A horrific incident occurred at Batra Hospital in Delhi where 12 Covid patients, including the head of the gastroenterology department, died due to lack of oxygen on Saturday. The hospital had warned authorities about low oxygen levels but only received an oxygen tanker 80 minutes later. Hospitals across Delhi are facing acute shortages and have appealed for help. The third phase of India's vaccination drive began but most states deferred it due to vaccine shortages.

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In a horrific incident, 12
Covid patients, including the
head of gastroenterology
department, died at Batra
Hospital due to lack of oxygen
on Saturday.
Delhi Chief Minister
Arvind Kejriwal expressed grief
over the incident. Kejriwal
tweeted in Hindi, “This news is
very painful. Their lives could
have been saved by giving them
oxygen on time. Delhi should
get its quota of oxygen. Can’t see
our people dying like this.
Delhi needs 976 tonnes of oxy-
gen, but it received only 312
tonnes yesterday. How will
Delhi breathe in such a less
amount of oxygen?”
The hospital had sent out
an SOS message about oxygen
shortage on Saturday.
Sudhanshu Bankata, the
Executive Director of Batra
hospital said once a patient is
pushed to the edge without the
support of oxygen, it is very dif-
ficult to revive him.
“Unfortunately, we are
expecting more fatalities,” said
Bankata.
SCL Gupta, the Medical
Director of the hospital, said
RK Himthani, head of depart-
ment (HOD), gastroenterology
department, was among those
who died due to lack of oxygen.
“Himthani had been
admitted to the hospital for the
last 15-20 days. The hospital
had informed the authorities
about lack of oxygen on
Saturday morning when they
had 2,500 litres of the life-sav-
ing gas left,” Gupta said, adding,
“It is a matter of shame that
people are dying due to lack of
oxygen in the national Capital.”
Around 12.30 pm, the hos-
pital authorities claimed they
had run out of oxygen. The
oxygen tanker arrived at 1.35
pm, said the hospital authori-
ties, adding that they were
without oxygen for 80 minutes.
There are around 327
patients in the hospital out of
which 48 are in the critical care
unit. The hospital had been
raising alarms since Saturday
afternoon over depleting levels
of oxygen supply.
In a related development,
Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj
has stopped taking admissions
due to oxygen shortage. The
hospital has four hours of oxy-
gen left, sources said.
According to the Delhi
corona mobile application, the
hospital has 106 coronavirus
patients.
Meanwhile, Sehgal Neo
hospital in Meera Bagh sent out
an SOS message on Twitter
about its depleting oxygen.
“We request urgent assis-
tance in getting #SOS oxygen.
We are running out of our
backup supply, and have been
waiting for a supply since early
morning. We have 90 patients
on O2 13 in ICU,” the hos-
pital tweeted around 12.40 pm.
Hospitals across Delhi and
its suburbs have been sending
out desperate messages of help
on social media and other
platforms, flagging their dwin-
dling stocks of oxygen.
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital
had last week reported the
death of 25 of its “sickest”
patients as the administration
struggled with depleting oxy-
gen supplies.
Twenty people died at the
Jaipur Golden Hospital last
week amid shortage of oxygen.
?=BQ =4F34;78
North India is having one type of
Covid virus, which is completely
different from that of the one spread-
ing in the south. Similarly, the western
parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat and
Rajasthan are having another type of
pathogen, while the areas of West
Bengal and other eastern parts of the
country are witnessing the spread of a
different mutant variant of the deadly
coronavirus.
The observations by the scientists
from the CSIR lab Centre for Cellular
and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in
Hyderabad flagged this concern about
the presence of four major variants of
virus that are spreading widely in dif-
ferent parts of the country. This comes
at the time when India is witnessing
record spike of Covid-19 cases this year
when compared to previous year. The
scientists said only one or two mutants
variants were doing the rounds last year.
The study conducted by the CSIR
lab is part of the continuous research
of genome sequencing of the prevail-
ing lethal virus causing Covid-19 dis-
ease. Dr Rakesh Mishra, director of
CCMB, said that the main reason that
is causing coronavirus spread widely in
India is its different variants.
“If the virus is of singular variant
having no mutations, its spread can be
curtailed by breaking its infection
chain. However, in India we have iden-
tified 4 different mutant variants of
coronaviruses, which are spreading
widely in different parts of the coun-
try,” said Mishra, while explaining the
major cause of the huge spike in Covid
cases in the country.
As per the research study revealed
by the CCMB scientists, it is under-
stood that the northern parts
of India such as Delhi, Haryana, UP,
Punjab and other areas are witnessing
the UK variant of Covid virus, apart
from this, the B1.617 variant is also
widely spreading.
?=BQ =4F34;78
India kicked off the third
phase of the much-hyped
vaccination drive covering
those above the age of 18 years
from Saturday at a dismal note
as barring six, most States and
Union Territories (UTs)
deferred the drive due to short-
age of vaccine.
Even in these six States, the
drive was “token”, limited to just
a few districts, said an official
from the Union Health
Ministry. The exercise began at
a time when many States are
reporting shortage of vaccines
on contrary to the Centre’s
claim that more than 79 lakh
Covid vaccine doses
(79,13,518) are still available
with the States and Union
Territories to be administered.
The Centre has so far
claimed to have provided near-
ly 16.37 crore vaccine doses
(16,37,62,300) to States and
UTs “free of cost” of which the
total consumption, including
wastages, is 15,58,48,782 doses.
The Centre has promised
to provide more than 17 lakh
(17,31,110) vaccine doses to the
States and UTs within the next
three days. Some private hos-
pitals too started the vaccine
process for those in the age
group of 18-44 years.
Amid deadly Covid-19 sec-
ond wave surge, the
Centre had said all Indian
adults will be eligible to receive
the Covid-19 vaccine starting
May 1.
The inoculation process and
documents to be provided to
get the jab to remain the same.
The Government has made it
mandatory for the 18-44 age
group to register on CoWIN.
?C8Q 170AD27
At least 18 persons, includ-
ing 16 Covid-19 patients,
died in a fire at a hospital at
Bharuch in Gujarat in the early
hours of Saturday, officials said.
The State Government said
a judicial enquiry will be con-
ducted into the fire that
destroyed the Intensive Care
Unit of Patel Welfare Hospital,
run by a charitable trust.
“Sixteen coronavirus
patients and two nursing staff
were either charred to death or
died due to suffocation inside
a Covid-19 unit,” said
Superintendent of Police
Rajendrasinh Chudasama.
As many as 50 patients
were undergoing treatment at
the Covid-19 facility on the
ground floor when fire broke
out in the ICU around 1 am,
probably because of short cir-
cuit, said a hospital official.
The fire was doused with-
in an hour. Local people and
the kin of patients helped in the
rescue operation during which
dozens of patients were shift-
ed to other facilities by ambu-
lance. Some were brought out
of the building on wheelchairs
or on make-shift stretchers.
The four-storey designated
Covid-19 hospital stands on the
Bharuch-Jambusar highway,
190 km from Ahmedabad.
80=B Q =830
A35-year-old woman died
in her car outside a
Government hospital due to
Covid after waiting for hours
for a bed in Greater Noida on
Thursday. Her body remained
inside the car for three hours.
An eyewitness said the
relatives of Jagriti Gupta were
trying to find a hospital bed for
her at the Government
Institute of Medical Sciences
(GIMS).
Gupta, who worked as an
engineer in Greater Noida, is
survived by her husband and
two children.
The eyewitness said he
reached GIMS around 12.15
pm and there he saw the
woman patient in a serious
condition in her car.
He added she was with an
attendant, who was running
from pillar to post for a bed for
her.
?=BQ =4F34;78
As India battles the second wave of
coronavirus, the much-awaited
first consignment of Russia-made
Sputnik V vaccines arrived in
Hyderabad on Saturday, the day India
kicked off the nationwide vaccination
drive for those in the age group
between 18-44 years.
India is currently using two vac-
cines, including Covishield and
Covaxin. Russia’s Sputnik V is going to
be the third Covid vaccine which will
be administered to the people. However,
the final date for the launch of the
Russian vaccine is yet to be decided.
Last month, the Drug Controller
General (DCGI) had issued permission
for Dr Reddy’s Laboratories to import
the Russian vaccine to India for emer-
gency use. The rollout of the Russian
vaccine is expected to boost India’s third
phase of the vaccination drive which
commenced at a dismal note amid
reports of shortage of vaccine in vari-
ous States, prompting them to skip the
vaccination programme.
?=BQ =4F34;78
Karnataka’s ruling BJP suf-
fered a massive jolt when
the Congress trounced the saf-
fron outfit in the urban local
body polls. The Congress won
120 out of the 263 wards in ten
local bodies across eight dis-
tricts that went to the polls on
April 27.
The BJP finished third
winning 57 seats behind the
JD(S), which won 66 seats.
Hailing his party’s impres-
sive victory, Congress State
president DK Shivakumar,
“Congress has won 7 out of the
10 Urban Local Bodies that
went to polls. The BJP has won
only 1. I thank the people of
Karnataka for placing their
confidence in the Congress
Party and punishing the BJP for
its misrule.”
BC055A4?AC4AQ =4F34;78
Mohammad Shahabuddin
(53), former Rashtriya
Janata Dal (RJD) MP, who was
serving a life sentence in a
murder case at Tihar prison,
died of Covid-19 at the Deen
Dayal Upadhyay (DDU)
Hospital in Delhi on Saturday.
According to Sandeep
Goel, the DG of Prison, Delhi,
an information was received
from DDU Hospital about the
death of Mohammad
Shahabuddin.
“He was suffering from
Covid-19. Shahabuddin was
admitted to the ICU two-
three days ago,” the DG said.
“The former Siwan MP was
lodged in high-security jail
number 2 at Tihar,” said prison
official.
344?0::D0A970Q =4F34;78
With its presence at around
3 lakh panchayats across
the country, the Centre’s digi-
tal arm Common Service
Centres (CSC) has come for-
ward to assist rural India to
register the population falling
in the age bracket of 18-44
years for the mandatory Co-
Win portal registration for the
mass Covid vaccination pro-
gramme that started on
Saturday.
This has come as relief for
the authorities amid appre-
hension as to how rural India
will get themselves registered
for vaccination in the absence
of adequate internet access
and smartphone mobility.
On the first day of regis-
tration after the Government
of Indian opened the Covid
vaccination programme for
the general people in the 18-44
years category, more than one
lakh people from rural India
reported through the CSC
kiosks in less than 24 hours.
There are more than 4
lakh CSC. Around 2.64 lakh of
these are at panchayat level
with each centre/kiosks facil-
itated by an agent called Village
Level Entrepreneur (VLE).
BC055A4?AC4AQ =4F34;78
The Delhi Government
extended lockdown by a
week till May 10, Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwal
announced on Saturday. The
national Capital has been
under lockdown since April
19, as the ruling Aam Aadmi
Party (AAP) scrambles to
contain a fresh wave of infec-
tions and a positivity rate
that remains over 30 per cent.
“Lockdown in Delhi is
being extended by one week,”
Kejriwal tweeted.
This is the second exten-
sion of the lockdown in the
national Capital.
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New Delhi: Inoculation of
people in the 18-44 age group
against Covid-19 will begin in
Delhi from Monday, Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwal
announced on Saturday, say-
ing 4.5 lakh vaccine doses
have been received by the city
Government.
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The Delhi High Court on
Saturday came down heav-
ily on the Centre and ordered
that forthwith the Delhi
Government must be given
promised quota of 490 MT
oxygen per day failing which
the Centre would face con-
tempt of court.
Fuming with rage, the
judges said “enough is enough”
and observed that for the past
10 days, the State was getting
only around 300 MT.
Minutes after the slap from
High Court, the Centre
increased Delhi’s quota to
590MT per day. The order was
passed by a Division Bench of
Justices Vipin Sanghi and
Rekha Palli in a batch of peti-
tions raising issues relating to
Covid-19 management.
“We direct Centre to
ensure that Delhi receives its
490 MT oxygen supply today
by whatever means,” the court
said, adding that the Centre
must arrange tankers for the
State. The court also noted that
Delhi is not an industrial State
and has no cryogenic tankers
that could enable acquisition to
facilitate the supply of oxygen.
“It falls on the Central
Government to arrange tankers
..(else) it only remains a paper
allocation. The allocation to
Delhi has been in force from
April 20 and not for a single
day Delhi has received allo-
cated supply,” said court fixing
responsibility on Centre.
The court also clarified
that in case its present direc-
tion is not complied. Secretary
of Industries has to remain
present before it. We may
even consider issuing con-
tempt proceedings, the court
added. Even as Additional
Solicitor General Chetan
Sharma sought to intervene,
the court remarked, “Water
has gone above the head. Now
we mean business. You will
arrange everything now…You
made an allocation. You fulfill
it.”
ASG Sharma urged the
court not to say anything on
the aspect of contempt and
even requested that the order
be deferred by half an hour to
enable the officers to explain
the position.
However the judges did
not entertain the requests of
the ASG.
New Delhi: The Government
has allowed imports of oxygen
concentrators for personal use
through post, courier or e-
commerce portals under the
gift category amid increasing
demand for oxygen due to ris-
ing Covid-19 cases, the
Commerce Ministry said on
Saturday.
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Q What is your role about?
The post-partition era saw our
country go through a drastic
change. Families were displaced and
were now refugees in their own
country. For them to find their
ground all over again and rebuild
their lives was a challenge. Royal
families too had a fair share of
ordeals to deal with then. My
character is set against these very
challenges. Nalini Pratap Singh is
the Queen of a province with a
legacy she’s proud of and would go
to any lengths to safeguard it. The
only heartache in her life is her
strained relationship with her only
son and how his crazy shenanigans
and bid to outwit her constantly
keep her on her toes.
Q How did you come on board the
project?
It’s sheer luck and faith of my
producers in my potential that I got
this show. The way Shashi ma’am
narrated the character I knew I had
to do it. And I am. I feel Kyun Utthe
Dil Chhod Aaye is an amazing and
unique concept and this show is
going to be a different experience
for me. Other than that I wanted to
be a part of the show which stands
out from all the other shows I have
done in past. I am overwhelmed to
work with such a well-known
production house and wonderful
channel. This is a great opportunity
for me. I am looking forward to a
new journey of my life with the
entire team.
Q What is the hardest part of
playing Nalini Devi?
Playing Nalini Devi’s character
though not easy is a very fulfilling
experience as an actor. Who doesn’t
wish to portray a larger than life
character? It’s what every actor
dreamsof.It’sverydifferentfromnot
just all the characters that I played
before but it’s different from all the
other characters on television per se.
Q Is there a lesson that you learnt
the hard way in the industry?
The hardest lesson that I learnt
was that one must not get overly
attached to one character because
once the show ends, that void
hurts.
Q Havingplayedsomanyvaried
roles, which one was the
toughest?
Every character is tough
and challenging in the initial
stages of a show. But once
you completely embrace it
and let it become your
second skin, it’s like
having parallel life
altogether. For me,
Nalini is still a
challenge. And I’m
working towards
owning her
completely. She
just might be
the toughest
character I’ve
ever played.
Q You have
played both
positive and
n e g a t i v e
characters. Which
one do you prefer?
It’s not the shade
of a character that
matters. It’s the depth,
the weightage, the screen
space and above all the
opportunity to perform
that matters. I’ve played
every shade, totally black,
totally white and a bit of
both, grey. Not to brag but
my conscious choices in
choosing a show have not
stereotyped me as positive
or negative.
Q Is there anything in the
pipeline?
It’s a conscious effort to
be a part of one show at a
time. I don’t pursue anything
else as it takes a toll on what’s
on hand. And in these trying
times, to be able to work in a
safe and healthy environment,
I feel blessed.
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3. 347A03D=kBD=30H k0H !!! c^f]WP[[
?=BQ 347A03D=
The mortality and infectivity
of the second wave of the
contagion of the Covid-19 in
Uttarakhand continues to
remain high. The state health
department reported 5,493 new
cases of the disease on Saturday
after which the commutative
count of patients in the state
increased to 1,86,014. The
department also reported 107
deaths from the disease which
increased the death toll to
2,731. The death rate now is
1.47 percent in Uttarakhand
which is higher than the
national average. The
authorities discharged 3,664
patients from different
hospitals after their recovery on
the day. The recovery
percentage which is on
downhill from many days is
now at 68.92.
Out of the 107 deaths
reported on Saturday, 18 deaths
were reported from Sushila
Tiwari Government Hospital
Haldwani while 16 patients
each were reported dead at
Government Doon Medical
College (GDMC) hospital and
Himalayan hospital, Dehradun.
Six patients died at Kailash
hospital Dehradun while four
patients of the disease were
reported dead each from
Mahant Indiresh hospital
Dehradun, ONGC hospital and
HNB base hospital Srinagar.
Similarly, three patients each
died at All India Institute of
Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
Rishikesh, Arihant hospital
Dehradun, Max hospital and
SPS government hospital
Rishikesh. Two patients each
succumbed to Covid-19 at
Vinay Vishal hospital Roorkee
and District hospital Uttarkashi
on Saturday.
In Dehradun district 2266
new patients of Covid-19 were
reported on Saturday. Nainital
district reported 810, Haridwar
578, Udham Singh Nagar 503,
Pauri 330, Almora 163, Tehri
153, Bageshwar 146,
Pithoragarh 135, Chamoli 116
and Rudraprayag 59 cases of
new patients of Covid-19 on
Saturday.
The State now has 51127
active patients of the disease.
Dehradun continues to be at
the top of the table of active
cases of the disease with 17431
patients, Haridwar has 10399,
Nainital 6685, Udham Singh
Nagar 4371, Pauri 3057, Tehri
1739, Champawat 1483,
Almora 1441, Chamoli 1236,
Uttarkashi 977, Rudraprayag
807, Pithoragarh 801 and
Bageshwar 700 active cases of
the disease.
In the ongoing
vaccination drive a total of
70175 people were vaccinated
in different parts of the state
on Saturday. In the State,
4,23,097 people have been
fully vaccinated while
16,73,804 beneficiaries have
been partially vaccinated. The
authorities organised 249
vaccine sessions in different
parts of the State on Saturday.
!(UVReYd%*$_Vh
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?=BQ 347A03D=
Chief Minister Tirath Singh
Rawat has directed that a
door-to-door survey be
conducted. He also ordered
that C1,000 incentive amount be
provided to each Asha worker
from the CM relief fund.
Further, ambulance rates for
Covid patients should be fixed
and the maximum number of
people allowed to attend a
marriage function should be
decreased further to 25, he
said.
The district magistrates can
use their discretion to shorten
the duration of rural bazaars
remaining open, said Rawat.
The CM issued these
instructions while chairing a
video conference with senior
officials and district magistrates
to review the Covid situation in
the state on Saturday.
Rawat said that a door to
door survey should be
conducted and the number of
phone lines for 104 service, the
CM helpline and police call
centres should also be increased.
The cell centres and
helplines should remain fully
active and the information on
availability of beds, injections
and other aspects should also
remain updated. All possible
attempts should be made to
increase the number of oxygen
cylinders taking the help of
various organisations and
industries.
There should be no laxity in
providing food and water to
Covid patients in hospitals.
Rawat further directed that
electricity supply to oxygen
plants should be continuous and
that fire safety should be
ensured in all Covid care centres
and hospitals.
Covid test report should be
made available soon and the
person should be provided a
Covid kit as soon as the test is
conducted.
Further, Covid protocol
should be observed at the test
and vaccination centres. The e-
Sanjeevani portal should be
publicised so that the general
public can derive more benefit
from it.
Those in home isolation
should be aware of which things
to be careful about.
The CM said that the
mandatory registration of those
arriving here from outside the
state should be strictly adhered
to. Arrangements for Covid
patients in Government and
private hospitals should be
consistently cross-checked and
feedback should also be taken
from the patients and their
family members.
The CM also said that
ambulance rates should be fixed
for Covid patients to check
overpricing.
Officials informed that the
majority of the people are
arriving with Covid negative
reports at the State borders and
those without the report are
being sampled. Additional chief
secretaries Radha Raturi,
Manisha Panwar, director
general of police Ashok Kumar,
secretaries Amit Singh Negi,
Shailesh Bagauli, Pankaj Kumar
Pandey and information
director general Ranvir Singh
Chauhan among others were
also present in the meeting.
6094=3A0B8=67=468Q
347A03D=
Is the unmonitored home
quarantine of the Covid-19
patients one of the main
reasons for a considerably high
number of deaths in
Uttarakhand? As per the
experts the answer is yes. The
state reported a whopping 122
deaths on April 30 which was
the highest number of deaths
in a single day ever since the
contagion started on March 15
last year.
The fatality of the second
wave of Covid-19 in
Uttarakhand can be
understood from the fact that
522 people have died here in a
period of six days from April 25
to 30. The death rate in the state
is higher than the national
average and the situation has
worsened in the last few days.
The data reveals that a total of
18,834 deaths have occurred in
the country from April 25 to 30
and with 522 deaths during this
period, the state has 2.77
percent share in the death
from the disease. It is pertinent
to mention here that as per the
census of 2011 the state has a
population which is 0.83
percent of the country’s
population which means that
more than three times deaths
have occurred in the state in
the last few days.
Experts are of the view that
the response of Uttarakhand
government to the second wave
of the pandemic was late and
knee jerk when it hit the state
with full force. A doctor
working in an administrative
capacity in a Government
hospital told The Pioneer that
last year the administration had
set up a large number of
quarantine centres in towns
and villages and the suspected
patients and the returnees were
kept there.
He pointed out that there
was some degree of monitoring
in these centres and when
some patients showed signs of
deterioration in health they
were shifted to Covid care
centre and then to a Covid
hospital. “This is not the case
this time. When someone is
tested positive he or she is
asked to remain in home
isolation. When the condition
of the patient deteriorates in
unmonitored home quarantine,
he is taken to hospital and in
many cases the lungs of
patients are damaged badly
and mortally by then,’’ he said.
A doctor working in a
health facility engaged in
treatment of Covid-19 patients
told this correspondent that the
state had tackled the first wave
of the disease in a much better
way. “This time there seems to
be no plan, everything is
chaotic and it appears that the
officials responsible for
managing things have given up.
The situation is grave and
could worsen in coming days,’’
he warned.
Dayal Singh who tested
positive on April 19 said, “I got
no call from anyone in the last
12 days. I am managing on my
own and even the medical kit
was delivered to me on the fifth
day.’’ Interestingly the health
department which had pasted
home quarantine posters
outside the houses of patients
and used to sanitise the
neighbourhood of patients is
undertaking no such activity
this time.
“There used to be societal
pressure on the person who
was in home quarantine when
a poster was pasted outside his
house and people used to be
more cautious,’’ said Amit
Naithani, a resident of Defence
Colony road area of Dehradun.
The founder of Social
Development for Communities
foundation Anoop Nautiyal
said that the high death rate in
the state is a point of worry. He
said that the state government
should take a close look at data
and take necessary actions.
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Though agriculture is
considered to be the most
important sector of the Indian
economy, the farmers continue
to face various issues related to
quality of seeds, irrigation and
selling the produce among
others. However, with the
assistance of some
governmental agencies and
departments, farmers are not
only overcoming such issues but
also progressing financially.
One such example is seen in
Bhagwanpur block of Haridwar
district due to the involvement
of the Centre for Aromatic
Plants (CAP). Set up at Selaqui
in Dehradun in 2003, CAP is
involved with farmers in various
parts of the state, encouraging
and assisting them to venture
into the cultivation of aromatic
plants. Farmers struggling to
survive with traditional
agriculture are taking up the
cultivation of aromatic crops
with the help of CAP. The
condition of farmers who were
facing various problems in the
field and then struggling to get
proper rates for their produce
are in a different situation now
after coming into contact with
the centre. The CAP provided
these farmers lemongrass to
cultivate and this alone has
brought about a major change
for the better in their lives.
At theBhagwanpurofficeof
the centre, its sales supervisor
Narendra Kumar Sharma
explained that lemongrass
contains iron, calcium, vitamin
C, antioxidants, flavonoids and
phenolic. It is also an
antibacterial and antifungal
agent. He said that farmers
have been cultivating
lemongrass for about 10 years
now. The cultivation of
lemongrass was linked to
MNREGA. This way, the
activity facilitates labourers for
the cultivation while the farmers
do not incur the labour cost. A
clusterof20farmerswasformed
and 20 such clusters have been
formed in this area. Members of
clusters undertake only organic
farming. The CAP helps the
farmers set up mini
manufacturing units for lemon
grass. About six to seven
kilogrammes of unrefined oil is
produced from one bigha under
lemongrass cultivation. The
MSP of the oil is Rs 1100 per
kilogramme. The farmers do
not need to search for a buyer
as the CAP purchases the oil
from them in addition to
providing 50 per cent subsidy to
farmers for setting up
manufacturing units. A total of
18 such units have been set up
in Bhagwanpur block. While
CAP provides free saplings to
farmers, they are provided Rs
3,000 per bigha by the
government if they wish to buy
saplings from a private supplier.
Farmer Sandeep Saini who
cultivates lemongrass on 15
bigha land said that he is very
happy cultivating this aromatic
and medicinal grass. He said,
“CAP provides labour and the
saplings. We do not need to
plant every year as lemongrass
is planted once for five years and
cut thrice a year after which it
grows back again. This crop
does not need any pesticides.”
Priyanshu Kumar has
degrees including BPharma,
MBA and LLB but has been
farming for the past three years
now. He said he was first
informed about lemongrass by
the CAP director Nripendra
Chauhan. Kumar said that
cultivating lemongrass does
away with the human-wildlife
conflict as this crop is not
damaged by elephants, blue
bulls or other wildlife. “The wild
animals used to raid the farms
and damage crops but the
aroma of the lemongrass keeps
both the wildlife and the
mosquitoes away,” he said.
5PaTabcWaXeTRd[cXePcX]V
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Strict action should be taken
against those found
moving about on the roads
without any valid reason
during the ongoing Covid
curfew. Some people are black
marketing oxygen and
hospital beds while some are
overcharging for ambulances.
Such persons should be
identified and strictest
possible action should be
taken against them. Strict
action should also be taken
against the hospital or
hospital staff concerned if
they are found involved in the
said black marketing.
The State's director
general of police, Ashok
Kumar issued these
instructions while chairing a
video conference with police
officers of the state, district
and city level here on
Saturday.
The DGP said that the
police in-charge of the border
districts will ensure that only
those persons who meet the
mandatory conditions of
online registration and RT-
PCR negative report are
allowed to enter the state.
Police personnel working on
the frontline should wear
proper masks and face shields.
The State Disaster
Response Force (SDRF)
should be used in works
related to cremation of
unclaimed dead
bodies as the SDRF has
adequate resources and is also
trained for such situations.
The SDRF was directed to
conduct such cremations with
its personnel wearing PPE
kits while the police station
concerned will also
deploy personnel at such
sites to maintain order and
peace.
In case any police
personnel need oxygen for
self or family member, the
same should be provided
immediately from the police
line or battalion.
Pulse oxymeter and
thermometer should be made
available in each platoon of
the Provincial Armed
Constabularyand in each
police station of the district,
said the DGP.
36?SXaTRcbbcaXRcTbc
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?=BQ 347A03D=
The Pradesh Congress
Committee (PCC)
President Pritam Singh has
said that the State Government
should provide special
allowance to the labourers and
daily wage earners during the
time of pandemic.
He was speaking in a
programme organised by the
party on the occasion of
International day of
labourers. The programme was
organised near Clock tower
where the labourers were
felicitated by the party.
Singh said that natives of
the state working in different
parts of the country have
started returning back to the
state and the State
Government should make
arrangements of quarantine
centres in the state. He
demanded that the state
government should come out
with a relief package for these
workers.
The PCC president said
that the Congress party is
standing firmly with the
workers during this time of
crisis.
The Mahanagar president
of the party Lal Chand Sharma
and other leaders were also
present on the occasion.
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In a humanitarian gesture the
Dev Bhoomi Manav
Sansadhan Vikas Trust started
itsownoxygenbankforpatients
of Covid-19 on Saturday.
The chairman of the Trust
and vice president of
Uttarakhand Congress Surya
Kant Dhasmana inaugurated
the bank.
Hesaidthat28patientswere
provided oxygen free of cost on
theveryfirstday.Dhasmanasaid
that Senior Congress leader
Mahesh Joshi has been
appointed as senior manager of
the oxygen bank while Farman
Ali and Ajay Sharma would be
the assistant managers of the
bank. He said that he is making
arrangements for 300 oxygen
cylinders for the bank and
requested people to support the
Trust in its endeavour to save
precious lives.
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In view of the rising cases of
Covid-19 in the State, the
Uttarakhand high court
registrar general Dhananjay
Chaturvedi issued a
notification on Saturday
announcing a holiday in all
subordinate courts in the state
from May 3 to 16.
Now, all the district and
other subordinate courts will
reopen and resume hearing of
cases from May 17.
During the holiday period
only those cases which are
related to remand and bail will
be taken up for hearing. For the
hearing of important cases
during this period, the
advocates concerned can
request for hearing of
uncommon condition cases on
the e-mail of the district court.
The e-mail addresses of the
district judges will be displayed
on the official website.
The district judges will
appoint judicial officers on the
website, who can be contacted
by the advocates for
information.
The district judges will
decide if any cases need to be
taken up for hearing
immediately. Such cases will be
sent to the court for hearing.
From May 17, the subordinate
courts will undertake works
related to remand, bail and
temporary prohibition via
video conferencing.
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4. 347A03D=kBD=30H k0H !!! ]PcX^]#
B0?=0B8=67 Q =4F34;78
Delhi’s healthcare system is
on the precipice of total
collapse as patients suffocating
to death, many scrambling for
beds, moreover the most
advanced hospitals in the
national capital’s vicinity have
been reduced to begging the
Government for emergency
supplies of oxygen with a gap
of 2,916 Metric Tonnes (MT) of
oxygen against the demand of
5856 MT per week in present
circumstances.
While crematoriums blaz-
ing nonstop and have run out
of room and wood, Delhi faced
tough battle to meet the gap of
demand and supply of life -sav-
ing oxygen according to Chief
Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the
daily demand is of 976 MT
oxygen per day the Centre
allotted only 490 MT and we
received just 312 MT, adding,
“we have to set up infrastruc-
ture of beds for COVID
patients but unable to start
because of Oxygen crisis.”
Responding to the question
regarding oxygen shortage, the
official twitter handle of Chief
Minister’s Office (CMO) had
put, “As opposed to the
demand of 976 MT, only 490
MT oxygen has been allocated
to Delhi and is getting only 312
MT.
If given what is required,
then we can increase 9000
beds in the next 24 hours.”
As per the official database
maintained with city adminis-
tration, on April 25, Delhi
received only 305 MT, on April
26 - 408 MT, April 27, the sup-
ply was 398 MT, April 28, it was
431, April 29-409 and on April
30, Delhi managed to get 312
MT of medical oxygen while as
per the Covid19 health bulletin,
the caseload of novel coron-
avirus patients is recorded
above 25,000 per day.
Surprisingly, as per the
civil health administration data,
Delhi had dire need of 5856
MT in previous week however
it allocated 2940 MT and
received only 2263 MT.
“We are facing a lot of
trouble regarding oxygen. Even
today, we received SOS calls
from hospitals all across Delhi
- with only one hour of oxygen
left or only half an hour of oxy-
gen left.
A lot of difficult situations
are emerging.
We have conveyed it to the
courts as well as written to the
Central Government that Delhi
has a requirement of 976 met-
ric tonnes per day. Against the
976 metric tonnes, we have
been allotted 490 metric tonnes
Oxygen, but we are not even
getting the 490 metric tonnes,”
Kejriwal pointed.
Till May 1, Delhi received
312 MT per day however with
a big gap of 664 MT per day, an
uproar witnessed in hospitals.
“Many hospitals have said that
they will have to turn down
their patients. Delhi needs
Oxygen.
Therefore, I appeal to all
those listening and those who
are the decision-makers that
Delhi needs Oxygen. Give us
Oxygen,” Kejriwal said, “There
is no oxygen. Delhi does not
produce its own oxygen, to
whom do we go, from whom
should we borrow oxygen?”
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The Delhi Government will
start its inoculation drive for
the age group of 18-44 from
third May as it has received 4.5
lakh vaccination. Authorities
have started the distribution at
district level, a Delhi
Government official said.
Urging people to follow
appropriate Covid 19 behaviour,
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal
assured that the city adminis-
tration has made arrangements
and everyone will get the jab.
“Please do not queue at the cen-
tres; everyone will be given
appointments and should get
their online registration done,”
he added.
Taking it to micro-blogging
social site – twitter, Kejriwal
informed: “The vaccination
process for those above the age
of 18 years has begun today. The
arrangements at Polyclinic
Vaccine Centre at Saraswati
Vihar have been reviewed. As
soon as Delhi gets the consign-
ment of vaccines, we will boost
the vaccination drive in Delhi”
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The Delhi Police has arrest-
ed two men from east Delhi
for allegedly selling fake
Remdesivir injections at exor-
bitant prices.
The accused have been
identified as Anshuman (31),
a resident of Rohini, and
Kartik (24), a resident of
Tilak Nagar.
According to a senior
police official, on Friday,
information was received that
one Anshuman, who was sell-
ing fake Remdisiver injec-
tions at exorbitant price,
would come near Cross River
Mall around 8 pm in his car
to sell injections to someone.
“Acting on the inputs a trap
was laid.
Police spotted the car
around 8.15 PM and the car
was signalled to stop. Two
persons came out of the vehi-
cle with polythene bags in
their hands and tried to flee,
but were apprehended,” said
the senior police official.
“A total of 17 Remdesivir
injections and one car were
recovered from their posses-
sion. Interrogation revealed
that they procured these
injections from one Akarshan,
a resident of Noida, through
one Anil. They were selling
these injections at a price of
C 35,000 per vial,” he said.
“The duo has cheated
many people in the National
Capital,” said police.
BC055A4?AC4AQ =4F34;78
The Delhi Police
Commissioner S N
Shrivastava on Saturday direct-
ed the senior officers to act
sternly against malpractices by
ambulances, black-marketing
of Covid medicines, oxygen
and fake life-saving injections.
The Delhi Police also
informed the citizens that they
can call the police’s COVID
helpline 011-23469900 to com-
plain about malpractices.
“EXPANDING OUR
COVID HELPLINE| You can
complain on #DelhiPolice
Covid Helpline 011-23469900
abt malpractices like
#Overcharging by
#Ambulances #Fake covid
medicine #Blackmarketing
#Hoarding of medicines oxy
cylinders, concentrators, med
equipment; #harassment at
Cremation Grnd etc,” the Delhi
Police said in a tweet.
“The helpline will also
receive complaints and infor-
mation on overcharging by
Ambulances for COVID
patients, harassment at cre-
mation grounds, cheating and
frauds committed in name of
providing covid treatment
medicines and injections,
Oxygen cylinders etc,” said
Chinmoy Biswal, the Public
Relation Officer (PRO) of
Delhi Police.
On Saturday, Shrivastava
reviewed the enforcement of
lockdown and action taken
against hoarding or black mar-
keting of medicines or oxygen
gas cylinders during a virtual
meeting.
During the meeting, the
districts Deputy
Commissioners of Police
(DCsP) were instructed to acti-
vate robust human intelligence
mechanism with deployment
of decoy customer in order to
unearth the entire chain.
Taking cognizance of some
inputs, Shrivastava also told the
DCPs to act strongly against
overcharging by ambulances
and any harassment caused to
people at cremation grounds.
“The court orders for
release of seized medicine and
oxygen cylinders be taken so
that the seized articles could be
used by needy patients. At the
same time, the chargesheets of
arrested persons in such cases
should be prepared promptly
and submitted in the court
within minimal time period,”
said the CP.
“During the meeting, it
was also emphasized to sensi-
tise cyber cells to check the
online frauds reportedly being
committed in the name of
arranging oxygen, medicines,
medical equipments, etc,” said
Biswal.
“On the lockdown enforce-
ment front, the DCPs were told
to use public address system to
aware people about the COVID
appropriate behaviour and
staying home to protect them-
selves. Strict action be taken
against those found violating
lockdown instructions while
the movement of only bonafide
e-pass holder, needy or genuine
be allowed,” said Biswal.
The CP also reiterated that
the welfare of staff should be
looked after by all districts
and units and admission to
hospital or treatment of infect-
ed staff should be ensured on
priority. “It should also be
ensured that Ayush kits and
other safety material meant
for staff should reach till the last
field functionary,” said the CP
at the meeting.
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A42-year-old man, after
falling asleep, allegedly
rammed his car into a police
picket killing a constable in
southwest Delhi’s Vasant Vihar
area early on Saturday morning.
The deceased constable was
identified as Constable Munshi
Lal (57). Police said that Lal, an
ex-serviceman, was posted in
Vasant Vihar police station
since August 28, 2020.
According to Ingit Pratap
Singh, the Deputy
Commissioner of Police (DCP),
Southwest district, the acci-
dent took place around 4 am at
Al-Kauser picket when the
accused, Samit Yadav, dozed off
while he was returning from a
hospital after attending to his
Covid-19 positive wife.“The
offending vehicle, Honda CRV,
rammed into the picket tent
that was erected for staff to
ensure lockdown and dragged
Lal for 30 to 40 meters,” said the
DCP.
“The constable was rushed
to AIIMS trauma center where
he died during the course of
treatment. The accused, Yadav,
a resident of Munirka, who
works in IT sector, was appre-
hended from the spot,” said the
DCP.
“He told police that he fell
asleep while returning from
Max Hospital, Gurugram after
attending his wife. Yadav
was taken to Vasant Vihar
police station and given a
PPE kit and isolated in police
station premises.
His medical test will be
conducted soon,” said the
DCP adding that a case has
been registered under relevant
sections of law and investiga-
tion is underway.
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Amid the sudden surge in
Covid-19 cases, as many as
7 patients died reportedly died
due to shortage of oxygen sup-
ply in Kriti Hospital of
Gurugram located in Sector-56
on Friday night.
Attendants of the deceased
created ruckus inside hospital
premises.Somefamilymembers
also protested outside the hos-
pital.
Reportedly the families
approached the police and with
their intervention the lives of
remaining covid patients could
be saved.
“We received an informa-
tion about the incident matter
and a team of police station
Sector-56 were rushed to the
spottopacifytheaggrievedfam-
ilymembers.Thereasonbehind
the deaths will be ascertained
after an investigation. No com-
plaint has been filed till now,
Sub-Inspector Dalpat Singh,
additional station house officer
of Sector-56 police station said.
“Around 20 covid patients
were admitted at the hospital.
Around 8.00 pm on Friday the
patientsconditionsstartdetorat-
ing and the hospital manage-
ment didn’t inform us about the
shortage of liquid oxygen.
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In a joint effort, the
Gurugram and Sonipat units
of the special task force (STF)
of the Haryana police have
arrested an Inter-State most
wanted criminal Sube Gujjar,
who was carrying a reward of
C7.50 lakh on his head from a
Delhi airport on Friday, the
police informed on Saturday.
The reward had been
announced by the Haryana,
Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar
Pradesh police. Gujjar, a resi-
dent of Bargujjar village of
Gurugram, was a key member
of the Kaushal gang and was
involved in 11 cases of murder,
12 attempt to murder cases,
extortion, contract killing and
dozens of other crimes which
were serious in nature.
According to the police,
Gujjar was an active gang
member of Kaushal gang and
was operating the gang after the
arresting of Kaushal. Gujjar was
involved in multiple criminal
activities since 2004-05 and was
a proclaimed offender. He was
yet to be arrested in 20 other
cases which he had committed
in the span of 16 year’s.
Inspector Varun Dahiya,
In-charge STF Gurugram unit
said the noted criminal was
using fake IDs during his hide-
out period and around 15 days
ago he was returned in India
from Nepal.
“Gujjar had committed
multiple crimes in Delhi and
NCR, Haryana, Rajasthan and
Uttar Pradesh. He was operat-
ing his gang from outside Delhi
and NCR. Following a lead
inputs about his presence at
Delhi airport the STF arrested
him on Friday. Gujjar used to
extort crore of rupees with the
help of his gang members from
wine contractors, business-
man, sweet shop owners,
builders and industrialists,”
Dahiya said.
Gujjar had visited Dosa,
Alwar in Rajasthan and
Channai during his hideout
period with the help of fake
documents. Gujjar had
returned from GOA and had
planned to fled somewhere
but before that he was nabbed
by the STF,” Dahiya informed.
The investigation agency
has taken him seven days police
remand period to gather infor-
mation about his other gang
members, to inquire informa-
tion about weapons used into
the crime, further probe is
on,” he said.
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The Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) leader Gautam
Gambhir will provide 200 oxy-
gen concentrators to those hav-
ing mild or moderate symp-
toms of the infection in the
national Capital.
The BJP leader's office, in
a statement, said he has
arranged 200 oxygen concen-
trators for the people in Delhi.
The concentrators, that
have been bought by the MP
out of his own pocket, will be
made available to all those
suffering from mild to moder-
ate Covid-19 infection at
home, the statement said.
Right now, the biggest con-
cern for the people of Delhi is
shortage of oxygen, especially
for those who are in the process
of finding a bed in hospitals,
Gambhir said in the state-
ment.
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With the objective to add
muscle to the ongoing
fight against the corona pan-
demic, the armed forces have
mobilised more than 600
retired doctors besides deploy-
ing 300 National Cadet Corps
(NCC) cadets to assist the
local administration in various
parts of the country. Also, the
army has provided 720 beds for
civilians suffering from corona.
Moreover, seven naval
ships are currently ferrying
the much-needed oxygen from
various parts of the world.
The IAF on Saturday brought
cryogenic containers from
Singapore and off leaded them
at the Panagarh airbase in West
Bengal.
The IAF has carried out
more than 160 sorties in the last
two to three days rushing med-
ical equipment to various parts
of the country apart from air-
lifting oxygen cylinders from
countries including Singapore,
United Arab
Emirates(UAE)and Thailand.
All these measures were
reviewed by Defence Minister
Rajnath Singh here on Saturday
along with the three Services
chiefs and Chief of Defence
Staff General Bipin Rawat in a
virtual meeting, defence min-
istry officials said.
Mobilisation of additional
health professionals, logistic
support to facilitate supply of
oxygen and setting up new oxy-
gen plants are top priorities, the
defence minister said in the
meeting.
Giving details of the high-
level meeting, they said Rajnath
was apprised that approxi-
mately 600 additional doctors
are mobilised through special
measures such as calling to
duty those who had retired in
the last few years.
The Indian Navy has
deployed 200 Battle Field
Nursing Assistants to assist in
various hospitals. The NCC has
deployed 300 cadets and staff
at various locations in
Maharashtra, Uttarakhand and
Haryana. Moreover, a tele med-
icine service, to be operated by
health veterans, will begin soon
to provide consultation to those
patients who remain at home.
Also, the Army has made
available more than 720 beds
for civilians in various states.
The minister directed the
Army to share the details with
local administration at the state
and district levels. Rawat sug-
gested that local military com-
mands have to be actively
engaged in assisting the civil
administration.
Rajnath was briefed that
the 500-bed hospital being set
up the Defence Research and
D e v e l o p m e n t
Organisation(DRDO) in
Lucknow will start functioning
in the next two to three days.
Another hospital is also being
set up in Varanasi which is
scheduled to be completed by
May five, DRDO chief S Reddy
informed the minister. Also,
the first four out of 380 Oxygen
PSA (Pressure Swing
Adsorption) plants being man-
ufactured under PM CARES
fund will be deployed in hos-
pitals in New Delhi by next
week, he said.
The minister appreciated
the logistics support being pro-
vided by the Armed Forces in
transporting oxygen containers
from abroad as well as within
the country between places of
consumption and production.
While transport aircraft of
the IAF carried out several sor-
ties from Singapore, Bangkok,
Dubai and within the country,
Indian Navy dispatched four
ships – two to Middle east and
two to South East Asia – to
transport filled oxygen con-
tainers to India.Part of
Operation ‘Samudra Setu II,’
overall seven ships including
Kolkata, Kochi, Talwar, Tabar,
Trikand, Jalashwa and Airavat
are deployed for shipment of
liquid medical oxygen-filled
cryogenic containers from var-
ious countries.
Kolkata and Talwar were
mission deployed in the Persian
Gulf and were the first batch of
ships that were immediately
diverted for ferrying oxygen.
They entered port of Manama,
Bahrain on Friday and Talwar
with 40 MT Liquid Medical
Oxygen (LMO) is headed back
home.
INS Kolkata has proceed-
ed to Doha, Qatar for embark-
ing medical supplies and will
subsequently head to Kuwait
for embarking Liquid Oxygen
tanks.
Similarly, on the Eastern
seaboard, Airavat too has been
diverted for the task, while
Jalashwa was pulled out of
maintenance and sailed out to
augment the effort. Airavat is
scheduled to enter Singapore
for embarking Liquid oxygen
tanks and Jalashwa is standing
by in the region to
embark medical stores at short
notice.
The second batch of ships
comprising Kochi, Trikand and
Tabar mission deployed in
Arabian sea have also been
diverted to join the national
effort. From the Southern
Naval Command, the Landing
Ship Tank Shardul is being
readied to join the Operation
within 48 hours.
As regards the air effort, as
on Saturday, carried out 28 sor-
ties from abroad, airlifting 47
oxygen containers with 830
MT of capacity, while from
within the country, it carried
out 158 sorties, airlifting 109
containers with 2,271 MT
capacity.
The Navy and the Air
Force have also supplied near-
ly 500 portable oxygen cylin-
ders from their stores to vari-
ous civilian hospitals.
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Union Road Transport and
Highways Minister Nitin
Gadkari on Saturday said that
the Government is giving
utmost priority to the devel-
opment of infrastructure and
has set a target of road con-
struction of worth C15 lakh
crore in next two years.
He said that the
Government is permitting 100
percent FDI in the road sector.
The Minister said that in India,
projects like the National
Infrastructure pipeline (NIP)
for 2019-2025 is the first of its
kind and the government is
committed to provide world-
class infra to its citizens and
improving the quality of their
lives.
He said that under the NIP,
there are over 7,300 projects to
be implemented at a total out-
lay of ?111 lakh crore by the
year 2025.
He said that the NIP aims
at improving project prepara-
tion, and attract investment
into infrastructures like high-
ways, railways, ports, airports,
mobility, energy and agricul-
ture and rural industry.
Addressing the Indo-US
Partnership Vision Summit
through video conferencing
on Friday, Gadkari said that in
the new era of bilateral rela-
tions, the national interests of
India and the United States are
converging and there is grow-
ing confidence between both
the administrations that all
outstanding trade issues will be
resolved and major trade agree-
ments will be signed soon.
The Minister also invited
the US companies to invest in
infrastructure and MSME sec-
tors in India.
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Congress president Sonia
Gandhi on Saturday called
for a nationwide strategy to
fight the surge in Covid cases
in India after discussion with all
political parties. In a video mes-
sage, she further asserted that
the Centre and State
Governments “should wake up
and fulfil their responsibilities”.
“It’s high time that the
Centre and State Governments
wake up and fulfil their
responsibilities. Migration of
the labourers should be
stopped. A minimum of C6,000
should be added to their
accounts till the crisis is over,”
Sonia said in a message shared
on the official Congress Twitter
handle.
Former party chief Rahul
Gandhi launched a medical
advisory helpline to help those
battling Covid-19 at a time
when the country has been
ravaged by the second wave of
the deadly virus. He has also
appealed to doctors to join the
battle against Covid-19
Sonia further insisted on
her earlier demand that free
vaccines should be given to all
the citizens. “Testing should be
increased across the country
and medical oxygen and other
resources should be arranged
on a war footing. Free vacci-
nation should be arranged for
all the citizens so that people
can be saved. Mandatory vac-
cine license should be given to
increase the vaccine coverage.
Black-marketing of life-sav-
ing medicines should be
stopped,” Sonia added.
Pointing out the shortage
of crucial resources, which
has worsened the battle against
the pandemic, she said: “Lakhs
of people are getting affected
amid the pandemic everyday,
lakhs have died so far. These
are testing times and we have
to support each other. Most
states continue to grapple with
shortage of medical oxygen,
hospital beds and medicines.”
She said that a nationwide
strategy should be prepared to
fight Covid after discussion
with all parties. “I bow down
to all the doctors and health
workers who are serving Covid
patients while putting them-
selves at risk. We have to go
beyond the differences. Our
country has overcome many
huge struggles in the past.
Congress will support the cen-
tre in this battle.”
Rahul Gandhi went to
appeal to doctors and medical
professionals to join the battle
against Covid-19 and help
those in need of medical
advice. The party also
launched a plasma helpline
for the requirement of Covid
patients.
?=BQ =4F34;78
Counting of votes will be
held on Sunday in the
high-stakes Assam, West
Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and
Puducherry Assembly elec-
tions, overshadowed by the
raging Covid pandemic. There
will be 2,364 counting centres
in 822 Assembly constituencies
in five States/UT and for count-
ing for the bypolls held in 4 PCs
and 13ACs across 13 States, as
compared to 1,002 halls in
2016 in 822 Assembly con-
stituencies, a more than 200
percent increase, in view of the
Covid guidelines.
According to the Election
Commission officials, at least
15 rounds of sanitisation will be
carried out at each polling
centre, besides social distanc-
ing and other precautions,
including a ban on gatherings,
will be strictly followed. They
said counting of votes will
begin at 8 AM and continue
late into the night.
At a review meeting per-
taining to the counting
arrangements, Chief Election
Commissioner Sushil Chandra
on Saturday directed that all
laid down instructions of the
Commission must be adhered
to. He also directed that all
counting halls must be fully
COVID guidelines compliant.
The Commission has made
elaborate arrangements for
counting of votes across the five
states and deputed around
95,000 counting officials
including micro observers for
this purpose.
The poll body has desig-
nated 822 returning officers
and more than 7,000 assistant
returning officers for counting
across the four states-West
Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu,
Assam and union territory of
Puducherry. Besides,1100
counting observers have been
deputed to watch counting
process.
According to the EC, postal
ballots this time are four times
higher, having risen to 13.16
lakh from 2.97 lakh in 2016. As
many as 1.5 lakh counting
agents whose details were pro-
vided by candidates have been
facilitated for RT-PCR/RAT in
five states/UTs. EC has also
directed acceptance of test
reports issued by any autho-
rized laboratories.
The poll results in the four
states and the UT are also
likely to reflect how the han-
dling of the COVID pandem-
ic has played on the voters’
mind. Exit polls have forecast
a tight contest between the
incumbent Mamata Banerjee-
led Trinamool Congress and
the BJP in the crucial West
Bengal assembly polls and put
the ruling saffron combine
ahead in Assam while project-
ing that the Left alliance will
retain Kerala, a feat unseen in
four decades. For the Congress,
the exit polls predicted that it
may fall short in Assam and
Kerala and lose in Puducherry
to the opposition alliance of
AINRC-BJP-AIADMK. The
only good news for the
Congress was from Tamil
Nadu, where the exit polls pre-
dicted that the DMK-led oppo-
sition alliance, of which it is a
part, will trounce the
AIADMK-BJP coalition.
According to officials, a
three-tier security apparatus
has also been placed in these
five states. Considering the
fact that coronavirus infection
is raging in the state, steps have
been taken to ensure that
COVID guidelines are strictly
followed during the counting.
Arrangements have been made
for sanitizing the counting
venues frequently during the
process. Wearing of face masks
and use of sanitizers have been
made mandatory for entering
the counting halls. EVMs and
VVPATs at the well-ventilated
counting venues will be sani-
tised before the commence-
ment of the process. Tables will
be placed in the counting halls
in such a way so that social dis-
tancing norms are maintained.
?=BQ =4F34;78
The five Left parties on
Saturday blamed Modi
Government for “doing noth-
ing” for the past one year to
tackle the Covid crisis and
“not listening to any one”. In a
joint statement general secre-
taries of CPI(M, CPI, CPI
(ML), RSP and Forward Bloc
said that the Central
Government has lost complete
moral authority to continue in
office, if they can’t deliver the
need of the suffering people in
the pandemic.
“One whole year has been
wasted by this Government
which did not heed any of our
suggestions. Instead the
Government promoted mega
super spreader events. Now,
India cannot afford to lose any
more time. As the least min-
imum Government must
immediately deliver on the
above. Otherwise, the Central
Government completely loses
its moral authority to contin-
ue to remain in office,” said
Sitaram Yechury, D.Raja,
Dipankar Bhattacharya,
Debabrata Biswas, Manoj
Bhattacharya.
The Left leaders reiterat-
ed that the Government must
fully utilise the budged
C35,000 crore and full money
from PM Cares Fund for to
tackle the pandemic crisis
and must stop the Central
Vista project costing C20,000
crore.
They also said the Centre
must invoke Compulsory
Licensing to produce both
vaccines and life saving drugs
and must strictly control
prices of essential drugs.
“Direct transfer of C 7,500 to
all families in the non-income
tax paying bracket and free
distribution of foodgrains to
all needy must be delivered to
face the crisis,” said the Left
leaders.
80=BQ =4F34;78
The Centre has identified 30
nitrogen generation plants
for production of medical oxy-
gen considering Covid-19 pan-
demic situation and to further
augment availability of oxygen
for medical purposes in the
country.
“About 30 industries have
been identified, and efforts have
beguntomodifynitrogenplants
for the production of medical
oxygen,” said Ministry of
Environment, Forest and
Climate Change.
“Someoftheseplantscanbe
shifted to nearby hospitals for
supplying oxygen and some
plants, where it is not feasible to
shift the plants, can produce
oxygen on-site.”
UPL Ltd converted one 50
Nm3perhourcapacityNitrogen
plant to produce oxygen using
Zeolite Molecular Sieve, and
installed it at L.G. Rotary
Hospital, Vapi (Gujarat). This
plant is producing 0.5 ton per
day oxygen and is operational
since April 27.
UPL Ltd is also under
process of conversion of three
more plants. On conversion to
oxygen plants, these plants will
be installed at hospitals in Surat
and Ankaleshwar.In the existing
nitrogen plants, replacing
Carbon Molecular Sieve (CMS)
with Zeolite Molecular Sieve
(ZMS) and few other changes
such as installation of oxygen
analyzer,changeincontrolpanel
system, flow valve etc., oxygen
for medical use can be pro-
duced.With the availability of
ZMS, such modified plant can
be set-up in 4-5 days while
installation of new oxygen plant
may take minimum 3-4 weeks.
Oxygenproducedinon-site
plants has to be compressed and
filled in cylinders or special
vesselsusinghighpressurecom-
pressor for transporting to hos-
pitals.
Facilitation is being provid-
ed to these industries for com-
pletion of work at the earliest.
The Centre had earlier
asked the Central Pollution
Control Board (CPCB), which
has comprehensive data base of
industrial units, to identify the
industries having spare nitrogen
plants and explore the feasibil-
ity of converting of existing
nitrogen plants to produce oxy-
gen.
The CPCB with the help of
State Pollution Control Boards
(SPCBs) have identified such
potential industries, wherein
existing nitrogen generation
plants may be spared for pro-
duction of oxygen.
In this regard, consultation
have been held with potential
industrial units and experts.
The Centre’s step comes as
India has been hit by a devas-
tating wave of Covid infections
- daily new cases crossed the
four-lakhmarkthismorningfor
a record global high. The surge
in cases has left hospitals over-
worked, doctors traumatised,
and resources like beds, medi-
cines and oxygen in perilously
short supply.
The scale of the crisis has
prompted the global communi-
ty to step in, with oxygen con-
centrators, tankers and other
equipmentbeingflowninbythe
United States, the United
Kingdom, Singapore, the
European Union and other
countries.
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80=BQ =4F34;78
Anew study using data from
India and five other coun-
tries finds that using domes-
tic travel bans to control
Covid-19 infections may be
inadvisable.
Depending on their dura-
tion, these restrictions can
lead to more rather than fewer
infections overall, especially
when there is a large urban-
rural migrant population, it
indicated.
As India battles a severe
second wave of Covid-19, state
governments are once again
faced with the question:
Should they use travel bans to
control disease transmission?
In the first wave of Covid-
19, most states chose this
option.
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A0:4B7:B8=67Q =4F34;78
Ahurriedly ordered move
by the CRPF to put in place
a common dress code for offi-
cers and jawans has led to
resentment among the offi-
cers of the force.
In a recent order issued on
Wednesday, Inspector General
Rakesh Kumar Yadav has
directed a uniform dress code
for physical training and
games for Gazzetted officers,
subordinate officers and junior
officers and the constables.
For ranks of the Force, the
dress code for physical train-
ing and sports will be black
shorts, blue round neck T
Shirt for summer. For women
personnel, blue track pant and
blue round neck T shirt will be
applicable for summer.
Likewise, for winters, the
dress code will be blue track
suit, blue cap covering head
and ears in case of extreme
cold will be allowed. Also, blue
jackets and wind cheaters will
be required for extreme cold.
Fabric will be of polyester/cot-
ton as suitable to local weath-
er conditions and shoes will be
of sports variety with any
variation of blue or black
colour.
Earlier, for Gazetted offi-
cers, the dress code was white
shorts and shirt with sleeves
rolled up and white T shirt
with white canvas shoes and
white socks.
For subordinate officers,
it was white shorts twill ( half
sleeves), white canvas shoes
and white socks.
For other ranks, it was
regimental mufti for games
and athletics, white pant,
shirt of white colour and
canvas shoes.
On ground, they were
supposed to wear khakhi
pants or shorts and white T
shirt and cotton vest.
As per the CRPF uniform
rules, any officer (including
the IPS officers) while being
on deputation to CRPF can-
not wear the IPS insignia as
shoulder badges as part of
the rank badges. As per the
rules, this is required to dis-
tinguish themselves as mem-
ber of the CRPF.
However IPS officers on
deputation to CRPF have
never followed this neither in
letter nor in spirit. Not wear-
ing CRPF insignia on shoul-
der badges and caps is also in
contravention of the Central
G o v t e r n m e n t
decisions/instructions issued
in connection with IPS uni-
form rules 1954 that mandate
wearing the same uniform as
that to be worn by cadre offi-
cers of CRPF while they are
on to the deputation to the
paramilitary.
“The guiding philosophy
behind any uniform rules
prescribed for any Armed or
Paramilitary Forces is that
irrespective of his parent ser-
vices, all the members by
their appearances should
look like and distinguish
themselves as member of the
Force in which they are a
member wether permanent
or temporary. Instead of fol-
lowing the laid down uni-
form rules, the IPS lobby in
the CRPF is tweaking the
uniform rules of CRPF which
is likely to lead to indiscipline
in the ranks,” a senior cadre
official said.
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0A270=09HC8Q =4F34;78
Even as the latest wave of
Covid-19 is surging at an
alarming pace to spread into
Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and
towns and surrounding areas,
the Union Health Ministry
seems to be taking its own time
to train the healthcare workers
including doctors in these
regions on how to manage the
pandemic efficiently and cut
down fatalities given that virus
ismoreinfectiousandlethalthis
time.
It is only on Friday that the
Ministry at a press conference
sharedthatitwillsooncomeout
with a module to train the
healthcare workers working in
theTier1andTier2citiessothat
the Covid-19 cases are handled
as per protocol.
Delhi AIIMS Director
Randeep Guleria said: Doctors
of Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are not
much aware of how to tackle the
disease as the virus has been so
far contained in the urban areas.
However, now the virus is
spreading fast in small towns
also.
“We have identified 14
CentresofExcellencelikeAIIMS
and PGIMER in Chandigarh
withwhomtheMinistryofficials
will develop programmes for
Covid management which will
then be shared with doctors
includingthoseindistrictsorvil-
lages including in private and
public sector.
“We will reach out to all the
doctors from these areas,” said
Dr Guleria. However, while the
virus is fast spreading, already
hitting various cities as seen by
sharp spurt in cases in these
regions, the Ministry seems to
be moving too slow in this
regard.
A few weeks ago Prime
Minister Narendra Modi too at
a meeting had expressed his
concern saying that Covid-19 is
spreading rapidly in Tier 2 and
Tier 3 cities as well. He urged
doctors to connect with their
colleaguesworkinginTier2and
Tier 3 cities and give them
online consultations to ensure
that all protocols are followed
correctly.
Moreover, the Ministry is
already grappling with issues
like mismanagement of the
Covid-19 crisis given huge
misuse of drugs like
Remdesivir and Tocilizumab
which are being prescribed by
the doctors to their patients
even those in the home setting.
Time and again the Ministry
has been warning that these
medicines are not to be used
for patients in home isolation
but those admitted in the hos-
pital. Also, experts warn that
oxygen demand from these
Tier1 and Tier 2 cities will also
increase, putting pressure on
the health infrastructure.
However, some of the offi-
cials at the district level are not
taking chances. DM Yash
Meena from Nawada district
in Bihar said, “We are antic-
ipating a surge in the cases in
the near future. We have been
holding awareness camps with
the healthcare workers as well
as panchyatas and communi-
ty against improper use of
medicines while people are
being educated against sever-
al rumours on Covid treat-
ment and prevention so that
they do not become a victim
of panic.”
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