MyVoice: Views of our readers 17th March 2020

Bad time for Congress

It appears there is no end to Congress' troubles. After Madhya Pradesh, four MLAs of Gujarat Congress resigned from the membership of the House ahead of crucial Rajya Sabha elections. To resist other MLAs from deserting party, the Congress shifted its MLAs to Jaipur. Elections are going to be held for four seats in Gujarat, and the Congress has fielded two candidates while the BJP has fielded three candidates. The BJP will win two seats on its own and will be needing a few cross votes to win the third. The Congress had 73 MLAs and needed only one to win both but now the number has come down.

Shubham Patidar, Chennai

Digital technology can be detrimental

This is the decade of digitalisation and digital technology has made our lives very convenient as in one touch we can transfer money, receive desired information, watch entertaining videos and so many things we can do by using digital technology. However, gradually this technology is becoming curse for natural environment. According to the Shift Project Research Organisation of France, in 2018 there was 30 crore tons of carbon emitted just because of watching online videos. Moreover, if we watch online videos of one hour, the carbon emission is equal to driving a vehicle for 12km. Report also highlights one important thing that is if we use more data it consumes more electric power and as compared to high definition screen, the 4K resolution screen needs 30 percent more electric power. Therefore while using digital technology, we must be conscious about the ill effect of the technology and should try to use it only when it is required so that excessive carbon emissions can be stopped.

Priyanka Tripathi, Kondhali,

Nagpur dist, Maharashtra

Precautions to be taken at exam centres

Both, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana State governments have taken people-friendly decisions of closing down the schools, malls and theatres. The measures taken to make the spread of Covid-19 to absolute zero by the governments are laudable. But the examination schedules are kept intact for students of SSC and Intermediate courses. In view of the forthcoming and ongoing examinations, extra efforts should be taken by the chief superintendents of the examination centres in order to make sure the safety of students.

A few of the suggestions for the concerned authorities to meet the requirements of the present pandemic situation are: 1. Sufficient drinking water, clean and hygienic, should be provided. 2. The surroundings of the school/college buildings should be kept clean and hygienic by spraying antiviral liquids. 3. Students and invigilators should be provided with paper masks. 4. The invigilators should not allow exchange of pen, pencil, eraser or any item among the students in the examination hall.

5. The invigilators should not exchange any item by themselves among students. 6. The toilets should support the excess water usage. 7. Sanitisers should be provided to students suffering with normal cold and cough. 8. The classrooms, examination halls and corridors should be well dusted and should be cleaned with general germicides. 9. Phenyl should be sprayed in the corners of the classrooms, examination halls and corridors. 10. A medical team should be deployed at every centre headed by the medical practitioner to meet immediate requirements of the students. This team should be provided with necessary medicines. 11. Dehydration salts should be kept ready for distribution. 12. Health volunteers should work effectively by changing their previous work style at the examination centres, keeping the seriousness of the present situation in view. 13. A team of doctors should ply all examination centres in order to boost morale of students. 14. Parents and friends should not be allowed to gather in groups in front of the gates of the examination centres to send-off and receive their wards. 15. Banners depicting the instructions for keeping hygienic should be erected at examination centres. 16. Leaflets containing the measures to be taken to prevent the COVID-19 should be distributed to the students after every examination. It is the need of the hour to see that the students will fare well in examinations after their year-long hard work by avoiding and overcoming this fear of virus. The officials connected to the examinations should take up these on priority basis.

Dr M Venkata Ramana, Prasanthinagar,

Khammam