Bihar: A Dithering Govt. Forces People to Use Gamchas as Masks

Patna: With prices for masks increasing by four to five times and government agencies failing to provide them at nominal rates, if not for free, thousands of people, particularly those from the poor and working class, have been forced to adopt “desi jugaads”. They are covering their face with gamchas, dupattas and using the sari to protect themselves from coronavirus infection.

The last few days has seen an unprecedented rise in the demand for masks due to fear and panic among the people. Taking advantage, traders and shopkeepers are black marketing masks and hoarding them to create an artificial scarcity and increase prices.

“Masks are selling like hot cakes but at a high price. People have no option but to buy out of a sense of fear. We are making some money,” said a wholesaler dealing in face masks at Govind Mitra Road, a hub of medical supplies in Patna.

And the scarcity is not just being felt by common folk. On March 14, doctors of the Sadar hospital in Mitihari, the district headquarters of East Champaran, staged a protest for a few hours against the lack of masks to cover their face while on duty. The protesting doctors said that they have been demanding N95 face masks for treating patients in view of the coronavirus. Dr. Suresh Prasad Singh and Dr. Anil Sinha from the hospital confirmed to NewsClick that they demanded basic safety measures like masks for them to treat patients. They said that doctors were not provided masks and that were provided for only after the protest.

A day after Bihar government declared coronavirus (COVID-19) an epidemic and issued the Bihar Epidemic Diseases COVID-19 Regulation 2020. The fear of the disease is such that people on streets, railway stations, bus stands, hospitals and markets are seen covering their face with gamcha, a thin cotton towel.

“I cannot buy a costly mask, so I decided to use my gamcha that I carry with me to cover my head during winter and summer. Now I’m using it to cover my face in view of coronavirus,” said Lakhendar Paswan, a rickshaw-puller on Patna’s Fraser Road.

Like Paswan, it is common for daily labourers and workers engaged in different sectors, who are using the gamcha masks to cover their face instead of masks, outside their house and at the workplace. “Gamcha is our mask, it is the best option for us because we cannot purchase a costly mask,” said Harender Kumar, a construction labourer.

Savita Devi, a housewife in Phulwari Sharif market, covers her face with her cotton sari. She said it is easier and more flexible than a mask to cover the face at crowded places. “Where is the money to buy four masks, one each for my husband and two young daughters? A mask is available at the rate of Rs 60 to 70 and a poor quality mask at Rs 40,” she added.

Savita uses the corner of her sari while her husband, who works in a shop, uses a gamcha. Her daughters use the dupatta to cover their face as a precautionary measure.

Manzar Alam, a home tutor, said that a mask that generally costs Rs 10 is currently selling at Rs 40 while a good quality mask is available for between Rs 70 and Rs 80. “I have stitched a homemade mask with a clean piece of cotton to cover my face when I go from one place to another,” he said.

Contrary to the state government’s repeated claim that authorities are taking all necessary measures to deal with the coronavirus epidemic, the reality on the ground is that government-run hospitals and health centres in Patna have asked poor people to purchase masks from shops as they cannot be provided for. “We have approached two government hospitals including Gardanibagh hospital and Phulwari Sharif hospital here for masks but their staff refused to provide them and advised us to purchase them from outside,” said Suresh Prasad, a road-side vendor.

A similar situation is seen at different reputed government hospitals like Patna Medical College and Hospital, Nalanda Medical College & Hospital, SK Medical College in Muzaffarpur and Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College in Gaya District, where common people returned empty-handed when they asked for masks.

Till date 312 suspected coronavirus cases have been reported in the state but none of them have tested positive which is a big relief for the state government.

However, as a precautionary measure, the administration in districts bordering Nepal have been put on high alert and are screening those crossing the border.

Last week, the state government decided to shut down schools, colleges, coaching centres, cinema halls, museums, zoos and parks till March 31 in view of the coronavirus.

The government also cancelled events related to Bihar Diwas celebrations on March 22.There will be no public celebrations during the period. It was decided that government employees will attend office on alternate days to ensure functioning of offices and to minimise crowds.

Earlier, the government had decided to shut down all 1.14 lakh Anganwadi Kendras in the state.

Amid fears surrounding the coronavirus, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday asked people not to spread panic and ordered to withdraw prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC that was imposed in 11 districts by the administration.