ICMR asks states to conduct sero-surveys

ICMR asks states to conduct sero-surveys

Sushmi.Dey@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:31.05.2020

Looking to devise public health strategies to manage Covid-19 cases as the lockdown eases, the Indian Council of Medical (ICMR) has asked states to conduct sero-surveys — blood-based diagnostic tests — to measure the coronavirus exposure in varied sections of the population to track any wider spread of the disease for prevention and cure.

ICMR has said these tests could possibly be carried out in key populations that include vendors and owners as well as staff working in grocery shops, including those that sell milk and bread, pharmacists, restaurant staff, employees of banks, posts, couriers and telecom offices and air travel staff. Also those staying in slums, old-age homes, orphanages, homeless shelters, hostels, prisons, drivers, bus conductors, migrant workers, journalists, cops and health care workers could be tested.

Drawing a wide arc for the sero-survey ICMR has said individuals in containment zones and patients with HIV, tuberculosis, Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder, those on dialysis and others will also be covered.

HC: Casteist slurs made on mobile phone no offence

HC: Casteist slurs made on mobile phone no offence

Ajay.Sura@timesgroup.com

Chandigarh:31.05.2020

The Punjab and Haryana high court has made it clear that casteist remarks made over mobile phone against a Scheduled Caste person does not constitute any offence under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The high court was of the view that uttering of wrong words over phone and in absence of any public view “does not show any intention or mens rea to humiliate the complainant.”

Justice Harnaresh Singh Gill of the high court passed this order on Friday while setting aside an FIR, chargesheet and framing of charges against two persons from Kurukshetra in Haryana. The duo had allegedly used abusive language against the sarpanch of their village over mobile phone.

“Moreover, basic ingredients of the offence in the FIR are that there must be intentional insult, secondly the insult must be done in a public place within public view, which is not in the present case. Thus, the essential ingredients, which must be fulfilled, are not found in the present case. Since these are the penal provisions, the same are to be given a strict construction and if any of the ingredients are found lacking, it would not constitute the offence under the SC/ST Act,” observed Justice Gill while exonerating the petitioners.

The judge also clarified that if two views are possible and one gives rise to suspicion only as distinguished from grave suspicion, the trial judge will be empowered to discharge the accused and at that stage, it is not to be seen whether the trial will end in conviction or acquittal.

3 held for Dalit duo’s death

Three people were arrested for allegedly beating to death two Dalit cousins in rural Patna on Friday night over an old rivalry. Another accused is on the run. All belonged to Ramnagar Manjhi Tola village in Barh subdivision under Ghoswari police station area. SP (Rural) Kantesh Kumar Mishra said the youths, Soldier Manjhi

(19) and Debvrat Manjhi

(17), “went missing on Friday night” and were beaten to death by rods and sticks. Their bodies were spotted by villagers in a drain about 2km from the village around 7.30am on Saturday and police were alerted. TNN

Varsity education to be revamped

Varsity education to be revamped

31/05/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that the government will initiate a scheme to radically change the State’s university education system.

In his weekly televised interaction with the public on Saturday, Mr. Vijayan said merit would be the sole criterion for nominating persons to top posts at universities. Seniority alone would not be a factor in selection.

Higher education hub

He said the Senates and Syndicates of the universities should focus on academic issues and not service matters of teachers and staff alone.

Mr. Vijayan said Kerala should emerge as a global destination and hub for higher education. Students should come to Kerala for higher studies instead of going abroad.

Universities in the State should link up with their counterparts in foreign countries.

They should lay stress on online learning.

Rail passengers may have to rebook tickets

Rail passengers may have to rebook tickets

State govt. for one halt in a district

31/05/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,KOZHIKODE

With the Ministry of Railways approving the State government’s demand to remove halts at destinations other than one station in a district for special trains beginning on June 1, several passengers who had booked tickets in advance will now have to cancel or rebook their tickets at the nearest allotted stations, even for travel within the State.

The Railways has been sending SMS alerts to passengers who have booked tickets online, stating that the full refund is being arranged owing to the regulations adopted by the State government.

The norm is applicable even for Thiruvananthapuram-Kozhikode Jan Shatabdi Express and Kozhikode-

Thiruvananthapuram Jan Shatabdi Express.

The trains will not have the regular halts at Aluva, Cherthala, Kayamkulam and Varkala Sivagiri.

Likewise, the Jan Shatabdi trains in the Thiruvananthapuram-Kannur section will not have the regular halts at Thalassery, Vadakara, Mavelikkara and Kayamkulam.

Railways officials said the State government did not have the facilities and manpower to check passengers at those stations.

Similarly, the Thiruvananthapuram Central-Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Thiruvananthapuram Central Express will not halt at Varkala Sivagiri, Karunagapally, Kayamkulam, Haripad, Cherthala, Aluva, Divine Nagar, Kuttipuram, Tirur, Parappanangadi, Vadakara, Thalassery, Kannapuram, Payyannur and Kanhangad.

The Ernakulam-Hazrat Nizamuddin-Ernakulam daily superfast special will not have halts at Aluva, Pattambi, Kuttipuram, Parappanangadi, Feroke, Koyilandy, Vadakara, Thalassery, Payyanur, Nileshwar and Kanhangad.

Punjab extends lockdown till June 30

Punjab extends lockdown till June 30

State to take Centre’s guidelines into account, says CM

31/05/2020, VIKAS VASUDEVA,CHANDIGARH

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday announced a 4-week extension in the lockdown in the State, till June 30, with certain more relaxations, subject to the guidelines of the Central government.

Though experts have advised against opening of the hospitality industry and malls, Captain Amarinder said the State would take into account the Central government guidelines for Lockdown 5.0.

The Chief Minister announced this after an on-ground assessment of the COVID situation through a videoconference with health experts, top officials and his Ministers. The move is also in line with the Central government’s decision to extend the national lockdown beyond May 31.

Captain Amarinder said during a Facebook live session that the threat of COVID was not over yet, and if necessary, he would continue to take tough measures to save the lives of Punjabis. Making it clear that the extension of the lockdown in Punjab would be conditional to strict adherence to safety protocols, including physical distancing and wearing of masks, the Chief Minister also ordered distribution of free masks to the poor.

He said non-reporting to health authorities by those returning to the State, especially from abroad, was a big challenge. He said that 9,560 had been traced and tested, and some positive cases had been found among these.

Punjab recorded 36 fresh cases on May 30 and reported two deaths, taking the tally to 44, according to an official statement. The number of positive cases has reached 2,233.

Ticket booking for passenger trains resumes at Coimbatore Junction

Ticket booking for passenger trains resumes at Coimbatore Junction

31/05/2020, R. AKILEISH ,COIMBATORE

Passengers booking tickets for special trains at the counters that were re-opened at Coimbatore Railway Junction on Saturday. S. Siva Saravanan S_SIVA SARAVANAN

Ticket booking for two passenger special trains, set to run from Coimbatore Junction starting June 1, resumed at the passenger reservation system (PRS) counters at the Coimbatore Railway Station on Saturday.

Only three out of the five counters were opened at 4 p.m. to avoid crowding as part of the COVID-19 precautionary measures.

M.A. Saravanan, a resident of R.S. Puram, said that he booked ticket for Train No. 02083 Coimbatore –Mayiladuthurai Janshatabdi special train for June 3. “I am yet to apply for the e-pass,” he said.

A railway official said that only 36 applications for 72 passengers were received at the PRS counters. While 53 tickets were booked for Janshatabdi special train, only 19 tickets were booked for Train No. 02680 Coimbatore- Katpadi Intercity Superfast special train.

“Most passengers go for online booking, which is what we insist,” he said. Booking through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) will allow easy cancellation of tickets, help in verifying the particulars of passengers and will avoid crowding at the counters, the official said.

Although tickets are provided to passengers without e-pass, they are advised to have the e-pass ready before booking the tickets either online or at the counters.

The Coimbatore-Mayiladuthurai Janshatabdi train will run on all days except Tuesdays and will have stoppages at Tiruppur, Erode, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur and Kumbakonam.

Coimbatore- Katpadi Intercity Superfast special will be a daily train with stoppages at Tiruppur, Erode, Salem and Jolarpettai.

The ticket reservation counters at the Coimbatore Railway Station will remain open from 8 a.m to 8 p.m from Monday to Saturday and from 8 a.m to 2 p.m on Sundays.

Alcohol bottle surgically removed from man’s rectum

Alcohol bottle surgically removed from man’s rectum

31/05/2020, KATHELENE ANTONY,NAGAPATTINAM

In a bizarre case, an alcohol bottle was surgically removed from the rectum of a man hailing from Nagore here on Friday. The man, supposedly in an inebriated state, had inserted an empty bottle into his anal cavity and was unable to remove it, hospital sources said.

The 29-year-old man shocked hospital staff at the Nagapattinam District Headquarters Hospital when he arrived with severe pain in the abdominal area and rectum on May 28. An X-ray was taken and a glass bottle was found lodged in his body.

The inebriated man had inserted the bottle in his anal cavity on May 26, and had suffered from pain for over two days. After the pain became unbearable, he rushed to the GH.

Spinal anaesthesia was administered and in a two-hour surgery. The patient is now stable and is under observation.