The Observer An IIJNM publication
Odisha's educational book stores face financial crunch after the imposition of a total lockdown | P 4
Vol 20, Issue 20
Thursday, May 13, 2021
They fear being stuck, unable to return to work By Mahitha Owk
I
The United States of America is one of the countries to impose a travel ban. The Biden administration, on April 30, announced restrictions on travel from India. | Courtesy: KPN rather prefer staying here.” But Harish is worried about getting stuck and not being able to go back to Australia again. The US is another country to have imposed a travel ban. The Biden administration, on April
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Forging industry falls short of oxygen as its supply is diverted towards medical requirements | P 5
Travel ban begins to bite Indian citizens who are living abroad ndians living abroad as temporary residents are afraid of returning to India fearing they will be stuck owing to the Covid-19 restrictions imposed across the world. “It has been two years since I saw my parents. I don’t know when I will be able to see them,” Nikitha Mendu, an Indian citizen who is studying in Australia, informed The Observer. Australia is one of the countries that have imposed strict travel restrictions. Australian Prme Minister Scott Morrison has even threatened Australian citizens stuck in India with jail terms and fines if they return to Australia. Harish Reddy, a temporary resident in Australia, said: “Some of my friends, in a hurry, went back to India, and now Australia is not letting them come back. They have no jobs in India. I would
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30, announced restrictions on travel from India to prevent the mutated Covid-19 virus variants from entering the country. The United States’ decision has scared many Indian citizens who are living in the US.
Mahesh Kumar, who is in the US on an H-1B visa, shared: “I can’t afford to get stuck in India and lose my job. I have been following the news and it’s terrifying. My parents tested Covid positive. I wanted to go and see them, but could not.” The major problem for Indian citizens is that they do not have the option to go back to the countries where their livelihood is. Uttishtha Prasanna, who lives in the UK with her family, said she conceived during the time of Covid and has given birth to a baby. “Who doesn’t want to celebrate these moments with their families, but what other option do I have now?” She said she is struggling to take care of the baby. Although she wants to go back home, the UK has added India to its red list of countries and suspended all flights coming from India. Covid-19 has economically impacted countries and individuals. The prospect of going to India and leaving their work is scaring people. Listening to the stories of people who have been stuck in India is adding to their fears. Continued on page 2
News Briefs Aus players may head home on Sunday
Australian players, media, and coaches who are currently in the Maldives after the suspension of the of the Indian Premier League may head back home on Sunday. The ACA and BCCI are awaiting confirmation from the Australian government that the players and others be allowed home.
Europe to extend curbs on travel from India
The European Commission has called on the EU member states to further restrict travel from India on a temporary basis to limit the spread of the B.1.617.2 variant, first detected in India.
As Hamas hits Israel, violence toll reaches 72
Amidst rising unrest between Israel and Palestine, the toll in Gaza has reached 65 and seven in Israel as Hamas launched a new barrage of air strikes. Heavy bombardment on the Gaza Strip continues, killing Hamas commander Bassem Issa along with some other senior members.
Positivity rate in Delhi dips after three weeks
The Covid positivity rate in Delhi has gone down to 14 per cent from 35 per cent 3 weeks ago, Delhi’s deputy CM Sisodia said on Thursday. The capital reported 10,400 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours.
GoAir’s name change baffles watchers People with symptoms skip By Abhisek Dutta
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oAir, an Indian airline run by the Wadia Group, has changed its brand name to Go First in a move that has puzzled aviation industry watchers. Kaushik Khona, CEO of GoAir, informed The Observer: “We will come up with a press release with detailed information for th change by the end of the day.” On May 13, newspapers carried an advertisement that said “GoAir is now Go First. The airline where you come first.” The advertisement displayed Go First’s brand new logo. Tarun Shukla, aviation and defence editor of The Economic Times, tweeted a photo of the advertisement and wrote: “New branding, new livery, at GoAir.” Harish Bijoor, a brand strategist, believes GoAir was a good name, and there was no need to
change the airline’s branding. “In aviation, ‘first’ holds the connotation of ‘first-class travel’, which might be attempted to exploit. But very simply I don’t believe the airline needed to change from GoAir to Go First,” Bijoor informed The Observer. Industry watchers say this is not the right time to change the brand name of an airline. Pratham Y, an aviation analyst, tweeted: “But isn’t rebranding an added expense when you are trying to reduce your costs
and expenditure in ULCCs (Ultra Low-Cost Carriers) model.” Some frequent travellers welcomed the move, while others said they are not satisfied with the service GoAir provides. Pulkit Sinha, a frequent air traveller, tweeted: “…GoAir keeps on changing flight schedule. I booked a direct flight by paying extra and then without informing they change my flight to an indirect one.” Since a Janata Curfew was imposed in March 2020, the aviation industry is running in losses. Owing to the second wave of Covid-19, the airline business has further plummeted. According to a Business Standard report, GoAir incurred a net loss of Rs 1,346 crore in FY20. A low-cost carrier GoAir became the fifth largest Indian airline in the year 2017. abhisek.d@iijnm.org
Covid test to avoid cost
By Mahitha Owk Hyderabad: Many people with Covid-19 symptoms do not get themselves tested, saying they are sure it is Covid. They isolate themselves and take generic medicines. Doctors say that this may not be a wise thing to do. “I know it was Covid. My children and I had all the symptoms. We decided to not get tested as it would be a waste of money,” Parimila Medasani, a homemaker, informed The Observer. They have since recovered. After Sonali Sudhakar and her family showed Covid-19 symptoms, they isolated and treated themselves. “My cousin, a doctor, recommended we not get tested as we were showing Covid-19 symptoms. He guided us through the
recovery process,” Sudhakar said. A test at home costs Rs 1,200; it is Rs 800 if a person goes to a private testing centre. Most people prefer testing at home. Raghavendra Rao, a daily wage worker, said: “We are a family of six. I showed Covid-19 symptoms. After a while, all my family members did, but only I got tested. Why do I have to waste so much money when I am sure about it?” The family took Covid-19 medicines and have recovered now. Dr B.R. Lavanya, a physician, said it is not possible that all symptoms in a person indicate Covid-19; it could be some other health condition that should not be ignored. “People may mistake Covid symptoms for typhoid.” She advises people should get the RT-PCR test done. mahitha.o@iijnm.org