Follow Goa model to fight corona, CM tells districts

Follow Goa model to fight corona, CM tells districts

Sujit Mahamulkar & Bhavika Jain TNN

Mumbai: 13.05.2020

CM Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday suggested that some of Maharashtra’s districts can battle the coronavirus by taking a leaf out of Covid-free Goa’s playbook, including house-to-house surveys and treating all patients.

Making it clear that district borders would not be opened anytime soon, Thackeray, addressing district authorities over video conferencing on Tuesday, asked them to submit to the Centre their plans detailing how to ease restrictions during Lockdown 4.0 by Friday. He also instructed them to focus on containment zones, and take precautionary measures so that the infection does not spread from there.

“The CM has suggested that a few districts should implement the Goa pattern and start house-to-house surveys to check not only for symptoms of Covid-19 but also for monsoon-related diseases to stem illnesses,” said an official, pointing out Goa is about the size of a Maharashtra district.

Reviewing the situation of the Green, Orange and Red Zones, Thackeray said even if the lockdown is relaxed in the immediate future, the district boundaries will not be opened, considering the mass movement of migrant labourers. The CM asked all district collectors and divisional commissioners to review if the exodus of migrants has caused any shortage of manpower, and fill it with locals.

Discussing the advent of monsoon, he said “district authorities should take care about water-borne diseases, put the medical system on alert and take help from private practitioners,” he added.

The Hindu is India’s fastest growing English daily, fourth time in a row

The Hindu is India’s fastest growing English daily, fourth time in a row

It has added 4,61,000 readers, 1,03,000 more than The Times of India did

13/05/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

The Hindu has consolidated its leadership position as the fastest growing English daily in India with its Total Readership (TR) growing by 6% and Average Issue Readership (AIR) by 4% in the fourth quarter of 2019 over the corresponding figures for the third quarter, registering the highest growth rate among the top three national English dailies. The Times of India and the Hindustan Times have declined in AIR. The Hindu has added 4,61,000 readers nationally over the third quarter, which is 1,03,000 more than what The Times of India did, says the Indian Readership Survey’s recent report released by the Media Research Users Council in the fourth and final quarter of the calendar year.

In south India, The Hindu has witnessed the highest TR of 46,70,000, which is higher than that of The Times of India. The Hindu’s performance is attributed to sustained leadership in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and gains in Karnataka.

The Hindu continues to be the largest read English daily in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, in terms of both TR and AIR. Its AIR in Tamil Nadu is higher than that of The Times of India and The New Indian Express combined. The Hindu has witnessed a consistent growth in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. In Karnataka, The Hindu has grown by 10% in AIR, whereas The Times of India and the Deccan Herald have declined.

L.V. Navaneeth, Chief Executive Officer, The Hindu Group, said, “It is heartening to note that we have witnessed continued growth in all four quarters, even as we continue to disseminate verified information during these challenging times. We are thankful to our readers and to our advertisers for the continued support of our quality and credible journalism.”

PM announces ₹20 lakh crore economic stimulus package

PM announces ₹20 lakh crore economic stimulus package

It will focus on self-reliance; lockdown to continue with significant changes

13/05/2020, NISTULA HEBBAR,NEW DELHI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said a new-look Lockdown 4.0 beyond May 17 was in the offing, while announcing an economic stimulus package for ₹20 lakh crore (estimated at 10% of the GDP), with a clearly defined leap towards economic reforms that will, in his words, lead to Atmanirbhar Bharat, or a self-reliant, resilient India.

This amount includes packages already announced at the beginning of the lockdown, incorporating a slew of measures from the RBI and the payouts under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana.

‘Relook at systems’

Addressing the nation on television, Mr. Modi said the whole world was reeling from the crisis engendered by the COVID-19 pandemic, as was India. In this crisis, however, India had had an opportunity to look at systems and institutions that were in existence before the crisis hit and how they crumbled. “We have been hearing for many years that the 21st century will be India’s century and this crisis is, I believe, one that carries a message, that we have to move forward not just to combat the crisis but to prevail,” the Prime Minister said. “That can happen when we are self-reliant.”

Ramped-up capacity

He gave the example of India’s ramped-up capacity in producing Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits and N-95 masks required by medical personnel and frontline health workers to illustrate his point that India could achieve this.

“When the first case hit us, we didn’t produce either of these things. Now, within weeks we have the capacity to produce 2 lakh of PPE and 2 lakh of N95 masks everyday,” Mr. Modi said.

Clarifying that by self-reliance he did not mean insularity and suspicion of the world as in the past, but embracing the world in the spirit of Vasudheva Kutumbakam (the world is one family).

“Self-reliance in this sense is neither exclusionary nor isolationist, it is for helping the world, with our actions. In the past whenever we have acted it has impacted the world in a positive way — be it solving the Y2K riddle in 1999 or our campaigns against open defecation, tuberculosis and polio,” Mr. Modi said.

He said that the new edifice of this self-reliant India would be based on the five pillars of the economy, infrastructure, demography, technologically driven systems and to strengthen demand and supply chains, with the supply chains being based on local sourcing.

Follow Goa model to fight corona, CM tells districts

Sujit Mahamulkar & Bhavika Jain TNN

Mumbai: 13.05.2020

CM Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday suggested that some of Maharashtra’s districts can battle the coronavirus by taking a leaf out of Covid-free Goa’s playbook, including house-to-house surveys and treating all patients.

Making it clear that district borders would not be opened anytime soon, Thackeray, addressing district authorities over video conferencing on Tuesday, asked them to submit to the Centre their plans detailing how to ease restrictions during Lockdown 4.0 by Friday. He also instructed them to focus on containment zones, and take precautionary measures so that the infection does not spread from there.

“The CM has suggested that a few districts should implement the Goa pattern and start house-to-house surveys to check not only for symptoms of Covid-19 but also for monsoon-related diseases to stem illnesses,” said an official, pointing out Goa is about the size of a Maharashtra district.

Reviewing the situation of the Green, Orange and Red Zones, Thackeray said even if the lockdown is relaxed in the immediate future, the district boundaries will not be opened, considering the mass movement of migrant labourers. The CM asked all district collectors and divisional commissioners to review if the exodus of migrants has caused any shortage of manpower, and fill it with locals.

Discussing the advent of monsoon, he said “district authorities should take care about water-borne diseases, put the medical system on alert and take help from private practitioners,” he added.

Age no bar: 93-year-old with hypertension beats Covid

Age no bar: 93-year-old with hypertension beats Covid

Mumbai:13.05.2020

A 93-year-old woman from Mazagaon became one of the oldest in the city to recover from Covid-19 and go home. The woman, who has hypertension, beat challenges posed by her age and fought the infection with minimal oxygen support.

She was admitted to Saifee Hospital, Charni Road, on April 17 and discharged about 10 days later. “We hope her story gives hope to other patients,” said director Dr Vernon Desa.

The nonagenarian, in a video circulated on social messaging groups, said, “What helped me pull through was faith and inner strength, besides care and support of doctors and nurses.”

Intensivist Dr Deepesh Aggarwal said that her recovery has shown how it’s not chronological age that matters, rather biological age. “She’s the second patient above 80 to recover and go home,” he said, adding that even people with co-morbid conditions shouldn’t think of Covid as a death sentence. “With timely care, most patients can go home as mortality rate is just about 5%,” he said.

In another successful recovery, the BMC also released a video of a Covid-19 patient from Dharavi who recovered from Nair Hospital. “Doctors gave me confidence that I recovered despite my condition being so bad. I urge those in slums to maintain social distancing and ensure hygiene,” said the patient. TNN

First train from city to Delhi in 51 days: Some reach stn 7 hours early

First train from city to Delhi in 51 days: Some reach stn 7 hours early

ManthanK.Mehta@timesgroup.com

Mumbai: 13.05.2020

The brows were furrowed, but there was a hint of a smile on their faces. After all, they were headed home. In fact, such was their eagerness to board the first train to roll out of the city since the lockdown began that a few of the 1,100 passengers going to Delhi turned up at Mumbai Central station as early as 9am for the 5.30pm departure.

While the early birds were accommodated in the reservation area adjacent to the station, there were several from outside the city who arrived breathless, after having had to struggle to find road transport to reach the station.

The passengers all had their faces covered with masks or handkerchiefs. The exception was a woman from Airoli who was dressed in a complete PPE suit. She was clearly taking no chances.

Inside the station premises, the railways had drawn squares to ensure social distancing among the passengers.

The passengers underwent thermal screening at Mumbai Central

84,000 leave city, most to UP, Bihar

Mumbai police have received 3 lakh applications from migrants to return to their home states and districts. Around 84,000 of them have left by train, bus or in private vehicles. “At least 40,000 took Shramik trains” said a cop, adding that most of them left for UP and Bihar. P 4

First special train: Woman in PPE suit visiting pregnant daughter in Gurgaon

The passengers had queued up—first to get their body temperature checked through thermal screening, and then to board the train. Unlike other AC services, there are no curtains, linen or blankets on these special trains. There is no catering either.

Western Railway’s chief public relations officer Ravinder Bhakar said, “The first train from Mumbai Central for New Delhi departed at 5.30pm. It had 1,487 passengers on board, including 1,107 from Mumbai Central, 97 from Surat, 83 from Vadodara, 23 from Ratlam and 177 from Kota stations.”

Indian Railways has decided to gradually restart services. As part of this plan, 15 pairs of services are being operated from various parts of the country to and from New Delhi. Mumbai Central is one of the 15 destinations.

Meanwhile, several passengers said New Delhi was not their final stop. They intend to travel to other states. Puneet Singh said, “I will continue my journey to Haridwar from Delhi. I had registered for an e-pass for the purpose.” Kapil K, who lost his job with a private firm, said he would travel to Ghaziabad from Delhi. “I want to be with my family. Here expenses are rising.” Sahib Singh plans to travel to Punjab from Delhi.

Airoli’s Mamta Khatri, who came wearing a PPE suit, said, “I had ordered the PPE kit online to keep myself and others safe. I am visiting my pregnant daughter for her delivery in Gurgaon. I had to ask my relatives to log into the IRCTC site from multiple locations as booking the tickets was challenging.”

New Delhi-based Farah Khan said, “My sister, a cancer patient, died on March 18 and I could not travel back home due to the lockdown. My husband booked the tickets for me and our two children.”

“There are 20 coaches in this train, including 11 third AC, five second AC and one first AC sections, two power cars and a pantry car,” said a railway official. The fares start at Rs 1,850 for third AC.

While the railway had suspended regular services since the lockdown, from May 1, it had been operating Shramik Specials for migrants.

Special train passenger Mamta Khatri from Airoli ordered the PPE kit online “to keep myself and others safe”

SevenHills hospital discharges its 1,000th coronavirus patient

Mumbai:

BMC on Tuesday discharged the 1,000th patient from its SevenHills hospital in Marol, which is being used for Covid-19 patients. Civic officials said 1,006 patients have been discharged from there so far. Hospital staff cheered them as they headed out after battling the virus and their luggage was sanitized. The patients thanked the staff too.

The hospital has 898 beds, which BMC plans to increase to 1,300 by month-end. Mumbai has been reporting hundreds of cases daily. TNN

› All 30 trains booked for a week, to ferry 1.7L, P 5

Flying safest to avoid virus, says Airbus

Flying safest to avoid virus, says Airbus

Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi: 13.05.2020

When flights resume and you take to the skies again, do not panic when someone on the rows ahead or behind you sneezes or coughs.

There is minimal risk of the dreaded coronavirus — assuming the person sneezing or coughing is an undiagnosed infected and is wearing a mask — finding its way to you by transmission through air inside the cabin, according to European aerospace major Airbus. The aircraft manufacturer says its cabin airflow and filtration systems virtually rule out airborne transmission of contaminants like coronavirus on flights. To be sure while airborne transmission has been ruled out, Airbus reiterates everyone onboard must follow heightened norms of hygiene like disinfecting hands and wearing masks, decontamination of surfaces and controlled boarding to ensure that the virus does not spread through surfaces of common touchpoints.

“The air inside an aircraft is extremely clean due to filtration by hepa filters and is recycled every two to three minutes. Moreover, the airflow happens only from top to bottom and air is sucked out at the bottom of the floor which does not happen on any mode of surface transport. These three factors make air inside the cabin clean and safe,” said Anand Stanley, Airbus (India and South Asia) president and MD, to TOI.

Full report on www.toi.in

2 die of cardiac arrest in Shramik Special trains

2 die of cardiac arrest in Shramik Special trains

Satna/Betul (MP):

Two passengers of Shramik Special trains died of cardiac arrest in separate incidents in Madhya Pradesh, police said on Tuesday.

Amigrant worker travelling to Uttar Pradesh's Gonda district and another person returning to Bihar's Aurangabad district died in special trains in the last two days, an official said.

Akhilesh Kumar Rana, who worked at a hotel in Pune, was returning to his hometown in Gonda district, when he fell ill and was disembarked at Majhgawa railway station in Satna district on Monday, he said. Doctors declared him dead and initial investigations revealed that he had suffered a cardiac arrest, he said.

In a similar incident, a man travelling from Tamil Nadu to Bihar's Aurangabad district was declared dead at Aamla Railway station in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district.Nandkumar Pandey (62), who was travelling with his wife and daughter, had boarded a special train to Bihar from Kathpadi in Tamil Nadu, Aamla's tehsildar Neeraj Kalmegh said. However, he suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday night after the train left Nagpur and he was disembarked at Aamla railway station, where doctors declared him dead.

The deceased's wife Indu said they were in Tamil Nadu for her husband's treatment, but were stranded there because of the Covid-19 lockdown and had decided to head home after special trains were announced. AGENCIES

A migrant worker travelling to UP’s Gonda district and another person returning to Bihar’s Aurangabad district died in special trains in the last two days, an official said

State govt sweats over AC trains

State govt sweats over AC trains

Says Travellers Face Risk Of Virus Infection

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Thiruvananthapuram:  13.05.2020

The state government has expressed concern over operating air-conditioned trains between New Delhi and Kerala. Carrying large numbers of people in AC trains will increase the risk of Covid-19 transmission, it pointed out.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the state government has written to the Union railway ministry urging it to operate only sleeper coaches. “There is a high risk of transmitting the disease in air-conditioned compartments and several such instances have been reported in the country. Hence we have requested that AC compartments be avoided,’’ the CM said.

In Punjab, of the 4,198 people who travelled in AC buses,1,217 contracted the virus. The transmission occurred during the travel. Hence, it is most advisable to avoid travel in AC coaches, he said.

The state government, in its letter to the railway minister, said 29,366 guest labourers were sent to different states in 26 trains. All the trains were sleeper coaches and till date there has been no report of any transmission of the disease among them.

Social security mission director Dr Mohammed Asheel said that transporting people from highly infected zones in AC compartments involves a big risk. “They will be in the coaches for more than a day and this increases the chance of an asymptomatic carrier infecting fellow travellers,’’ he added.

The state government also expressed concern over persons being allowed to board the Rajdhani Express without any testing. There is every risk the state will have to face the consequences of a mass outbreak. It asked the railway ministry to ensure that enough precautions are taken by passengers and maximum social distancing is ensured in trains.

Meanwhile, the government has also asked the Centre to allow stops at all major stations in the state. At present, Kozhikode, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram are the only designated stops.

“A person from Kasaragod will have to disembark at Mangaluru and travel by road to reach home. This has to be avoided. Hence the train should stop at all the major stations,’’ the chief minister said.

A man sprays disinfectant on a train before it rolls out of New Delhi station on Tuesday

This Telugu surgeon globetrots flying jet to deliver med supplies

This Telugu surgeon globetrots flying jet to deliver med supplies

Uttara.Varma@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad  13.05.2020

: On the frontline of the pandemic, Dr Venkataramana Vijay has his battles cut out both in the ICU and in the cockpit. The New Yorkbased surgeon and pilot has been delivering medicines from across the globe as cases continue to rise in the US.

The Telugu-American heart surgeon now pilots a Boeing-747 jumbo jet. “Earlier I used to spend half the month flying and half in the operation theatre. But now, I have been travelling to China, Japan and Malaysia to help get medical requirements for the country to help during the pandemic,” says Vijay.

The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) currently regulates cargo operations which includes the operations of Sky Lease Cargo, for whom Vijay works. He has so far flown over 500 tonnes of medical gear such as masks, gloves, PPE equipment, testing kits and ventilator parts to the US.“In China, we land in Changsha and Zheng Zhou, very close to Wuhan, because central China is the manufacturing hub even for medical supplies,” said Vijay, adding that even if one person falls sick, all four pilots would be quarantined.

For Vijay, coming to the US was a forgone conclusion in 1989, considering the opportunities and his family’s academic background. Being a doctor, was a result of not being great at maths, he laughs. But being a pilot was a passion — as his class 2 teacher wrote in his report card — which he pursued after establishing himself as surgeon.

Vijay says seeing hospitals such as Mount Sinai, where he works, teeming with patients reminds him of trauma following 9/11. “I treated patients suffering from asbestos inhalation at that time. As a healthcare provider you realise that the physical wounds can be treated, but one has to hand hold a patient through mental trauma.”

Aspirants allege irregularities in PG seat allotment

Aspirants allege irregularities in PG seat allotment

Question Why GO550 In Force All Of A Sudden

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Hyderabad: 13.05.2020

Postgraduate (PG) medical aspirants, after protesting the fee hike of medical seats in private colleges, are now alleging that there are irregularities in seat allotment in the first phase of counselling.

While students claimed seats in various specialities in the open category are not allotted, the medical university officials said the seats, which are left vacant in this phase, will be filled in the second phase by taking GO 550 into consideration.

PG aspirants claimed that allotment is not carried out according to the reservation matrix released by the Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences (KNRUHS), the medical university which is conducting counselling on behalf of the state.

“Initially, KNRUHS released a seat matrix. Later, it was modified according to high court orders on diploma seats. However, the seat allotment is not done according to either of these matrices,” said Bharath, a PG aspirant.

He also questioned why GO 550, which was not implemented last year, is being implemented this year.

“The said GO can be implemented for those seats, which are not allocated. What about those open category seats, which are already converted to reserved category,” questioned another aspirant.

The Telangana Doctors Federation said that the varsity should look into these allegations and address the issue. “Higher officials should look into the matter and do the needful,” said PS Vijayender, state convener of the federation.

As per GO 550, open category seats have to be filled based on merit irrespective of reservation category. Later, reserved seats are to be filled as per norms. In case a reserved candidate secures seat in the open category on merit basis and leaves it for better chances in the reserved quota, that vacant seat has to be filled up with a candidate from the same reserved category on merit basis.

“Students have no reason to worry. Seats are not going anywhere and will be filled up following all norms. In the second phase, vacant seats will be filled by taking the said GO into consideration,” said B Karunakar Reddy, vicechancellor, KNRUHS.

DGHS Notice dated 12.05.2020

Lockdown doubts

‘Lockdown 4.0 in new form, with new rules’

‘Lockdown 4.0 in new form, with new rules’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:  13.05.2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday confirmed that there would be a fourth phase of lockdown, but said its contours would be very different from the rules that shaped the three national lockdowns since March 25, with the last scheduled to end on May 17.

“Lockdown 4.0 will be completely different and will have new rules. I am confident that we will, while fighting the virus by following the rules, move forward,” Modi said, adding the new rules, based on the suggestions from chief ministers, would be announced before May 18.

The remark was seen as an indication that the new anti-coronavirus protocol will allow for accelerated exit from the lockdown to facilitate resumption of economic activity and normalcy.

The PM said ways had to be devised to ensure the virus didn’t set India back. “Experts and scientists are unanimous that the virus will be part of our life for a long time to come. But we cannot let ourselves be hostage to it. We will wear masks and follow the two-yard distancing norm, but will not give up the pursuit of our goals,” he said.

Exit from lockdown may come with a containment strategy

Modi’s reference suggests that exit from the lockdown will come alongside a containment strategy which will seek to identify, contain and prevent hotspots. The experimentation with businesses being allowed to open with reduced staff strength and social distancing is seen to have delivered encouraging results and more relaxations will follow.

The country has already seen the first steps to restore mass transport and the possibility of metro and air services being reopened soon is very likely. The home ministry guidelines are expected to allow more services to function and these will almost certainly include expanded delivery of non-essentials by e-commerce companies.

Modi's comments are also seen in the light of his message to chief ministers on Monday that graded opening of the economy will continue apace alongside vigorous containment efforts. On Tuesday, he said life could not be held hostage to coronavirus and there was a need to work towards targets while exercising due caution.

Imortant Public Notice Northern Railway

Can’t restrict home quarantine to 14 days: HC

Can’t restrict home quarantine to 14 days: HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:13.05.2020

Delhi high court has said that the home quarantine period for Covid-19 patients cannot be limited to the mandatory 14 days as there is no certainty about the virus’ virulence, gestation period or the time taken for an infected person to manifest the symptoms.

Justice C Hari Shankar said that at a time when Covid-19 has the world “befuddled” and the administration is “traversing uncharted territory”, it needs to be given the freedom to lay down and implement its policy to deal with the pandemic. “The executive must, in such a circumstance, be afforded the requisite play in the joints, so as to formulate and implement its policy, as meaningfully and efficiently as possible. Absent any legal or constitutional infraction, courts have to be slow in subjecting executive action taken in context of the novel coronavirus crisis to searching judicial scrutiny,” the high court observed.

“In this background, this court is unwilling to hold that in each and every case, the period of home quarantine must stand limited to 14 days and no more,” it added. The court, however, noted that any person not displaying the symptoms of infection nor having tested positive for the disease, if quarantined for more than 14 days, can represent against it to the authorities to the authorities who have to either give reasons for it or lift the restriction..

The court’s observations came while disposing of plea questioning the manner in which the authorities were implementing the guidelines as one of the 72 families, which had contact with a Covid-19 infected pizza delivery person, was put in quarantine for over 30 days.

The order came on the petition by one Amit Bhargava, who alleged he was put in home quarantine from midnight of March 24-25, when he had first contact with the delivery person, till April 28 — for a period of over 30 days as against the stipulated 14 days. However, the high court rejected the argument of Bhargava’s lawyer that there was no justification to put him under home quarantine of more than 14 days.

The court said that the administration needed to be given the freedom to lay down and implement its policy to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic

CM seeks feedback on future relaxations

CM seeks feedback on future relaxations

Says Inputs To Be Added To Final Submission

AlokKNMishra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:  13.05.2020

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Delhi and other states to submit suggestions on lockdown relaxations after May 17, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal invited suggestions from people of Delhi on how to ease the restrictions. The government will discuss these with doctors and experts and submit a detailed roadmap to the central government. Delhi government wants to strike a balance between fighting the novel coronavirus and saving lives and rejuvenating the economy and livelihoods.

Suggestions can be sent on the toll-free number 1031, WhatsApp number 8800007722 or by email to delhicm.suggestions@gmail.com by 5pm on May 13.

Within hours of the CM’s invitation at a press conference on Tuesday, hundreds of suggestions started pouring in. An official said in seven hours, three lakh WhatsApp messages and 5,000 emails were received, while 25,000 people called on the phone number released by the government. Some market associations sought the reopening of markets on an odd-even basis, while some traders have demanded allowing public transport with all precautions and strict social distancing.

At the press conference Kejriwal said, “The PM wanted to know from the states the level of relaxations and restrictions they desired and asked them to send their suggestions to the central gover nment by May 15, based on which it will decide on activities post-May 17.” The Covid lockdown had earlier been extended up to May 17.

“I want the views of Delhi’s people on lifting the lockdown. The coronavirus is spreading and full removal of lockdown will not be a good idea,” Kejriwal said. “I want your suggestions on the tenure and level of relaxations, on the sectors that should get relaxation, and whether buses, autorickshaws and Delhi Metro should begin.” He also wanted to learn whether Delhiites thought markets and industrial areas opening was acceptable.

He, however, cautioned, “If the restrictions are lifted, we have to maintain social distancing, wear masks and follow precautions. While it is a time to stop the spread of Covid-19, there is also a need for resume economic activities.”

Kejriwal clarified that there would be no “voting” on the suggestions collected by Delhi govenrment. The ideas submitted by the people would be discussed with medical and other experts and a set of recommendations prepared for submission to the Centre by May 15.

The 50 days of closure have hit the economy and livelihoods in Delhi. Kejriwal’s view has been that all economic activities should be allowed with the necessary precautions, including social distancing, in non-containment zones, because a prolonged freeze would cause severe damage to businesses and livelihoods. Kejriwal had recently stated that the novel coronavirus was here to stay and it was time people learnt to live with it. The city currently has 81 coronavirus containment zones.

PM Raises Stimulus Size To 10% Of GDP

PM Raises Stimulus Size To 10% Of GDP

Will Total ₹20L Cr; Goes ‘Vocal For Local’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:  13.05.2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the government would unveil a Rs 20 lakh crore package to help nurse the economy back to health and also unleash a new set of reforms focussed on land, labour, liquidity and legal frameworks that would power India’s push for self-reliance.

Addressing the nation a day after he had held detailed deliberations with chief ministers and days before Lockdown 3.0 ends, the PM said the mega package would be announced over the coming days by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman even as he strongly identified the theme of “atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India)” that he said wouldn’t be a self-absorbed vision but would rather make the country a part of global supply chains — seen as part of the overall strategy to attract foreign companies planning to shift from China.

Modi said the package, which includes measures already announced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the finance ministry, would be equal to 10% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). The RBI had announced support equal to 3.2% of GDP and the Garib Kalyan Yojana unveiled by Sitharaman on March 26 accounted for 0.8% of GDP.

The PM’s speech included a promise that new reforms wouldn’t ignore migrant labour and those whose livelihoods had been hit hard by Covid-19 and a call to be “vocal for local” .

There was a specific reference to “rediwalas and thela walas (street vendors)”, part of the flow of migrants leaving cities in droves in the face of the pandemic’s economic impact, along with references to cottage industry, MSME, middle class, industries and other sectors.

Economy doesn’t need incremental steps but a quantum jump: Modi

Outlining the need for bold steps, the PM said the economy did not need incremental steps but a quantum jump and added this was one of the “five pillars” of a selfreliant India. The others are infrastructure, a tech-driven system that delivers on the dreams of a modern India, demography that is vibrant and demand that is fed by supply chains capable of meeting the needs of a growing nation. He added that this includeed a rational tax system.

Aware that the unprecedented lockdown had hurt people’s earnings,Modi sought to buoy spirits by saying though the threat was unparalleled, there was no room for tiredness, being defeated or dispersing in the face of the disease. He said no goal was impossible and India had the means and will to set targets and meet them.

Highlighting their contribution to the country and the suffering they have had experienced, Modi said the package would also focus on empowering the poor, labourers, migrants and others from both organised and unorganised sectors.

To put the overall package in context, the government had announced a package equivalent to 4% of GDP during the global financial crisis in 2008-09. The Rs 20 lakh crore package compares with Germany’s 10.7% of GDP and more than the 9.7% of GDP package unveiled by France to tackle the impact of Covid-19 on their economies. Several experts had called for a big stimulus which the government seems to have accepted except that it will be split into several components.

Modi underlined the importance of strengthening all stakeholders in the supply chain to increase, as well as fulfil, demand and made a strong pitch for local manufacturing and local products. He said the crisis had taught the country of the importance of local manufacturing, local market and local supply chains. “All our demands during the crisis were met ‘locally’. Now, it’s time to be vocal about local products and help these local products become global,” Modi said as he called for a self-reliant India.

The PM said self-reliance would prepare India for tough competition in the global supply chain, and it was important that the country won this competition. He said the same theme had been kept in mind while preparing the package. “It will not only increase efficiency in various sectors but also ensure quality,” he added.

Modi said the definition of selfreliance had undergone a change in the globalised world and clarified that when the country talked about self-reliance, it was different from being self-centred. He said India’s culture considered the world as one family, and progress in India was part of, and also contributed to, progress in the whole world. He said the world trusted that India had a lot to contribute towards development of the entire humanity.

Full report on www.toi.in

A girl watches PM Modi’s address to the nation at her home in Bikaner on Tuesday

FULL COVERAGE: P 2-16

Kerala to enforce strict rules for train returnees

Kerala to enforce strict rules for train returnees

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Thiruvananthapuram  13.05.2020

: In line with the protocol set for those seeking to return to the state from other states via road, the state government has made entry pass and registration mandatory for those arriving by train also.

“The person/s with valid railway ticket for journey to Kerala should apply for entry pass in covid19jagratha portal https://covid19jagratha.kerala.nic.in. The persons who have already applied for pass in the portal, opting different modes of travel other than train, should resubmit the application afresh, indicating the mode of travel as train,” a government order in this regard said.

It said passengers included in a single ticket should form ‘a group’ while submitting the application for pass in the ‘covid19jagratha’ portal. “The details of departing station, destination station, train/special train number and PNR number must be entered in the portal,” it said.

The details of passengers will be verified at the arriving station, and a medical screening will be conducted.

Full report on www.toi.in

Excise lays down rules for functioning of toddy shops in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram/ Kochi: The excise department has issued a set of guidelines for the functioning of toddy shops, that will open from Wednesday, based on the lockdown regulations.

According to the guidelines issued by excise commissioner S Aananthakrishnan, customers will have the permission to buy toddy as parcel to their houses, and will not be allowed to consume it in the shop or the premises. The toddy shops have been denied permission to cook and serve or sell food. All toddy shops will have to maintain adequate soap and water for hand washing, and the employees should use face mask and gloves while working.

The premises should be sanitized every day before beginning to function and the public will not be allowed to gather near the toddy shops. Each customer is allowed to hold a maximum of 1.5 litres of toddy only at a time. The shops have been asked to ensure that not more than 1.5 litres is sold to a customer. TNN

All trains booked for a week, to transport 1.7L passengers

All trains booked for a week, to transport 1.7L passengers

Dipak.Dash@timesgroup.com

New Delhi  13.05.2020

: By Tuesday evening, almost all 30 special trains being run by railways were booked for the first seven days. Officials said over 90,000 tickets were sold for 1.69 lakh passengers.

Nearly 8,000 passengers boarded the first eight special trains which started their journey from six different stations on Tuesday. Another nine special trains will start from the originating stations on Wednesday. “Almost all trains are booked for a week and on average each of them will accommodate between 800 to 1,100 passengers. In a week, we will be ferrying around 1.7 lakh passengers,” said an official. Railways also said nearly 6.8 lakh stranded guest workers, tourists and students have been transported by Shramik Special trains till Tuesday afternoon, which was the biggest ever evacuation exercise that the India Railways has undertaken.

According to sources, maximum booking of 12,845 berths for passengers were done on Howrah-New Delhi special trains followed by Bengaluru-New Delhi (11,643) and Dibrugarh-New Delhi (11,172). The other three special trains which saw maximum booking of passengers were Mumbai-New Delhi (10,991), New Delhi-Dibrugarh (10,722) and New Delhi-Howrah (10,174). There will be daily operation of special trains on these routes. Officials said it’s taking a couple of days for mobilisation of the rakes at the required stations for running these trains.

Meanwhile, the health department of Delhi government issued a standard operating procedure saying that all asymptomatic people reaching the national capital would be allowed to go to their respective homes.

Full report on www.toi.in

JOURNEY OF LIFETIME: Passengers at New Delhi railway station on Tuesday. Many reached the station hours before the departure time

Tickets sold out, no social distancing on trains to Delhi

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 13.05.2020

Tickets on Chennai-New Delhi AC train scheduled to depart on Friday and Sunday were sold out soon after bookings opened on Tuesday morning.

Reservation status of these two trains – one on Friday and another on Sunday – has touched wait list 1 and bookings have been suspended because waitlist is not allowed on the services. The train will have one AC First Class coach, five AC 2 tier coaches coaches and 11 AC 3 tier coaches.

However, there will not be social distancing in the train as passengers will be occupying all berths unlike in Shramik special trains for guest workers where middle berth and one side berth was left unoccupied.

The high fare, air conditioned coaches in violation of ministry of health's order for confined space and mandatory download of Arogya Setu app to travel have caused a concern among passengers. However, several have decided to take the risk because for them travelling to their home or work is crucial.

And booking was not easy. K V Bharadwaj, who works in Delhi, who had booked to travel on Friday, said “I tried to book soon after I heard about the train. I tried on Monday evening but a message popped up that booking has been postponed to 6pm. I had to try whole night before I got through by around 9.45am.”

He is happy that he managed to get the ticket. “I have to reach Delhi. Its AC train. But I do not worry about the risks. All I need is travel for work.” The Delhi-Chennai train too was sold out soon after booking opened on Monday night.

Sriharan Balan of Madura Travels said that “Several people wants to go to Delhi because they have been stuck here for so many days. More than 2,000 people are looking to travel to Delhi alone. There are more numbers waiting for flights and trains. Some have personal emergencies others have to report for work.”

However, people raise concern about the way in which the trains are going to be operated inspite of a request from the state government.

T Sadagopan, a frequent traveler and consumer activist, said “There is a need to ensure safety of passengers. The air-conditioned train is in contradiction to the government stand which warned against using airconditioned buildings. The service will be a risk for the people who travel because they can pick up infection as there is no social distancing and people have to share toilets. It may be fine for a two hours to four hours journey but not for a journey that lasts for several hours.”

Reservation status of the two trains – one on Friday and another on Sunday – has touched wait list 1 and bookings have been suspended because waitlist is not allowed on the services

Lockdown doubts

Rickshaw, taxi drivers leave for home in their vehicles

Rickshaw, taxi drivers leave for home in their vehicles

The drivers, who usually go home during the summer, may not return soon this time

12/05/2020, AJEET MAHALE,MUMBAI

Auto drivers heading for their home towns stuck in a traffic jam at Kasara ghat.Special Arrangement

Taxi and autorickshaw drivers in the city have decided not to follow the precedent set by most migrants in the city: walking, cycling or even going home in trucks. The drivers are leaving for their hometowns in their own vehicles, most of them without the requisite permit or no-objection certificate from the police.

“We don’t know what is going to happen. There is no clarity on whether we will get seats on trains, and hence, people have taken this decision,” said Jharilal Pandit, a rickshaw driver from Marol.

Hundreds of drivers have already left the city and many more are preparing to do so, and the city could see a shortage of autorickshaws and taxis once the lockdown is lifted. May is usually when they leave for their hometowns, but the lockdown has ensured many more go. “Around 3,000 taxi drivers may have left by now,” said A.L. Quadros of the Mumbai Taximen’s Union. Had the government done something to help them through April, fewer people may have gone, he said.

“Several rickshaw drivers have already gone. Some were stopped at toll nakas and check posts, but were eventually allowed to go. There is fear among drivers as to what will happen if they remain in the city,” Mr. Pandit pointed out.

Union officials said rickshaw drivers were going in groups of 15 or 20, either with their families or with other drivers. “We are a group of 15 autorickshaw drivers and have stocked up on dry rations as well as key spare parts in case of a breakdown,” said a rickshaw driver from Jharkhand who wished to remain anonymous. He said they planned to take several halts along the way and drive cautiously. “There is no requirement for us to reach home at the earliest. But we want to leave this city as soon as possible,” he said.

Thampi Kurien from the Mumbai Rickshawmen’s Union, estimated that 10% of the city’s autorickshaw drivers may have left. “We can no longer tell them to stay back. There is no saying when this lockdown will end. It’s a risky journey, but so is going by foot. I only get calls from drivers once they cross the border. Had the State government acted sooner in helping them, this would not have been the situation,” he said.

Transport department officials said they were preparing to create an online application to help drivers get a temporary permit to travel outside the State. “The permit is usually taken by several taxi drivers who go home during the summer. Typically, the number of taxi and rickshaw drivers in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region drops by around 15%,” a senior transport department official said.

However, while most of them usually come back after the summer break ends, Mr. Pandit believes those who have left this time will only return once things stabilise in the city.

Mumbai-Delhi train fully booked in minutes

Mumbai-Delhi train fully booked in minutes

Ticket costs ₹2,420 for now; passengers to be screened before boarding

12/05/2020, AJEET MAHALE,MUMBAI

(Left) Hoping to catch a vehicle to return home, migrant workers and their family walking on the Mumbai-Nashik Highway on Monday; and migrants from Uttar Pradesh on board a truck. Arunangsu Roy Chowdhury

Minutes after the online ticket window opened on Monday evening, the first special Mumbai-Delhi train to be run on Tuesday was completely booked. The train will leave Mumbai Central at 5.30 p.m. and reach New Delhi railway station at 9.05 a.m.

The tickets can only be booked through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation portal or the mobile application, with a forward booking window of up to one week. Barring 15 pairs of trains, all other trains are still cancelled.

A dynamic pricing policy is in force, with tickets priced according to the Rajdhani Express rates. A ticket between Mumbai Central and New Delhi costs ₹2,420.

Passengers have been asked to arrive at the station at least 90 minutes before the departure time. The ticket also mentions that dry, ready-to-eat meals and packaged drinking water “will be available in the train on payment”. The trains only have three-tier air-conditioned (AC), two-tier AC and First AC compartments. “Passengers will be checked before boarding. Any passenger who shows signs (of COVID-19) will not be allowed to board,” said Ravinder Bhakar, chief public relations officer, WR.

No linen will provided on trains and there will be minimal staff. The number of stops have also been curtailed. Mr. Bhakar said the train was fully booked, including the middle berth in three-tier AC coaches.

The Railways were initially not allowing the Shramik Special trains for migrant workers to run at full capacity in line with physical distancing norms. The reduction of the middle berth in Shramik Special trains had reduced each coach’s capacity to 54 seats from the regular 72 seats. As a result, the trains have only been carrying between 1,100 and 1,200 passengers every day.

However, a few days ago, railway officials said the policy had been changed to allow middle berths. This will add nearly 400 seats to each train’s capacity.

Order issued for full salary of nurses, govt. tells HC

Order issued for full salary of nurses, govt. tells HC

12/05/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,KOCHI

The State government has informed the Kerala High Court that it has issued an order directing all private hospital managements to pay nurses full salary and not to reduce the number of nurses in their respective hospitals.

The government made the submission when a public interest litigation against the move of the private hospital managements to reduce salaries and cut down the strength of the nurses came up for hearing.

According to the petitioner, Prakash John of Thrissur, Union Ministry of Labour and Employment had directed all the Chief Secretaries to ensure that private sector employees were not terminated from service or their wages reduced in the name of lockdown.

The State Labour Department had also issued a similar order. Despite these orders, the private hospital managements were going ahead with the move to reduce the salary of nurses and in some cases terminate them, the petitioner alleged.

First flight with NRIs to land in Kannur today

12/05/2020, STAFF REPORTER,KANNUR

The first flight to the Kannur International Airport with expatriates will arrive from Dubai on Tuesday. The Air India Express flight, which will take off from Kannur at 10.30 a.m., will return with around 180 passengers from Dubai at 7.10 p.m.

In addition to the 109 passengers from Kannur, 47 from Kasaragod, 12 from Kozhikode, seven from Malappuram, three from Mahe, and one each from Wayanad and Thrissur will return.

V. Thulasidas, managing director, Kannur International Airport Limited (KIAL), said the district administration in association with the police and Health workers had put in place a comprehensive system for receiving, inspecting, and quarantining the passengers. Pregnant women, their partners, children below the age of 14, and those above 75 years of age will be sent to their homes, while those with symptoms will be shifted to hospitals and COVID Care Centres.

The passengers will be released in groups of 20. Health officials will then conduct a medical examination. Five special counters have been opened at the airport for the purpose. Those with COVID-19 symptoms will be shifted to a special observatory.

Three special trains to run in SCR jurisdiction

Three special trains to run in SCR jurisdiction

Rajdhani fare to be charged, passengers told to carry own food

12/05/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,HYDERABAD

One pair of 15 special trains to be run by the Ministry of Railways is Secunderabad-New Delhi one which will originate on South Central Railway while two pairs of other special trains — KSR Bengaluru – New Delhi and Chennai Central – New Delhi will pass through as per the following schedule:

Train No. 02437 Secunderabad-New Delhi AC Superfast Special Train will depart Secunderabad on Wednesdays commencing from May 20 at 1.15 p.m. and arrive New Delhi at 10.40 a.m. on the next day. In the opposite direction, Train No. 02438 New Delhi-Secunderabad AC Superfast Special Train will depart New Delhi on Sundays commencing from May 17 at 4 p.m. and arrive Secunderabad at 2 p.m. on the next day. Enroute, the train will stop at Nagpur, Bhopal and Jhansi stations in both directions.

Train No. 02691 KSR Bengaluru–New Delhi AC Superfast Special Train will depart KSR Bengaluru commencing from May 12 at 8.30 p.m. arrive / depart Secunderabad at 7.55/08.05 a.m. on the next day and arrive New Delhi at 5.55 a.m. on the second day. In the opposite direction, Train No. 02692 New Delhi- KSR Bengaluru AC Superfast Special Train will depart New Delhi commencing from May 12 at 9.15 p.m. arrive/depart Secunderabad at 6.20/6.30 p.m. on the next day and arrive KSR Bengaluru at 6.40 a.m. on the second day. It will stop at Anantapur, Guntakal, Secunderabad, Nagpur, Bhopal and Jhansi stations in both directions.

Train No. 02433 Chennai Central-New Delhi AC Superfast Special Train will depart Chennai Central on Friday and Sunday commencing from May 15 at 6.35 a.m. and arrive New Delhi at 10.30 a.m. on the second day. In the opposite direction, Train No. 02434 New Delhi- Chennai Central AC Superfast Special Train will depart New Delhi on Wednesday and Friday commencing from May 13 at 4 p.m. and arrive Chennai Central at 8.40 p.m. on the second day. Enroute, the train will stop at Vijayawada, Warangal, Nagpur, Bhopal, Jhansi and Agra stations in both directions.

These special trains will have only AC coaches — first, second and third AC — with Rajdhani fares. Passengers are encouraged to carry their own food and drinking water. Dry, ready to eat food and bottled water will be provided on demand inside on payment basis. No stalls on the platforms will be open and no train side vending is permitted.

Tickets can be booked only online (www.irctc.co.in) or through mobile app.

Students stuck in Delhi pay ₹2 lakh to travel to Hyderabad

Students stuck in Delhi pay ₹2 lakh to travel to Hyderabad

Coordinate among themselves to return home by road

12/05/2020, RAVI REDDY,HYDERABAD

Some of the students who managed to travel in an SUV from New Delhi. By ArrangementBy Arrangement

Fortyseven days of endless waiting with no relief in sight due to lockdown amid COVD-19 pandemic, desperate students and UPSC civil services aspirants were forced to shell out anywhere between ₹ 8,000 to ₹ 10,000 per head to move out of Delhi and reach their native places in Telangana.

Close to 200 students from Telangana studying in various educational institutions and some others preparing for civils made a last ditch effort to hire buses and cabs to get out of the containment zones in the National Capital Region.

One such air conditioned sleeper bus left Karolbagh on Saturday evening with 27 students. They paid a whopping ₹2.06 lakh to hire the bus. The 53-seater bus was allowed to carry half of its capacity duly following the Centre’s direction on social distancing and other precautions. The 1600 km journey would take close to 40-hours. Two more buses are bound for Hyderabad from Noida.

Nightmarish days

Ranadeep Reddy, a civil’s aspirant and native of Mancherial district said: “We decided on road travel after we, nearly 200 students, were told it was not possible to arrange special trains. We found a travel bus ready to take us to Hyderabad and we informed the Toll Free number of the Telangana government the bus number and other details and got vehicle pass.”

B. Shravya, another civil’s aspirant, who is travelling in one of the bus said the Whatsapp group created by the TS students helped them to coordinate and plan their travel to Hyderabad. “Although the thought of road journey is scary, but we have no other option,” she said.

Lucky students

Ashfaq and 12 other students were lucky as they managed to get seats in an Innova and a Tempo Traveller which came to New Delhi to drop teachers from different Kendriya Vidyalayas working in Hyderabad. “All 13 of us paid ₹10,000 each to get a seat in the two vehicles,” Ashfaq said adding that they had to take the risk of travelling such long distance to reach their families in Hyderabad. The students had a tough time finding food. Mercifully, a dhaba owner near Nagpur pitied them and cooked food after the cooks were given mask, sanitiser and gloves.

For D. Venu, driver of the SUV it was a memorable experience on his maiden trip to Delhi. “I had driven long distance carrying the Ayyappa devotees umpteen number of times. But, this was altogether different experience. We did not get even a cup of tea for almost 200 kms after crossing Nagpur. We managed with biscuits and fruits,” he said expressing satisfaction at ensuring safe journey for the passengers.

Awaiting vehicle

Atram Sayudha of Utnoor in K.B Asifabad district, who is still stuck in New Delhi said they were in all six students from Old Adilabad district. “We are confident of hiring a four-wheeler in the next two days to reach our native places,” he added. All those entering Telangana at Adilabad border check post had to undergo thermal screening. Medical teams put home quarantine stamp for 14 days.

Dialysis wards are latest source of COVID-19 spread

Dialysis wards are latest source of COVID-19 spread

Primary source for at least 40 patients in L.B. Nagar zone are the wards of two corporate hospitals in city

12/05/2020, SWATHI VADLAMUDI,HYDERABAD

Kidney patients need dialysis at regular intervals for blood purification, for which they need to visit hospitals even during COVID-19 lockdown. Representational photo

Dialysis patients getting treated at two renowned corporate hospitals in the city have been the latest source of COVID-19 infection in the L.B. Nagar zone, which has of late become the hotspot for the virus spread in city and Telangana.

The primary source of infection for at least 40 COVID-19 patients in LB Nagar zone are dialysis wards of the two hospitals, one located in Malakpet and another in Musheerabad.

Kidney patients need dialysis at regular intervals for blood purification, for which they need to visit hospitals even during COVID-19 lockdown.

Officials under the condition of anonymity informed that over 10 persons undergoing dialysis at the two hospitals have tested positive for COVID-19 and one of them died of the complications.

The patients are all from Kapra and Saroornagar circles. Thirty of their family members and close contacts contracted the infection, which was revealed only during aggressive testing, a circle level official informed. Though the patients were diagnosed a while ago, the primary contacts were not tested immediately, as they did not show any symptoms. The decision to test all primary contacts was taken recently, following which there was a spurt in the number of positive cases.

“The elderly dialysis patient, who died recently, had 13 members in his family, of whom 10 tested positive. We have exhausted all primary contacts, and hopefully, there won’t be any spurt in the coming days,” said the official.

The number of cases from L.B. Nagar has spiralled recently, even as the cases from almost all the other areas in the city are showing downward trend. Total cases from five circles of the zone — L.B. Nagar, Saroornagar, Hayatnagar, Uppal and Kapra — stand at 74 as on Monday, of which 61 are active cases. Seven persons died and six have been discharged.

Before the spurt caused by the dialysis units of the corporate hospitals, the source of infection was a single person — a groundnut trader in Malakpet. He is surmised to have contracted it from a Suryapet contact. The trader got himself admitted in a private hospital near Vanasthalipuram with complaints of bodyache and fever, but was offered wrong treatment for dengue.

Many visitors

“While he was in hospital, several members of his family and extended family visited him, which resulted in the disease spreading far and wide,” an official informed. The hospital has now been closed, and all the staff have been quarantined.

When a few members of the trader’s extended family attended a birthday party, the infection spread even wider.

As per official information, the number of his primary and secondary contacts who contracted the infection stood at 22.

The trader’s aged father, and his brother with other co-morbidities, died of the COVID-19 complications. The trader, however, is on the path to recovery and may soon be discharged.