Rough sleepers
We have recently seen City Hall announce that over one thousand rough sleepers needing to self-isolate in the capital have been helped into safe accommodation.
This has come about through the diligent collaborative efforts of the Mayor of London, the Government and local authorities, alongside the generous help of the hospitality sector. We must also recognise the crucial role that homelessness charities such as St. Mungo’s, are playing in this.
There is no doubt a lot more progress can be made on ensuring those still on our streets, who are incredibly vulnerable to the worst impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak, are sufficiently protected.
Homelessness in all its forms is an incredibly complex issue, but with the right political will we can make significant strides to tackle it.
This is why we should sustain the cross-party political co-operation we are seeing now into the future as our society slowly starts to recover from this devastating virus, to make sure no one has to sleep on London’s streets again.
City Hall has previously laid out an Action Plan with the funding that it needs to eradicate rough sleeping in London, and I now urge the Government to work more closely with us to put the wheels in motion on this.
Navin Shah AM
London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow
===
Lockdown in India
It was an incredible and very well thought decision of a visionary leader NaMo to extend the lock down till 3rdMay (AV dated 18-25 April 2020) to contain the spread of Covid-19. He has fully realised the hardships faced by common people and daily wage earners and hence conditional relaxation is given to the workforce of vital sectors of the economy.
Foreign media like the BBC have been showing images of the police beating some people or a few citizens in slums with no food just to tarnish the image of the country and blame NaMo for lockdown. But the media have deliberately ignored the fact that in a country of more than 1.3 billion people there will be some issues. Time will prove that the bold decisions taken by NaMo along with the support of dynamic administrative staff including the police and health care personnel have saved thousands of lives.
Hitesh Hingu
London
==
Is Coronavirus a laboratory created disaster?
I have been mentioning from day one that this human catastrophe could be man-made disaster while China may be creating such super-bug in laboratory to add to its armoury of weapons to subjugate West economically, politically and ultimately militarily, the best example is the nationalisation of South China Sea by building artificial islands in International Waters for military use, without a murmur from docile West.
The virus may have escaped or even released deliberately by China to create economic mayhem in the West. China has succeeded beyond its wildest dream, with West’s economy in meltdown, depending on China for safety equipment no one else could provide.
Now President Trump and few other world leaders have expressed same sentiments, urging WHO, a tool of China to investigate!
Bhupendra M. Gandhi
By Email
==
Coronavirus damages
Germany has asked China for £130 billion for economic loss, disruption, suffering of life due to the outbreak of the Wuhan coronavirus.
The British Government must make a similar demand for economic and domestic loss including compensation to the family who lost their bread-winner or their member. The disease has wreaked havoc all round.
China blatantly ignored its scientists’ research and findings and deceived the world health body.
President Trump showed his ennoble leadership by suspending US funding to WHO. China's deception has put lives at risk. It has failed to give assurances that its wet markets have been permanently closed.
The United Nations must put pressure on the Chinese Government to shut down all its wet markets and bring to an end the killing of animals too.
Ramesh Nehru
By Email
==
Caught between the devil and deep blue sea
Britain is going through worst crisis since WW2, on two fronts, economic and health, hospital wards are overflowing with patients suffering from coronavirus that has practically shut down our economy with millions depending on food aid and universal credit for basic needs.
Government is in dilemma, whether to resume economic activities, lifting embargo on movement, to end home confinement which may reignite coronavirus epidemic or continue with restrictions which is ruining economy with 35% expected downward trend on national GDP. There is no simple answer except wait and see how lifting restriction works in Spain and Italy.
If it works, does not reignite coronavirus epidemic, Britain may follow suit, otherwise we may have to live in limbo for a long time! These are self-inflicted wounds which could have been avoided!
Kumudini Valambia
By Email
====
Lessons to be learnt
In the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, till the vaccine is found, the only option to curb community transmission is by self-isolation.
Many in self-isolation are complaining that they are bored, confined within homes. They should compare their lives with those who fought for India’s freedom struggle. They left the comfort of home, lucrative jobs and businesses and often landed in jails, lived in dark cells with no window to the outside world. They sat there and wrote world’s most inspirational books and often came out with smiling faces. Today we have ample food, and latest technologies to look at or be in touch with anyone in the world. We need to be positive and must thank God, that we can do so much by staying back in comforts of our homes.
Suresh and Bhavna Patel
Markham, Canada
==
Newspapers are safe
With the spread of Covid-19, a number of rumours and myths have found way into our inboxes, which is as dangerous as the contagion itself because it can potentially lead to panic and hysteria among the people. One such unfounded rumour links the disease to newspapers, claiming that newspapers can act as carriers of coronavirus.
Health experts have said that there is no known risk of the spread of novel coronavirus through newspapers, busting rumours that have triggered a scare amongst one and many. The World Health Organization (WHO) has categorically confirmed that newspapers are safe and don’t pose any kind of danger owing to coronavirus.
Jubel D'Cruz
By Email
