Focus on hotspots

THE nationwide lockdown is turning out to be a labyrinth of sorts for the Centre and the states — easier to enter than to exit. The move, aimed at preventing community transmission of Covid-19, has proved effective to some extent, but it has also caused large-scale economic disruption. Job losses are rising sharply, aggravating poverty and hunger. Millions of jobless people have no clue where their next meal is coming from. India’s GDP forecasts are getting gloomier by the day. According to one worst-case scenario, the growth rate might dip to a multi-decade low of 1.6 per cent in the ongoing financial year. Under the trying circumstances, the course of action has to be carefully calibrated so that the economy gets a chance to pick up the pieces.

Over 80 per cent of the confirmed cases in India have been reported from barely 60 of the 700-odd districts. The focus has to be on these hotspots, where a targeted approach in the form of cluster containment can improve the situation. Grading of high-incidence areas should be done to explore the possibility of easing restrictions in some cases, subject to regular monitoring. The places largely or totally unaffected by the virus should get much-needed relaxations without delay. The success of the Bhilwara model, under which the town and its surrounding villages were hermetically sealed soon after about 30 persons tested positive last month, has caught the Centre’s eye, paving the way for its replication across the country. Still, a one-size-fits-all strategy is not advisable. Various states need to fine-tune their exit plans in a pragmatic manner. It’s hard to fathom why Goa — a domestic and international hub of tourism — has sought extension of the lockdown till April 30, even though the state has recorded less than 10 cases so far.

The suspension of road, rail and air transport services has brought inter-city and inter-state movement to a grinding halt. Gradual resumption of this lifeline holds the key to reviving economic activity. Saving lives should go hand in hand with saving livelihoods.