Mokokchung Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) has advocated for a phased and gradual exit from the State-wide complete lockdown. MCCI through its president Tsukti Longkumer and general secretary Limalenden Longkumer, maintained that a prolonged lockdown was no solution to end Covid-19 pandemic.
MCCI out that total lockdown was counter-productive since many households would fall into debt trap, while financial distress would take its toll on the economically weaker sections of the society.
It also expounded on the negative impact of lockdown on mental and physical health of the people and warned that prolonged lockdown would cause an economic downturn wherefrom it would take “years for a fragile economy like oursto bounce back”. MCCI also said repercussions of economic disruption in Mokokchung would spread far and wide since many villages and neighbouring districts were dependent on Mokokchung for their economic sustenance.
Due to lockdown, closure of market would cause immense strain on the supply chain since almost every commodity was being imported from the neighbouring State.
Owing to such, MCCI said closure of market or lockdowns, if at all necessary, should only be as a last resort after ascertaining the market dynamics.
MCCI opined that imposing total lockdown without conducting any empirical analysis was a demonstration of immaturity which did more harm than good.
MCCI also maintained that public notifications, orders etc during pandemic could be relayed from the office of the DC who is also chairman of District Task Force for Covid-19 with clarity so as to leave no room for dilution of information and mass confusion.
While calling for a rejig of the chain of command of the DTF, MCCI said the former was doing a commendable job but there was inherent weak link in the chain of command. MCCI said this should be identified and fixed immediately so that the DTF was strengthened to achieve the desired goals.
MCCI called for preventing collateral damage to trade and commerce while fighting against the pandemic.
MCCI also suggested that DTF consider setting up an information, education & communication (IEC) cell to wage an extensive, sustained and effective campaign against the pandemic since this was a proven strategy to spread awareness through communication channels to a target audience to achieve the desired positive result.
Apart from managing the sensitisation campaign, it said the IEC cell could also take up the task of dispelling fake news and disinformation, fact checking and dissemination of inspiring stories.
MCCI said positive stories and factual accounts would aid in better equipping the society in the collective fight against the pandemic and stressed that fear psychosis and misinformation in the public psyche could best be addressed by a sustained IEC campaign.
According to MCCI, continued sensitisation campaign to encourage Covid-19 appropriate behaviour, as opposed to an economically-crippling prolonged lockdown, was the way forward to live in the “new normal.”
MCCI also said that prolonged lockdown only fuelled poverty, unemployment, financial distress, local socio-economic situation and the absence of smooth trade and commerce would only create fertile grounds for anti-social activities.
It said a prolonged lockdown adversely affected the economically weaker sections, daily wage earners and small businesses all of who are being deprived of livelihood that was tantamount to violation of basic human rights.
It emphasised that the price of flattening the curve of the pandemic should not be costlier than the pandemic itself or the cure worse than the problem itself.
MCCI said the virus was here to stay but people need not panic when covid numbers rise nor should be complacent when they drop.
It urged upon all to adopt healthy and hygienic practices, follow the SOPs, exercise, keep oneself physically active and cooperate with the authorities.
MCCI also appealed to all for continued support to DTF, medical personnel and all frontline workers, and also called upon community apex bodies, mass-based organisations, NGOs and civil society organisations, church, citizens concerned and groups to continue to remain steadfast and stand together a collective fight against the pandemic.
MCCI also claimed that Mokokchung’s collective fight against Covid-19 was yielding encouraging results and expressed hope that “we will tide over the pandemic together”.
MCCI said it has been working together with DTF since day one and the business community was making all efforts to ensure uninterrupted supply and replenishment of all commodities in the market despite normal supply chain having been disrupted by the pandemic. MCCI reiterated that it was only offering suggestions by taking cognizance of the precarious socio-economic scenario prevailing in Mokokchung.