IMPRI Team
Opening the session on Rural Realities- West Bengal, Dr. Simi Mehta, CEO & Editorial Director at IMPRI, welcomed the panelists to the session. Since the beginning of May2021, the Centre for Habitat, Urban and Regional Studies at Impact and Policy Research Institute (IMPRI), New Delhi, had organized a series of sessions to discuss the rural ground realities, speaking to rural practitioners and their ways and means of tackling the second wave. On May 25, 2021, the discussion was centered on “Rural Realities | West Bengal Practitioners’ Experiences in Tackling the Second Wave in Indian Villages”.
Following the welcome by Dr. Simi, The IMPRI team informed the discussion by locating for the event participants the situation of COVID 19 in India and West Bengal. The team also provided an insight into the geography and Socio economic conditions of the state. The rationale was to provide the participants with an overview of the state of West Bengal.
Rural Poor
Shri Rajen Sundas, Trinamool Congress MLA candidate, Matigara Naxalbari, Darjeeling Talking about his experience about the tea gardens and tea workers, Shri Rajen Sundas spoke about the hesitation among the rural poor to seek treatment for the virus.
He said that the second wave had affected more poor workers, especially in rural areas as compared to the previous wave.
Shri Rajen Sundas stated that there was a need for the government to collaborate with all the relevant stakeholders to battle the pandemic.
