A telephonic survey carried out by a group of students and volunteers in the rural areas of six states on the current lockdown situation has found that while there is high awareness about the Covid-19, including its symptoms, how it spreads, and the precautions against its transmission, the shutdown of all public services has had “a negative impact on peoples’ life”, resulting in resulting “insecurity”, causing a lot of “stress.”

Other hardships due to the lockdown

Within the JABS sample, the respondents are likely to belong to relatively better-off households, since the poorest may not have a phone. The calls were made by students and other volunteers: Aditi Dey, Alok Anand, Anmol Somanchi, Ankita Aggarwal, Bhakti Ghatge, Natasha Trivedi, Paroma Bhat, Reetika Khera, Ria Singh Sawhney, Shailja Tandon and Sweta Dash.

There are wide variations in access to PDS rations across the states for the months of March and April. Even till the last week of March, at least some ration cardholders in every state had not received their ration for the month. The situation seems to be worse in Gujarat, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.Ration distribution for April has begun in most states, but only some reported getting two months’ quota. Also, cardholders are yet to get the 1 kg dal promised by the central government. Even during the lockdown, access to PDS rations remains largely limited to those with a ration card.The lockdown has taken a heavy economic toll on people. At least half the respondents clearly stated that their household had experienced a fall in earnings since the lockdown. Even during the second phase survey, many respondents reported that they could not go to work in the fields, find daily-wage work or carry out their self-employment activities.In Surguja, Chhattisgarh, a daily earner said he was scared of stepping out because he had heard that the police were beating people. This was a common theme, a fear which was repeated in other places too. As one respondent said, "We are daily wagers, how will it be okay? Modi isn't going to come home and feed me".Some farmers who were able to go to the fields expressed concerns about being able to sell their produce and harvest before it rotted. One person in Odisha told us they were not able to sell vegetables from their fields because of the lack of transport, and respondents in both Gujarat and MP reported that they were not able to sell their harvested grain.Apart from daily wagers whose earnings have evaporated, other persons’ incomes have also been seriously affected. For example, one person told us that their salon had been closed, and in HP, where households are generally much better off, the lack of tourists has affected the incomes of households who ply taxis, arrange paragliding and homestays.Some respondents were either stuck in cities away from their village or had family members in that situation. Some men and women are stuck away from their family and spouses, either because of work or because they were at their natal homes.One person from MP, currently staying in Maharashtra, said he has been allowed to stay by the company malik, but doesn't know if he's going to be paid for the days of closure; another one in Maharashtra (from UP) expressed worries about paying rent and rising prices.The shutdown in public services has also caused a lot of difficulties. One respondent from HP told us that she was finding it hard to take her sick child to a doctor, because of the lack of public transport and taxis. One respondent told us that her husband had been mistreated by the police when he went to the market to buy medicines.One respondent was not able to get to the bank, and another respondent told us that when she went to the bank with her passbook to get Rs. 1000, she was told that withdrawing money wouldn't be possible.Many admitted to feeling distressed, fearful and anxious due to their economic insecurity, the inability to step outside the house and the lack of community life. One woman told us that she was facing domestic violence during the lockdown. In Odisha, one respondent said that, "staying at home with family is a problem in itself”.---