Universities and colleges across the country have been issued guidelines by the University Grant’s Commision (UGC) to address psychological concerns of students during the COVID-19 lockdown.
“During the period of national lockdown, it is equally important to address any kind of mental health and psychological concerns of the student community during and after the COVID-19”, said UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain in a recent notice addressed to vice-chancellors and principals across the nation.
UGC has therefore directed all colleges and universities to set up mental health helplines for assisting students during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The helplines would be regularly monitored and managed by Counsellors and other identified faculty members who are capable of guiding students in the right direction.
UGC emphasized that in order to reassure the student community to avoid any kind of stress or panic in the prevailing situation vis-a-vis their studies, health and other issues, all universities must take measures for mental health and psychological well-being of their students.
The commission appealed to colleges to remain calm and stress free. It also suggested forming COVID-19 help groups of students headed by hostel wardens or senior faculty members that can identify their friends or classmates in need of help and provide necessary counselling to deal with stress and anxiety.
“There should be regular mentoring of students through interactions that can be achieved via telephones, e-mails, digital and social media platforms”, Jain added.
Caption: Colleges are expected to share videos on managing one’s mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak through their websites.
UGC has also shared the Psycho-Social toll-free helpline number of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare – 0804611007. Students and faculty members can contact this helpline to seek professional counselling to resolve their mental health concerns.
The COVID-19 situation has created an unprecedented period of complexity and uncertainty. Fears about the virus can take an emotional toll, especially for college students, who are suddenly thrust into choppy and uncharted waters.
As college students, we are in a time of massive upheaval. There are so many things outside our control, including how long the pandemic lasts, how other people behave, and what the future holds. That is a tough thing to accept, and so many of us respond by endlessly searching the internet for answers and thinking over all the different scenarios that might happen.
But as long as we are focusing on questions with unknowable answers and circumstances outside of our personal control, this strategy will get us nowhere aside from feeling drained, anxious, and overwhelmed. Universities across the nation have resorted to online teaching methods to ensure that there is no academic loss.
However, many students are not comfortable with the teaching process, while, others face the issue of internet connectivity as an impediment to access online classes. In times like these, it is vital to stay informed about the happenings globally and follow the required precautions. Sensationalistic media coverage and misinformation will only add to fear and uncertainty, so keep a tab on the information that is shared with you. Stick to trusted sources like the World Health Organisation (WHO) to discern information about the pandemic. Do not constantly check for updates on social media, it becomes compulsive at one point of time. Stay away from media altogether, if you feel overwhelmed. With the US President Trump repeatedly referring to coronavirus as ‘Chinese virus’ fuelling theories that the virus was a biological weapon used by China, things have taken an odd turn with people using it as an excuse to attack the natives of Northeast India.
A report by Rights and Risk Analysis group shows that residents of the Northeast part of the nation are facing racism and discrimination ever since the onset of the global pandemic. The report titled, ‘Coronavirus Pandemic : India’s Mongoloid Looking People Face Upsurge of Racism’ cited at least 22 cases of racial discrimination or hate crimes against such people between 7th February and 25th March. These incidents are not very new to the University of Delhi (DU). On 22nd March, an M.Phil student from Manipur was spat on near North Campus and called ‘coronavirus’. A similar incident was reported by two female students of Kirori Mal College (KMC) when they were harassed and called ‘coronavirus’ by a group of six men, who also threw water balloons on them on 3rd March. On a social media group called the ‘Northeast Solidarity Group’, people are sharing their stories of ill-treatment by their neighbours and the society in general. All this clearly exhibits the cruelty and apathy towards the people from Northeastern part of our very own country.
Recently, I attended an online session which talked about ways to manage and control anxiety during the global pandemic. It reflected on the desire of humans to manage and control everything. What I learnt through the session was that grounding yourself in the present situation will help you spin out the negativity and panic. I also know that this is easier said than done.
There are questions, a lot of questions surrounding us right now, some of them like- what about exams? Will they take place online? What about graduation or admission to a master’s degree? However, I firmly believe that spiralling out the what-ifs from our life in a situation like this will help us to feel calmer. Humans are social animals and are hardwired for communication. This is why it is important to stay connected digitally. Social media has emerged as a powerful to communicate with friends and family, in-person meetings have now been substituted for video calls, which more or less acts as boosters for our mental health.
Nevertheless, don’t let the coronavirus dominate your conversation. Remember to take breaks from the stressful situation and talk about work, family, share jokes and laughter. Be kind to yourself, maintain a routine, take out time for the activities you enjoy, exercise, and most importantly, help others. Amid all the stories of people hoarding up the essential supplies and fighting for toilet paper, all of us need to remember, we all are in this together.
I would conclude with a quote circulating in Italy, which says, “We’re standing far apart now so we can embrace each other later.”
An Amazon Prime Video and TVF Original, Panchayat brings a hue of laughter, concern and happiness with some iconic actors.
“But you will get a chance to see the real India, the rural India.You will get a chance to become the Mohan Bhargava of Swades, develop roads and install hand-pumps.” Far away in the rural lands of Phulera village, Balia, Uttar Pradesh, Abhishek Tripathi (Jitendra Kumar) finds himself staring at what his life has come up to.
Panchayat, an eight-episodes web-series written by Chandan Kumar and directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra, for TVF, in collaboration with Amazon Prime Video is a reminder of TVF’s USP- relatability and simplicity. The story of every average Engineering graduate who has throughout their life been ‘just enough’. Abhishek’s failures in life stare right into him every night as his friends decide on the easiest route to Connaught Place and which beer to drink, while he deals with power cuts and lauki.
The fear of being jobless leads Abhishek taking up a 20,000 job as a Secretary in Gram Panchayat at Phulera Village. Phulera doesn’t grow within him, a part of him lives in denial of his situation, he craves to get back in the corporate world with a 12 Lakh CTC.
The themes of unemployment is discussed largely, as youths with graduate degrees take up meagre jobs in fear of not taking a drop year. Caste and patriarchy are two other major themes which are largely discussed yet shown subtly. Jibes of ‘same caste’ are hinted at in several instances. The omnipresence of patriarchy is well-evident from the very first episode as the female Pradhan is left to perform household chores while the ‘Pradhan-Pati’ takes over the administration.
Neena Gupta or Manju Devi as Pradhan is phenomenal! The way she is continually underestimated, reserved to bringing more puris and delving into familial issues instead of administrative or developmental issues is a huge statement in itself. Raghubir Yadav or Brij Bhushan Dubey is charismatic on screen who suits the accent and body language of a village-goer very efficiently.
Neena Gupta and Raghubir Yadav in Panchayat, Image Credits: Scroll
Shantanu Srivastava, an Engineer, recommended the show to his parents, he believes it to be a family entertainer. “I loved the setup and the iconic actors. The issues covered are never directly discussed with parents and the show seemed to be the perfect setup for the conversation starter. Moreover, who doesn’t want to see more of Neena Gupta?”
However, two characters and actors take away your heart, Faisal Malik as Prahlad and Chandan Roy as Vikas who have delivered award-winning performances. Chandan Roy is a treat to the eye who remains patient, and steals the show every time. Things take a wild turn when Jeetu aka Abhishek decides to prepare for CAT in aim of a better future (read: more money). Even though the outcome is not desirable, a brilliant act of cinematography, inspires the lead actor to take the next step.
The ending scene leaves viewers on an optimistic note, “gaanv mein kuch doondh jisse tujhe pyaar ho jaye (find something in the village which you fall in love with)” The ending ensures that the readers are in for a twist of events in the successive season.
However, Panchayat might start off on a boring note and make you ask yourself “that’s it?” Certain incidents might agitate you on Abhishek’s silence and indifference, his silence at discrimation on the basis of gender, class and caste is problematic owing that he is a sheher ka ladka. The absolute talent of Neena Gupta as Manju Devi is unexplored and confined to domestic boundaries. One hopes to see more of her like the last episode offers, however, the follow-up raises expectations of seeing her in yet another exuberant performance in the subsequent season.
Satviki Sanjay, a student of Miranda House who just began watching the show, says, “It’s a warm show that shows the differences in opinion of a city boy stuck in rural India. It encapsulated a feeling of warmth and togetherness one rarely finds in the urban space, as well as dealt with social issues with humor and relevance. I loved the performance of all the actors in the show.”
The National Pet Day 2020 is a bit uncanny as it overlaps with a nation-wide lockdown. We bring you some tales from pet-owners as they tell us about their tailed-friends.
COVID-19 has been the most dramatic plot twist in 2020 as WFH (Work From Home) and silent streets become a part of our lives. While quarantine hasn’t been a welcoming change to some, our whiskered friends have some concerns and views about staying with their humans all day long. We understood that it would be hard to understand how they feel, so we rather asked some pet owners about their quaran-time with their pets.
“Quarantine is definitely a change for Jugnu because he sits in my room when I am at college. He is really surprised to see me at home all day long!
Whenever I am busy mopping the floor, he comes around to give me the social support I need. He gets busy with the broom or the mop, looking at him play, reduces all the workload. He is a constant companion during the online classes. He walks over the keyboard when I type my assignments but that is fine!
In a nutshell, I am never alone, he is the only one keeping me sane during these times”
– Anusha Khan (Mr. Jugnu’s Human)
Image Credits: Anusha Khan Image Caption: Anusha with Mr. Jugnu
“Scampy has been the happiest and fattest bitch I know! She goes from one room to another to get loved. Once a person is tired, she switches rooms. She is being fed so much more than necessary.
The only time I go out of the house is when I walk her for two kilometres, twice a day. I think those are my favourite four hours of the day. She is the only one giving me purpose right now.”
– Shyla Sharma (Miss Scampy’s Human)
Image Credits: Shyla Sharma Image Captions: Shyla with Mr. Scampy
“For starters, whenever the family gets down together to play a game like cards or ludo, she wants to be included as well so she brings her ball, her way to tell us that she wants to play!
She is loving the fact that everyone is at home and is always in a cuddly mood. Even though the whole family isn’t together all the time, she is satisfied that we’re all under the same roof.
One day when my parents went to buy the groceries, they took Misty as well. When they returned, Misty literally tried to pull dad’s mask off so that she could lick his face- as a gesture to thank him for taking her out for a drive.
But I remember the time she got scared and shivered a lot when the crackers were burst on 22March and 5 April respectively.”
– Rhea D’Souza (Miss Misty’s Human)
Image Credits: Rhea D’Souza for DU Beat Image Caption: Rhea with Miss Misty
“I have a nine months old cat. She is super loving and very cuddly, contrary to what most people think about felines. Since she is an indoor cat, I do not face the problem of not being able to take her for regular walks or as such. However, she clearly likes having her alone time (haha). But now that everyone’s at home, I don’t know how it is for her. For me, I’m super happy. With a hectic college routine, I couldn’t give her as much time, now, it’s all hers. I’m around her the entire day. I am ten times happier since I am around her. I wonder once this period is over and my routine resumes, how much I’m going to miss her!”
– Ashwini Iyer (Miss Meow’s Human)
Image Credits: Ashwini Iyer for DU BEAT Image Caption: Ashwini with Miss Meow
This unusual National Pet Day, give your pets the purr-fect gift – your time, belly rubs and boops! DU Beat wishes you a very Happy National Pet Day!
Featured Image Credits: Priyanshi Banerjee for DU BEAT
In the wake of the COVID-19 breakout, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), a student group- solicits the Ministry of HRD to make online learning a voluntary practice.
Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS)- a student led group with many of the members comprising of Delhi University’s School of Open Learning (DUSOL), has urged in writing to the Ministry of Human Resources and Development (MHRD) to oppose the resort to online teaching amidst the shutting down of educational institutions, owing to the nation wide lockdown due to massive spread of the COVID-19.
While talking about the motive behind the said action, Harish Gautam, Delhi State Committee Member of the KYS told DU Beat that, “Online education is not a substitute for classroom teaching and it’s accessible only among those students who have the said resources. While a big majority not only in Delhi but across the country faces difficulties with regards to access of the online learning facility, it’s imperative that it’s not made into a mandatory practice, therefore classroom teaching should be conducted as soon as the lockdown is lifted and the online mode should be made voluntary.”
“One of the most important problems with online teaching is that the majority of the students do not have access to the internet. If in case the internet is available, there are the problems of bandwidth and speed,” said the KYS in a statement to highlight the crux of their resolution.
The student group posits the disparity of access to technology across demographics as a noteworthy problem which relates to digital divide and inequality. The resources required for online classes are not spread evenly throughout the student class. While showing apprehension, Vinitha, a first year student at Kamala Nehru College who is from a small village in Thakurla of Pali district said, “I haven’t attended a single online lecture due to the constant irregularities of network operations in my village. I am completely on my own with the reading materials and lack of assertiveness about the further exam dates just adds on to my stress.”
The official press release issued by the KYS also hinted towards a relaxation in terms of extension of academic session to requite for the loss learning which happened. Harish Gautam in the press release said, “The extension of academic sessions and semester would not be a loss for any institution, since all of them would be conducting the entrance examinations for the next session at the same time,”
To heed to the problems of students facing network issues and some teachers who don’t get a hang of technology enabled services, an inclusive idea of making online teaching a voluntary method is a concern which needs to be attended to.
If your friend is celebrating their birthday under the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, read further to see how you can make their day better!
2020 has a special birthday present, for all those born in the March and early-April borns out there- the coronavirus pandemic along with almost a month-long lockdown for the after party. Be a better friend than 2020 to ensure your friends don’t get too lonely on their birthdays. Here are some steps:
Houseparty at Midnight
Nothing is more special than having your best friend call you up at midnight to wish you a happy birthday. But what’s better is having five friends video call you over bad network so you can all blame each other for having the worst WiFi. Use applications like Instagram, Houseparty or even Zoom (because who really attends online classes) for group video calling.
Send over Swiggy
Nobody really wants to eat homemade food on their birthdays, especially after eating nothing but that for the past few weeks under this lockdown. Get food delivered at your friend’s home from their favourite restaurant because nobody can be sad while eating their favourite food. However, ensure that the restaurant follows the World Health Organisation’s (WHO)’s safety standards.
Make a Movie and Song Playlist
Since there aren’t many options at home, let’s resort to our standard solution- Netflix and Chill. Make a list of all the movies that your friend is certain to enjoy, make sure they’re all on some online streaming channel, and if not, download and send them on drive. Also make a playlist of all the songs that remind you of them to end this birthday on a little emotional note.
Multiplayer Online Gaming
Finally, you can download a bunch of online multiplayer games to play with a bunch of friends like Ludo, UNO, Call of Duty, Minecraft and many more. Just remember, don’t let your friend feel lonely. Be there for them and keep reminding them how much they mean to you.
Have a happy and safe birthday to all March and April borns!
Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) wrote to Professor Yogesh Tyagi, Vice Chancellor (VC), Delhi University (DU) regarding the delay in the payment of salaries to teachers working on ad hoc/guest basis.
On 6th April 2020, DUTA wrote to Professor Yogesh Tyagi, VC, DU regarding the delay in the payment of salaries to the teachers of the university who are working on ad hoc/guest basis. Though DUTA thanked the administration for the steps that the university has taken to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the series of notifications for the payment of salaries to employees – teaching and non-teaching and staff under CAS / SAP / DSA Scheme, honorarium to guest faculty and fellowships to project staff, researchers and fellows, they drew attention to the delay in the payment of salaries of ad hoc and guest teachers. The delay of payment of salaries has remained to be a pressing issue plaguing the university’s temporary teaching staff and especially in the ongoing pandemic, it is turning fatal for money and gravely jeopardising their financial situation. According to sources, the departments had sent approvals regarding the extension of the term of ad hoc teachers and the appointment of guest lectures, but due to delay in these approvals, the temporary faculty is now facing a denial of financial security.
“It seems that Departments are still awaiting necessary approvals from the University,” DUTA wrote, as revealed by a released press statement. “It had been brought to our notice that ad-hoc teachers have either been paid salaries till 29 February or till 20 March 2020. Departments had sent recommendations for the extension of the term of these teachers and are still awaiting approvals. As far as guest teachers are concerned, approvals to their appointments are yet to be received by Departments even though these teachers have been teaching since the beginning of the semester. Heads of Departments are hesitant to fill the required information in the form sent out in the absence of these approvals. Please note that this delay in completing required formalities have denied financial security to these teachers. Salaries and honorarium are often delayed for months together but a delay in the current situation is causing much hardship to teachers.”
Before the shut down of the university, the organisation had called for an indefinite strike of DU teachers to protest against the lack of job security for ad hocs and guest lecturers who were denied job security.
Rajesh Jha, EC Member, said, “There is no nationale to withhold their salary, when they have been working hard for our university despite their uncertain situation. They are still attending the students. Even the central and state governments have come out with the policy of no salary cut during the period of lockdown. The university and college administration must release their salaries immediately.”
Vice Chancellor Professor Yogesh Tyagi is yet to comment on the released statement by DUTA.
Delhi University Entrance Test has been delayed until further notice due to the coronavirus outbreak.
With the Covid-19 outbreak, the Prime Minister announced a 21-day pan-national lockdown on the 25th of March. This has led to most of the functions in the country coming to a halt or being delayed. Such has been the case with the Delhi University Admission Test (DUET) which is conducted by the National Test Agency (NTA). The application process for the same had to be started this week, however due to the unanticipated pandemic outbreak, these processes have been delayed. Extensions for applications of several examinations have been announced by the NTA. Exams like JEE Mains and NEET UG have also been postponed.
The application process was initially supposed to have begun on the 2nd of April. Apart from the lack of staff to manage the applications under the lockdown, the process also requires 12th board marksheets, exams for which have been postponed in most states. Consequently, the operations for the application process have been suspended until further notice.
DUET is a two-hour examination conducted across different centres. The exam has 100 questions; 4 marks are awarded for every correct answer, while 1 mark is deducted for incorrect. NTA conducts examinations for entrances to both undergraduate and postgraduate programs offered by the Delhi University. The following are the subjects:
B Tech (Information technology and mathematical innovations)
BA Hons Business Economics
Bachelor of Management Studies
BA Hons Humanities and Social Science
Bachelor of Business Administrations (Financial Investment Analysis)
B Ed
Bachelor of Science in Physical Education
Health Education and sports
BA Hons Multimedia and Mass communication
Five Year Integrated Programme in Journalism
In PG courses, apart from those that offer interdisciplinary or professional courses, students are admitted to departments, 50% on the basis of merit and 50% on DUET rank. The entrance test may or may not be followed by an interview or a group discussion.
Among the most premier institutions in the country, the University Of Delhi has thousands of outstation students on its rolls, both at the undergraduate and at the postgraduate levels. Thus it was deemed necessary for the university to construct hostels to house these students.
From Assam to Afghanistan, Nagaland to Nepal, the University Of Delhi receives a significant number of outstation students every year. To accommodate this huge influx, the university has built numerous hostels in both the campuses. Besides that, many colleges have their own hostels for undergraduate students – St. Stephens’s College, Sri Venkateswara College, Hansraj College to name a few. Most of these hostels charge nominal fees, and since many students have financial constraints, the demand for rooms here is extremely high and allocation is usually merit – based. Students also prefer hostels due to the proximity to their place of study as well as for security reasons. We take a look at a few notable ones –
Mansarovar Hostel
Image Credits : Mansarovar Hostel
Situated in North Campus opposite Khalsa College, the Mansarovar Hostel was constructed in 1993. It has 167 seats and houses male post graduate and research students of the university. Amenities include a dining hall, gymnasium, air-conditioned reading room and a computer room. Located in a slightly secluded spot, the hostel provides a respite to its residents from the hustle and bustle of the campus. Though during DUSU elections, the hostel is usually considered a hotbed of political activity. “I have made countless memories while staying at Mansarovar, and the constant interaction with people from diverse backgrounds has helped me grow immensely as a person”, said Meraj Alam, a Ph.D researcher and resident.
Aravali Hostel
Image Credits : Aravali Hostel
Established in 2005, the Aravali Hostel, located on Benito Juarez Marg, provides accommodation to male post graduate and research scholars studying in South Campus, with a total of 76 seats. The hostel has facilities for table tennis and badminton, a dining hall and a recreation centre.
Geetanjali Hostel
Image Credits : Geetanjali Hostel
One of the newer additions to the list of university accommodations, the girls-only Geetanjali Hostel is located in South Campus and takes in post graduate and research scholars, with a total of 102 seats. The hostel has a computer centre, library, gym and sports facilities. The boarders also host an annual function “Mridang”.
Gwyer Hall
Image Credits : Just Dial
With its sprawling lawns, rows of palm trees, huge arches and symmetrical corridors, one might mistake the Gwyer Hall for a colonial era monument at first glance. Among the most iconic and also the oldest hostel in the university, the Gwyer Hall has been a site of numerous historic events and produced a long list of illustrious alumni since its inception in 1938. Named after Sir Maurice Gwyer, a former Vice Chancellor of the university and the founder of Miranda House, the Hall is situated in North Campus, opposite the University Stadium and accommodates 158 post graduate and research students. “The years I spent at Gwyer Hall are the ones I cherish and remember the most. I often pay a visit once in a while to eat the canteen’s much loved meetha samosa”, quipped Pradeep Jain, a Delhi University professor and a former resident of the Hall. Indeed, the Gwyer Hall canteen, run by Pandit Ji, is famous for the unorthodox menu it has on offer – butterscotch lassi, butter masala Maggi and the flagship sweet samosa amongst others.
Meghdoot Hostel
Image Credits : DU Beat Archives
Located opposite the School Of Open Learning in North Campus and secluded from the main road by a canopy of trees, the girls-only Meghdoot Hostel was inaugurated in 1992. It houses full time post graduate and research students, with a capacity of 100 seats. The hostel is equipped with a computer lab, common room, dining hall, medical centre and sports facilities. Meghdoot is known for its strict administration and tight security– a curfew was imposed on the day of Holi in 2017, sparking controversy.
International Students House
Image Credits : DU Beat Archives
Located beside Mansarovar Hostel and probably the first building which a person driving towards North Campus sees, the men-only International Students House was set up in 1964 with the efforts of the Indian Council For Cultural Relations to provide accommodation mainly to foreign students studying in the university. ISH has 98 seats in total, with 68 reserved for foreign students and the rest for Indian students. Currently students of more than 35 countries reside here, both undergraduates and postgraduates. The International Students House For Women is situated a few kilometres away in Mukherjee Nagar. ISH has been devoid of any notable controversy since its inception, a testament to the unity and harmony enjoyed by students from across the world living together.
Other notable hostels include – Jubilee Hall which was founded to commemorate the university’s silver jubilee in 1947, VKRV Rao Hostel which was founded in 1999 and houses research scholars from FMS and Delhi School Of Economics, Rajiv Gandhi Hostel For Girls which houses a large number of students from Northeast India, DS Kothari Hostel and the Ambedkar-Ganguly Students House.
The government should allocate funds to the University Of Delhi for construction of new hostels for both men and women keeping in mind the rising hostel: student ratio.
Yes, the swans are returning to the canals of Venice, and the skies of Delhi are clearing up, but at the cost of whom? Because it is not the rich.
Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite was unarguably one of the best movies that were served to us last year. An excessively uncomfortable yet realistic movie about the class divide, it was practically on everybody’s tongue to discuss.
There were many gripping scenes in the movie, and it’s hard to pick a favourite, but the “car scene” was definitely one of the best. It describes a scene where Mr Kim is driving Mrs Park back home after a day of shopping for her son’s birthday impromptu that was to happen that evening.
The night before, a devastating downpour that flooded the entire city, forcing the poor out of their homes and destroying almost every belonging that they possessed. Mr Kim and his entire family had been displaced too, with their entire house wrecked and destroyed, but he had still been asked to come to work and look cheerful for the Parks, simply because he had been paid.
In the car, Mr Kim drives forlorn and dejected- the man had just lost his house and everything he had owned- while Mrs Park sits in the back-seat with her feet up, inviting a friend to the evening’s jamboree. She talks heartily in the back, complaining about the rain, and how they had to trade plans for her son’s birthday- from camping to a garden party. “But at least the sky cleared up,” she says, as Mr Kim, whose house the rain that had ‘at least cleared the sky’ had destroyed, drives on. To Mrs Park, a downpour that had destroyed hundreds of lives in the city was a mild inconvenience that had at least made the sky pretty.
That is exactly what we sound like when we applaud the swans of Venice coming back, or the pollution clearing up and the skies becoming pretty, or the Earth ‘reclaiming herself’. All these things are extremely important- and needful- and there is absolutely no contest to that. However, we are extremely fast to forget that this clearing up of these skies, and the ‘reclamation’ of nature, has come not at the expense of the rich, as it should have been, but instead at the expense of the poor.
As workers, a lot of us have the privilege of a work-from-home, something that the daily-wage labourer or the essential service worker cannot afford. To a lot of us, the sacrifice for the clearing up of skies is the mild inconvenience of having to stay at home working from our laptops yet earning the same or watching hours of Netflix to try to while away the time. But the sacrifice that the poor make isn’t simply an inconvenience- it is a matter of survival and uncertainty. It is a matter of anxiety about how to earn enough to buy basic groceries that were already hard to buy, to begin with. For them, this global crisis is more than just medical.
The swans should return to the canals of Venice, the waters of the beaches of Manila should be turquoise again, and the skies of Delhi should clear up. It is what we owe to nature, as is her right. But the least we can do is not romanticize a pandemic that is giving all this to us by standing on the backs of the poor.
