‘Virus mild, but not enough to lower guard’

“I was the only one who hadn’t got Covid at our Shimla house and I was the only one who had to look after them,” he says.

The 45-year-old had also taken special care of the four when he himself had contracted Covid in October 2020 during his posting as secretary, District Legal Services Authority, at Una. “When there was one day left for my quarantine period to end, I was woken up early by Daanju. I heard the sound of my car revving up. It was parked outside our house. I smelled there was something fishy. Before I called the police helpline number, someone drove away our car, a 1997 model of Maruti 800. I was emotionally attached to the car as it was bought by my father. I didn’t step out because I didn’t want Daanju to come near me,” he says.

The same amount of concern was on display on other days too. “Those were very tough days. On coming back from work, I used to go near them only after taking a bath and sanitising myself,” he says. “Maggi and Pasta were born on February 9, 2020, a little before Covid came in the country. I was very worried about them.”

As the war against coronavirus went on outside as well, Khanal and others associated with legal aid bodies in the state emerged as warriors. Their personal mobile numbers were turned into helpline numbers, they took distress calls daily, spread awareness about Covid-appropriate behaviour and held online legal literacy camps with a mention of how to protect oneself in the pandemic. The Indian Express had highlighted their role on September 14, 2021.

Prem Ranta, member secretary, Himachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority, recalls how they liaised with their state counterparts to facilitate travel of people stuck in the lockdown, provided ration to the needy, organised impromptu camps and started helplines. “We monitored jail inmates’ situation regularly and did whatever we could to decongest the jails. We started Covid hospital in Nahan Central Jail,” he says.

When the nationwide drive began to administer vaccine, the 58-year-old claims they achieved 100 per cent vaccination of the jail inmates.

Ranta and Khanal are on the same page on the post-vaccination scene in the state: sanitisers are not being applied and masks are not being worn.

“The virus has become mild but we must not lower our guard,” says Khanal. “When we step out, we should maintain social distance, especially in this election season. We need to protect ourselves with dogged determination.”