Sir — The World War II veteran, Captain Tom Moore, who raised more than £30 million for NHS Charities Together in the United Kingdom, recently celebrated his 100th birthday. His efforts bring to mind the contributions of the retired college professor, Subhash Chandra Banerjee, to the chief minister’s relief fund in Bengal which, although humble in comparison, were just as significant. At a time when acts of ‘charity’ are cleverly accompanied by a selfie or a video, the efforts of the elderly, often living on a pension, stand out. Their selfless acts, guided by a sense of duty and empathy, should serve as an example for younger people.

Sarbari Guha,

Calcutta

Long battle

Sir — With the announcement of the extension of the lockdown for another two weeks till May 17, it has become evident that normal services might be restored only in June as the pandemic is yet to show signs of slowing down in India (“Lockdown extended till May 17”, May 2). However, the decision to ease certain restrictions in green and orange zones during the extended lockdown comes as a welcome reprieve. The fresh guidelines issued by the Union home ministry allows interstate travel, thus enabling all those who were stranded due to the sudden implementation of the lockdown — including labourers, students and tourists — to return home. Although it will be restricted to non-containment zones and people will only be allowed to return after being strictly screened for Covid-19, it will nonetheless bring relief to many.

The government should also plan a meticulous exit strategy. It should aim to contain the spread of Covid-19 but also restore normalcy in a quick and efficient manner while adhering to social distancing norms. But this time all decisions taken by the Central government should be communicated to citizens in a planned and timely manner.

Varun Dambal,

Bangalore

Sir — The extension of the nationwide lockdown by the Centre for another two weeks was inevitable. India is in the middle of the crisis and with the Centre allowing labourers, students, pilgrims and tourists who do not have symptoms of the coronavirus to return home, the next couple of weeks are going to be crucial. The relaxation of certain restrictions in all three zones — green, orange and red — will require closer monitoring of the situation.

As the rush of people returning might threaten efforts flatten the curve, Punjab is already gearing up to test extensively. Other states must follow suit, but they must not fail to address the immediate concerns of the migrant workers while working towards the prevention of the spread of the coronavirus.

D.V.G. Sankararao,

Nellimarla,

Andhra Pradesh

Sir — The decision of the Centre to extend the lockdown till May 17 must have been difficult. A number of states have been pressurizing the government on account of their funds running out; an extension of the lockdown will likely mean greater financial losses. It seems that that the government has considered all of this in order to take the pragmatic decision of dividing the country into red, orange and green zones with certain relaxations in movement and activities.

The latest guidelines allow industrial establishments in urban areas, such as special economic zones and export-oriented units, to function even if they fall under the red zone. The permission to restart the manufacturing units of essential goods and their supply chain, the manufacture of IT hardware and the jute industry with staggered shifts and social distancing is welcome too. This will ensure that businesses gradually get back on their feet.

A graded exit plan will be essential for the seamless merger of economic activities among all zones. It is up to the state governments to ensure the smooth supply of essential goods, both within their territories and interstate. It is a good decision to allow for relaxations in the sale of tobacco and liquor as these boost the finances of a state considerably. But the government must provide a strong economic package as well so that the slowdown is not prolonged.

Bal Govind,

Noida

Sir — As the only possible way to fight Covid-19 is to stay at home and comply with social distancing norms, the announcement by the Union home ministry that the nationwide lockdown will go on for another two weeks does not come as a surprise. In spite of taking precautionary measures, the deadly coronavirus is spreading rapidly. It is likely that our battle against the pandemic is going to last for a while.

India recently registered a record jump of 83 deaths in a single day with the total number of infections surpassing 40,000. Yet, one can still see people violating social distancing norms in various parts of India. Altercations between citizens and policemen on the road have become a common sight.

At this moment the only way forward is through patience, unity and faith in those fighting on the front lines. Acting irrationally with essential service providers will aggravate the crisis.

Tushar Anand,

Patna

Sir — Anyone who was expecting the nationwide lockdown to be lifted on May 3 was simply being unrealistic. The rising numbers of Covid-19 infection and related deaths indicate that India is yet to hit the peak. We are not testing as vigorously as we should. On top of that, some states are reportedly fudging the true number of deaths and infections.

If this is the case, then is it wise to ease restrictions even partially? The next two weeks will be crucial in determining how long it might take before normalcy returns.

Mrinal Saha,

Durgapur