WAR AGAINST THE CHINESE VIRUS; DISTRICT COLLECTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LAST MILE IMPLEMENTATION: THE BALL IS IN THEIR COURT

WAR AGAINST THE CHINESE VIRUS; DISTRICT COLLECTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LAST MILE IMPLEMENTATION: THE BALL IS IN THEIR COURT

By

Lt Gen PG Kamath (Veteran)

The three-week national lockdown is still a week away to unlock. It is a humungous problem to bottle up a colossal mass of 1300 million people who are generally used to disobey rules and laws as a matter of routine. It just does not occur to them that the present situation is not a normal one. In the present situation, they are not only responsible for themselves but also to others and to the nation as well. A single infected individual has the potential to infect up to 450 people in a period of one month. It means if there are 10 unreported cases in open; in a matter of one month they would infect 4500 people and these, in turn, can infect 4500X450 (20,25,000) people in a matter of one more month. It is two months as you might expect; but not so, the second month overlaps with the first month and the total duration could be as less as 45 days; theoretically, it could be far lesser, as well! As also, the early birds of the 2nd stage would be already in the process of spreading the infection to the 3rd stage victims well before the completion of the two months.  The spread of the disease is like the expanding of torrents of floodwaters; as Captain Liddell Hart had described in the conduct of mechanised warfare.  

If the locked down is diluted; let me assure you the entire gains of the last three weeks would crumble like a house of cards. Some of our people have really not understood the gravity of the problem. If most individuals are briefed, understand and implement social distancing the entire pandemic can be brought under control. Sadly, it is not so. I am in Karnataka; just seen the morning TVs beaming scenes from vegetable markets. The scene is reminiscent of preparatory purchases for festivals. Some have made it a habit to come to markets every day; so that they can be assured of an outing, duly authorised by the government. The markets are free for all. I saw a scene, where customers are waiting for the PDS shop to open. Circles have been drawn on the side of the road to ensure social distancing so that they do not crowd around. Wait; what I see on the ground? People have put their bags in the circles to mark their place in the queue, thereafter have formed gossiping groups on the roadside. The social distancing is only for the carry bags and not for human beings.

Next, a huge mass of humanity swarms and pile on the milk van which distributes free milk. A look at the crowd one can notice that they are definitely not from the economic fringe of the society. Most look well-fed as I did not see abject poor among them unless the cameraman of the TV channel has selectively excluded the poor and focused his lens on the affluent among them? It raises another question that the government has to reach out to poorest of the poor and not just concentrate on distributing the largesse on a first-come-first-served basis. Again, talking of social distancing; it appears the distribution of free milk packets psychologically does not lend itself to such a concept? Now; how to tell these morons that social distancing has to be a norm for the next year as well if we have to claim a victory over the Chinese Virus?

The crux of the whole problem lies in wearing masks and ensuring social distancing. The next important problem is to ensure that the real poor among our countrymen do not go hungry.  If these two measures are practised by all citizens in our country, then the war against Chinese Virus will be won. Now the question arises as to how to implement it? About 90 per cent of the populace understand it but do not want to follow it as it is difficult to do things in a different way unless there is an inbuilt conviction. It is very difficult for the requirement to sink into one’s mind when one is not affected. Hence, the nostrum to the whole issue is to enforce lockdown and those on essential work to wear a face mask and conform to social distancing. However, there are some who do not adhere to this and will only abide when there is a threat of punishment. Empty threats do not work for such people. They have got used to ineffective policing and lackadaisical civil administration. Law enforcement is not a choice but a duty; the police will have to be fully supported by lawmakers.

How do we achieve it? If we have to win the war against the pandemic; it can be done on the initiative and perseverance of just 640 persons in our country. They are the prima donna in our fight against the Chinese Virus. These 640 are the District Collectors of those many districts in the country. Just look at the DC of Bhilwara, who has controlled the pandemic by screening 2.5 million people. He is from the state cadre and has his heart in the right place. He does not have time to nurse his ego and expend unnecessary energies in trying to sustain it.  However, most other DCs are content in sitting in their homes and enforce lockdown on themselves and manage their districts on telephones.

A young IAS officer actually does not know how to administer?  Most go on the advice of one or two confidants within their offices who are past masters in manipulating the IAS cadres. They know how to pump their ego and make them generally comfortable and ineffective and ensure the pace of work and method of the functioning remains the same notwithstanding who the DC is? There are definitely a few of them who rise above the monopoly of these powerbrokers and chart out a path by themselves. Let me assure you that they can be counted on one’s fingers.  The run of the mill just moves files. Unless they move around in their districts, nothing can be achieved. As I have said before in my previous writings “One look on the ground is worth a thousand reports”.

Each district has hundreds of staff housed in monstrous buildings located in each district headquarters. They have under them 20 to 25 departments. Most of the departments are non-functional during the lockdown period, and it is for DC to mobilise officers and staff from all departments and constitute task forces, who should work as his eyes and ears. These task forces should be earmarked to different blocks to ensure that his orders on social distancing in market places, village squares, PDS shops and thoroughfares are implemented. They should also give feedback that the government schemes for the poor are functional and the benefits go to the right section of the society. DC can also rope in reliable NGOs. These task forces should be in direct communication with DC, who should take feedback from them. The respective BDOs, Tehsildars and Gram Panchayats should be held responsible for the lapses. Prominent and respected people of the area should be incorporated in the network such as school teachers, retired officials, veterans from the armed forces to ensure that social distancing and wearing of masks are understood by the people and enforced. The police should be in accompaniment. The DC himself should form a team comprising District Health Officer, Supt of Police, Food & Civil Supplies Official and Engineers from Electricity and Water Supply Department. The team should tour the district and spend nights in different Taluk Headquarters every alternate night. The team should travel minimum one hundred to two hundred Kms during such outings so that the DC can feel the pulse of the people and also see as to how is the district is coping up with the lockdown and also monitor the functioning of different departments on the ground. Similarly, each DC should hold his BDOs responsible to show result and reduce the COVID cases in his block. The devolution of responsibility should filter down to each Tehsildar and likewise to each Panchayat. The accountability should filter down to the lowest rung of the administration so that all office bearers are involved in the national endeavour. However, what is happening? The entire responsibility is given to the District Health Officer and other officials are happily under enforced lockdown probably including the DC.  The police, of course, are involved in enforcing the curfew. With such limited involvement, a little can be achieved and the country is hurtling to stage 3 of the pandemic.

At the state level, the government should fully support the DCs and meet all their requirements. The babus sitting in the state capitals should act as facilitators. The state Chief Secretary should personally speak to the DCs every alternate day and ascertain from them problems that they are facing and ensure all departments are providing the needed resources to the districts. Instead, all that I see is the photo opportunity by ministers distributing rations and milk to the poor. It looks so ridiculous that he is accompanied by a large posse of his minions who fawn over him and TV channels beaming the show; how such and such minister loves his people. Such a farce is picked up by the intelligent public in no time and makes the whole exercise a futile endeavour for self- gratification.

We have very bright officers in bureaucracy; however, they do on the job learning and have little experience in administration. By the time he has learnt the tricks of the trade of administration the time has come for him to move on to the next appointment. A, DC needs to tick off his officials for the lapses but only a few do it. He needs to have moral authority over his office bearers by displaying integrity, selflessness, utmost dedication and unadulterated commitment to his mission. Any lapses in these qualities compromise him and he is not able to administer the people of his districts.

Today, the country is undergoing an unprecedented situation. It is almost a national emergency and if we really fail in containing the pandemic the consequences are beyond one’s imagination. At the national level, the concept and planning have been formalised and resources have been allocated. Again, at the state government level, further allocation of resources and details of planning has been done. The last mile in the entire process is the implementation. This can only be done at the District Level under the respective DC. The failure in implementation solely lies on the shoulders of 640 DCs of the country. If they fail; the nation loses its war against the Chinese Virus. There is a need to pep up this office. Firstly, each DC should understand the importance of his effectiveness against the Chinese Virus and his failure would have unimaginable adverse national consequences. Let us see how they perform and how they can bring about people’s participation in the national endeavour? The ball is in their court.