PANDEMIC IN INDIA

Covid-19 Pandemic is disrupting the world, Millions are affected and lakhs of people have died. Developing nations like India are struggling to deal with it. Migrants, guest workers from all over the world are heading to their hometown, Families waiting for their safe return. In Chennai, over 4 lakhs of guest workers from various parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Manipur, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana were working. With COVID 19 they were left with no job and salary. To no avail, they had to leave the city. Due to nationwide lockdown they were kept under the care of Greater Chennai Corporation. Tamil Nadu police and other NGOs volunteered to help them. People from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana started walking on the Highway and part of them were brought back to the camp. At the end of May month, the lockdown was lifted and. Railway services were started again and lakhs of people including children, pregnant women, elderly people, physically challenged went back to their native places.The average temperature of Chennai during May 2020 was 38°C. They had to travel for at least 34 hours.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

CHILDREN AND MIGRANT LABORERS

HUNGER HITS EVEN BEFORE THE VIRUS

HUNGER

Since the government announced a sudden lockdown, most of the migrant laborers were stuck in the city. The bus and railway services were stopped and most of the companies were closed. They didn't have any place to work or home to stay. So people decided to stay on the sidewalk of the Poonamalle National highway. In addition, people who cannot take of the elderly parents left them alone and deserted. It starts from Pachaiyappa college stop to Chennai central railway station, Nearly 9 Kilometers were occupied with approximately 250 people on the sidewalks. It was hot summer in the month of June. The heat was unbearable and the time was around 1.30 PM. I saw this elderly person sleeping in the road, which I came closer, I have observed, His upper body was bare and he was sleeping not on the cement sidewalk but in the hot tar road. I waited for him to wake up. I was hoping to help him in any way possible. Then I saw a van that delivers food to homeless people. I waved them and they stopped near us. The delivery person came with a bunch of food packages and woke up the elderly person. When he woke up the tar particle and sand stuck with his skin. The delivery person gave some water to drink and opened the curd rice pack and fed the elderly person. I asked the name of the elderly person, but he was unable to answer, he was barely conscious. The delivery person gave him three more food packs and left.

WATER AND FOOD

FINALLY HOME

SITUATION IN SLUM

NORTHWEST INDIA
In Chennai city, most of the migrant laborers are from North East India like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, and Orissa. The government had arranged railway service for them after the lockdown was lifted. But people from Northwest India like Gujarat, Rajasthan couldn't go home by trains. Some national banks and NGOs and associations came forward to help them. They arranged a bus to Gujarat and Rajasthan. In this picture, a child waves goodbye as a sign of thanking the Bank staff and NGO volunteers.

AWARENESS AND IRONY
Even though the Coronavirus outbreak started in 2019 in China and outbroke in India in 2020 February and lockdowns were in March-April, Most of the people in the slum were not given enough of mak awareness. This picture was taken on July 31, 2020, in a slum near an area called Thousand lights. It was an awareness program organized by Sagotharan trust and the government, about the importance of wearing masks. But they were not given any masks which was a huge irony, They were given awareness placards but not masks.
When I went to cover the event, They saw me taking photographs of them and suddenly hid their face by pulling up their t-shirts to the nasal area. Another little girl covered her nose with the saree drape of the elderly woman who stood behind her. I see this action as an example of how children there are aware that not wearing a mask is the wrong thing to do. But they were not provided with masks and sanitizers.

RELIGIOUS GATHERING AND CELEBRATIONS

India is a country known for its varied culture, tradition, and integrity. Celebrations and festivals became a part of it. Even when the number of covid19 cases were increasing in the beginning month of March, people were celebrating the Holi festival. Even when the government announced partial lockdown, all the religious places were open. AAdi festival is a celebration in Tamil Nadu, and people didn't even maintain a social distance and crowded the temple. During Krishna Jeyathi festival, Good Friday, Christmas, Ash Wednesday, ramzan, Ganesh Chathurthi, Diwali celebrations people gathered in public in huge amounts, especially in Tnagar and Parry's corner to buy clothes and festival essentials.

static and dynamic life

back to pedals

COMMISSIONER'S PRESS MEET

SLEEP OVER

SAFETY VS PUBLICITY

FRONTLINE WARRIORS

SOCIAL DISTANCE

OUT PATIENTS OUT OF HOSPITALS?

FACE MASKS IS A MUST

ADMISSIONS OPEN

FINAL EXAMS

The entire world has been affected by the outbreak of coronavirus which leads to worldwide suffering. Developing countries like India have seen the worst phase of it - An increasing number of cases in important cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai had made it to the worse extend. Indian economy lost over 4.5 billion USD$ every day during the lockdown. Insufficient medical services, Inefficient travel services to rural places, unemployment made It even worse.

I have been covering the pandemic from Day 1 when Chennai city reported its first case till the city witnessed zero cases in the first wave. I have mainly covered how the pandemic affected the people who were not directly affected by the virus, But by lockdowns. Migrant laborers who were stuck here, Other district people who lost their job and couldn’t return home, Homeless people staying on the roadside, people suffering from hunger and weather… Also, how people crowded during partial lockdowns celebrating festivals. I have also covered the situation of people living in the slum areas, Government measures, Frontline warriors.

Children were unable to understand the sudden chaos happening in their places. Schools were closed, They were made to stay inside the home the whole year. They couldn't meet their friends or play together. Online classes made it even worse. Children were mentally exhausted. In rural areas, children were forced to work, so that they could earn money for food. Children who lost their parents and family members are experiencing trauma. Some children who lost both their mother and father were left in depression and hunger.