Ruling out lockdown as a solution to the resurgent second wave of Covid-19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that while all efforts to save life are being taken, the attempt is also to ensure a minimum adverse impact on livelihood and economy.
Addressing the Nation, Modi also told the states to clamp lockdown only as a "last resort", a suggestion which came in the background of some states like Delhi, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh having clamped this emergency measure in the face of a massive spike in Covid-19 cases and their crumbling health infrastructure unable to withstand the pressure.
"In today's scenario, we have to save the nation from lockdown. We have to take maximum efforts to avoid a lockdown and focus more on micro containment zones," Modi said even as he acknowledged the "challenge is big" as the second wave of Corona is coming as a "storm".
"The country is waging a big war against Corona once again. But we will be able to come over this storm with public participation," Modi said.
Making it clear that saving the economy is a key priority of the government, the Prime Minister indicated that unlike during the first wave, the country is much more equipped with medical infrastructure and expertise to tackle the crisis and appealed to the migrants not to leave their cities of livelihood where they will get the vaccine soon.
Arguing that the situation this time is different from last year when there was no Covid vaccine in the country or infrastructure to produce PPE kits and other much-needed medical goods, Modi expressed confidence "if we all follow Covid-19 protocols, there'll be no need to impose lockdowns."
Urging the people to reduce their movement and take vaccination, he said, "while all of us are taking efforts to save lives, the effort is to ensure that economic activities and livelihood are affected to the minimum."
The Prime Minister said, "we have to get over it with our commitment, courage and preparation".
Referring to the Centres' decision on Monday allowing vaccination for all above 18 years age, he said that the measure will ensure that the workforce of the country living in the cities get the jab fast.
He appealed to the youths to help main Covid discipline by setting up small committees in societies, mohallas and apartments and expressed confidence "if we will do this, there will be no need for the governments to make containment zones, impose curfew or clamp lockdown."
However, the Opposition parties were quick to castigate the Prime Minister after his speech. "Words words words. Your lust for power and then fool people with just words," Trinamool Congress leader Derek O' Brien said.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said caustically," The sum total of the knowledge at 8.45 PM today was " I can do nothing. Passengers should take care of their belongings, i.e life themselves."
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said, "PM Modi's address reads as an admission that Covid wave 1 centralised response, including national lockdown, didn't work. Wave 2 response is now a state problem, further decentralised to mohala committees. What a difference a year makes.
RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary said, "PM's speech today was about defending his Government's non-performance, passing the buck to States on migrant issues, social organisations for helping citizens & denying the problem rather than talking about any solutions!
In his speech, Modi, however, asserted that it is the team effort due to which India could begin the biggest vaccination drive in the world with two Made in India vaccines and 12 crore people have already been vaccinated.
He urged the states to create the trust among the migrant workers that they should keep staying where they are as the trust given to them by the states that their jobs will continue and they will also be vaccinated in the cities they are living, will help them a lot. Modi's thrust on migrants came in wake of several videos on social media of migrant movement again kicking in from various parts of the country after states imposed lockdowns in some parts.
Reeling out the steps taken by the government to fight the second wave of pandemic, the Prime Minister assured that the government is working with full sensitivity and speed to address the rising demand of oxygen in various parts of the nation in the wake of rising number of Corona cases and all efforts are being taken by the central government, the state government and private sector to ensure that all need persons get oxygen.
He said efforts are being taken at multiple levels to increase the production and supply of oxygen, which include setting up new oxygen plants in states or ensuring medical use of industrial oxygen.