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Maximum City

Fri, 08 May 2020 18:46:26 +0530

Maximum city

By Lakshya

It is too late! The coronavirus or COVID-19 horse has bolted and closed the barn doors. Despite New Delhi’s total lockdown entering its 3^rd phase, the increase in the number of cases has been exponential in the last week. With few million testing and a faulty containment programme, the country’s economy and human capital is in a deplorable state. With the lockdown in its 44^th day, the political pundits are sceptical about the viability of the public healthcare system in tackling the sheer incompetency to monitor, test and isolate infected people.

At the epicentre of this remains City of Dreams-Mumbai. Accounting for more than 10000 cases, Mumbai tops the table in the corona tally. A city, that resides the highest number of billionaires of India, is also home to Asia’s largest slum - Dharavi. Close to a million people which accounts for more than 60% of Mumbai’s population, living cheek by jowl is the major hurdle in containing the virus. Adding to this long list of miseries is the shutting down five major private hospitals of Mumbai. The lack of proper equipments for the health professional and nurses has led to around 150 people getting infected in last one week.

Preparing for the Virus

The advance preparedness of the medical professionals and the public entities stockpiling masks, gloves and sanitizers would have been an important step. Sufficient availability of beds and converting vacant halls, sports facilities and other such places into makeshift quarantine centres, with intensive care units, would have made us better prepared for the situation. The migrant workers were to be assured and catered to as they are the backbone of big business houses. The availability of basic staple to the citizens should have been ensured which would avoid panic buying. Appropriate equipments would be provided to the public officials and the medical workers on duty and spread awareness amongst the citizens ensuring cordial working of all the stakeholders.

Dharavi Focus

Dharavi being a close knit society where around a million people live in an area of 2 square kilometre, local NGOs and community workers could be incentivised to help spread the awareness about the “New Disease” amongst the people. Where 80 people use a single bathroom, it becomes imperative to extract senior citizens or people with high risk of getting infected and shift them to makeshift shelters. A critical care task force of the best physicians who can create a comprehensive medical plan, which actively involves and is executed by Mumbai’s large and very capable public hospitals along with private hospitals, has the best chances of swinging it in ‘life’s’ favour.

The government has been swift in taking actions with testing the people and establishing a 300 bed make shift quarantine facility for the people of Dharavi.. Though it will be a humongous task for the state government to get the city back up and running, but with some minute changes in the policies and tightening of the administrative screw, the leaders at the helm might just be able to set an example for the other states and the world at large.

#covid19 #coronavirus #pandemic #dharavi #mumbaimerijaan #maharashtra #bombay #slum

No law or ordinance is mightier than understanding

Fri, 08 May 2020 10:05:09 +0530

"No law or ordinance is mightier than understanding"- Plato

By Kajal

The aforementioned quote becomes even more relatable in times like corona virus pandemic. This means that no rules or ordinance should be viewed as more important than knowledge and compassion. For any public servant it is a pre-requisite to be well-informed as well as to possess the ability to understand the problems of citizens as a whole.

With these words said, what steps would you take to contain the spread of infection if you were to be appointed as Mayor of Chennai? (Nope, we’re not trying to copy the Nayak’s story plot.) Well, the question has been put up here to throw some light on what measures could have been taken before time and what all were the points to remember when a state was to go under lockdown.

Preparation before the D-day: As Wuhan was coiling in infection, the first and foremost task would be to take a wake-up call and start alerting officials and medical helpers to start preparing for the worst, even if the intensity of worst was unknown.

· Storage of enough masks, testing kits and sanitizers: Keeping in mind the population size of the state, enough storage of masks and sanitizers must be made for precautionary measures to contain the spread of contagion.

· Awareness among citizens: As it’s truly said, ‘Half knowledge is more dangerous than ignorance, spreading awareness regarding every detail about Covid-19 to the grassroots level because rural people tend to be the least informed.

· On the D-day: When announcing about the lockdown, not leaving until complete assurance is being communicated that essentials would be made available even during the lockdown, hence mitigating Panic Buying as much as possible.

· Public Announcements: Making public announcements time & again regarding current status of the state, country and world. Also, spreading more and more awareness through expert doctors about the importance of hand wash, wearing masks, staying indoors and when only should a person visit hospital for testing.

· Migrant workers: No one would be able to perform his/her daily chores if it weren’t for daily wagers. Hence, there protection becomes primary. Helping them to the last bit, and if possible, arranging separate vehicles for their transportation to help them reach home safely would be the greatest and best step one could take.

· Milkmen, farmers and other daily wagers: Procuring the perishable goods from them immediately and selling them across the state could save them from suffering and loss of income. This would also render zero wastage of these commodities. One such wonderful initiative was Resident Welfare Association.

· Mobile data reports: Taking full advantage of data available through mobile apps, thanks to AI. A team of researchers from IIT Madras gave some important facts to government officials, all of which was extracted through Facebook and Aarogya Setu app. Making use of data on a much larger scale to record movement of people.

· No harassment by cops: While we could see cops adopting some amazing strategies like virus shaped helmets and ambulance tricks, ensuring that no innocent person gets harassed amid all of this.

· Lockdown 2.0: Since we’ve got all the time now, there would be no harm in reiterating all the points announced during first lockdown, and ensuring that it is being done for the greater good. Therefore, avoiding incident that happened atKoyambedu Market.

· Apocalypse that is yet to arrive: Experts say that the second wave of covid-19 would be the deadliest and hence the struggle would never stop.

As of May 7, 2020, Chennai stands at 2,644 positive cases recording the highest jump till date. Government officials should constantly thrive for regulating all the measures thoroughly and throughout the pandemic, as even one infected person can infect 400 people in a matter of 30 days. Ending this with a beautiful quote by Mahatma Gandhi,

“A man is the sum of his actions, of what he has done, of what he can do, nothing else.”

#Chennai #ChennaiCorona #GoCoronaGo #IndiaFightsCorona #CoronavirusOutbreak #AdaayaFarms

Restaurant adopting the new 'Normal'

Thu, 07 May 2020 09:54:26 +0530

Restaurant Adopting the new 'Normal"

By Lakshya

Currently the major bustling food streets and the hoity-toity restaurants seem like a thing of past. Rather the industry seems to be on a shakier ground than suspected; the tight cashflow, high overloads and high reliance on tourism has painted a bleak picture of its recovery. Many quick-service restaurants (QSRs) which rely on borrowed funds and day to day income, without sufficient working capital, will be the biggest losers.

After the relaxations set in and the restaurants start to function at optimum capacity, the restaurateurs will be on an alien turf. Post crisis, a chunk of customers will be hesitant in dining-in. The customers will prefer the physical-distancing leading to increased curb-side pickups or home deliveries. They will be a much more wary and demanding customer, not necessary relating to the price or selection, but in regard to the perception of safety, cleanliness, and overall quality.

Post Covid, the restraints will have to bring a major overhaul in their business models. The QSRs will have to bring about a change in the design-layout of their restaurants; increasing spacing between tables and greater access to hygienic products. Cleanliness will be the differentiator and imperative will it be to make the customer know of it. Moreover, they can adopt “Transport-friendly” menu and using extra employees as the delivery personnel to avoid using food aggregator platforms and paying a hefty fee for it. The supply-chain will have to be revamped to adopt the method for tracking and reporting on all products from their point of creation or growth to the production facility, to the warehouse, to the broadliner, and finally to the restaurant. Also, maintaining customer-relationship through loyalty programmes, coupon discounts and especially hygiene assurances can be the crucial way forward.

This is an unchartered territory, and all signs point to the likelihood that the restaurants as we know are not coming back for a while. Hence, the restaurants will have to modify their strategy and simplify their working to adopt the new “Normal”.

Adapting to the new 'Normal'

Thu, 07 May 2020 09:15:12 +0530

Adapting to the new 'Normal'

By Kajal

Pause ⏸ Resume▶ Pause ⏸

Sounds like someone else got the remote control, eh?

Well, that’s exactly the kind of roller coaster rides our lives have been in the wake of flattening the curve. But who knows if this curve is going to remain flattened for a long time? As per the experts, countries relaxing their restrictions might have to bore the brunt of second wave of the novel corona virus. Whether the leaders around the world will have to follow up multiple rounds of social distancing or will the rise of infection lead to herd immunity, remains a question for the future to answer.

People have been drawing parallels to the Spanish Flu that broke in 1918 which killed about 39 million people i.e., 2% population of the world at the time. Just like the great influenza, the ancient common sense of quarantining is back and vaccine is still unknown. What differentiates today’s quarantining is the technology. People are getting accustomed to covid vocab which includes words like covidient, coronic, zoombombing, quarantine and virtual happy hour to name a few. Whether the people will get back to the ‘normal normal’ or adapt to the new normal remains a topic of debate because of its virtue of being subjective. While some believe that physical bonding is in the nature of human beings and people will ultimately get back to the lives where more human touch was involved, some cite that hugging and shaking hands will remain susceptible for a longer time. There are contrasting views whether people will freely go to concerts or have music sessions over spotify. Whether they’ll attend the office again or stick with work from home culture. Whatever be an individual’s take, mask is surely to remain in vogue.

What stands on the other end of the tunnel are the businesses. Since ages, businessmen have been following the mantra of ‘Change is the only Constant’ and it’s time for them pace it up. Restaurants and all other eatery outlets will have to make themselves technology savvy to be able to serve with zero or minimal touch points. Many will have to revise renovations to enable takeaways and drivethrus, for customers would be reluctant to resume their dine-out habits. Customers will have to settle for increased prices and delayed deliveries if they want their food ordering outlets to be completely safety certified. Dark kitchens and curbside services will become the new norm. And not just this, supply chains will move to centre stage with declining dependence on China and many will look for the local vendors instead.

To conclude, corporate and entrepreneurs will have to implement managerial and behavioural changes at each level. To keep up the employees’ enthusiasm amid the wave of layoffs and salary cuts, leaders will have to be on their toes 24X7 and that too virtually.

#Covid19 #CoronaUpdate #Lockdown #MyPandemicSurvivalPlan #WFH #FlattenTheCurve #coronapolcalypse #postcovid19 #StaySafe #AdaayaFarms

No Single use Plastic

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 11:31:39 +0530

NDTV notices our work!

NDTV one of the popular media houses run special documentary on Eco Friendly products. They ran a story on our products and business. The link to their website is here

Adaaya Palm Leaf Disposables on NDTV

#ndtv #wastewarriors #leafdisposables

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