States get ₹11,092 crore for COVID-19

04/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday approved the release of ₹11,092 crore under the State Disaster Risk Management Fund (SDRMF) to all the States to take measures for containment of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funds were allocated to the States on the recommendation of the 15th Finance Commission.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot suggested to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday that the Centre release ₹1 lakh crore to tackle the pandemic and the ramifications of the 21-day nationwide lockdown.

Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s videoconference with Chief Ministers, “the Central Government has released in advance its share of the first instalment of SDRMF for the year 2020-21, amounting to ₹11,092 crore, to augment funds available with the State governments,” a statement by the MHA said.

Maharahstra which has reported the highest number of cases has been allocated ₹1611 crore. Kerala with a higher number of cases, however, has been allocated ₹157 crore, lower than most States, including Uttar Pradesh which gets ₹966 crore, Odisha ₹802 crore, Rajasthan ₹740 crore, Bihar ₹708 crore, Gujarat ₹662 crore and Madhya Pradesh ₹910 crore.

The SDRF is the primary fund available with the States to meet the expenditure of immediate relief to the victims of disasters.

Bhopal-based firm to make testing kits

04/04/2020, STAFF REPORTER,BHOPAL

Bhopal-based 3B Blackbio Biotech (I) Ltd. is going to be the second Indian firm to produce real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 testing kits, after securing the approval of the Centre on April 2.

A subsidiary of KILPEST India Ltd., the firm’s production capacity of 10,000 kits a day will give a leg up to testing efforts across the country, after its kits were cleared by the Indian Council of Medical Research. So far, Pune-based My Labs has been supplying kits, besides imports from the United States.

IIT-Roorkee develops ventilator

04/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

Amid the growing demand for hospital ventilators due to the COVID-19 pandemic, IIT-Roorkee has developed a low-cost portable ventilator in association with AIIMS-Rishikesh, which can be manufactured for just ₹25,000.

On Friday, the machine was presented to more than 450 companies and several have expressed interest in commercial production, IIT-Roorkee said. Named ‘Prana-Vayu,’ the closed-loop ventilator can deliver the required amount of air to the patient, with an automated process. controlling the pressure and flow rates.

Over two fold rise in domestic violence cases: NCW

There is also a threefold increase in police apathy towards women’s plaints

04/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

The first week of the nationwide lockdown, which has left many facing job losses, uncertainty over salaries, forced isolation and stressed households, has resulted in a steep rise in violence against women. The National Commission for Women (NCW), which receives complaints from across the country, has recorded more than a two fold rise in gender-based violence.

The total complaints from women rose from 116 in the first week of March (March 2- 8), to 257 in the final week of March (March 23-April 1). Complaints of rape or attempted rape have risen sharply from two to 13, while cases of domestic violence have increased from 30 to 69 over the same comparative period. Simultaneously, there has been an almost three fold increase in police apathy towards women’s complaints, with the NCW receiving 16 complaints on the issue as compared to six earlier.

Similarly, complaints relating to the “right to live with dignity” too have doubled, rising from 35 cases to 77.

Such cases could pertain to discrimination on the basis of gender, class or caste or all three of them combined.

Activists believe that these may only be the tip of the iceberg, as many women will not be able to reach out because of restrictions on movement and lack of privacy inside homes.

Jagori, a Delhi-based NGO, which runs helplines for women victims of violence, has, in fact, experienced a 50% drop in calls.

“Women need to be at ease to make calls for help,” said Jaya Velankar, director, Jagori. “They need privacy, when they are certain that they will not be discovered by their family. But when the entire family is at home, it is difficult for them to call the helpline,” she added.

“Lockdown can’t mean that you save me from a virus, but you expose me to other forms of violence,” said Senior advocate and women’s rights activist Vrinda Grover. She said that groups will be making a representation to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the issue.

Questions over foreign donations for PM-CARES

Income, expenditure details unknown

04/04/2020, PRISCILLA JEBARAJ,NEW DELHI

Indians were directed to mobilise donations from abroad with SWIFT code.

The government has sent conflicting signals over the question of foreign donations to the new Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-CARES) Fund.

Initially, Indian ambassadors were directed to mobilise donations from abroad, with SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) code details made available in order to accept such contributions. However, the Centre has now seemed to take a step back, indicating that foreign funds would be accepted only from individuals and foundations, with details of foreign donations unavailable for now.

The PM-CARES Fund also does not seem to have any website with details of objectives, income and expenditure as yet, raising concerns about its transparency and accountability.

Repeated queries on these issues sent to a senior official at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) remain unanswered.

Public charitable trust

PM-CARES is a public charitable trust launched on March 28 as a “dedicated national fund with the primary objective of dealing with any kind of emergency or distress situation, like the one posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide relief to the affected,” according to the original press statement.

That statement, as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first tweets on PM-CARES, included both an IFSC code as well as a SWIFT code. However, the donation link on the PM’s website now says that “account details for foreign donations will be available in 2-3 days”. Only the IFSC code is available on the donation link.

Government sources now say that the “PM CARES Fund will simply accept donations and contributions from individuals and organisations who are based in foreign countries.” . They pointed to an official statement in August 2018 that contributions from “NRIs, PIOs and international entities such as foundations would be welcome.”

While this seems to indicate that the PM-CARES Fund will not accept foreign funds from governmental or corporate sources, it does seem prepared to accept unlimited tax-free donations from Indian corporates.

25,000 Indians stuck abroad, but govt. wants them to wait

MEA says move is important to ensure safety of the ‘larger community’

04/04/2020, SUHASINI HAIDAR,NEW DELHI

No entry: The government said it would not allow passengers to fly till the lockdown ends.ReutersReuters

Twenty-three-year-old Rahul V., an MBA student in East London, first heard about Air India flights coming to the United Kingdom from a British government website he has been tracking for the past two weeks, ever since India banned travel for passengers from the U.K. due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The student from Hyderabad, one of hundreds stranded in the U.K., among the about 25,000 Indians stranded in different parts of the world, says he felt let down when he was informed that the flights would go back to India empty as the government has refused to lift its strict ban on any passengers, including Indian citizens, to enter India.

“The British government is bringing its people home, despite the pandemic, it’s just sad that the Indian government isn’t doing the same,” he told The Hindu, disappointed that despite several flights being operated to the U.K. from April 4 by the national carrier, he cannot return home on them.

No change in rules

Indian missions in several other capitals are facing similar questions from thousands of Indian citizens who are stranded and need to return. Air India announced on Thursday that it would operate chartered flights to Paris, Frankfurt and London for citizens of the U.K., Germany, France, Canada and Ireland. In Germany, dozens of students recorded a videotaped appeal to the government, offering to pay full fare if Air India flights would accept passengers on the way back. However, the government says it will not change its decision to not allow any passengers, including Indians, to fly here from about 37 SARS-CoV-2-affected countries, until the lockdown ends, as it is due to, on April 15.

“We are asking stranded Indians to stay put wherever they are in view of local restrictions as well as travelling restrictions to and within India. This is good for their own health and safety as well as that of their family and larger community,” a Ministry of External Affairs official told The Hindu.

Among the Indians stranded worldwide are students whose universities are shut down, business travellers who were unable to return in time before the lockdown, and tourists who were stopped from boarding when the Indian travel bans went into place. The MEA did acknowledge that some of them had been stopped wrongfully, as airlines read the travel deadlines over-zealously or misinterpreted them, but pleaded helplessness at changing the rules for their return.

Significant backlog

Officials also point out that it will take some days to clear the backlog of passengers given their numbers, depending on how quickly regular commercial flights will be allowed to resume. Many of the passengers will need assistance as they have spent money buying tickets on airlines that cancelled flights and are unable to afford another full fare ticket. Finally, there remain questions about quarantine requirements for all those passengers returning home, given the limited quarantine capacity in India, and the Ministry of Health would have to take a decision on whether they can return right after the lockdown is lifted.

“Most of the students here are desperate now, and have no money. They are willing to do any job, even if it means catching the virus, because they are struggling to survive,” said Mr. Rahul, one of the several students The Hindu spoke to.

Reaching out daily

On the Indian High Commission’s helpline, and social media portals, several students like Mr. Rahul call or write in everyday, describing their problems, including details of ailing parents back home, health problems they have, trouble with the long supermarket queues for food, and difficulties in finding accommodation. Officials say they are coordinating their requests as much as possible, and have had to reach out to local NGOs and food aid groups as well as Indian student associations to help.

Take criticism in right spirit, says Congress

04/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

Rejecting Home Minister Amit Shah’s allegation that the Congress is playing partisan politics over COVID-19, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said that the party is only constructively engaged.

Mr. Shah in a tweet on Thursday had accused the Congress of playing petty politics. “High time they think of national interest and stop misleading people,” he had tweeted.

Mr. Sharma said that such allegations were completely baseless, and that the Congress, as a responsible and mature Opposition, has national interest at its heart. “Giving critical inputs or recommendations should not be misconstrued by the government. They should take it in the right spirit,” he said adding that the government should adopt whatever suggestions could be acted upo

Coronavirus death toll touches 62 in India

04/04/2020

“Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has appealed to patients and their families not to create any obstacle and allow the medical staff to discharge their duties. He is concerned about the violence against medical staff being reported from various part of the country,” Mr. Agarwal said.

Dr. Vardhan visited Dr. RML and Safdarjung Hospitals, on Friday, to review preparations to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak. At RML Hospital, the Minister visited the flu corner, emergency care center, trauma centre and corona screening centre while at Safdarjung he took reviewed facilities available at the super speciality block which has been converted into a COVID-19 isolation management centre, with 400 isolation and 100 ICU beds.

Meanwhile, the Home Ministry launched two more COVID-19 related helpline numbers —1930 (all India toll free number) and 1944 (dedicated to Northeast) in addition to the existing seven.

Supreme Court quashes I-T case against NDTV

04/04/2020, LEGAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

In a major relief for New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV), the Supreme Court on Friday quashed an income tax re-assessment notice issued by revenue authorities against the premier news broadcasting company.

Though the Income Tax department had accused NDTV of “round-tripping” finances in connection with a July 2007 issuance of step-up coupon bonds amounting to $100 million through its U.K. subsidiary, the Supreme Court stood firm to hold that the revenue authorities failed to show that the channel did not make a “full and true” disclosure of its income for the assessment year 2008-09.

“In our view the assessee (NDTV) disclosed all the primary facts necessary for assessment of its case to the assessing officer. What the revenue urges is that the assessee did not make a full and true disclosure of certain other facts… We are of the view that the assessee had disclosed all primary facts before the assessing officer and it was not required to give any further assistance to the assessing officer by disclosure of other facts. It was for the assessing officer at this stage to decide what inference should be drawn from the facts of the case,” the Supreme Court Bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao and Deepak Gupta held in its judgment.

The court held that NDTV had disclosed the fact “that step-up coupon bonds for $100 million were issued by NNPLC (the U.K. subsidiary).

However, the court found that the Revenue had sufficient reasons to believe that undisclosed income of the assessee escaped assessment, and therefore, there were grounds to issue the notice in question.

U.P. villages tense as many skip quarantine

04/04/2020

Eye in the sky: A policewoman testing a drone used to check gathering of groups during the lockdown in Prayagraj on Friday. APAP

The administration has taken action against such persons in across districts including Hathras, Sultanpur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Rae Bareli, Sitapur, and Azamgarh. Returning workers are being kept in primary schools or other buildings outside villages for a designated period before being allowed home.

In Rae Bareli on Thursday, an FIR was lodged against nine persons in Kubna village in Maharajganj tehsil for escaping the isolation centre built inside the local primary school.

In Rae Bareli, the district magistrate also ordered FIRs against 19 persons in Salon, Deeh and Nasirabad areas for escaping the quarantine centres and not following “quarantine norms.”

Hathras police officials on Thursday evening said they had lodged a case against 29 persons under Sections 269 and 270 of the IPC and Section 4 of the Epidemic Diseases Act for allegedly escaping the quarantine centre in Sarabar village in Sadabad.

Thirty-five persons were kept at the quarantine centre with some of them coming there recently after the huge influx of migrants fleeing home from cities like Delhi.

Police brutality

In Lakhimpur Kheri district, police are probing the death of a 25-year-old Dalit man Roshan who was found hanging in the fields of his village Thariya Pipriya on March 31 three days after he returned home from Gurgaon where he worked in a power tower firm. His family alleged that he was threatened and badly thrashed by policemen for allegedly escaping from the local quarantine centre, following which he hung himself.

Roshan had left the quarantine centre after his sister-in-law asked him to go to local flour mill to grind the grains, his brother Sipahilal said in his police complaint.

Superintendent of Police, Lakhimpur Kheri, Poonam said Roshan was not present at the quarantine centre when the verification was going on. “He was roaming outside the village,” she said, adding that policemen of Maigalganj had an altercation with him. Both constables have been sent to the police lines while a circle officer is probing the matter, Ms. Poonam added.

Conflicting statements

While Roshan’s family alleged that he had fractured his arm in the police assault and received other injuries, Kheri police said in a statement that no such injury was found in the autopsy and that the reason of death was hanging.

Kranti Kumar Singh, a political activist associated with the Samajwadi Party, questioned the credibility of the police probe saying they did not file any FIR against the constables. Mr. Singh said locals had a video footage showing injury marks on Roshan’s body. “He left hand was fractured and had swelling marks on his hip and right hand. That’s why he wasn’t cremated but buried so that a fresh autopsy can take place through a court order after the lockdown phase,” Mr. Singh said.

Awanish Awasthi, additional chief secretary home, said 40-50 persons had also left the quarantine centre in Hapur, adding that action would be taken against officials for laxity.

‘Practise yoga’

Mr. Awasthi appealed people to not leave the quarantine centres unnecessarily, saying it was in their interest, and even suggested that people can pass time by practicing yoga.

Briefing media on Friday, Mr. Awasthi also said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath instructed that the district police chief and district magistrate would be held accountable and action be taken against the concerned karmacharis if people escape from the quarantine centres.

Telangana sees 75 more virus cases

More cases linked to Tablighi Jamaat event confirmed in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka

04/04/2020, PRESS TRUST OF INDIA,HYDERABAD

Standing still: Boats anchored at Jalaripeta, Visakhapatnam, due to the lockdown on Friday. K.R. DEEPAK

Telangana had a fresh spike of 75 new coronavirus infections reported on Friday, taking its tally to 229. Andhra Pradesh confirmed its first COVID-19 death, while Karnataka had four new cases, of which one died, and Kerala registered nine.

Eleven patients have died at various hospitals in Telangana, two of them on Friday, while 32 were discharged after treatment. There were 26,586 persons with a history of foreign travel and their contacts under home quarantine.

In Andhra Pradesh, it was officially confirmed that a 55-year-old man who died a couple of days ago in a government hospital in Vijayawada had succumbed to the virus. This is the first coronavirus death reported in the State, where the total number of cases rose to 161, of which three had recovered.

The man had contracted the disease from his son, who returned from New Delhi after attending the Tablighi Jamaat congregation on March 17. “He came to the government hospital at 11.30 a.m. on March 30 for a check-up. His blood swab was sent for examination but in the meantime he died around 12.30 p.m. The patient was also suffering from hypertension and cardiac problems and was diabetic.

The delay in confirming the cause as coronavirus was due to his other ailments, State nodal officer Arja Srikanth said in a press release. The man’s son tested positive for COVID-19 on March 31 and was in quarantine.

“We have identified 29 others who came in contact with him and they were also sent to quarantine,” Mr. Srikanth added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister (Health) A.K.K. Srinivas said over 140 of 161 coronavirus positive cases in A.P. were related to the Jamaat event.

“Of the 881 blood samples of those who attended the Jamaat event, 108 turned positive. Results of another 65 are awaited.”

“Also, 32 of their contacts too tested positive for coronavirus,” Mr. Srinivas told reporters after a high-level review meeting with Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. The Deputy CM said of the 1,085 people who attended the Jamaat event from A.P., 946 had since returned and among them, only 881 had been traced so far.

Cases from Delhi

In Karnataka, four people, including three who attended the Jamaat meet in Delhi, tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday, taking the State total to 128, the Health department said in Bengaluru. The three men from Belagavi had attended the Jamaat meeting from March 13 to 18, while the fourth was a 75-year-old resident of Bagalkote, who died late at night.

The official bulletin said as of Friday, 128 COVID-19 cases had been confirmed in Karnataka, including four deaths and 11 who were discharged.

Of 114 active cases in the State, 111 (including a pregnant woman) were in isolation at designated hospitals and were stable, while three were in ICU (one on oxygen and two on ventilator).

Seven of the 128 cases confirmed were transit passengers of Kerala, who landed at airports in Karnataka and were being treated in the State.

Chief Minister B.S. Yediy urappa asked the labour department to deposit an additional ₹1,000 from the Construction Workers Welfare Fund in the accounts of 15 lakh labourers.

More cases in Kasaragod

Kerala reported nine new cases on Friday, with seven from the worst affected Kasaragod district, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said. One case each was detected from Thrissur and Idukki.

(With inputs from Vijayawada, Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram)

Rush at ration shops

04/04/2020,VELLORE

Ration shops in rural pockets of Tirupattur district witnessed large crowds as tokens for government aid were distributed on Wednesday. Residents who got tokens did not adhere to maintaining the stipulated distance between recipients.

In a fair price shop in Periangkuppam in Ambur more than 75 people had gathered in front of the shop at 6 a.m.

54 contract staff removed from payroll

04/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,PUDUCHERRY

The government has removed 54 contract workers at the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMC&RI) from the payroll for disrupting COVID-19 related medical services. Collector T. Arun on Friday issued an order removing them from service with immediate effect. Mr. Arun acted on the basis of a report submitted by the Dean of the institution.

“Their action shows clear dereliction of duty and also amounts to negligence on the part of officials in controlling the pandemic,” the order said. The report stated that the 54 contract workers abstained from work on April 2 and also interrupted other staff from discharging their medical duties.

The government had converted the medical college into a COVID-19 facility.

‘Firms can’t force employees to take leave without pay’

Experts point to government clarification

04/04/2020, SANJAY VIJAYAKUMAR,CHENNAI

Companies cannot force employees to take leave without pay amid the 21-day lockdown imposed by the government to control the spread of COVID-19, according to experts.

“In general, annual leave is a statutory entitlement to be availed at the employee’s discretion and as per terms of company policy. It cannot be forced upon the employees,” Vikram Shroff, head of HR Laws at Nishith Desai Associates, said. The government has clarified that employees shall be deemed to be on duty in case of a lockdown. The employer may treat it as leave without pay if an employee refuses to work from home, he said.

Mr. Shroff pointed out that as a result of a natural calamity, factories and industrial establishments may be able to lay off its workmen in compliance with law and the employer’s Standing Orders, subject, however, to the government notifications. S. Ravindaran, a senior advocate, said the legal compulsion to suspend the operations/activities in factories, shops, commercial establishments/offices, etc., did not result in denial of wages to employees, including contract workmen.

An employee could be denied wages only when he was absent from work or when he was on strike and, therefore, all employees, including contract workmen, were entitled to full wages lastly drawn by them during the period up to April 14, he said. S. Kannan, CITU president, Kancheepuram district, said the State government had to pitch in to clarify on the issue of wages.

“This is an extraordinary situation. Even in times of floods and cyclone, the recovery has been fast. If companies cut things like shift allowance or conveyance it is understandable. But cutting basic wages is not acceptable,” he said.

Aches and pains and a spot of exercise during COVID-19

04/04/2020

Since the lockdown, with restricted movement in place, a number of people have expressed concern about getting adequate exercise, among other things to be worried about. If you have a regimen in place and that is disrupted, anxiety may follow. Some people also have to, for medical reasons, get adequate exercise during the day.

We have also been flooded with calls, mainly from people with chronic issues — pain mostly. Since they are probably sitting at home in all kinds of odd postures and watching movies on the net or phone. We have been getting an extraordinary amount of calls from people complaining of backpain, shoulder and neck pain.

The general tips that I would give all these people anxious about getting exercise and those who must exercise, are:

1.Involve your family member (could be spouse, parent, sibling, child) in the exercise effort.

2.Try to use any available space inside the house, around the house or the terrace for exercises. About 30 to 40 minutes of brisk walk daily would be recommended.

3.Try to do some strength training too, using household things that you can lay your hands on, like waterbottles (filled with water), bags, etc. Free weight or body weight exercises such as squats, lunges, planks, etc., are helpful.

4. Do remember to warm up and stretch before the exercises.

5.Try to assign a fixed time to your exercise activity, which will ensure that you will follow your routine and wont skip it.

6. Keep an eye on your diet and temper it to suit your activity levels. Following the same diet that you were on when you were more active during the lockdown will only result in weight gain and misery.

7. Post surgery patients should stick to the physiotherapy schedule prescribed by their surgeon or therapist.

When in doubt about anything, it is better to be cautious and call your doctor and check.

T.N. prisoners make 36,000 surgical masks every day

Inmates with tailoring skills roped in to meet the demand

04/04/2020, S. VIJAY KUMAR,CHENNAI

Police Department is in need of masks for thousands of its personnel deployed on lockdown duty.

The prison authorities have pooled in the expertise of inmates with tailoring skills to increase the production of surgical face masks to meet the growing demand of the Police Department, which has deployed thousands of its personnel to enforce the COVID-19 prohibitory orders and maintain law and order in the State.

Shutting its tailoring units temporarily, the Prison Department commenced manufacturing of face masks. The inmates of Puzhal, Tiruchi and Coimbatore central prisons rolled out 3,000 face masks a day. With the police asking for more, Director General of Police Sunil Kumar Singh asked the inmates in three more central prisons to join the work and increased the productivity to 36,000 face masks per day.

“We are making proper surgical masks at a cost of ₹ 10 per piece. We have so far supplied 2.16 lakh pieces. Since there is an acute shortage of face masks in the open market, private hospitals and establishments are approaching us. We declined an order to make 1 lakh masks recently because our focus is on to meet the requirements of the police force,” Mr. Singh said.

Hand sanitisers

The prisoners are making hand sanitisers, but only for in-house consumption. The 135 prisons located across Tamil Nadu have a capacity of 23,392 inmates. The occupancy was brought down to 51% from 62% a week ago with hundreds held for petty offences released on bail. Since there was no public transport due to the lockdown, suspects released on bail were being dropped home in police vehicles.

The Prison Department banned family interviews for prisoners as part of measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.

However, it has procured smart phones to facilitate prisoners make video calls to their family. Convicts can make calls twice a week and undertrials, thrice.

Govt. told to provide rice, dal to non-cardholders at ration shops

HC wants physical distancing maintained when beneficiaries stand in queue

04/04/2020, LEGAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

The Madras High Court on Friday directed the State government not to insist upon the presence of migrant labourers and others who do not possess ration cards at the Collectorates concerned to obtain 15 kg of rice, one kg of dal and one kg of edible oil offered to mitigate the hardship caused by the nationwide lockdown to fight COVID-19.

A Division Bench of Justices Vineet Kothari and R. Suresh Kumar feared that asking people without ration cards to approach the jurisdictional Collectorates might defeat the object of maintaining physical distancing. Hence, they ordered that the essential commodities be supplied to such people too in the nearest ration shop itself. In order to keep a check over any irregularities in supplying the commodities, the ration shops must be ordered to submit the details of daily transactions to the Collectorate, they added.

‘Communicate orders’

The judges also requested Additional Advocate General P.H. Arvindh Pandian to communicate the orders passed by them to the Chief Secretary forthwith.

The directions were issued on a public interest litigation petition filed by P. Arularasu, who wanted essential commodities to be supplied even to those without ration cards. He said Aadhaar or driving licence should be permitted as alternative identity proof. However, the AAG told the court that even those without ration cards could avail the benefits at the Collectorates.

Passing interim orders in yet another PIL petition filed by advocate G. Rajesh, the Bench directed officials to ensure that physical distancing was maintained at ration shops when beneficiaries queue up.

Technical committee

The Bench further directed a technical committee led by the Health Secretary to consider a representation made by a litigant, P.A. Joseph of Chennai, to suggest ‘Kabasura Kashayam’, a Siddha medication, to boost immunity against COVID-19.

Though the litigant sought a positive direction to the government to prescribe it as a preventive medicine and also as a medication for treating COVID-19 patients, the judges left it to the discretion of the committee to take a call.

They recalled having passed similar orders early this week on a public interest litigation petition, which sought a direction to the government to consider providing alternative medication such as Siddha, Unani and homeopathy to treat COVID-19.

Meat shops to remain shut on Monday

04/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,CHENNAI

The Chennai Corporation has announced that meat shops will remain closed on Monday, on account of Mahavir Jayanthi.

In a press release, the Corporation warned meat shop owners that their licences would be cancelled if they violate physical distancing norms.

On Friday, civic officials were planning to close all 2,800 meat shops for 10 days to prevent crowding at such shops. Later, the decision was shelved by senior officials.

According to Corporation officials, most meat shops are crowded, increasing the risk of COVID-19. On Thursday, just 130 animals were slaughtered for meat in Corporation facilities. Usually, the number of sheep and goats slaughtered in the city is around 2,000, every day.

Mobile ATM makes withdrawals easy

04/04/2020, VIVEK NARAYANAN,CHENNAI

To prevent crowding at ATMs in St. Thomas Mount police district and to help families of police personnel and residents withdraw money without hassle, the police have tied up with the State Bank of India to operate a solar-powered mobile ATM.

There are 15 police stations in the St. Thomas Mount police district and there are hundreds of policemen living in the police quarters in the jurisdiction. Besides, there are thousands of apartment complexes.

K. Prabakar, Deputy Commissioner, St. Thomas Mount, spoke to the State Bank of India, Guindy, and arranged for the solar-powered mobile ATM.

“It will go to apartment complexes and police quarters, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., every day, till April 15. The machine and the van are disinfected frequently and people are made to use hand sanitisers before entering the vehicle,” the Deputy Commissioner said.

People are made to follow physical distancing norms while entering the vehicle to withdraw money. “Now we can withdraw money at our doorsteps,” said I. Senthil Kumar, who works in the St. Thomas Mount Deputy Commissioner’s office.

D. Kesvan, head constable, Tambaram police station, said such ATMs were helpful. “We no longer have to enter ATMs that are crowded at the beginning of the month,” he said.

At Stanley, robot takes on nursing duties

Device will help avoid overexposure

04/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,CHENNAI

The Health Minister inspecting the upcoming 500-bed COVID-19 facility at Stanley hospital.

Now, a robot delivers food, water and medication to patients admitted to the COVID-19 ward of the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital.

The hospital has introduced the “robot nurse” to reduce the number of times a healthcare provider, especially a staff nurse, interacts with a COVID-19 patient, according to hospital authorities.

The robot was put on trial for a few days at the hospital, and a staff nurse, who was posted at the ward, was trained in operating the robot, Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar said.

Protecting workers

The Minister, who inspected the upcoming 500-bed COVID-19 facility at the hospital on Friday, said: “The robot will help avoid overexposure for staff nurses. They can operate it and send food, water bottles and medicines for the patients in the COVID-19 ward.”

It is important to protect healthcare providers from infections, he added.

P. Balaji, dean of the hospital, said that they had deployed the robot so that the contact of a nurse with a patient is restricted. “It has a two-way camera too. We can also send books for patients using the robot. Our staff need not walk into the ward frequently and this will also reduce apprehensions among them,” he said.

Dr. Vijayabaskar added that the hospital was in the process of setting up a COVID-19 facility with 500 beds and 100 ventilators.

Family provides food for workers

Nearly 300 Metrowater, Corpn. workers are fed every day

04/04/2020, K. LAKSHMI ,CHENNAI

The workers have been struggling to find food, as eateries are shut by the time they finish work. K. Pichumani

Every day, a vehicle arrives at Kilpauk Water Works, not to fetch water, but to deliver homemade, piping hot food to workers at the public utility.

A family in Kilpauk has been preparing breakfast and lunch for nearly 300 workers of Metrowater and Chennai Corporation, in the locality, since the beginning of the lockdown.

The workers, including lorry drivers, at Kilpauk Water Works and zone 8, have been struggling to find food, as eateries are shut by the time they finish work, late in the afternoon.

A Metrowater official in zone 8 said: “Several lorry drivers are from other parts of the State, including Tiruchi and Madurai, and depend on eateries.”

The household of Ashok Parmar, a resident of Rajarathinam Street, gets busy at the break of dawn, and in four hours, breakfast and lunch is cooked, and is ready to be transported. Mr. Parmar’s family was involved in voluntary efforts during the 2015 floods as well.

“We serve lunch consisting a variety rice, with a side dish, to Metrowater workers, and breakfast and lunch to Corporation workers. We check the number of people who need food the previous day and they collect it from us,” said Mr. Parmar.

“It is our contribution for workers who are providing essential services during the crisis,” he said. Such voluntary efforts motivate workers to continue their work, a Metrowater official said.

Virus alert: eight clusters identified, access points sealed

25-30 people deployed in each cluster to check symptomatic cases

04/04/2020, ALOYSIUS XAVIER LOPEZ , R.
SIVARAMAN,CHENNAI

No entry: On Friday, the clusters were sealed by authorities and barricades placed at entry points to prevent movement of vehicles. S.R. Raghunathan

The Chennai Corporation has identified eight hotspot clusters in the city where multiple COVID-19 cases have been reported, and imposed strict restrictions on the movement of residents and traders in these areas.

On Friday, the clusters were sealed by authorities and barricades placed at various entry points to prevent movement of vehicles. Uniformed police personnel began guarding vantage points to ensure that residents did not venture out of their houses, even for buying essential commodities.

The Corporation has deployed 25 to 30 people in each cluster to identify symptomatic cases. “Once the symptomatic cases are identified, the doctors will come in. The person will be given an option to go to a private hospital. If not, the doctors will make arrangements for an ambulance to take them to government hospitals. Baseline data in hotspot clusters have been generated and more than 150 persons with symptoms have been admitted to hospitals,” said an official.

According to the government’s medical bulletin, 78 cases have been reported in Chennai Corporation limits till now. Many of the new positive cases reported in the clusters had attended the Nizamuddin event held recently, the police said.

In a cluster where five cases were reported, a police officer said, “The entire area is under quarantine. We follow standard protocols. It is more vulnerable, as the area is densely populated.”

Each hotspot cluster will have more than 50,000 residents. Some clusters have a significantly higher number of residents. Government agencies, however, are yet to make arrangements for supply of essentials in the clusters, officials said. Residents have requested officials to make arrangements for the supply of essentials.

102 more test positive

04/04/2020

Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar said that a majority of persons who had attended the Nizamuddin conference and had tested positive for COVID-19 in the last three days were asymptomatic. “We checked with the neighbouring States that have reported positive cases among those who had travelled to Nizamuddin. It seems that at least 40% of the persons who tested positive across the country are asymptomatic. Nevertheless, we will have to study this,” he said.

“We are planning to study the virus strain. We need to understand if immunity levels play a role, and look at the virulence of the virus.” The condition of all patients, including the 10-month-old baby and 73-year-old woman who had tested positive earlier, was stable, he added.

Ration cardholders to get dole at doorstep

04/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

The State government has decided to distribute the ₹1,000 cash aid to rice family cardholders at their doorsteps when the tokens are given to them to collect rations, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said on Friday.

Mr. Palaniswami told journalists in Chennai that since there was a possibility of crowding at the time of collecting financial assistance at ration shops, the money component would be distributed while the tokens were given. As for those who were not in a position to collect the assistance, they could do so till the end of this month.

In another decision, he said since journalists were involved in spreading awareness about COVID-19 and highlighting the government’s actions, a special assistance of ₹3,000 each would be distributed to accredited journalists.

Churches embrace technology

Live streaming of mass for the Holy Week planned

04/04/2020, KATHELENE ANTONY,TIRUCHI

Praying in solitude: A priest conducts mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral without members, in Tiruchi on Friday. M. MOORTHYM_Moorthy

With Holy Week and Easter round the corner, churches in Tiruchi are making special arrangements to make use of technology to reach out to the faithful in view of the prohibitory orders in force. Many churches are looking to stream sermons online, especially for Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

At St. Mary's Cathedral in Melapudur, it has been an unusual season of Lent. The 40 days prior to Easter, nearly 5,000 devotees gather at the church every evening to pray while keeping a Lenten fast. This year, however, they have been asked to follow the mass proceedings on television, says Fr. T. Sagayaraj, parish priest at the cathedral.

The church is mulling live streaming mass for the Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday on April 5, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday which will culminate with the Easter Sunday mass.

“It has been difficult to convince the devotees to stay at home. They are not satisfied with watching the masses on television too. For their satisfaction, we will be live-streaming it on our website and on Facebook,” he said.

At the church, three priests, including the parish priest have been conducting the regular mass proceedings through Lent in the absence of church members.

At the Infant Jesus Church, Edamalaipattipudur, Fr. Irudhaya Raj encourages his parishioners to read prayers and Bible verses. “Through the Bishop of the Tiruchi Diocese, all churches have been given booklets for people to read and pray at home. We are a little old-fashioned here,” he laughed.

At St. John's Church, the masses are recorded and shared by pastor Rev. S. Sudharshan and his assistant from the beginning of Lent season.

Govt. reaches out to community leaders

Officials drive home the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic

04/04/2020, DENNIS S. JESUDASAN,CHENNAI

Ominous warning: The signboard at a barricade at Villivakkam delivers the message effectively. K. PICHUMANIK_Pichumani

Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam on Friday chaired meetings with heads and representatives of religious communities in the Secretariat to explain to them the magnitude of COVID-19 and the need to contain it.

Leaders and representatives from various denominations of Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh and Jain communities took part in three separate meetings in which senior government officials and police officers participated. “The meetings were held primarily to seek cooperation from them and to explain the magnitude of the situation ,” an official said.

Prince of Arcot Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, one of the participants, praised the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami. “Even so many years ago, the authentic sayings of Holy Prophet Muhammad tells us that during epidemics such as plague and others, travel is banned and one should confine himself within the house. I told my Muslim brothers that we should support the government in its efforts,” Mr. Ali said.

Fr. Patrick Paul, secretary to Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore Most Rev. Dr. George Antonysamy, said: “The government explained the seriousness of the pandemic and steps we could take.”

Home Secretary S.K. Prabakar, Revenue Secretary Atulya Misra, Director-General of Police J.K. Tripathy, Health Secretary Beela Rajesh and Chennai Police Commissioner A.K. Viswanathan were present.

‘Ensure transparency’

Manithaneya Makkal Katchi founder M.H. Jawahirullah on Friday said the State government must be transparent in testing for COVID-19 Muslims who attended the Tablighi Jamaat conference in New Delhi. In a statement, he said names of the patients were released in a few districts and urged the government to clamp down on those spreading rumours and hate.

Govt. designates 21 hospitals for treatment of COVID-19

Four of the facilities are in Chennai

04/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Visitors at the isolation ward of the RGGGH in Chennai.B. JOTHI RAMALINGAMB. JOTHI RAMALINGAM

Twenty one hospitals, including four in Chennai, have been notified as designated hospitals for treatment of COVID-19 patients in Tamil Nadu. Each of these hospitals will cover patients from earmarked districts.

The Health and Family Welfare Department on Thursday issued a government order designating hospitals in 18 districts as “exclusive COVID-19 hospitals”.

Thirty seven districts in the State should have their own exclusive isolation room for admission and treating influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory syndrome patients.

Each district should have one exclusive quarantine facility, inside the health facility.

In Chennai, the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital and Block B of the Government Medical College Hospital, Omandurar Estate, are the designated hospitals for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts.

The Government Vellore Medical College Hospital will cover Vellore, Ranipet and Tirupattur districts. The Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital for Salem, the Government Erode Medical College Hospital in Perunthurai will cover Erode district.

The ESI Hospital will cover Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Nilgiris while the Government Medical College Hospital in Villupuram will cover Villupuram and Kallakurichi districts.

The Government Tiruvannamalai Medical College Hospital has also been designated while those in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri can go to the Government Dharmapuri Medical College Hospital.

Government Karur Medical College Hospital will cover patients from Karur, Dindigul, Namakkal while Raja Muthiah Medical College, Chidambaram, will cover Cuddalore. Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Tiruchi will cover Ariyalur, Perambalur, Tiruchi and Pudukottai districts.

The other hospitals and the districts that the institutions will cover are — the Government Thanjavur Medical College Hospital (Thanjavur), the Government Tiruvarur Medical College Hospital (Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam), the Government Sivaganga Medical College Hospital (Sivangaga and Ramanathapuram), the Government Madurai Medical College Hospital (Madurai and Virudhunagar), the Government Theni Medical College Hospital (Theni), the Government Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (Tuticorin, Tirunelveli and Tenkasi) and the Government Kanniyakumari Medical College Hospital (Kanniyakumari).

Avoid shopping daily, CM urges people

Strict action against those defying prohibitory orders, says Palaniswami

04/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Keeping morale high: Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami serving food in Chennai on Friday. PTIR Senthil Kumar

Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday urged people not to step out of their homes to shop daily for essential supplies. Instead, they should stock supplies at least for a week during the lockdown.

Mr. Palaniswami said the government would strictly implement the prohibitory orders since many were not taking them seriously.

After visiting three camps for migrant workers, he told journalists, “People should follow the instructions in the right manner. They should not go out to shop for essential supplies daily. They could shop for vegetables and provisions for a week.”

Some have not realised the seriousness of the pandemic. “Some are out on two-wheelers and many are coming in cars too,” he said and added that about 45,000 cases had been registered for violating prohibitory orders and 50,397 persons were arrested and released on bail. About 37,000 vehicles had been impounded and 92 cases were booked for spreading rumours and 95 persons arrested in that regard.

He warned that if people did not listen, then “law will do its duty.” The prohibitory orders were issued in people’s interest.

“Every family is important to the government and it is the government’s responsibility to ensure their safety. The people should cooperate by staying at home,” Mr. Palaniswami appealed.

Asked if the lockdown would be extended, he said: “The Centre has announced it until April 14. Wait and see.”

On the price rise in some places, he said though lorries with essential supplies were allowed to operate, not many were operating. The government had been taking steps to tackle this and action taken against those selling commodities at higher prices.

No salary cut

He replied in the negative when asked if the salary of government employees would be cut like in a few other States.

The Chief Minister visited camps in Raja Annamalaipuram, Velachery and Periamet, where migrant workers had been provided shelter, food and relief material. Workers from Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and so on were in the camps.

About 1.18 lakh workers from other States were working in Tamil Nadu. Municipal Administration Minister S.P. Velumani, Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar, Commissioner of Greater Chennai Corporation G. Prakash, and Chennai District Collector R. Seethalakshmi accompanied him.