Jamshedpur Jesuits' Response to Covid-19
The COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc worldwide and causing significant disruptions to human society. The worst disruption has been taking place in the lives of migrants, daily wage workers, farmers, landless labourers, contract auto/taxi drivers and families below the poverty line in cities. The visuals of migrants walking home remind some of the biblical exodus and some others of the heartbreaking partition of India and Pakistan.
The three Eastern states of India, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha, send the greatest number of men and women as the labour force to the Southern and Western states of India. Jamshedpur Province area did not feel the disruption in the lives of people, initially. A good number of Good Samaritans in Jamshedpur city ensured that deserving people did not go hungry in East Singhbhum district. Our visits to railway stations, bus stands, and marketplaces did not connect us with people we needed to be involved with.
What shall we do? Whom shall we reach out? These two questions taunted Jamshedpur Jesuits when the first phase of nationwide lockdown was introduced in the country. While the Southern and Western Jesuit Provinces were fully engaged in accompanying stranded migrants from Eastern states of India, the Jamshedpur Jesuits and alumni of our institutes started connecting with the families of migrants in remote areas of the Province area. Since then we have reached out approximately 8825 households and 24221 individuals through various relief activities.
Until May 13, the Jamshedpur Province area maintained green zone status, except Bhubaneswar, the capital of state of Odisha. This scenario has completely changed and recording big spike in positive cases. Within a period of two weeks, Jamshedpur city area has recorded 96 positive cases, including two of our Scholastics Biren Baa and Nitish Xaxa who came by shramik train from Chennai. Sch. Praveen Jose narrates the travel ordeals from the time they were asked to go back to their respective Provinces. The return of migrants from cities to the villages is pushing us to new frontiers. The post covid-19 will offer new apostolic priorities as the youth may not prefer to return to cities in the near future.
