April 24, 2020
Let’s take the tussle between pandemic and infodemic before the panchayat on the observance of National Panchayati Raj Day today.
The seed of panchayat system in India as a symbol of good and grassroot governance was sown in post-independent India under the advocacy of Mahatma Gandhi. The most important part of this system is its decentralized power structure that serve justice in its true sense.
This context of judicious arrangement deeply rooted in Indian administrative system must be kept in highlight in the contemporary crisis situation. This is the time where people are unnecessarily involving themselves into a blame-game of pandemic vs infodemic.
There is no doubt that both the crisis has its own way of destruction; but important fact is that even on the platform of panchayat today, it will be difficult to assess the destructive nature of both the crisis.
Pandemic is itself spread by the people and among the people whereas they are equally responsible for the rise of infodemics too. The only difference lies in the medium through which both pandemic and infodemic spreads. Covid-19 spreads only through people, whereas infodemic is rapidly spread through social media platforms.
It will be a matter of gross negligence to compare between both the crisis as people need to understand that both have the common purpose of creating panic among people.
So, it is needless to compare between the both; while at the same time it is expected if placed before the Panchayat tomorrow will rightly hold both the crisis as equally responsible for creating panic.
And then, once again the justice will be done. Kudos to panchayat system in India!
FAKE: COVID-19 doesn’t affect children.
FACT: It is false. In Australia, COVID-19 has affected people under the age of 20 as much as people over 80 years old. Experts say that being in a young age group isn’t entirely protective. Infants have higher rates of severe illness than older children.
#CheckTheFake is a movement against #Infodemic in this crisis, initiated by Dr Anamika Ray Memorial Trust #ARMT (www.armt.in) in collaboration with The Assam Tribune and Northeast Now (www.nenow.in) to create awareness on #fakenews on #Coronavirus and improve media literacy through #Cartoons. ARMT Research