Middle class Patnaites worst hit during lockdown, Who hears Who cares !

from the desk of executive editor/Nishant karpatne

In wake of pandemic, commercial establishments, company offices , educational institutions, private firms and so on in Patna continue to remain closed. These are the establishments wherein a large no of people belonging to middle class are employed. With the closure of their work place, middle class has virtually become pauper. With scaling costs of living in Patna in last few years, they were already facing tough times to make both ends meet. Adding further to their woes, Covid arrived to rub salt in their wounds. Around third weekend of March, lockdown began. Most of the firms paid their employees partial salary for the month of March. Thereafter, a big majority of middle class Patnaites serving these firms are nearly without salary, totally dependent on mercy and sweet will of employers. The condition of those living in rented houses is all the more pathetic. It is found in survey that most of the middle class Patnaites serving in private firms are sending their wards to private English medium schools where they are being pressurized for payment of school fees during lockdown. Many parents have conveyed to us that they get telephonic calls from teachers on the behest school management to pay the fees. Although the government has already issued a circular stating clearly that no parent will be pressurized to pay during lockdown. Some parents on condition of anonymity said that the online classes being conducted by school are only meant for the purpose of collecting fees. The quality and actual learning from these online classes are very poor and less.
Governments of Bihar and Centre announced many economic measures to help people cope up with the lockdown fallouts. But again these measures are actually not benefiting middle class on ground level. Patnaites of middle class continue to suffer. It is gradually becoming difficult for many to get proper double meals in a day. As a matter of fact, middle class working in private firms of Patna are virtually on the brink of starvation. But the irony is that they can’t express their woes openly out of shame. The middle class is still smiling and extending all support and cooperation to government machinery even though many are underfed and halffed. Is here anyone in government wise responsible and sympathetic enough to the genuine concerns of middle class who can come out with a sound plan to rescue the suffering Patnaites belonging to this class ? Hopefully someone is hearing the silent painful cry.