FIGHTING COVID -19

Looking for a spark in the dark  Zones mapped, clarity may emerge on Sunday  30.04.2020

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

With less than 100 hours for the lockdown to end and restart of factory operations, industries in the state continued to grope in the dark with the lone ray of hope coming from the chief minister on Wednesday that some factories will be allowed to reopen on Monday.

It’s akin to waiting at a traffic signal for the green light. If you are an industrialist with a factory in the state, you will know under which zone your factory will fall under — red, amber or green, by Sunday, alongside other operating guidelines to commence production from Monday.

While the neighbouring Kerala released an exit strategy report on April 6 and Karnataka on April 8, the Tamil Nadu government is still gathering information at ground level and drawing up a colourcoded map which captures the enormity of Covid-19 cases in an area.

Officials from departments of health, revenue administration and disaster management and Tamil Nadu e-governance agency have mapped and colour-coded areas based on the number of Covid-19 positive cases, sources said. The green zones will be allowed to reopen first and then amber with severe restrictions and red will be allowed only if the parameters turn green.

Until April 23, a total of 187 out of 388 blocks in the state were categorised as green blocks where there are nil cases in 28 days. While 173 blocks categorised as orange blocks where less than 15 cases reported, and the 28 blocks are under red category. The numbers are dynamic. Red is where more than 15 cases or doubling time is less than four days, orange (less than 15 cases) and green (nil cases in the last 28 days), based on the severity of Covid-19.

This complex, yet dynamic, map is getting ready. This will pave way for the reopening locked factory gates.

The expert committee for exit strategy headed by state finance secretary S Krishnan has concluded two sessions with industrialists and MSME sector and expected to make a presentation before the chief minister on Friday.

Though continuous processing industries are allowed to reopen, the operational guidelines coupled with lack of support from police and other agencies scuttled the industry’s requirement to go full throttle.

Coimbatore collector K Rajamani said that the government sought suggestions on reopening of industries in the district. “The government also wanted to know the pros and cons of reopening the industries”, he said.

Arid Virudhunagar district will start collating details on resumption of operations. “The daily wage workforce in these sectors is between 5 lakh to 6 lakh. We have to be careful in analysing the pros and cons of opening various industries as any small mistake would result in an outbreak. We will discuss with the industries and submit a report,” Virudhunagar district collector R Kannan said.

We have to be careful in analysing the pros and cons... as any small mistake would result in an outbreak

R Kannan, VIRUDHUNAGAR

DISTRICT COLLECTOR

#LOCKDOWN HEROES

These friends ensure the poor don’t go hungry

Priya.Menon@timesgroup.com 30.04.2020

When the national lockdown was announced, Isaac Silvin Dass and his friends decided they had to do their bit to help society. So, 10 of them got together and pooled in their resources so that they could lend a helping hand to the needy. Every day since April 1, they have been out on the roads, serving breakfast and lunch to the poor in their locality.

“We all stay in the same area and have been friends for the past eight years. And all of us have always felt the need to give back to society,” says Dass, 24, who lives in east Tambaram and works with an IT company. “ When the lockdown began, we felt we should do something to help. We can work from home and still get paid by our companies but there are many out there who have no source of income.”

Since one of their friend’s  parents run a hotel, the group of 10 pooled in money to buy breakfast and lunch from them. “Every morning, from 7am to 9am, five of us go around Tambaram, Sanatorium, Chromepet, Sembakkam, Hasthinapuram, and Rajakilpakkam to give food to the homeless. It’s usually four idlis and a vada with chutney and sambar, pooris or pongal,” says Dass, adding that they feed about 60 people every day.

In the afternoon, the other five head out. “We serve variety rice – lemon, curd, tomato, and sambar rice with pickle,” says Mohammed Rizwan, 25. “For lunch, we feed about 80 people.”

Apart from it, the group also hands out biscuits and water bottles to cops as well as sanitation workers they spot on the road. “Every other day, we also distribute 1khg rice and 1litre oil to poor families in the area,” says Dass.

ALSO COVERS PSUS

Aarogya Setu’s ‘nod’ must for central staff

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:30.04.2020

All central government employees were on Wednesday directed to immediately download ‘Aarogya Setu’ App on their mobile phones and confirm their status as “safe” or “low-risk” before setting off for their work place.

Seeking strict adherence to the directions for improved safety of all government staffers, the department of personnel and training (DoPT) instructed all officers and staff, including outsourced personnel, to run a check on their status on the App prior to starting for office.

If their status shows them to be “moderate” or “high” risk as calculated on the basis of bluetooth proximity (“recent contact with any infected person”), they should not attend office and self-isolate for 14 days till their status becomes “safe” or “low-risk”.

A confirmation of the status of the central government staff as “safe” or “low-risk” every morning would make them safe for their respective work places, DoPT stated. The joint secretary (administration) has been asked by DoPT to ensure that directions in this regard are strictly followed in the respective ministry or department.

TN industries may reopen, but no date yet

Julie.Mariappan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:30.04.2020

Indicating he favoured a staggered lockdown exit, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday said the state government would allow industries to reopen in green zones in the districts, but did not set a firm date. The cabinet will meet on May 2, a day before the nation-wide lockdown ends, and announce the details.

Industry sources, however, say they will need a few days after permissions are in place to restart operations. “A factory cannot be ready overnight. It needs preparation before staff can walk in. We are still waiting for the government nod,” an auto parts maker said. District collectors have been asked for detailed reports on the industries and activities that could be allowed to reopen in a gradual manner in their jurisdiction. “The reports should reach the government by tomorrow. A panel formed to work out exit strategy will make a presentation to the CM on Thursday, based on which the cabinet note will be put up,” a source said.

Gradual resumption in green zones: CM

The Centre has categorized green zones as places where none has tested positive for Covid-19 for 28 days. Krishnagiri is the only district in TN in the green zone as it has not seen a single positive case. However, sources in government told TOI that for purposes of industrial activity, the geographical unit to determine a green zone would be the block in rural areas and corporation or municipal zone in urban areas.

In a seven-hour video conference with collectors, the CM said, “The state government will issue orders to start the industries gradually in green zones in the districts. The collectors can take note of that order and allow all industries in the green zones.”

Palaniswami said the Covid-19 spread was under control in all districts, except densely populated Chennai. Even as the virus spread was brought under control in rural areas, and to an extent in town panchayats and municipalities, it has not been the case in municipal corporations due to the dense population.

The district collectors and Chennai corporation commissioner have been told to submit a report on guest workers. They should ensure relief reached them and healthcare was accessible. “The collectors should see that farmers get access to equipment and inputs, besides movement of produce to the markets,” Palaniswami said.

On the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme front, the CM said workers should be divided into groups of 50. They should be given masks. Those above 55 years should be excluded and instead, a member of his or her family could be included.

Police should intensify surveillance in containment areas and prevent people hitting the streets unnecessarily and also monitor inter-state borders strictly.

Engg colleges expect up to 20% dropout due to job loss

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:30.04.2020

Engineering colleges are expecting up to 20% dropout post Covid-19 lockdown due to job losses, salary cuts and economic crisis. They also expect the coming admission season to be tougher as many students may not able to afford higher education.

While top colleges are thinking of offering scholarships to some students, others say they cannot afford to even pay their staff after the lockdown ends. Consortium of private colleges want the government either to provide interestfree education loan to students or soft loans to colleges to stay afloat.

Chairmen of professional colleges in Tamil Nadu held a meeting with BJP national general secretary P Muralidhar Rao through video conference recently. “Colleges expressed concern that there will be 20% dropout of students post-lockdown due to job loss and salary cuts. Many students may not be in a position to pay the fees and continue their education,” said Maluk Mohamad, chairman of MAM College of Engineering and Techology in Trichy, who also took part in the meeting.

The colleges also highlighted that new admissions would be challenging due to affordability. “We urged the government to pitch in and ensure that students are offered interest-free loans or financial aid to continue their education,” he added.

A student may have to spend up to ₹1lakh a year to pursue engineering in any college. This includes tuition fee, accommodation and transport. This may not be possible for many due to job loss and pay cut across sectors.

“If the government pays SC/ST scholarship and other dues, we may be able to sustain and help students. Rural colleges are going to be worst affected as many students hail from the lower middle class,” a trustee from a private engineering college in Tiruvallur district said.

The top colleges are also expecting a tough admission season. “Parents may not want their kids to go long distance for higher education,” said R M Kishore, vice-chairman, RMK Engineering College.

“We plan to give more scholarships and additional time to pay the fees. If colleges reopen in September, many may not able to pay staff. If the government arranges soft loan for colleges, it would ease financial stress,” he added.

P Selvaraj, secretary of Consortium of Self-Financing Professional, Arts and Science Colleges, said professional colleges at national level are planning to approach the Centre for help. “Either the government should give loans to students to continue their education or they should give loans to colleges to save the colleges. We cannot pay staff salaries for six months without collecting fees from students,” he said. “If we ask for fees, the students may drop out. Without collecting fees, we cannot pay our staff. The government should help,” he added.

The Federation of Associations of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu urged the state government to allow them to collect fees from parents who are eligible and willing to pay fees.

WHAT NEXT? Job loss and pay cuts could make higher education less affordable for many

Neet must for admissions to minority med colleges: SC

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:30.04.2020

Holding national interest to be above a religious and linguistic minority community’s right to administer educational institutions, Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that single window National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Neet) will be mandatory for admissions to medical and dental courses offered by private unaided minority medical and dental colleges. As many as 76 petitions, including many by reputed minority medical institutions like Christian Medical College Vellore and Ludhiana, had challenged imposition of Neet claiming it violates the fundamental right of minority communities to set up educational institutions and frame procedures for admitting students.

Dismissing all petitions, a bench of Justices Arun Mishra, Vineet Saran and M R Shah said, “We hold there is no violation of the rights of unaided/aided minority to administer institutions under Articles 19(1) (g) and 30 read with Articles 25, 26 and 29(1) of the Constitution of India by prescribing of uniform examination of Neet for admissions in the graduate and postgraduate professional courses of medical as well as dental science.”

SC: Neet was necessitated because of ‘ill-reputation developed by MCI’

Terming Neet a standardisation of admission process devised in national interest, the bench said, “it does not interfere with the rights of the unaided minority institutions as it has been imposed in national interest considering the malpractices of granting illegal admission by virtually selling the seats in derogation to rights of meritorious students. The charitable activity of education became a saleable commodity and prerogative of wealthy persons and poor students were forced to get education funded from banks.”

It said, “minority and private institutions have to admit students based on merit in the permissible category, based on Neet as per procedure prescribed under the Act and Regulations.” An SC bench headed by Justice Altmas Kabir in 2013 had struck down Neet through a controversial judgement. Three years later, SC had allowed review petitions to revive Neet. But, the question remained whether the tests could be applied to unaided private medical and dental colleges set up by religious and linguistic minority communities.

Writing the 108-page judgment for the bench, Justice Mishra said Neet was necessitated because of “ill-reputation developed by MCI”. He said the system of admission still suffers from many malpractices and that national interest requires further improvement in the system to eradicate evils from the system.

“The situation is still grim and require to be dealt with firm hand and steely determination,” he said. Analysing the weight of minority community’s fundamental right to have complete autonomy in framing norms for admission under privileges conferred by Article 30 of the Constitution, the bench said, “rights to administer an institution...are not above the law and other Constitutional provisions... Professional educational institutions constitute a class by themselves.”

“Specific measures to make the administration of such institutions transparent can be imposed... Regulatory measures (Neet) are intended for proper functioning of institutions and to ensure that standard of education is maintained and does not fall low under the guise of an exclusive right of management to the extent of maladministration.”

Full report on www.toi.in

New academic session from Sept 1: UGC

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:30.04.2020

The new academic session will begin in universities from September 1and from August 1 for those already enrolled, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has said in its guidelines on examinations and academic calendar in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. The pending university exams are to be conducted in July.

The admissions for the 2020-21 session will be conducted between August 1-31, according to the guidelines issued on Wednesday. It has also been recommended that universities may adopt alternative and simplified modes and methods of examinations to complete the process in a shorter period of time like reducing the time from 3 hours to 2 hours as well as offering flexibility of both online and offline exams.

The guidelines, based on the recommendations of two expert committees, are suggestive in nature and universities can adjust as per their requirement. The UGC said if normalcy fails to return, grading of students could be composite of 50% marks on the basis of internal evaluation and 50% marks on the basis of performance in previous semester (if available).

In view of the uncertain situation, higher educational institutions have been given the freedom to adopt/ adapt and implement these guidelines by making alterations, additions or modifications to deal with any particular situations in the best interest of students, the institution and the entire education system.

No plan to drop board exams: CBSE

The pending examinations for Class X and Class XII would be conducted by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). There is no change in the decision of conducting exams for the 29 subjects post lockdown, CBSE stated on Wednesday. This has put to rest the speculations doing the rounds that the pending Class X exams for the northeast (NE) Delhi have been cancelled. On April 1, CBSE had announced via a circular that it would conduct Board exams for 29 subjects, including six Class X subjects for the northeast Delhi, 11Class XII subjects for NE Delhi and 12 Class XII subjects for all India. In its April 1release, CBSE had clarified that it would conduct examinations for only main subjects that might be required for promotion and crucial for admissions in higher educational institutions. 

Court News

NEET applies to minority colleges: SC

‘It doesn’t violate fundamental rights’

30/04/2020, KRISHNADAS RAJAGOPAL, NEW DELHI

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) is mandatory for admission to medical colleges run by religious and linguistic minority communities, the Supreme Court held on Wednesday.

A three-judge Bench led by Justice Arun Mishra held that admissions solely through NEET for graduate and postgraduate medical/dental courses does not violate any fundamental and religious rights of minorities. NEET would apply for both aided and unaided medical colleges run by minorities.

The court dismissed arguments by the managements of several minority-run medical institutions, including the Christian Medical College Vellore Association, that bringing them uniformly under the ambit of NEET would be a violation of their fundamental right to “occupation, trade and business”.

The colleges had argued that imposing NEET would violate their fundamental rights of religious freedom, to manage their religious affairs, to administer their institutions. They said the State was reneging on its obligation to act in the best interest of minorities.

But Justice Mishra, who wrote the 108-page judgment, said it was time the field of education returned to the “realm of charity”, a character it had lost over the years. NEET was brought in to weed out malpractices in the field.

The court held that the rights of trade, business and occupation or religious rights “do not come in the way of securing transparency and recognition of merits in admissions”.

முக கவச வினியோகத்தில் இந்திய அஞ்சல் நிறுவனம்

Updated : ஏப் 30, 2020 02:32 | Added : ஏப் 30, 2020 02:26

சென்னை : இந்திய அஞ்சல் நிறுவனம், கடிதங்களை மட்டும் வழங்காமல்; இந்த நெருக்கடி காலத்தில், முக கவசங்கள், மருந்துகள் போன்றவற்றையும் வீட்டு வாசலுக்கே வந்து வழங்குகிறது. இதற்காக இந்த நிறுவனம், புதிதாக ஒரு ஆண்ட்ராய்டு செயலியை அறிமுகம் செய்ய உள்ளது.

'போஸ்ட் இன்போ' எனும் இந்த செயலியை, ஆண்ட்ராய்டு போன்களில் தரவிறக்கம் செய்து, பயன்படுத்திக் கொள்ளலாம். இந்த செயலியைப் பயன்படுத்தி, முக கவசங்கள், மருந்து பொருட்கள் ஆகியவற்றை அனுப்பலாம். அனுப்பும் பொருட்கள், பெறுநரின் வீட்டு வாசலுக்கே வந்து வினியோகம் செய்யப்படும் என, இந்திய அஞ்சல் நிறுவனம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.இது குறித்து, இந்நிறுவனத்தின் உயரதிகாரி ஒருவர் கூறியதாவது: நாடு முடக்கப்பட்டிருக்கும் நிலையிலும் முடங்காமல் செயல்பட்டு வருகிறது இந்திய அஞ்சல்.

அழுத்தம் மிக்க இந்த காலகட்டத்திலும், அஞ்சலக ஊழியர்கள் பணியாற்றி வருகின்றனர். இப்போது, வழக்கமான பணிகள் தவிர்த்து, முக கவசங்கள், மருந்து பொருட்கள் ஆகியவற்றையும் மக்களின் கோரிக்கையின் அடிப்படையில் வழங்கி வருகிறோம். இதற்கான செயலியை, கூகுள் பிளே ஸ்டோரில் தரவிறக்கம் செய்து கொள்ளலாம். இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

முடிந்தது 4 நாள் ஊரடங்கு: சேலத்தில் முண்டியடித்த மக்கள்

Added : ஏப் 30, 2020 02:30

சேலம்:சேலம் மாநகராட்சி பகுதியில், நான்கு நாளுக்கு பின், முழு ஊரடங்கு தளர்த்தப் பட்டதால், அத்தியாவசிய பொருட்கள் வாங்க, மக்கள் முண்டியடித்தனர். இதனால், சாலைகளில் போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல் ஏற்பட்டது.

கொரோனா தொற்றை குறைக்க, சேலம் மாநகர பகுதியில், 25ம் தேதி முதல், 28ம் தேதி வரை முழு ஊரடங்கு அமல்படுத்தப்பட்டது. மளிகை, காய்கறி உள்ளிட்ட அனைத்து கடைகளும் மூடப்பட்டன.சாலைகள் வெறிச்மக்களின் தேவைக்கு, வாகனங்களில் பொருட்கள் விற்கப் பட்டன. நான்கு நாளாக, சாலைகள் வெறிச்சோடி கிடந்தன.நேற்று முன்தினத்துடன், முழு ஊரடங்கு நிறைவு அடைந்ததால், நேற்று காலை முதல், வழக்கமான ஊரடங்கு அமலுக்கு வந்தது.

மளிகை, காய்கறி சந்தைகள் திறக்கபட்டன.ஆனால், 4 நாளாக வீடுகளுக்குள் அடைபட்ட மக்கள், நேற்று மடை திறந்த வெள்ளமாக, கடைகளுக்கு படையெடுத்தனர். மளிகை கடைகளில் நீண்ட வரிசை காணப்பட்டது. காய்கறி, உழவர் சந்தைகளில் கூட்டம் அலைமோதியது.சமூக இடைவெளியை கடைப்பிடித்து பொருட்களை வாங்க மக்களுக்கு பொறுமையில்லை; ஒருவரை ஒருவர் தொட்டும், தள்ளிவிட்டபடியும் நின்று பொருட்களை வாங்கினர். ஓரிரு மணி நேரத்தில் அனைத்து பொருட்களும் காலியாயின.

நான்கு நாளுக்கு பின் கடைகள் திறக்கப்பட்டதால், சாலையில் வாகனங்களையும் போலீசாரால் கட்டுப்படுத்த முடியவில்லை. வழக்கத்தை விட பல மடங்கு வாகனங்கள் அதிகமாக இருந்தன.போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல்பல இடங்களில் போக்குவரத்து நெரிசல் ஏற்பட்டது. பல முக்கிய சாலைகள் அடைக்கப்பட்டிருந்ததால், ஒரு வழிச்சாலையில் காத்திருந்து, ஊர்ந்து செல்லும் நிலை இருந்தது.

முழு ஊரடங்கு காலத்தில், நடமாடும் வாகனங்களில் காய்கறி, மளிகை உள்ளிட்ட பொருட் களை மாநகராட்சி விற்பதாக அறிவித்து வந்தாலும், அனைத்து பகுதிகளையும் சென்றடைய வில்லை.கூடுதல் வாகனங்களை இயக்கி, அனைத்து பகுதிகளுக்கும் அத்தியாவசிய பொருட்களை கொண்டு சென்றால் தான், முழு ஊரடங்கு பலனளிக்கும். இப்படி முண்டியடித்து வரும் மக்களால், கொரோனா பரவலை கட்டுப்படுத்துவது கடினம்.

Med colleges told to train interns for Covid-19 duty

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Lucknow:29.04.2020

The district administration on Tuesday directed all government-aided and private medical colleges in the city to train MBBS interns in Covid-19 care for deployment in isolation wards as and when required.

There are eight government-aided and private medical education institutes in the city with total intern stretch of around 600. The directions were given at a meeting called by district magistrate Abhishek Prakash with representatives of private medical colleges, government-aided medical education institutes and government hospitals.

Institutes told to call back all interns

The DM said that all medical medical education institutes have been asked to call back all interns, in case they have gone home due to lockdown, for Covid-19 care training.

"Private institutes have been asked to provide list on interns in other districts and have no means to come to Lucknow. The administration will provide passes and make arrangement of buses for bringing them to Lucknow as per the requirement," he said.

JNU to open in phases, starting from June 1

No Guidelines From UGC On Lockdown Yet

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:29.04.2020

Even though a decision on the lockdown is yet to be taken by the government, Jawaharlal Nehru University has decided to open its doors in a phased manner starting June 1.

Documents accessed exclusively by TOI reveal that students returning to the campus from June 1 will have to undergo two weeks of self-isolation and then be tested for novel coronavirus. Sources at JNU said all the recommendations have been approved by the academic council (AC) via email.

As per the plans, “the bulk of lectures for theory courses and theoretical aspects of practical courses will be completed through digital means by May 31.

” The university is also planning to conduct the mid and end-semester examinations from mid-July and practical examinations in the last week of July. A detailed plan for each school and centre on the new academic and examination plan has also been spelled out in the document, which includes online examination as a backup plan for students who cannot access online learning and examination.

This revelation has brought forth the question whether JNU has jumped the gun as a recent announcement by University Grants Commission (UGC) mentioned that guidelines would soon be released based on the recommendations of the two task forces for online learning and examination and the academic calendar.

When contacted by the TOI, JNU vicechancellor M Jagadesh Kumar said, “All universities will have to follow the guidelines issued by UGC. The AC members, while considering the recommendations of various schools and special centres, took due note of the UGC guidelines. In any case, our understanding is that UGC guidelines are expected to be advisories to be implemented based on the conditions and preparedness in a university.”

Apart from completing the bulk of lectures online, JNU has already started online examinations, starting with School of Environmental Science’s mid-semester exams for MSc and MPhil/PhD scholars from Monday.

Asked how the university will address the issue of students not being able to access online classes and tests, Kumar said the administration is offering a flexible approach, including “extra classes, if needed, after the university re-opens. Paper-pen examinations will be held where online tests are not possible.” Another question is that even if the lockdown is lifted in May, will students be able to travel immediately?

Anticipating that the lockdown would be lifted in phases after May 3, Kumar said JNU would not take any autonomous decision and follow the Centre’s guidelines.

“Even if the lockdown is lifted in phases after May 3, it may take a couple of weeks for students to reach the campus,” added the JNU VC. At present, out of the total strength of 6,400 students, 646 boys and 262 girls are living on the JNU campus.

Asked what the university would do if the UGC guidelines are contrary to the plans, Kumar said, “JNU is committed to following the UGC guidelines. We are hopeful that they will take care of the diverse situations in the universities across the country.”

Documents accessed exclusively by TOI reveal that students returning to the campus from June 1 will have to undergo two weeks of self-isolation and then be tested for novel coronavirus

It’s unfair to label Chinese products as faulty: Embassy

Hints Variations In Test Results Could Be Due To Improper Use

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:29.04.2020

After ICMR's rejection of Chinese rapid test kits, China on Tuesday said it was unfair and irresponsible for "certain individuals" to label Chinese products as faulty and look at issues with "preemptive prejudice”.

Recalling statements by the manufacturers that the kits had been validated and approved by ICMR, the embassy here expressed hope that India will respect China’s "goodwill and sincerity" and strengthen communication with relevant Chinese companies "based on facts" to resolve the issue "reasonably".

The controversy over the kits comes hard on the heels of the investment row which saw the government tweaking rules to ensure Chinese FDI into India came through the approval route at a time many Indian companies seemed vulnerable to hostile takeovers. China had then too strongly objected to the government move. However, as the government had said last week, India continues to procure more and more medical equipment from China.

The embassy said it attached great importance to the quality of its medical exports and the same kits had been "well recognised" in Europe, Asia and Latin America. The Indian Council of Medical Research carried out tests using the kits after some states reported that the apparatus was giving divergent results. ICMR concluded that the variation of results was too large and asked states to return the kits to be sent back to the Chinese firms. The Indian government said no money had been paid so far for the kits.

"We have also learned that there are strict requirements for the storage, transportation and use of Covid-19 antibody rapid test kits. Any operation which is not carried out by professionals in accordance with the product specifications will lead to testing accuracy variations. ICMR also made it clear that rapid antibody test kits should only be used for surveillance purposes instead of replacing RT-PCR test to diagnose and confirm the cases," the embassy spokesperson said, adding that China not only sincerely supported India in its fight against Covid-19, but also took concrete actions to help.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the spokesperson said, China and India had maintained close communication and cooperation on prevention and control. "We will continue to support India’s efforts in fighting Covid-19, strengthen medical and health cooperation, and jointly work with India to overcome the difficulties at an early date, so as to safeguard the safety and health of our peoples as well as global and regional public health security," the official said.

INVOKING GODS: A Hindu priest burns a replica of the coronavirus made from plastic as he performs a ‘Yagya’ for the eradication of the coronavirus disease in Kolkata on Tuesday

Govt bound by court order: Vijayan

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Thiruvananthapuram:29.04.2020

Reacting to the high court order staying his government’s decision to defer payment of a portion of employees’ salaries over the next five months, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the state is bound by the order of the court.

“The government would take necessary steps after a thorough examination of the order,” the CM said on Tuesday. A decision on filing an appeal against the single bench order would be taken after necessary deliberations, he said.

Meanwhile, finance minister Thomas Isaac said the government would consider its options for legal validation of its decision. “Now it has been said that it (setting aside salary) couldn’t be done through an executive order. Well, we would see what should be done to make the decision legally valid,” Isaac told reporters.

The HC order, Isaac said, reflected the “mental process” of some people in the state. “It’s indeed important to note that a few (people) are working overnight to thwart the unity and social capital of Kerala about which the whole world is talking about,” Isaac said. The minister said he would go into the details of the order after studying the same. “It’s unfortunate that a set of people are specializing in how not to cooperate with the government and how to weaken the fight against Covid-19,” Isaac added.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said the court order was a body blow to the government for its failure to earn the trust of its employees. Former chief minister Oommen Chandy said the government should learn from the court order and start doing things in a democratic way. BJP state president K Surendran said the high court order once again proved that the state government was not doing things as per rules.

High court stays govt’s pay cut order, says salary is not charity

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kochi:29.04.2020

The high court on Tuesday issued a stay on the state government order to defer payment of one month’s salary to government employees by deducting pay for six days in a month for five months.

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas issued the stay for two months after considering during admission hearing the argument that the government’s order is not backed by any authority of law and that no provision of law, including Disaster Management Act or Epidemic Diseases Act, can be utilized to take such an action.

In the order, the court noted that the state government’s work with regard to managing Covid-19 is laudable. However, it cannot ignore the legal framework in which the society revolves when it is called upon to consider an issue, the court said.

The court said that payment of salary is certainly not a matter of charity. “Article 300A, which confers right to property, will include within its purview salary also as a property, at least prima facie,” the order said. The advocate general’s submission that the government has the power to delay the disbursement of salary through an executive order cannot in the face of law be countenanced, the court added.

Absence of any power for the state government to issue such an order was also pointed out by the court. Neither the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897, as amended by the ordinance of 2020, nor in the Disaster Management Act has provisions to issue such an order. The provisions that were read out, specifically Sections 38 and 39 of Disaster Management Act, does not specify or confer any power upon any government to defer salary due to its employees during any kind of disaster, the court said.

The court also cited five Supreme Court decisions that prompted it to arrive at such a conclusion.

The court also found lack of clarity in the state government order, like the manner in which the amounts being set apart is to be utilized. It only refers to the financial difficulty faced by the government and that is not a ground to defer payment of salary. Prima facie, deferment of salary for whatever purposes may amount to denial of property, the court said while issuing a stay.

Advocate general CP Sudhakara Prasad had argued that other state governments have issued orders that are stricter than the Kerala government’s order. Unless such measures are adopted, the state will go into great financial adversity, he had argued.

Around a dozen petitions were filed before the court by services organizations questioning the state government’s salary deduction order of April 23.

The petitioners had pointed out that even though the order says the salary is being deferred, it is not mentioned when it would be released. Thus, the deferment is actually permanent deduction.

Central government and other state governments have issued similar orders. In the case of the central government, one day’s salary per month for 12 months is requested with unwilling staff being given the option of not paying, the petitions had said. But the Kerala government’s is a compulsory deduction order without any authority of law and without the consent of employees, the alleged.

When the state issued a similar directive after the 2018 floods, the high court had stayed a clause in the order compelling the employees to pay.

Citing the government’s order in 2018, the service organizations had now alleged that the government has now found a way out by mentioning the deduction as deferment instead of donation or contribution.

The absence of any power for the state government to issue such an order was also pointed out by the Kerala high court while issuing the two-month stay order

Deemed univs & its trustees come under graft act

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:29.04.2020

Widening the ambit of Prevention of Corruption Act, the Supreme Court ruled that even deemed universities will come under the purview of the anti-corruption law and trustees of the trusts running these universities could be prosecuted as public servants for their corrupt acts.

“Corruption is the malignant manifestation of a malady menacing the morality of men. There is a common perception that corruption in India has spread to all corners of public life and is currently choking the constitutional aspirations enshrined in the Preamble. In this context, this case revolves around requiring this court to facilitate making India corruption free," a bench headed by Justice N V Ramana said while giving this ruling.

The bench, also comprising Justice M M Shantanagoudar, was deciding a corruption case relating to a trustee of Sumandeep Charitable Trust, which runs a deemed university 'Sumandeep Vidyapeeth' in Gujarat. The prosecution alleged that the institution demanded an additional Rs 25 lakh to allow a complainant's daughter to appear in the final MBBS examination, despite having paid the entire annual fee.

The institution agreed to accept a cheque for the amount in lieu of promise to pay the amount in cash later. On complaint, the police set up audio and video camera trap. After catching the conduit, the police raided the institution and found several undated cheques drawn in the name of the institution worth over Rs 100 crore. The Gujarat police registered a case under PC Act arraying the trustee as an accused as he was described by the arrested persons as the one who demanded illegal donations.

Setting aside the Gujarat High Court order discharging the trustee on the ground that deemed university did not come under the ambit of PC Act, the SC took a broader view of the term 'public servant' to count deemed university as a public institution and its functionaries, including the trustees, as public servants.

Justice Ramana, writing the judgment for the bench, said, "There is no gainsaying that nations are built upon trust. In a democracy, one needs to rely on those with power and influence and to trust them of being transparent and fair. There is no doubt that any action which is driven by self-interest of these powerful individuals, rather than public interest, destroys that trust.

The Supreme court overturns Gujarat HC ruling that deemed universities do not come under under the purview of the anti-corruption law

HARD TIMES

Govt set to ban foreign travel of mins, officials

Austerity Measures Planned Till June 2021

Sivakumar.B@timesgroup.com

Chennai:29.04.2020

After freezing dearness allowance and suspending earned leave surrender facility, the state government is all set to tighten its purse strings further. In a few days, it is likely to ban air travel by government servants within the state. It could also ban travel of ministers and officials to foreign countries at government’s expense. Those who travel to other states by flight would not be permitted to use business class, the official said.

Sources in the finance department and personnel and administrative reforms department said savings through such measures would not be substantial to be compared with measures like freezing of DA hike. Nevertheless, such measures are required to bring down expenditure of the government, he said.

A major share of the travel of political executives and bureaucrats is within the state. Senior bureaucrats are deputed to different regions of the state during all calamities. Many senior IAS and IPS officials have been deputed to districts now to monitor the fight against Covid-19. They may have to return to Chennai either by road or by train once the order on austerity measures is issued.

The austerity measures, as of now, are being planned till June 2021. The government is hopeful that by then the state would be able to get back to normalcy.

A year ago, almost the entire state cabinet and many senior bureaucrats were on foreign tour as the state administration sought to attract foreign investment into Tamil Nadu. A few of them visited countries like Finland, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia to learn about best practices followed in those countries.

Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami visited the UK, the USA and UAE and signed MoUs for attracting investments to Tamil Nadu. “The government should have thought about tightening of purse strings a year ago and avoided lavish expenditure when tax revenue was dwindling. But the ministers were never bothered about the economic condition. They happily enjoyed a paid holiday in several foreign countries. It is the tax payers’ money that went down the drain,” said a bureaucrat.

FIGHTING COVID-19+

Recent jump in positive cases sends city deep into red zone

Average Increase For Last Seven Days More Than Twice State Average

Pushpa Narayan & Srikkanth D TNN

29.04.2020

Chennai is getting red hot with the number of people Covid-19 positive rapidly increasing in the last few days. On Tuesday, the daily average increase in Chennai stood at 9.4% compared to 3.7% in Tamil Nadu and 7.1% in India. Officials say population density and increased testing are the reasons for the high incidence.

The average increase in cases for the last seven days is more than twice the state average. It is also higher than the national average, according to an analysis by TOI.

According to Greater Chennai Corporation data, the city has tested 3,096 people per million population– the highest in the state until April 24. This means at least 1,600 swabs are drawn from Chennaiites every day. Theni district is next with 1,176 samples per million. “This is higher than state average, where 694 people per million are screened and the national average where 363 people are screened. We are seeing cases because we are tracking contacts and testing them. Most of our patients are asymptomatic,” said a senior civic official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Most cases in Chennai end up being a cluster of up to a dozen positive cases. Clusters are visible among doctors and health workers, journalists, sanitary inspectors and conservancy workers, and vendors from crowded markets such as Koyambedu. “Many of these people live in narrow streets and buildings with common staircases,” said a zonal health officer.

For instance, a row of houses in Asirvadapuram in Pulianthope saw 25 people test positive in four days. A dozen vendors in Koyambedu market and a half dozen of them in Vadapalani market were infected. Each of these vendors had at least four or five contacts testing positive, within the family and in the market zone. In Choolai areas, at least a dozen frontline workers including conservancy staff of the civic agency have tested positive.

On April 15, the city had 84 streets across the city under containment. On Tuesday, 202 streets were containment zones. Three zones in north Chennai --Royapuram, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Tondiarpet --account for 55 % of the total Covid-19 positive cases in the city. But newer areas such as Koyambedu, Virugambakkam and Mylapore are being added.

“Which is exactly why aggressive containment measures should have started early,” said former city health

KEEPING TABS: A mobile unit tests a Koyambedu vendor on Tuesday

Citizens demand ward-wise data

As the city continues to see rise in Covid-19 cases, residents demand the civic body release wardwise details of cases. The corporation releases zonewise data every day. With clusters forming in at least three zones in north Chennai and numbers increasing in dormant zones like Ambattur, people want more information.

4 cops tested Covid positive

Four police men attached to Nungambakkam police station have tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday. The station building has been temporarily closed and disinfectant sprayed on the premises. All the four were admitted at Omandurar Government Hospital on Tuesday.

Guv convenes V-C search panel meetings online

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:29.04.2020

Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Tuesday set in motion the selection of vice-chancellors for University of Madras and Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa Fisheries University by convening the search panel meetings online.

On Monday, TOI reported that the selection of new Madras university V-C would be delayed as the search panel formed two months ago was yet to meet due to the lockdown.

“In the video conference, the governor-chancellor requested the search committees to strictly follow fair and transparent procedures and select the panel of most efficient and honest candidates,” a release from Raj Bhavan said. “The notification for the post of vicechancellor will be issued shortly by the search committees separately,” the release added.

Coimbatore, Tirupur remain troubled spots

29.04.2020

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Covid-19 positive cases continued to soar in the biggest hotspot, Chennai, even as some districts in Tamil Nadu recorded a jump in the number of infected people, pushing them deeper into the red zone.

On Monday, Chennai recorded a high 103 with its total Covid cases touching a worrying 673. Neighbouring Chengalpet added 12 to a new tally of 70 while Tiruvallur had 53 cases. Kancheepuram added one on Monday to take its Covid total to 20. With new clusters and their mushrooming contacts Chennai and several districts remained in the red zone.

Coimbatore, the district with the second highest number, got its first few cases from people who returned from abroad. Scores of Tablighi Jamaat returnees turned out to be Covid positives and their family members too tested positive. Over the past 10 days, the number of unlinked cases has started to spike. The officials have been unable to trace the source of infection of six police personnel who tested positive. “That’s why we have gone in for a stringent lockdown within lockdown,” said Coimbatore collector K Rajamani.

In the western region, Tirupur with 112 positive cases and Namakkal (61) have proved worrying. On Tuesday, Namakkal had two new positive cases. Namakkal collector K Megraj said the challenge for the district with a huge truckers’ hub has been the reluctance of people to come forward to test voluntarily. “The official machinery is forced to trace those with contact history,” said Megraj.

Tirupur is yet another district in the west zone that continues to get Covid positive cases regularly. Officials, however, said that except for the first case of Covid positive case in Tirupur, which was a person who returned from London, all the remaining had a travel history to New Delhi or had contacts with those who returned from New Delhi. Tirupur collector K Vijaykarthikeyan was upbeat. He said the incidence of Covid was dropping steadily. “The rate of infection is coming down,’’ he said.

Among the central districts, Thanjavur recorded a total of 55 cases, many of them TJ delegates, their family members and contacts. “After Chennai, Thanjavur had a high number of positive TJ members. “A total of 33 have been discharged,” said collector M Govinda Rao.

Tirunelveli, the first district in the southern region to record a high number of cases, has not seen a fresh case since April 24. The district has recorded a total of 63 cases and is still in the red zone as it has nine active cases. The biggest cluster in the region was Melapalayam town. District collector Shilpa Prabhakar Satish said though there was a lull in cases, they had to be vigilant.

FIGHTING COVID- 19+

How Erode and Nilgiris flattened the Covid curve

29.04.2020 TOI 

Tracing Of Contacts, Strict Implementation Of Containment Measures Worked, But Officials Keep Tight Vigil To Prevent Relapse

Senthil Kumaran & Shantha Thiagarajan | TNN

Erode district, which had the third highest Covid-19 cases in the state until the second week of April, has now become a Covid-free district.

The last batch of four Covid-19 patients undergoing treatment at IRT Perundurai government hospital in this turmeric hub got discharged on Tuesday making the district second in the state to achieve 100 % recovery. “We don’t have even a single Covid-19 positive case in the district now,” said Erode collector C Kathiravan.

Nilgiris was the first district to get all Covid positive patients cured in TN when the last of nine people recovered and got discharged on Monday.

Health and revenue officials in both the districts are a relieved lot, Erode in particular because it had a high number of cases. The district was the first in west zone to report Covid-19 cases and among the earliest clusters in Tamil Nadu. While Nilgiris had nine cases, Erode had 70 cases, out of which one person died and the remaining 69, including six Thai nationals, recovered.

“Since we don’t have any positive cases for the past 14 consecutive days, we will move into orange zone from red,’’ Kathiravan said.

In the case of Nilgiris, if no fresh positive case is reported in the coming days, the hill retreat is likely to be the first district to get into green zone in the state from orange.

The Nilgiris reported nine cases, with the last positive detected on April 10. The district has not reported a new case in the past 18 days. The last patient, a 19-year-old boy from Kandal area in Ooty, was discharged from ESI hospital in Coimbatore on Monday.

Officials said swift action in tracing the contacts and strict implementation of containment measures helped in arresting the spread. Kathiravan said he came to know about the arrival of Thailand nationals on March 15. They were quarantined the next day. Even before their test results came, authorities traced people who came in close contact with them and they were also quarantined. “The Thailand nationals were in contact with 694 people of 169 families. All of them were quarantined immediately,” Kathiravan said.

In the Nilgiris, where borders were sealed even before a statewide lockdown was announced, all those with a travel history were screened. Officials said 1,471 people with travel history were traced and quarantine, curtailing the spread.

Authorities in the two districts are cautious to prevent return of the virus. “The four containment zones in the district will remain sealed till completion of the 28th day,” collector J Innocent Divya said.

“Though work under MGNREGA and essential construction activities are going to start in a day or two, the lockdown protocol will be maintained,” she said.

Kathiravan said they are keeping a tight vigil on the district borders. “We will not allow people from other districts and states to enter Erode unless there is an emergency,” he said.