All stories by SHOBHA WARRIER
Beware of A3i, the new coronavirus strain that's spreading fast!
Rediff.com18 Jun 2020'In India, A3i is found mostly in southern India, and a few in Delhi. You don't see this strain much in, say, Gujarat or Maharashtra.'
'The crisis we are facing now is lack of demand'
Rediff.com12 Jun 2020'There is lack of demand because people have no jobs, and no income.' 'Lakhs of people have lost their jobs and they have no income which has led to no demand in the market.'
'Hurried Lockdown has Created Havoc'
Rediff.com12 Jun 2020'Unless we get the health and economic situations right at the same time, we will not recover.'
Why WHO should not have stopped HCQ clinical trials
Rediff.com4 Jun 2020'WHO has been under a lot of attack, so when they saw the Lancet study, they stopped the clinical trials of HCQ.' 'They should not have stopped the clinical trials.'
'Climate change is a reality'
Rediff.com3 Jun 2020'When there is a change in the wind speed or the stress exerted on the surface, it will change the ocean currents.'
How this town persuaded migrant workers to stay
Rediff.com1 Jun 2020'It is because we treat them as our own people, and there is no difference between owners and workers here.'
'Don't treat nurses as angels, treat them as professionals'
Rediff.com29 May 2020'The government lights lamps for nurses but when we demand what's due for us, they don't listen at all.'
This business lost Rs 9,000 crores in lockdown!
Rediff.com28 May 2020'By the time the goods that were sent from December onwards reached stores in Europe, they became dead inventory as the stores there were closed by then.' 'Those that were in the warehouse there also became dead inventory. Those that reached the ports there also became dead inventory.' 'And what Tirupur produced in March is still here, and they have also become dead inventory.'
'Shopping for clothes won't be a priority'
Rediff.com28 May 2020'Fear psychosis has gripped the entire world.' 'Nobody is going to enter shops freely in the next 5, 6 months.' 'Secondly, the priority has changed.' 'Now that they have seen the bottom of the economy, people will prefer to save for tomorrow.'
'You don't ask someone in ICU to start exercising from the next day'
Rediff.com22 May 2020'Today when people are fighting to get their salary, you are telling them you will privatise airports!'
'Economic package is like an onion'
Rediff.com22 May 2020'You peel one layer, then another layer, then another, but in the end, you will see that there is no onion inside.' 'This package has been packaged well, but there is nothing much inside the package!'
'Economy will take 18 months to 2 years to recover'
Rediff.com19 May 2020'The current financial year will see the full impact of this crisis, and we will start seeing the recovery in the next financial year.'
'India can be an economically self-reliant country'
Rediff.com19 May 2020'Opportunity for a country like India is huge in terms of wealth creation.' 'That's the reason India is an attractive economy for investors.'
'Lockdown has changed the environment around us'
Rediff.com15 May 2020'If we want a better life, we have to treat nature better, and behave properly.' 'That's nature's message to us.'
'In six months' time I will come out with a vaccine'
Rediff.com12 May 2020'This is an improved version of BCG that also gives immunity against the coronavirus.'
What Modi must do to revive the economy
Rediff.com11 May 2020'At this stage, you should distribute money and food.' 'Like you queue up to vote, let people queue up to collect this.' 'This will arrest the decline in demand which will have a multiplier effect on the demand side for the economy as a whole.' 'The government should earmark about 2% of the GDP for this.' 'And this should be the first step to revive the economy.'
Be Prepared for Very Bad Economic Times!
Rediff.com11 May 2020'We are going to have a recession this year, maybe next year too...'
Indian scientists lead battle against COVID-19
Rediff.com8 May 2020'Unless we make our own testing kits, we will not get out of this disease faster.'
'Next year, when it appears, we won't even talk about it'
Rediff.com8 May 2020'What is happening now is the virus is trying to survive inside us, and we are also trying to survive.' 'It is actually a fight. And the advantage the virus has is it multiplies very, very fast.' 'Within a second it can make 100 copies. Our cells are not like that.'
'Govt should present new Budget'
Rediff.com7 May 2020'This prime minister thinks he knows everything.' 'He has to consult, he has to talk and he has to mobilise the best people, but having seen him function, I have no expectations from him.'