Covid -19

As we all know, Covid-19 arrived on our shores and appeared as the biggest dystopian threat our generation has ever faced. Not only the unprecedented scenario has thrown life out of balance with travel bans, lockdowns, and eventually curfew enforced by the respective Indian state governments, but our fiscal, medical, administrative capabilities are stretched to the hilt. While the most significant element in avoiding local transmission of the virus is the engagement of people with the right knowledge and precautions, yet the impact of Covid-19 on individuals and society can't be ignored. While India is struggling to rid itself of Covid-19's stranglehold, its impact is noticeable in several forms like physical, mental and economical.

Physical Impact - 

As the spread of Covid-19 takes place in phases, through imposing travel restrictions, the government has taken measures to prevent the spread of the virus from imploding in society by community dissemination which is analogous to the third level. The closing down of schools and colleges and the postponement of both academic and competitive examination was the first step the government initiated to frisk children out of the path of injury, and to sensitize parents by creating awareness about the disease and retain children indoors. The measure was taken to ensure children who have a relatively weaker immune system can be protected from Covid-19. 

Other steps introduced to curb the spread of the virus include stringent adherence to medical surveillance at international airports to detect and isolate any Covid-19 infected inbound traveler and closure of all popular tourist destinations.

Subsequently, the government's restrictive measures involve lockdowns in 75 districts accompanied by the full lockdown of vulnerable states until March 31, which is rational and may be expanded further depending on the emerging conditions. The lockdown was followed by a curfew in several states, such as Punjab, Maharashtra, Uttrakhand, etc., and the imposition of the epidemic act on mischievous elements violating the administrative actions. 

The complete shutdown of public transportation, minimal attendance of public servants in government departments and rigid compliance to travel restrictions were initiatives intended to scuttle the transmission of the virus in the community. 

The government's action has brought the country to a standstill, with a significant section of people are confined indoors.

Mental - 

As social isolation becomes necessary to mitigate the transmission of the virus, confinement of a large population in their respective homes can become extremely stressful for few. There is a great deal of panic, irritability, paranoia, and stress that builds up due to a lack of information or misinformation. The mass hysteria created by media and unsolicited advice and assumptions through social media further create anxiety, confusion, and stress among people making them behave irrationally like stockpiling of essentials. The mental health of children should be closely monitored as they are not only vulnerable but also most threatened under such circumstances. 

"Medical studies analyzed have shown that more than 20 percent of the people quarantined during SARS epidemic registered feelings of anxiety, while 18 percent claimed they felt worried, 18 percent sad and 10 percent guilty. Some reported post Traumatic Stress (PTS) symptoms."

When a large section of the population is debarred from attending social recreational activities in addition to self-isolation or quarantine guidelines, such restrictions may have immediate and probably long-term mental health impacts. In such challenging times when outdoor social interaction is limited sticking together as a family and participating in creative activities not only strengthens family bonds but also is an effective method to deal with mental stress.

Economic Impact -

The global economic impact of Covid-19 is catastrophic with a bloodbath in equity and commodity markets wiping out investor's wealth across continents. With quarantines and lockdowns in China have crippled supply chains across the world and across industries, India isn't insulated from the economic meltdown either. The severe shortage of essential components and raw materials have exposed the vulnerabilities of the manufacturing sector thoroughly dependent on China. From electronics to pharmaceutical and electrical to automobile the embattled industrial sector is battered and sulking in uncharted territory. 

The MSME ( Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) sector which is the backbone of the Indian economy is passing through the toughest phase. It provides employment to 18 crore people while contributing significantly to the growth and India's GDP($1,183 billion). With the economic recession looming, these MSMEs who were already reeling from the paucity of funds due to NBFC credit crises are facing double whammy one of the dwindling demand scenarios and raw material supply and are unlikely to recover unless immediate fiscal stimulus is provided by the government.

With travel regulations in a place bustling restaurants, markets, sprawling malls bore deserted look leading to job losses at a rapid pace. Health emergency leading to restrictions is stifling the economy and is turning into a financial crisis in India.

Rating agency Moody's has slashed its 2020 growth projection for India to 5.4% from 6.6% forecast earlier on the back of slower recovery, citing largely domestic factors and cautioning that global economy will be adversely impacted by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

A brief summary of my life as I view it from afar.

My Journey So Far

My name is Gaurav Saini, and I reside in Faridabad (Haryana). I am an avid reader, which has been both my hobby and a necessity since childhood and has acted as a catalyst, a source for me towards penning down my thoughts. 

Gradually writing became my passion and transformed me into a skilled content writer as a professional. 

How Did it Start?

To begin with, my childhood memories take me down to Narora, a small government township on the banks of the river Ganges in western UP. Narora was nestled peacefully in the lap of mother nature, where I completed my schooling before being selected for an Engineering course (BTech Electronics) in Maharashtra. 

Studying Engineering was a stimulating experience as one can feel scaling the achievement ladder and making you independent as a college student. 

One learns to tend to his own needs, handling his affairs without any assistance from family. Of course, coming from a small town and sitting down in a city has merits, but it was also disturbing sometimes. 

However, my siesta in Sangli, Maharashtra, was short-lived and ended abruptly when I met with an accident while pursuing my engineering.

The Real Struggle Started  

I struggled to figure out what was more painful, the crashing of my dreams or the restrictive mobility, as I became physically disabled after the accident. 

The trauma of bearing with unprecedented circumstances was challenging but demanding time was a great teacher too. However, with concerted efforts of my family, in particular, my mother and physicians, eventually helped me to improve things. Their motivation and encouragement instilled confidence in me and helped me overcome the odds and stand on my feet again, however, this time with walking aids.     

            

The battle to recover from my dilapidated condition, where for years I was bedridden, was long, stressful and exhausting but was worth fighting for my life.

The future looked bleak during those days, and the agony felt overbearing. However, the fond memories of childhood in Narora were a source of strength and refreshing for the soul. 

From experience, I have learned that the memories we gather through good or bad times etched in our psyche are the reflection of one's life and, as Dr Kalam once said, that the time spent with family and friends and memories collected stays with you during odd times, I too cherished my time well spent with family and friends in school and college during my struggle.

Fight Continues

As time passed and my body stabilized, I worked hard to learn new skills to earn my livelihood. Which began off as a curiosity in reading during school days, then persisted in literature, philosophy, politics, research, then-current affairs at college, enabling me to put my thoughts on paper now with ease. The result was launching my blog around four years back. 

My blog is a rainbow and showcases different facets of life. It addressed a range of topics from fiction to world affairs and was much appreciated by people around the globe, from where I drew my readership. 

Summing Up

In hindsight, I have learned that my most significant strength is perseverance, the quest to discover, adjustable behaviour, acknowledgement of the support of others and cooperation with friends, colleagues, etc., while my weakness lies in the habit of being introverted at times.      

                   

Today, if I seek to find a connection in life between sitting on the banks of the Ganges River during my childhood and living my life in an overpopulated city, I can describe it in no better way than Tolstoy's adage, "The two most strong warriors are persistence and time." One may resolve adversities through courage and perseverance, which is how I describe myself.  

Image Courtesy - Google Images 

Protests against President Bashar Assad's administration in 2011 swiftly developed into a full-fledged conflict. On the one side, the Assad regime was backed by Russia and Iran, while anti-government forces were funded by the US, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and others in the area.

The Syrian Curse 

Russian Intervention 

Since the beginning of its intervention in Syria in September 2015, Russia has sought to keep its most faithful Arab partner, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in a position of power notwithstanding the domestic and international pressure. 

With its hegemonic demeanour, Russia has also tried to regain the regional and global influence it lost since the collapse of the Soviet Union. 

Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, Russia has sensed an opportunity to recalibrate the Arabian political landscape wildly when the European Union is behaving like a headless chicken, and the US is in a state of confusion under the leadership of a narcissistic leader who is without vision and understanding. 

Vladimir Putin has sought to use the turmoil in the Middle East to re-establish its authority in the strife-torn area where it once enjoyed considerable influence.

Incidentally, Syria was the last citadel of the Russian armed forces(Navy) before the start of the conflict and underlined the Russian urgency to safeguard the outpost. 

Russia has also tested the vulnerabilities of democratic societies, lacking the appetite to stand for justice and valuing monetary gains rather than humanitarian values despite high-decibel rhetoric. 

Within Syria

On the other hand, Mr Assad is a ruthless dictator with no respect for international laws or human life. He built a military strategy designed to inflict the most significant possible damage on his political enemies, including his people who rose against him during the famous Arab Spring that uprooted a few dynasties in the Middle East.

The President didn't blink in using poison gas and chemical attacks (alleged) on unarmed civilians, even targeting clinics, colleges, and kindergartens. In his efforts to quell the revolt and crush the interference of (Saudi, Turkish, etc.) backed militias, over half a million people have died. 

Meanwhile, Russia has provided him with the airpower without which Mr Assad would not have been able to carry out his plan and recapture the lost territory. 

Foreign Players

There were multiple players in Syria, to begin with, and some of them have been wiped out(Sunni militias like ISIS). 

Others are cheated and have lost relevance, like the Kurds who fought for independent Kurdistan. They were backstabbed due to incoherent US policies(not surprising). However, Iranians benefit from President Assad's continuation in office while Israelis haven't lost. 

Imploding Humanitarian Crisis 

Syrian civil society and international human rights groups have repeatedly detected the systematic targeting of civilians and basic civilian infrastructure. But to no avail.

As Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council, it has regularly used its veto—14 times since the outbreak of the Syrian war. It is alleged that Russia used Veto power to block transparency measures and thus shield the regime from accountability.

With half a million Syrians dead and over 6 million turned into refugees, the world's collective consciousness has not yet jolted to come out of its slumber and take a decisive stand against the tyranny. 

Image Courtesy - Google Images 

21 Bridges is an action-packed film that explores an unsettling plot uncovered by a righteous and fearless detective while leading an extensive manhunt for a pair of cop-killers.

21 Bridges (Review)  

21 Bridges is a hard-hitting movie with fast-paced action. It is intriguing, surprising, and thought-provoking, bundled into one for each of us to make our own exposed inferences. 

One thing I can vouch for is the movie sucks you in with disturbing stories of multiple characters woven around, which makes the movie deserving of your time.

Even though disturbing for some, this movie captivates your thoughts for some time. As mentioned, there are multiple characters, most with grey shades, making it difficult to differentiate between the good and the bad; however, in the end, the right, however loaded, is triumphant. 

Storyline

The movie starts with a drug robbery that turns out badly as the two hitters thumped down Seven police officers at a bar where a drug consignment was stashed for distribution in the city. 

The two hitters (later revealed) were dishonourably discharged army personnel and were now on the run from city police, specifically Chadwick Boseman, the protagonist (detective). He was the son of an officer who died on duty and is under internal investigation for being trigger-happy. 

As the story advances, one develops sympathy for the shooters who were gunned down after a long chase; however, not before providing evidence to Boseman through a USB drive. It contained proof of the nexus between the drug cartel and a section of the police department now unravelled by the detective.  

In the end, one was dumbfounded when police chief J. K. Simmons spoke about the monetary problems a policeman faces while sacrificing their lives in the line of duty, yet their sacrifices are scoffed at and ignored. He tries to win over Boseman by justifying his act that money does buy happiness. In the final shootout, the chief, along with a few tainted cops, was killed.

My Verdict

Despite some flaws, 21 Bridges’ is watchable because of the action combined with its competent cast and their performances. 

Image Courtesy - Google Images