mehrotra. Though there is no nationwide DOWNLOAD RELATED EDITIONS RELATED DOWNLOAD According to the Centre for Monitoring RURAL INDIA, lockdown this time, all states have Indian Economy (cmie), an independent WHICH imposed restrictions on movements and research firm, job losses and unemployment activities. The stringency of lockdowns, PROBABLY WILL are now being reported from rural areas, unlike last year, varies from state to state NOT PICK UP unlike last year. cmie’s recent data and from district to district. Similarly, indicates the national unemployment rate SOON EITHER the easing of restrictions will also depend is nearing the level seen in June 2020, the INDIA RATINGS on individual states. highest in recent memory, that arose from AND RESEARCH Agriculture, which employs over 50 the nationwide lockdown and restrictions Credit rating per cent of Indians and is the only sector agency to curb the spread of covid-19. For the to clock a positive growth of 3.6 per cent week ending May 16, unemployment for at constant prices in 2020-21 during the urban areas was 14.71 per cent, while that first wave of covid-19, could be severely for rural areas was 14.34 per cent. “The impacted because of the ongoing second pandemic has slowed down the labour wave. Dependence on agriculture is still participation rate to 39.9 per cent from an very high as it engages about 60 per cent average of 42.7 per cent in 2019-20,” states of the rural workforce, but contributes the Reserve Bank of India in its monthly only about one-fourth of rural households’ bulletin for May. income, indicating an abysmally low

64 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN income for those dependent on agriculture. Last year, even though the lockdowns In Bihar’s Muzaffarpur This is already visible during the recent district, famous for its were more stringent, primary mandis at litchi crops, the fruit is rabi season and may also impact the ready for harvest. But the village level were largely kept away upcoming kharif season, depending on lockdown measures from restrictions. This was because the have restricted the trajectory of the pandemic. movement of traders infections were low or nil in rural areas. from other states to In states like Punjab and Haryana, where purchase the fruit. AGRICULTURE FALLS VICTIM This will not only affect government procurement is high, most of earnings of farmers, the wheat crop has been lifted. This is not TO COVID but also render jobless Farmers have harvested rabi crops, but thousands of artisans the case in other wheat-producing states sales have been impacted due to surging who make light wooden like Uttar Pradesh (UP), Madhya Pradesh boxes to package litchis covid-19 infections and mandis (wholesale (MP) and Rajasthan. markets) that have remained closed Comparative data of wheat arrivals since April 2021 due to lockdown-like for the period of May 1-21 in 2021 and the restrictions in several states. During the same period last year shows the arrivals first wave, supply chain glitches hindered are dismal. In MP, the arrivals are down the transport of produce from primary by 2.3 million tonnes compared to last mandis to secondary and bigger markets. year—a 77 per cent decrease, shows data This time around, at many places, the with Agmarknet, a government portal. In farm produce is not even reaching UP, they are down by 36 per cent. “It looks

PHOTOGRAPH: MOHD IMRAN KHAN primary mandis. like more than 50 per cent of the overall COVER STORY/PANDEMIC

wheat crop is still stuck in states like in the first week of June as a majority of Rajasthan, UP, Maharashtra, and MP,” the Malda varieties mature late,” says says Prasanna Rao, co-founder and chief Ujjwal Saha, president, Malda Mango executive, Arya, a warehousing and Merchants’ Association. During these finance platform for farmers and farmer crucial weeks of production, farmers need producer organisations. Soybean arrivals to take special care and apply pesticides in MP are also down by 76 per cent. Rao to prevent attacks by insects and fungal says, “For us, May is a busy month due to infections. But now, labourers that are a lot of harvest and commodity arrivals. skilled for the work are refusing to come This time, it is a complete washout.” This to the orchards, fearing covid-19. This has an impact on farmers’ livelihood as will surely have an impact on the quality those who want to sell their produce are of mangoes, Saha says. Restrictions on unable to do so. market timings and transport have also In Maharashtra, onion, a rabi crop, is 40 PER CENT affected sales. Dipak Mandal, associated ready for harvest. But farmers are unable ONION with the Indian Council of Agriculture to sell as all the mandis in the state, FARMERS IN Research-Central Institute for Sub- including Lasalgaon, Asia’s largest onion MAHARASHTRA tropical Horticulture in Malda, says, mandi, have remained shut since May 12. ARE NOT ABLE “Due to covid-19, interstate transport has Though onion has a long shelf life, TO SELL THEIR been restricted. So the dispatch has unseasonal rainfall in the last few days PRODUCE. stopped and export to different states is has led to the growth of fungus in some MONEY uncertain.” This will be a terrible blow for stored stocks, says Bharat Dighole, a EARNED FROM Malda farmers, who had incurred a loss farmer and member of the Maharashtra ONION IS of `1,500 crore last year due to restrictions State Onion Growers’ Association. “Almost CRUCIAL FOR and the devastating cyclone Amphan. 40 per cent onion farmers in Maharashtra Even with the rise in cases and deaths, BUYING SEEDS are not able to sell their produce. Money there is optimism about the performance AND earned from onion is crucial for buying of the agriculture sector, especially after seeds and fertilisers and prepare for the FERTILISERS the India Meteorological Department’s next crops like maize, cabbage and AND PREPARE forecast of an above normal monsoon in soybean in June. They have no cash in FOR NEXT 2021. There is also hope that the situation hand this time.” The other worry among CROPS would be much better by the time sowing farmers is that once mandis reopen, there for kharif starts from mid-June. But on BHARAT DIGHOLE will be a sudden increase in arrivals, Farmer and the other hand, the possibility of farming which will lead to a market crash. member, families getting infected is also real and This is also the season for high-value Maharashtra State may impact sowing operations. Says horticulture crops like mango and litchi. Onion Growers’ Mehrotra: “Even though you will have a Association Malda, one of the biggest mango producers good monsoon, agriculture may not in West Bengal, has a “bumper” yield of perform as well as last year. If people are mangoes this year due to favourable sick, they may not be able to work and weather conditions. The district produces earn. As such, there are far too many Fazli, Himsagar, Lakshmanbhog, workers in rural areas—those who had Amrapali and several other popular left for urban areas have returned—and varieties of mangoes in over 33,000 hectares not enough work. So this is a return to the and has a huge market across West Bengal situation prevailing last year but in the and in other states such as Assam, Tripura, worst circumstances.” Bihar and Jharkhand. But the second wave This is especially true for states like has struck right around the peak harvest Punjab and Haryana that are highly season. Agriculture experts say close to dependent on agricultural labourers from 350,000 tonnes of the fruit will be ready for UP and Bihar for the sowing of paddy. harvest in June. “Most fruits are picked Last year, labourers who had returned to

66 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN their villages were brought back by AFTERSHOCKS#COVID-19 contractors during the paddy sowing season. But this was only possible as the villages were still untouched by covid-19 “This is an economic and most labourers were healthy. The shrinking of the female labour collapse triggered by force participation post-pandemic, and especially after the second wave, may a health crisis” further affect sowing operations as SANTOSH MEHROTRA around 80 per cent of farm work is undertaken by women in India. Pradeep SHOCKINGLY, THE Kashyap, founder of Rural Marketing government has Association of India, a not-for-profit reduced the actual industry body, says, “With the infection allocation for health rate rising in rural India, we are seeing a in the 2021-22 Union trend of women dropping out of the labour budget. That’s work force to either take care of those ill outrageous in the in the family or to stay healthy to take second year of the care of the household.” COVID-19 pandemic. So we have serious FOOD SECURITY AT RISK problems in all kinds The Indian Council of Agricultural of health infra- Research in its May 20 advisory states that the second wave may impact structure and the agricultural production and national food crisis becomes even and nutrition security. “The magnitude of deeper in rural areas. the problem in rural India is huge, but This health crisis has an economic impact. We already policy response to it has been very low. have far too many workers in rural areas and not enough We are still struggling with oxygen and work. So this is a return to the situation that was prevailing critical care breakdown in urban India. last year, but in worse circumstances. People this time The salaried job loss in rural India will have less money because they are spending on health. This have a cascading impact on several is out-of-pocket expenditure; in many cases, it is spent on sectors,” Sunil Kumar Sinha, principal frauds. So they do not even recover. Some might also risk economist of Indian Ratings and getting long COVID-19 and may not return to work soon. Research, a Fitch Group company, was As a result, people have become poorer than last year. quoted saying by the media. I have estimated that poverty had increased since 2019 The impact on the rural economy may even drain the overall economy. India because joblessness had risen and wage rates had fallen. On top of that, we have had two waves of COVID-19. Rural Ratings and Research (ind-ra), a credit rating agency, says the economic impact poverty in any case in 2012 was about 26 per cent. What of the second wave would be harder due to we are seeing now is a 10 per cent increase of the 2012 loss of demand in rural India, which is number, contributed primarily in rural areas, because two- not likely to pick up again soon. Rural third of our population lives here. When poverty increases consumption was a boon for the economy at this rate, then aggregate demand in economy collapses. during the first wave of the pandemic for When that happens, the organised sector is impacted. it remained largely unaffected till early (Author is visiting professor, Centre for Development, 2021. But with a positivity rate of over 10 University of Bath, UK, and former economics professor, per cent in more than half the country’s Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi) districts, the expenditure pattern of rural households can take a turn for the worse,

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even if agricultural output and income injected into the rural economy. The remain the same. There may be a tendency Mahatma Gandhi National Rural to suppress discretionary spending due to Employment Guarantee Act (mgnrega) the fear of impending disease, says also provided employment. This time, Abhirup Bhunia, an international unfortunately, several migrants are development consultant. “A downward without work,” says Kashyap. force on consumption and demand in Pravakar Sahoo, professor, Institute rural areas this year will hit us. Rural of Economic Growth (ieg), an autonomous demand saved us in 2020. A health crisis body under the Union government, says of this measure will put pressure on out- the money in circulation or that with of-pocket expenses for many families,” public currently is around `29 trillion. says Bhunia. “This is 50 per cent higher than the The share of government in the money that was with the public before current expenditure on health in India is WE ARE STILL demonetisation,” he says. Why is the only 27.1 per cent; a large share of STRUGGLING demand for money high when jobs and 62.4 per cent is borne by households. “So WITH OXYGEN incomes have been lost? Sahoo says these people are going to try and save more and AND CRITICAL are distressed withdrawals. “People are cut down on consumption. High out-of- CARE now withdrawing money. They have lost pocket expenditure will put them in a their income and are now relying on their BREAKDOWN debt situation,” he says. This debt can be savings to survive. It’s a bad sign. The more damaging than other types of IN URBAN consumption level will go down further.” household debt. “As these expenses INDIA. THE generally occur during an illness, it limits SALARIED JOB RURAL ECONOMY FAILS TO one’s ability to work, leading to depletion LOSS IN RURAL HOLD UP of household savings and unanticipated INDIA WILL The overall share of the rural economy in economic shocks,” says ind-ra. HAVE A gdp is around 30 per cent. Agriculture These out-of-pocket expenses could CASCADING contributes a third to the rural economy; push millions of people below the poverty IMPACT ON the rest is contributed by non-farm line. There could be a 10 per cent increase SEVERAL component that comprise industries and in rural poverty compared to what it was SECTORS services. Experts says with activities in a decade ago, says Mehrotra. He adds: “As SUNIL KUMAR the rural non-farm sector also almost much as 26 per cent of the rural population SINHA shut, there is an increase in surplus

DOWNLOAD RELATED EDITIONS RELATED DOWNLOAD was living under poverty in 2012; we are Principal labour in agriculture. But mgnrega likely to see a 10 per cent increase this economist, Indian cannot absorb all the demand for work. Ratings and year. When poverty increases at this rate, Moreover, with covid-19 making inroads Research aggregate demand in the economy into the villages, a healthy work force collapses. When that happens, the may not be available for the rural economy organised sector is impacted.” He says to function, says Arup Mitra, professor, the organised sector may be doing well, ieg. “The impact on people’s incomes and but going forward as poverty increases economy is likely to be much worse and wages collapse, aggregate demand compared to disasters such as El Niño here, too, will remain extremely tepid. and droughts.” This may mean investments will not Most of the non-farm activities— revive and gdp growth will not get works like repairing auto-rickshaws, anywhere close to even 5 per cent for the cycles and tractors, construction, tran- next three to four years. sport and storage—require high human “The migrants who walked back home contact. Rural wage growth for both in 2020 had some work before they left agricultural and non-agricultural activ- the cities. They went back with some ities has declined recently. “Average savings and thus, additional money was agricultural wage growth during

68 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN November 2020-March 2021 declined to AFTERSHOCKS#COVID-19 2.9 per cent from 8.5 per cent during April-August 2020. Similarly, wage growth for non-agricultural activities “A healthy work force during November 2020-March 2021 declined to 5.2 per cent from 9.1 per cent will be scarce” during April-August 2020,” says ind-ra. ABHIRUP BHUNIA Even though the economic impact of the pandemic on rural areas was less IN RURAL areas, severe in 2020, the Union government there might be a announced various steps, such as a tendency to suppress stimulus package that included relief discretionary measures. This year, however, there have spending due to the been no such announcements so far. fear of impending Sahoo says: “The stimulus package crea- disease. Such ted liquidity in the market. The measures downward force on were not perfect, but they worked to some consumption and extent. Even many micro, small and demand was not there medium enterprises (msmes) could keep last time. Last year, both their men and machinery functioning rural demand actually after the first wave. There is no substantial saved us. A health support in the second wave. So many crisis becomes a msmes like the cottage industry, which tremendous pressure would have tried to stand up after the first on out-of-pocket expenses for any family. So people will try wave, are finding it difficult to do so this time.” The Union government has provided to save much more and cut down on consumption. When a some relaxation regarding loans through disease hits a family, there is an out-of-pocket expenditure the Reserve Bank of India to msmes. But which puts somebody in a real debt kind of situation. when there is no demand and even the Rural doesn’t only mean agriculture. Half of the enterprises are not operational, the manufacturing and construction are basically in rural areas. relaxations are not going to help, he adds. In terms of solutions, there have to be cash transfers. Income Economists say the government must support needs to resume because there will be people who now prepare itself to initiate a wide range due to the suppression of economic activity will not be able to of schemes for low-income households in sustain themselves in terms of basic livelihood. Cash in hand rural as well as urban areas. “The urban will also give a sense of financial security to people in these informal sector and rural non-farm sector times. In-kind support in form of ration should be continued. will require a great deal of attention for MGNREGA data suggests heightened distress, as livelihood creation. If not done, it can lead registrations are going up. In May, there is a 50 per cent year- to large-scale consequences. Inequality will increase further, which will not be on-year increase in job creation. MGNREGA cannot take up all sustainable,” says Mitra. Mehrotra makes the demand if it keeps increasing like this. We have to include a case for an urban employment guarantee newer things in the ambit of MGNREGA, at least temporarily. scheme, just like mgnrega for rural areas, For example, any kind of activity that is required to build and cash transfer to ensure a minimum health infrastructure. But if the severity and communicability income guarantee. “Spending funds for of the disease increases—and we hear that many pockets in an urban employment scheme will ease villages are being wiped out—a healthy work force will not be the burden on mgnrega and will invite available for the rural economy to run. workers back to town,” he says. (Author is a development consultant) (With inputs from Sudarshana Chakraborty)

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BEHIND THE CURVE

It should not have taken a pandemic for the government to realise the importance of the rural healthcare infrastructure and of universal free access to it VIBHA VARSHNEY

ARS-CoV-2 virus, which is behind The problem also stems from the fact the ongoing pandemic, does not that the country has failed to strengthen Sdifferentiate between rural and its rural health infrastructure, despite urban areas. It just looks for susceptible repeated warnings and advisories. people, who still do not have the immunity A parliamentary committee report on against it. Since rural India remained Management of covid-19 Pandemic and largely unscathed during the first wave of Related Issues, presented to the the pandemic, the virus has found many chairperson of the Rajya Sabha on susceptible victims there during its second December 21, 2020, indicated the wave. An analysis by Down To Earth A HEALTHCARE possibility of the disease reaching rural shows that in April, rural districts accou- SYSTEM THAT areas. It had advised the government to nted for 45.4 per cent of the total covid-19 DOES NOT ensure testing infrastructure and cases in the country and 50.8 per cent of WORK IN upgraded health infrastructure in remote the deaths. The numbers kept growing NORMAL and rural areas. Earlier, on November 21, through May (see ‘Troubled interiors’ on TIMES IS NOT another Parliamentary committee report, p34), when rural districts for the first time LIKELY TO Outbreak of Pandemic covid-19 and it’s this year surpassed urban districts in WORK DURING Management, submitted to Rajya Sabha

DOWNLOAD RELATED EDITIONS RELATED DOWNLOAD terms of covid-19 cases and deaths. That A PANDEMIC highlighted the poor state of primary month, rural districts accounted for 53 AND UNDER healthcare in rural areas and recom- per cent of the total new cases in the PRESSURE mended that the government increase its country and 52 per cent of covid-19 deaths. RITU PRIYA spending under the National Rural Health Owing to the nature of the virus, Professor at the Mission to strengthen the delivery of its spread was inevitable. The current Centre of Social healthcare services in rural areas during problem emanates from the fact that the Medicine and the pandemic. Community rural areas are ill equipped to deal with It was only in May that some action Health, diseases even in best of times. More than Jawaharlal Nehru was visible at the central level. On 65 per cent of the country’s population University, Delhi May 16, the Union Ministry of Health and lives in rural districts, according to Family Welfare released a standard World Bank data. Yet, hospitals in rural operating procedure (sop) on “covid-19 areas have just 37 per cent of the beds Containment and Management in Peri- available in all government hospitals urban, Rural and Tribal areas”. The sop across the country, admits the National outlined the preparations needed in rural Health Profile of India for 2019, a report areas and detailed the efforts states prepared by the Central Bureau of Health needed to take for surveillance, screening, Intelligence. isolation and referral of patients. It

70 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 APRIL 2020 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN proposed a three-tier structure—covid Union health ministry for rural India. It COVID-19 patients care centres to manage mild and asympto- protest in front of begins with the line “covid-19 outbreak in a health centre in matic cases; dedicated covid health the country is still predominantly an Odisha’s Angul district, centres to manage moderate cases; and demanding better urban phenomenon”, she says. healthcare dedicated covid hospitals to manage The sop document also notes that 80- severe cases. 85 per cent of the people affected by Implementing the sop should not have covid-19 do not need specialised care and been difficult as India already has a three- can be quarantined at home or at a covid tier healthcare system in place—primary, care centre. However, ensuring treatment secondary and tertiary. Then where did it to the remaining 15-20 per cent of covid-19 falter? infected persons requires major Ritu Priya, professor at the Centre of upgradation in healthcare infrastructure Social Medicine and Community Health, —community health centres, sub-district Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, and district hospitals and transport points out that a healthcare system that facilities—in rural areas. This was does not work in normal times is not likely unthinkable for a health system that has to work during a pandemic and under been strapped for funds for decades now. pressure. Besides, the sop document does India’s public health expenditure (a

PHOTOGRAPH: BIJAY MISHRA not reflect any sense of urgency by the sum of Central and state spending) has COVER STORY/PANDEMIC

remained between 1.2 per cent and Convener of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (jsa) 1.8 per cent of gdp between 2008-09 and and co-chair of People’s Health Movement, 2019-21. This is quite low when compared a global network.. with other countries such as China The government did not demand (3.2 per cent), US (8.5 per cent) and services from the private sector though it Germany (9.4 per cent). The National could have legally done so under the Health Mission, which envisages Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 (just the way achievement of universal access to CENTRE AND Kerala has done). Experiences of the poor equitable, affordable and quality NITI AAYOG say provision of an insurance card is not healthcare services, receives about SHOULD the same as effective access to free and 50 per cent of the budgetary allocation for ABANDON quality care. Instead of learning from this health. Worse, the allocations for the rural failure of the private sector to provide any PLANS FOR component (National Rural Health help during the pandemic, niti Aayog, Mission) has decreased by 3 per cent since PRIVATISING India’s premier think tank, brought out a last year. HEALTH CARE, report Investment Opportunities in India’s Since 2014, the government’s focus has AND INSTEAD Healthcare Sector, on March 31, 2021, in fact shifted to providing healthcare by INVEST ALL with a focus on private healthcare. roping in the private sector. The National MONEY AND “Going forward, the Centre and niti Health Policy (2017) also envisages EFFORTS INTO Aayog should abandon all plans for providing healthcare in collaboration with MAKING THE healthcare privatisations, such as pmjay the private sector. The Pradhan Mantri PUBLIC and handing over district hospitals to Jan Arogya Yojana (pmjay), a component of HEALTH private medical colleges, and instead the Union government’s flagship scheme SYSTEM invest all money and efforts into Ayushman Bharat, is an insurance-based STRONG AT strengthening the public health system at scheme which has seen the highest ALL LEVELS all levels,” says Nandi. increase in allocation for 2020-21 at 100 SULAKSHANA per cent (`6,400 crore over the revised NANDI LEFT IN SHAMBLES estimates of `3,200 crore in 2019-20). National Joint The major reason public healthcare has The futility of this dependence on Convener of Jan failed to perform during the pandemic is private healthcare providers via Swasthya Abhiyan the deficiency in infrastructure—both in and co-chair, government-funded insurance schemes terms of physical structures and human People’s Health has become apparent during the Movement resources. As of 2018, India faced a pandemic. The private sector is not active shortage of 2,188 community health in rural areas, and even the hospitals centres (chcs), 6,430 primarily health present refused to provide care to covid centres (phcs) and 32,900 sub-centres. patients during the pandemic. Even state- The existing ones, too, do not have level insurance schemes did not perform adequate infrastructure and are poorly well. Chhattisgarh, for instance, has a equipped. According to an analysis by universal healthcare scheme, the World Bank, in 2017 India had only 0.5 Khoobchand Baghel Swasthya Sahayata beds per 1,000 people, far below the global Yojana. During the pandemic, this scheme average of 2.9 beds. Small wonder, the should have come to the rescue of each rural healthcare infrastructure is now covid-19 infected person, whether in rural stretched to the limit during the pandemic. or in urban areas. But private hospitals “In some tribal areas of Maharashtra, refused to implement it. Instead, several not a single oxygen bed is available in the of them found newer ways to overcharge entire block. People here had to travel long patients by providing plasma therapy and distances to access medical facilities, other unscientific and unproven therapies without any assurance of a bed. More that do no good to patients, reveals often than not, their health condition Sulakshana Nandi, National Joint deteriorates on the way to the health

72 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 APRIL 2020 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN facility,” says Abhay Shukla, co-convenor, AFTERSHOCKS#COVID-19 jsa. The isolation centres which had worked well in the first wave were not “The pandemic is worse revived in the second wave. “In rural areas, it is important to have institutional than disasters that hit isolation centres to ensure adherence to covid-appropriate behaviour,” says rural areas” Shukla. ARUP MITRA He says it is easy to bolster health infrastructure during such times of crisis. WHAT’S HAPPENING Potentially, each rural school can be to rural livelihoods is converted to an isolation centre, which much worse than other can then be monitored by ashas and anms. disasters affecting rural This is a public health measure that has areas, like drought. to be implemented and supervised with This time around, there direction from the top authorities. are no schemes or Similarly, each taluka in the state has a announcements to start 30-bed hospital, some of which can easily demand, like last year. converted to oxygen beds. “In Chhattisgarh, a number of government Currently the attention facilities got upgraded during the is more on controlling pandemic, and have been doing a very the disease and keeping well,” Nandi says. people inside so that the There is also a shortfall in the number disease doesn’t become widespread. of doctors, specialists and surgeons. For We don’t know how long this lockdown will last and the example, as of 2018, there was a deficit of health infrastructure in the rural areas is really fragile. Given 46 per cent of doctors and 82 per cent of this situation I really don’t know see how MGNREGA can come specialists, including surgeons, obste- to rescue in a greater extent. In particular, when the disease tricians, gynaecologists, physicians and has taken a deep-rooted shape, I don’t know how activities paediatricians needed in phcs across under MGNREGA, especially construction and infrastructure, India. who recommends 44 health workers which are not very essential and can wait, would be allowed. per 10,000 population, but India has only There will be a major deceleration in employment and 22 health workers per 10,000 population. Rural areas have lower health worker income, which is going to affect the economy significantly. density than the national average. The problem is going to aggravate much faster. Last time the The Rural Health Statistics 2019-20, extent of the decline was arrested due to rural demand. This brought out by the Union health ministry, time it looks like it’s very difficult to arrest the deceleration. The points out that at the national level, income loss is tremendous compared to what was experienced 11 per cent of anm (trained female health last year. The rural non-farm sector is very bleak. It’s very workers) posts at sub-centres were vacant, difficult to see a silver lining. At least some part of the rural as were 35 per cent of the sanctioned non-farm sector was functioning last year, but those positions for male health workers. possibilities are almost negligible now. Similarly, 37 per cent of the positions for Even if the economy opens up, it is not going to do so in health assistants and 20 per cent for those a significant manner; it is going to be in a very narrow way of doctors at phcs were not filled. Even because people are scared now. So from that point of view, nurses and ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga, it’s a major blow on the economy from both the health and the Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa employment aspects. and Homoeopathy) practitioners were short by 13 per cent and 9 per cent (Author is a professor at Institute of Economic Growth) respectively. The most basic health

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workers are missing even in a rich state rural areas. Some states like West Bengal like Maharashtra, where the number of have woken up to this potential. The state sanctioned positions for anms at the sub- government is now enlisting these centre level was 11,975, of which only healthcare providers who are being 10,492 posts were filled. Poor states like officially recognised as grameen swasthya Uttar Pradesh and Bihar,as classified by parisevaks and being trained to contain the number of people living below the the spread of covid-19 in rural areas, poverty line under the niti Aayog’s sdg particularly to counsel the increasing India Index for 2019, were worse off. While number of patients in home isolation. in Uttar Pradesh, out of the sanctioned sathi, or Support for Advocacy and 23,656 posts, only 20,389 were filled, in Training to Health Initiatives, a Pune- Bihar, only 13,425 posts out of the based non-profit, has set up 30 help desks sanctioned 20,544 were occupied. during the second wave to guide patients ashas and other frontline workers HEALTH on where to go for tests and vaccinations, worked well during the first wave of the CANNOT BE and what treatment to avail. This is of pandemic, but as they were not adequately PRODUCED, huge help as the existing staff is protected, many got covid-19. ashas in IT CAN preoccupied with clinical care, and it can Pune, Maharashtra, have not been paid or ONLY BE be easily set up across the country. remunerated for the extra work they are CO-PRODUCED States like Kerala, that have had some doing, reveals Shukla. Mitanins (female —THE PUBLIC experience with pandemics, have fared health volunteers) in Chhattisgarh have HEALTH SYSTEM better in covid-19 control due to been working non-stop in the community AND PEOPLE participation of civil society in outbreak since the pandemic began, but they have HAVE TO WORK control and health service delivery. Team neither been remunerated nor provided TOGETHER. CO- building among frontline functionaries adequate protective equipment, says PRODUCTION and community leaders was spontaneous Nandi. So they are demoralised, without any political or religious barriers OF HEALTH IS discouraged, sick and scared during the as people had experience through the IMPERATIVE IN second wave. previous outbreaks of h1n1 in 2009, Nipah TIME OF A in 2018 and leptospirosis in 2019. STRENGTH IN COMMUNITY PANDEMIC “Mobilising volunteers who are ready to However, these community level workers ABHAY SHUKLA go the extra mile was a deliberate strategy are needed to improve India’s response to Co-convenor, Jan adopted by Kerala since 2008 through the Swasthya Abhiyan

DOWNLOAD RELATED EDITIONS RELATED DOWNLOAD covid-19 and improve health basics. Some People’s Campaign for Decentralised states have made an effort to improve the Planning,” says Antony KR, a Kochi based working of rural workers. For example, on public health expert and an independent May 17, 2021, the Odisha government monitor of the National Health Mission. issued a directive to provide a one-time Because of this, 45,000 registered support of `10,000 to asha workers to volunteers are now helping the Kerala purchase protective equipment to help government in covid-19 control activities. them work safely. “Health cannot be They are in addition to 26,310 asha produced, it can only be co-produced— the workers, 33,115 anganwadi workers, and public health system and people have to 4.54 million women entrepreneurs under work together. Co-production of health is the banner of Kudumbashree, a scheme imperative in time of a pandemic. for neighbourhood women groups. Another Everyone has to be mobilised,” says 21,682 elected ward members from village Shukla. panchayats, municipal corporations or The non-degree holder rural doctors councils, too, have joined this army of too need to be included in this fight, says unpaid workers to tackle the pandemic. Ritu Priya. These practitioners provide Over the past year, these volunteers have healthcare to over 80 per cent people in played a crucial role in tracing and

74 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 APRIL 2020 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN isolating the infected persons at airports, AFTERSHOCKS#COVID-19 railway stations, inter-state borders and bus terminals; running community kitchens to feed quarantined people, “Those who have gone especially the elderly, patients in isolation hospitals, the poor and the homeless; and back to villages have to distribute dry ration kits, Antony explains. no work, so no income” Ritu Priya points out that India can PRADEEP KASHYAP fight the pandemic successfully only with a decentralised approach. The entire THIS TIME the impact government and the whole society must will be much worse. come together and take action, keeping Last year when the local-level conditions in perspective. In rural workers Dharavi, the government machinery returned home, they worked, but the community also at least had work participated actively. The private sector before they left the does not have a role in pandemic control cities. So they left as it is not likely to do contact tracing or go with some savings. It to rural areas. was rural India that As of now, vaccines appear to be the saved us last year. only way out of the pandemic. These would Labourers had the be especially useful in rural areas where cash in hand and healthcare is patchy. thus there was VACCINE CONUNDRUM additional money injected into the rural Ideally, the covid-19 vaccination economy. This time, unfortunately, several of them still programme should have been a success in continue to be without work and most of them have gone India, which is not only a global leader in vaccine development but also has an back without savings, so there is no extra infusion in the existing universal immunisation rural economy. programme in place. But in its attempt to The economy is battered. It’s going to take a long time address the issue of vaccine shortage amid to get the jobs back, to get the incomes going, so there is the second wave, the government has not going to be consumer demand. This time around, the instead introduced new strategies that rural economy is going to be a drain on the country. I do have now resulted in unjust and lopsided not, therefore, see too many silver linings with regard to distribution of the vaccine. the economy. While rolling out the covid-19 CMIE data shows that the employment in agriculture vaccination programme, the Centre had has gone up. In the last 10 years it had been decreasing sanctioned `35,000 crore, which is enough steadily by 1-1.5 per cent. But now, suddenly, it has risen to purchase a vaccine for every citizen from 43 per cent to 46 per cent. This is because there is a above 18 years of age. On December 28, high level of disguised unemployment in rural areas. All the 2020, it also released the covid-19 Vaccines Operational Guidelines to ensure a people who have returned have no work to do and are with smooth rollout of these vaccines. But their families. So they identify themselves as being in deadlines were not set, and all that was agriculture or as agriculture labourers, but they are not mentioned was that everyone who is actually productive or they don’t make a major impact. eligible for the vaccine would get it. The (Author is founder, Rural Marketing Association of India) guidelines aim to vaccinate some 300 million people—healthcare workers,

DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN 1-15 APRIL 2020 DOWN TO EARTH 75 COVER STORY/PANDEMIC

AFTERSHOCKS#COVID-19 frontline workers, those above the age of 50 years and those who have co-morbidities—by July 2021. The vaccination drive was then opened up for “People are withdrawing people aged 45 years and above on April 1, money in distress, 2021. With the second wave, the demand for vaccines increased and shortages were dipping savings” evident on the ground. But the government did not have a plan to meet this demand. PRAVAKAR SAHOO On April 19, 2021, the government unveiled the Liberalised and Accelerated MOST OF the people Phase 3 Strategy, according to which in rural areas have states and private hospitals could procure lost their income and half of the vaccine produced in the country. employment. This The manufacturers were allowed to sell time, the government these doses at a higher price. Now, those and policy makers above 45 will receive the central quota are caught off guard. and this can be dispensed for free to the They cannot focus on population. The states could provide anything else other vaccines to those citizens they consider than beds, oxygen, vulnerable, while the private industry among other things. could vaccinate all those who do not Last year recovery necessarily fall in the vulnerable category was quicker because but have the purchasing power. of the fiscal stimulus This strategy has led to chaos and and other measures. confusion on the ground. Bharat Biotech They might not have has announced that it would sell its been perfect, but they still worked to some extent. Allocation vaccine, Covaxin, at `400 per dose to the to the rural sector was given importance last time, and states while Serum Institute of India (sii) so the rural economy somehow recovered. This time, the has set price for its vaccine, Covishield, at announcements are only restricted to food through PDS. But `300 per dose. While sii has set the price at `600 per dose for the private players, that is for subsistence, not for recovery. The government has Bharat Biotech has not revealed its price. given some relaxation regarding loans through RBI to MSMEs, These higher prices have resulted in an but when there is no demand and your enterprise is not increase in the price of vaccine at private operational, all these relaxations are not going to help. centres, where Covaxin is available at Today, the money in circulation or the money with the `1,250 and Covishield at `900. public is r29 trillion. This is 50 per cent higher than before Since neither of these companies have demonetisation. At a time when jobs are lost, income is not enough vaccines to meet the shortages, there, growth is not happening, the demand for money is states have tried to issue global tenders to high. Why? This is because people are taking out cash. This expedite the vaccination process. simply means these are distressed withdrawals. People are Uttar Pradesh, with a population of more taking out their money, they are in a precarious situation, than 200 million, floated a tender for they have lost income and now they are taking out their 40 million doses of the vaccines on May 7. savings to survive. It’s a bad sign. The consumption level A couple of days later, the Municipal will decrease further. Corporation of Greater Mumbai (mcgm) invited expressions of interests to supply (Author is a professor at Institute of Economic Growth) 10 million shots. Many other states, including Delhi, have also floated similar tenders. But these states have not been

76 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 APRIL 2020 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN Designated COVID Healthcare Centre in Godhra, Gujarat. Such makeshift facilities are not nearly enough do deal with the rising caseload

successful in procuring vaccines through immunisation program were procured by the tenders. “Things that should have the Centre alone and administered by the been decentralised have been centralised states free of cost, as per the established and vice versa,” rues Shukla. “We have a universal immunisation programme. decentralised system for vaccine The pandemic is an indicator of India’s procurement but a centralised system for failure in providing healthcare to all in vaccine administration.” HOSPITALS IN the country. Now, years of incremental The companies and the government RURAL AREAS improvements in health indicators in are now trying to increase production too. OF INDIA rural areas are lost as routine surgeries, As Covaxin is indigenous and developed HAVE JUST 37 antenatal care and immunisation by the Indian Council for Medical PER CENT OF coverage, dialysis and care of the kidney Research, it is possible to licence the THE BEDS patients, routine chemotherapy and technology to multiple manufacturers. AVAILABLE radiotherapy of cancer patients are Some efforts have been made regarding IN ALL adversely affected. It is a wake-up call this and facilities at three public sector GOVERNMENT and experts hope that some good would vaccine manufacturing units are being HOSPITALS come out of this chaos too. For example, ramped up so they are able to manufacture ACROSS THE this is the first time that all of adult soon. Bharat Biotech, too, is increasing COUNTRY population is reaching health centres for capacity. NATIONAL vaccination. These people can be screened Taking suo motu cognisance of the HEALTH PROFILE for blood pressure and blood sugar and development, on May 31 the Supreme OF INDIA FOR counselled for hypertension and diabetes. Court has also questioned the Centre 2019 These are integral to comprehensive about its vaccine procurement policy and A report by the primary care proposed in the National different price mechanisms for the jab. So Central Bureau of Health Policy, 2017. DTE Health Intelligence PHOTOGRAPH: JUMANA SHAH JUMANA PHOTOGRAPH: far, all the vaccines for India’s universal @down2earthindia

DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN 1-15 APRIL 2020 DOWN TO EARTH 77 PATENTLY ABSURD/LATHA JISHNU The curious case of Covaxin royalties ICMR’s contradictions and obfuscation on ownership of the vaccine’s intellectual property is not helping in the fight against COVID-19

S ONE of the handful of countries to to the market. Should private companies be have produced a vaccine against allowed to reap huge profits through the grant Acovid-19, India ought to be celebrating of patent monopolies on life-saving vaccines, its achievement. Instead, almost everything to when much of the funding has come from do with Covaxin, the vaccine developed by the public research and taxpayer money? Indian Council for Medical Research (icmr) in The Covaxin case provokes a similar partnership with the private vaccine company question. But here the issue is murky. There is Bharat Biotech (bbil), is cloaked in ambiguity. no clarity on who owns the rights to the The haziest aspect is ownership of the vaccine. The first public disclosure on Covaxin's intellectual property (IP) on the vaccine, and IP was made to The Hindu on May 3, after statements by icmr have only added to the mounting demands from the scientific confusion. bbil has chosen to maintain a fraternity, legal experts and the media seeking studied silence on the subject. details of funding and the IP rights. The Hindu The chronology of research on the sars-cov-2 report said the product IP is “shared”. The virus in India and the development of Covaxin public-private partnership, we were told by begs a question: if not for critical work done by icmr director-general Balram Bhargava, was

DOWNLOAD RELATED EDITIONS RELATED DOWNLOAD public sector laboratories, would the vaccine formalised under a memorandum of have been developed by bbil, and in such a understanding (mou) between icmr and bbil and short time? the IP was “shared”. In an email reply to the In the global campaign for wider access to newspaper, Bhargava disclosed that the apex vaccines to fight the deadlycovid -19 pandemic, health research body would receive royalty the most contested issue is payments on net sales from bbil. To make it the role of public funding amply clear that it was a joint undertaking, he in the development of pointed out that the name of icmr and its successful National Institute of Virology (niv) would be vaccines printed on the vaccine boxes. niv is a major brought institute of icmr and a designated World Health Organization reference laboratory for the southeast Asia region. Within days, however, a report in a sister publication, The Hindu BusinessLine, had a slightly different version. An unnamed top official privy to the developments was quoted by the newspaper as saying the contract with bbil was open-ended and icmr was free to share the technology with other companies. It was entitled to a 5 per cent royalty from bbil. Note that the word used here is "contract".

78 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN Was it, then, a contract manufacturing which played a signal role in the making of agreement like that of the Serum Institute of Covaxin. One such is the Indian Institute of India (sii) with AstraZeneca to produce its Chemical Technology (iict), a constituent Covishield vaccine? In the wake of the deadly laboratory of the Council of Scientific and spread of the second wave of the pandemic, the Industrial Research. It was only because of the government has roped in three public sector technology developed by iict for a synthetic vaccine institutes to make Covaxin. But if it route for the agonist molecule that allowed bbil has the right to grant to licences at will, the to scale up the production of the adjuvant. The big question is why just choose Haffkine—it technology using indigenous chemicals “at an was the only one authorised initially—and not affordable price and with highest purity” was a every vaccine company in the country that is signal contribution, and bbil acknowledges that eligible to make the product? Covaxin would not have been possible without The latest twist in the Covaxin story came it. One wonders how the technology was given to on May 27, when the niti Aayog published a a private company. Was a licence fee involved, diatribe against what it terms the "myths" on or was it a free transfer? India’s vaccine process. The press note issued Public sector labs have been at the by Vinod Paul, member, health, and chair of forefront of the science to contain the the National Expert Group on Vaccine pandemic. In May 2020, another premier Administration for covid-19, is research institute, the Centre for an angry rejoinder to the The story of how Cellular and Molecular Biology (ccmb) criticisms levelled against the Covaxin was in Hyderabad, announced that it had Narendra Modi government for developed in established stable cultures of the India is lacking in its failure to anticipate and coronavirus causing covid-19. The critical details, prevent the devastating second ability to culture the virus in a lab especially with wave. There is a specific regard to the was a milestone that would enable reference to Covaxin, where role of public ccmb to work towards vaccine Paul states categorically that laboratories development and test potential drugs “there is only one Indian to fight covid-19, it said in a presser. company (Bharat Biotech) Given this background, one wonders which has the IP.” However, the government is why bbil was given the Covaxin IP and an trying to ensure that three other companies exclusive contract initially to manufacture the start production of Covaxin by December. vaccine. Surely, the public health crisis in the Why just three, is the question, as India country warranted a different approach? In runs out of vaccines and vaccination centres an affidavit to the Supreme Court,icmr turn away desperate people? It must be outlined the research steps it had taken to remembered the Covaxin accounts for just develop Covaxin and the money it spent on 10 per cent of the supplies, while the rest comes the project. But full disclosure of the terms of from sii's Covishield. the mou it signed with bbil remains out of The development of Covaxin, although it public scrutiny. provided the right fodder for vaccine As serologists warn of the certainty of a nationalists in the country, in particular the third wave of the pandemic, the government cheerleading media and the ruling party must come clean on how it plans to step up speaking heads, is singularly lacking in critical vaccine production to meet the threat. details. The first announcement is a single- Can it walk its talk at the World Trade paragraph press release by icmr in May 2020 Organization on the need to waive patent that it had partnered with bbil to develop a fully rights in a public health crisis, and make the indigenous vaccine for covid-19 using the virus technology for Covaxin freely available? Or strain isolated at niv, Pune. The strain had is its vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat limited been successfully transferred to bbil. in scope? DTE There are other public research institutes @ljishnu

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DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWN TO EARTH 81 Palette/OPINION TINKER, TAILOR WHY THE HISTORIC HIKE IN SUBSIDY OF A WIDELY USED FERTILISER IS INDICATIVE OF A REGIME THAT FOSTERS INEFFICIENCY AND INEQUITY, AND IMPACTS ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY JUGAL MOHAPATRA AND SIRAJ HUSSAIN

N THE first fortnight of April, in the midst of the din and bustle of the elections to state legislative Iassemblies, some leading newspapers reported about an imminent steep rise in the prices of dap (di-ammonium phosphate) fertiliser to `1,900 from `1,200 per bag of 50 kg. Against the backdrop of the surging second wave of the covid-19 pandemic in rural hinterland, the price rise was feared to impact the ensuing kharif crop and aggravate distress in the farm sector even further. Not only is dap the second most commonly used fertiliser in the country after urea, farmers usually apply it just before or at the time of sowing as its high phosphorus (P) content stimulates root establishment and development. Unsurprisingly, the Union government moved in and announced a “historic” 140 per cent hike in the dap subsidy, raising it to `1,200 from `500 per bag so that farmers continue to pay the same price and are not burdened with price rise. While the political and

economic rationale of this move ILLUSTRATION: RITIKA BOHRA / CSE is understandable, it is necessary to analyse

82 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN the factors that drove the small reserves in Rajasthan). In GLOBAL PRESSURE ON hardening of dap price in the such a scenario, the trend in the DAP RATE domestic market, and whether the price of dap and its inputs in the Price of DAP fertiliser in the world market move of the Union government international market inevitably has started moving northwards since the signals any intent of the much- determine the trajectory of the second quarter (Q2) of FY 2020-21 awaited structural reform in the price in the domestic market. 600 543.4 fertiliser subsidy regime. It is evident from the global Before analysing these, let’s get market trends that the price of dap 357.1 400 421.3 some basics clear. India’s annual was stable in the first quarter of 282 282 consumption of chemical fertilisers financial year 2020-21, after which 200 is around 60 million tonnes, of it started moving northwards, Price (US $/tonne) which 32-33 million tonnes (about registering a rise of 78 per cent 0 55 per cent) is urea, which has a between July 2020 and April 2021. April July Oct Jan April 2020 2020 2020 2021 2021 high nitrogen (N) content. The Similarly, the producer price index Source: IndexMundi remaining varieties consist of dap, (ppi indicates the average a phosphatic fertiliser, muriate of fluctuation in selling prices) of PPI* of phosphoric acid, other phosphatic potash or mop, a high potassium phosphoric acid and other fertiliser materials has increased by 50% in (K) fertiliser, and other complex intermediates of phosphatic world market since Q2 of FY 2020-21 fertilisers (with different fertilisers increased by about 120 107.1 formulations of nutrients like N, P 50 per cent during this period (see 77.9 and K). Among these non-urea ‘Global pressure on dap rate’). The 80 70.0 85.7 fertilisers, dap accounts for 9-10 price movements in the global 71.7 million tonnes or about 15 per cent markets exerted pressure on the 40 of the total chemical fertilisers domestic market, which led the consumed in the country. Indian Farmers Fertiliser 0 April July Oct Jan April Producer Price Index (PPI) Index Price Producer While domestic production Cooperative Limited (iffco), one of 2020 2020 2020 2021 2021 meets 75 per cent of the country’s India’s largest fertiliser producers, Source: Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) urea requirement, it caters to only to announce a 58 per cent price Note: PPI indicates average fluctuation in selling prices 40 to 50 per cent of the dap needs. hike for dap on April 8. The actual output of dap is even The announcement, as DIMINISHING COMFORT lesser: though its domestic expected, triggered a clamour of AT HOME installed capacity is reported to be protests, prompting the Union Nutrient-based subsidy on DAP fertiliser has 10 million tonnes, annual output government to step in the very fallen over years with occasional increase during high global prices has veered around 4-5 million next day and “persuade” the tonnes. Thus India is heavily domestic producers to hold back 20k dependent on imports to meet its any increase in the fertiliser 15k 12,350 dap / tonne)

requirement. More prices. Just the way the domestic 10,231 8,945 significantly, even for domestic producers of dap could not have 10k 15,968 14,350 production of dap, India largely postponed the price hike, the 5k depends on imports of Union government could not have 10,402

intermediate inputs, such as risked an increase of 58 per cent in ( / NBS on DAP 0 phosphoric acid, as the country the retail price of dap even though

does not have substantial it is a “decontrolled” product. 2010-11 2012-13 2014-15 2016-17 2018-19 2020-21 extractable reserves of First, an increase in the retail Source: Department of Fertilizers, Government of India rock phosphates price of dap would further (except for accentuate the problem of fertilisers has been sub-optimal in imbalanced use of fertilisers in the several regions. country, which is already skewed Second, such a steep price hike towards nitrogenous urea; the use would most certainly affect the of phosphatic and potassium 2021 kharif crop. This means

DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWN TO EARTH 83 Palette/OPINION despite a favourable forecast of subsidy per kilogramme of nutrient. `14.88) in other npk-based complex monsoon this year, the prospect of Domestic suppliers are allowed to fertilisers. But the rate of subsidy a buoyant farm sector and rise in fix their prices “reasonably’’, after remains unchanged for other farmers’ income would be rather factoring in the nbs rates, which nutrients. There has been no hike gloomy, dampening the much- vary every year and are decided by in nbs rate for mop whose rates, too, expected recovery of the economy the Union government after taking have surged. during financial year 2021-22. into consideration price trends in As per the government’s Third, a large number of the global market. estimates, the revised subsidy on farmers in different parts of the It is, however, observed that nbs dap and other complex fertilisers country have been agitating on dap has actually fallen over the would entail additional budgetary against the three farm laws, years, from a peak of `19,763 per outgo of `14,775 crore in 2021-22 hurriedly enacted in September million tonnes in 2011-12 (average (for kharif season only). Going 2020. A steep hike in the price of landing price of imported dap forward, it can be assumed that dap, would have added to the during 2011-12 was US $512 with even in rabi 2021-22, the retail discontent among the prices of dap will not be farmers across India. allowed to rise too much. To Thus, the only option OWING TO THE COMPLEX WEB OF what extent this budgetary left for the Union CONTROLS AND REGULATIONS, outgo will help ensure government was to PRICES OF DIFFERENT FERTILISERS holistic use of fertilisers counterbalance the ARE SEVERELY DISTORTED, however, remains unclear. anticipated price increase LEADING TO WIDESPREAD It is well known that by offering a higher IMBALANCE IN THE APPLICATION owing to the complex web of subsidy. Does this indicate OF CROP NUTRIENTS controls and regulations, any comprehensive reforms prices of different fertilisers in the fertiliser sector, at are severely distorted, least in the medium-term? a peak of $598 in July 2011) to leading to persistent and around `10,000 in the past three widespread imbalance in the NOT REALLY years (see ‘Diminishing comfort at application of crop nutrients. Prices of chemical fertilisers in home’, p83). The government has Various reform options such as India are regulated through two provided higher subsidy under nbs bringing urea under the ambit of subsidy regimes—one for urea and only in exceptional circumstances, nbs, complete dismantling of the the other for phosphatic and like the one witnessed during 2011- current input subsidy regime and potassium fertilisers. For urea, 12 when the global prices were switching over to direct benefit which is a “controlled” fertiliser, a unusually high, to ensure that the transfer (dbt) have been under “fixed price, variable subsidy” retail prices for farmers remain discussion since 2014-15. However, policy is in place, under which the stable and price hike is modest. the political complexities of these Union government fixes the retail When viewed in this reforms have so far stalled such price and producers are provided perspective, the recent decision is reform, despite persistent subsidy (which varies from plant to “historic” in so far as the nbs rate recommendations of experts. As a plant) to cover their normatively on dap is the highest offered by the result, a fertiliser subsidy regime estimated cost of production. Union government. But it also that fosters inefficiency and Since 2010-11, the prices of marks a “continuity” in approach, inequity, besides adversely “decontrolled” phosphatic and in which the nbs rate has been impacting environmental potassium fertilisers are governed calibrated only to insulate farmers sustainability, continues with under the “nutrient-based subsidy” from high volatility of global prices. occasional tinkering. DTE (nbs) policy to promote their It may be noted that soon after @down2earthindia consumption so that a balanced announcing its plan to hike nbs for (Jugal Mohapatra is former fertilisation of the soil can be dap, on May 20 the government Union fertiliser secretary. Siraj ensured. Under nbs, the Union also increased the nbs rate for Hussain is former Union government provides a fixed phosphorus (to `45.32 per kg from agriculture secretary)

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OF ALL THINGS TRANSMISSIBLE A VIRTUAL EXHIBITION, CONTAGION, EXPLORES THE TRANSFERENCE OF IDEAS, EMOTIONS AND DISEASES DAKSHIANI PALICHA NEW DELHI

CONTAGION Science Gallery Bengaluru Available till June 13 on www.nowtransmitting.com PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY: SCIENCE GALLERY BENGALURU

86 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN of entry into the exhibition, explains Jahnavi Phalkey, one of the curators of Contagion and director of Science Gallery Bengaluru, a non-profit company that organised the exhibition. There is no deliberate order or narrative for the main exhibits, she says, but as a viewer one can loosely classify them into disease, technological and emotional contagions. The artists and curators need commendation for employing a different interactive medium for each exhibit, making great use of the virtual nature of the exhibition. This is the most evident in the disease section’s A Cluster of 17 Cases by artist group Blast Theory, which allows you to “live” as one of the 17 people who contracted Severe Acute Respiratory sars (Left) An ant fungus garden, which scientists from Syndrome ( ) on February 21, the UK’s John Innes Centre use to study how ants 2003 while staying on the 9th floor fight pathogens with antimicrobial resistance. Their findings are the basis for the exhibit,Putting The Ant of the Metropole Hotel in Hong Into Antibiotics, featured in Contagion; (Top) An Kong. The experience is shot inside image from the Wellcome Collection of Alexander Fleming, the Scottish scientist who discovered a scale model of the floor by penicillin. Fleming warned of antibiotic resistance choosing which room you want to as early as 1945, as proved by a clip of his speech in the exhibit Moulding Modern Medicine stay in and, à la Netflix’s interactive special Bandersnatch, you retrace the steps of the respective guest, trying to determine exactly he first impression one gets exhibits on contagions and how they contracted the disease. upon entering the website is programmes (lectures, workshops There is also artist Ranjit Tof being flooded with an and masterclasses by subject Kandalgaonkar’s Drawing the overwhelming bank of resources. experts) on understanding diseas- Bombay Plague, a digital mural An online, interactive exhibition, es. There are also audio-visual that joins different anecdotes and Contagion seeks to capture the elements—short films, games trends seen in the disease-infested times we live in by exploring recommended books and audio Mumbai of the 1890s. One can themes and perspectives ranging lists—that act as “buffers” to the select specific drawings and read from medicine to art to history. It 16 exhibits. The covid-19-specific their back stories—a treat for fans does so by delving into different elements include short explainers of scientific and colonial history kinds of transferences—emotions, or “co-vids” by science and public like yours truly. ideas and diseases, with a special health experts, and selections of focus on medicine and covid-19— photographs (Through Your Eyes) GLOBAL COLLAGE through drawings, games, audio and writings (In Your Words) on Contagion is the second virtual clips, videos and images. life amid the covid-19 lockdown exhibition since 2020 organised by The exhibition can be and the pandemic. the Science Gallery Bengaluru. compartmentalised into different The idea behind such a The current edition has been “experiences”, the central comprehensive set of resources is launched with the help of attractions being a set of 16 to give the visitor different points organisations such as the Robert

DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWN TO EARTH 87 (Clockwise from top) Drawing the Bombay Plague by Ranjit Kandalgaonkar, a digital mural that joins anecdotes from the disease- infested Mumbai of the 1890s; A conceptual image of playing “contagious” laughter into the Earth by French artist Anaïs Tondeur; A scale model of the 9th floor of the Metropole Hotel, Hong Kong, where 17 guests contracted SARS on February 21, 2003. A Cluster of 17 Cases, an interactive exhibit by artist group Blast Theory, was shot entirely inside this model to give the viewer an experience of “living”as one of the guests to determine how they contracted the disease

Koch Institute, a German federal government agency and research institute; the John Innes Centre, an independent bioscience research institute based in the UK; the dbt/ Wellcome Trust India Alliance, a Hyderabad-based public charity involved in health and biomedical research; and the Indian National Science Academy, among others. The influence of the multiple partners and perspectives is evident across all layers of the Innes Centre investigate how ant against “someone who has a simple exhibition. For instance, in Putting colonies fight antimicrobial sore throat treating himself The Ant Into Antibiotics—an resistance. In Moulding Modern inadequately and educating the exhibit in the disease section, Medicine, which is a short audio microbes to resist the drug”. which focuses on relatively recent clip of Alexander Fleming’s speech The most abstract exhibits are problems like antibiotic resis- on penicillin in 1945, the Scottish those dealing with transmission of tance—scientists from the John physician is prophetic in warning emotions, due to their rather

88 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN through videos, cyber security expert Mikko Hypponen simulates takeovers of your system by some “happy” computer viruses of the 1980s and 1990s (these were not intended to be malicious, just caused disruptions and were considered an expression of creativity of programmers learning how to hack); while The Glass Room: Misinformation Edition from international non-profit Tactical Tech decodes how “deep- fakes” are made and shared to spread “contagious” fake news. The other attractions of Contagion, too, are fascinating. For instance, The Periwig-Maker, a 1999 German stop motion animated movie included in the short films, provides a heart- wrenching glance into the 19th century plague-infested London. In these pandemic times, conceptual themes. When The laughs collected weekly across the when finding a distraction from World Was A Laugh by French world. The technology-related the monotony of isolation and artist Anaïs Tondeur is the most exhibits, on the other hand, have lockdowns is a struggle, Contagion offbeat of the 16 main attractions. their themes portrayed quit clearly offers an engaging and safe The exhibit plays on the contagious and are fun to engage with since outlet, and succeeds in starting a nature of the activity by tracing they have the advantage of using discussion on the transmissibility the reverberating effect of different online tools. In Malware Museum, of things. DTE @dakshipalicha

DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWN TO EARTH 89 CIVIL LINES/RICHARD MAHAPATRA Odisha model have hit the state in as many years. Patnaik for survival is still the “ringmaster” but disasters are no more a “circus of death”. Rather, with every WAS born in Khariar, a small town in cyclone and drought, one hears about an Odisha’s (then Orissa) undivided “Odisha model” with the hallmark outcome: IKalahandi district, in 1971. My mother “reduced loss of human lives”. For most of the often reminds me that I was born in a recent cyclones, the death toll has been in disaster and continued to live with many of double digits. Drought is still chronic, but we them. This part of the state—Kalahandi- rarely hear about starvation deaths. Heat Balangir-Koraput or kbk—is known for waves no longer take our lives. How has this chronic droughts and hunger deaths. My been made possible? The answer is a huge birth year was a drought year; over the next investment of political capital. five years, the district witnessed four more Patnaik came to power in 2000 as people’s severe droughts. My earliest childhood mandate against the utter failure of the then memories are often of disasters. One is that of Congress chief minister Giridhar Gamang in a skeletonised woman, who trudged managing the super cyclone of 1999; it had kilometres after hearing about a community killed over 10,000 people. Patnaik invested in kitchen set up by my father and his disaster management in two ways: colleagues and then died of starvation in front preparedness and immediate relief. An of our house. Another one was a desperate expansive system was put in place that gets crowd scavenging for food in what seemed activated at the first like a garbage dump, which I saw on my way It's important warning of any to school for the first day of formal education. to remember disaster, from cyclone India knows Odisha for disasters. Half of what happens to flood to heat wave. the country’s prime ministers have visited when a Today, 1,250 coastal the region only after starvation deaths and government villages have early droughts made those rare headlines in the lets people die warning systems for national media. In my 50 years of living, I in a disaster cyclones and tsunamis, count 49 years of disasters, often contrasting: and 450 cyclone droughts, famines, cyclones, heat waves and shelters managed by communities. Every floods. In October 2001, I wrote an article on year the state undergoes the country’s most why the state has been disaster-prone and stringent preparation for heat waves that last why there is no governance focus except for up to three months. Over 80 per cent of temporary and insufficient relief operations. Odisha’s population is covered under a highly During the four years prior to this, calamities subsidised foodgrain scheme, for which had claimed more than 30,000 lives. “Floods, Patnaik has ensured an effective public cyclones, heat waves and droughts have made distribution system (pds). From villages and Orissa the disaster capital of India.” I wrote. districts up to the state-level, Odisha’s I interviewed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik; disaster preparation machinery runs more it remains by far my shortest interview. efficiently than the usual administration. All “Orissa is endemic to calamities and this is for an outcome that is politically non- depressions in Bay of Bengal can't be whisked negotiable: no human loss. The memory of the away," he said. His terse answer prompted me 1999 cyclone still haunts many Odias, but it to write: “For the people of Orissa it is a also directs political leadership by giving a circus of death with a misguided ringmaster.” dire warning about what happens when the Last month, cyclone Yaas hit Odisha. It government lets people die in a disaster,

was the fourth consecutive severe storm to through the fate of Gamang. DTE @richiemaha

90 DOWN TO EARTH 1-15 JUNE 2021 DOWNTOEARTH.ORG.IN ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAMME ON “CEMS and CEQMS- Technology selection, its installation, Data Handling and its Audit Methodology” Course Date: July 14-27, 2021 Last Date to Apply: July 9, 2021 Course Duration: Two weeks 20 Hours (10 hours per week) Course Platform: Zoom and Moodle

BACKGROUND Installation of Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS) and Continuous Effluent Quality Monitoring System (CEQMS) were mandated by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 17 categories of highly polluting industries (classified under highly polluting industries) and for common pollution treatment facilities. The purpose of mandating real-time monitoring is to strengthen the monitoring and compliance mechanism in the industries and also to promote the measurement of real-time data, which is to become the basis for regulators to check compliance by the industries in near future. In addition to this, these systems can also help industrial sectors/regulators in process optimization and taking timely corrective measures. Since CEMS and CEQMS are complex and expensive technologies, there are significant challenges and risks associated with their implementation. Therefore, appropriate knowledge and skill development for CEMS and CEQMS becomes most crucial factor for industries, regulators and other stakeholders. Furthermore, in order to ensure proper implementation, auditing of these real-time technologies is an essential factor in improving the systems already installed in the industries. So this programme will also lay focus on audit methodology, which ensures correct implementation of the real time monitoring of emissions and effluent in an industry, to check whether stated standards and other regulatory requirements are being followed, status of facility's compliance, certification, verification, accreditation of the system, technical acceptance through calibration, quality assurance, generating accurate, reliable and traceable data and other related aspects. Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) recognizes this need and announces an online course on ªContinuous Emission and Effluent Quality monitoring System and its Audit Methodologyº for environment professionals. This course will be conducted online through technological learning tools such as technical discussion with experts, recorded sessions from experts, presentations, videos and reading material.

THE KEY TAKEAWAYS WHO CAN APPLY? Pollution monitoring Correct installation, CEMS and CEQMS- Audit Industry Professionals, regulations in India and operation & maintenance of Methodology. Environmental developed countries like US, CEMS and CEQMS. Assessment of laboratories Europe. Requirement and monitoring professionals, PM CEMS Technologies and procedures of calibration technologies, installation, Regulatory bodies, its suitability and limitations for CEMS and CEQMS. calibration and Academic institutions, Gaseous CEMS Technologies Data acquisition, handling maintenance practices Consultancies, and its suitability and and reporting. while conducting audit. Researchers Instrument limitations. Data interpretation, Development of CEMS Manufacturers and CEQMS Technologies and its compliance check and and CEQMS audit other interested suitability and limitations. improvement. questionnaire. participants. COURSE FEE Indian participants: Rs 3500 I Overseas participants: USD 100 (per Participant) COURSE COORDINATOR SHREYA VERMA Programme officer, Centre for Science and Environment [email protected] R.N.I. NO. 53588/92 POSTAL REGN. NO. DL(S)-17/3109/2021-2023 ISSN 0971-8079. Licensed to Post without Pre-payment U(SE)-44/2021-2023 at Lodhi Road HO, New Delhi-110003. Published on 1st of every month. POSTED ON: 2-3 of the same fortnight, Total pages: 92

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