Youth’s Forum for Protection of Human Rights (YFPHR) Statement for the Global Day of Solidarity for Public Health not Private Profit

Since the lock down began to combat the crisis of Covid 19 in India, the Prime Minister have announced 21 days complete lock down until the 14th of April which further been extended for more two weeks i.e. until the 3rd of May, 2020.

People do fear from being infected from Covid19, on the other hand people do fear of starvation and survival. Since the lock down began, large number of population are not able to access to essential commodities, lives saving drugs, vegetables, etc. which are the daily basic needs.

Indigenous community who once use to depend on the agricultural land are no more able to access to agricultural land due to land acquisition for the construction of Railway Projects, submergence of land due to construction of Dams, Construction of Large scale infrastructure, etc. As a result some section of the IPs are dependent on the government food supplies.

However, at this critical point of time the essential commodities are also not made available at the local groceries shops which use to be available at low scale however, as the government has called for complete shut down since the 5th of April, 2020 people are facing the hardship to meet the needs of daily essential commodities. It is very interesting to learn that these groceries are leaked at the black market with a rise in price for example Onion 1kg cost Rs. 35/- and now it is being sold at Rs. 60/- to 65/-, Dal per KG cost Rs. 50/- and now it reached Rs. 85/- per Kg, Petrol per Litre cost Rs. 68/- and now reached at Rs. 150/- Litre. Surgical Mask per piece cost Rs. 10/- and now reached Rs. 30/-, Filled LPG Gas cylinder cost Rs. 950/- and now reached Rs. 2000/- to 2200/-, a Packet of Salt cost Rs. 12/- and reached Rs. 30/-, Water Tank of 500 litre use to be sold at Rs. 130/- and now sold at Rs. 300/- (differs from area to area), vegetables price have also hiked, Rice per 50 kg Bag which cost Rs. 1,500/- have hiked upto Rs, 2,200/- and various others.

Therefore, people are fear of starvation and survival in the mids of fear of getting infected by COVID19.

We, call upon the State Authority to:

1.Ensure Equal Distribution of Food and Essential Commodities.
2.Stop Favouritism
3.Stop Price Hike

#ProtectionNotDiscrimination

#LandRightsNotPlunder

-YFPHR