கரோனாவுக்கும் தடுப்பூசிக்கும் கடும் போட்டி: வெல்லப் போவது யார்?

கரோனாவுக்கும் தடுப்பூசிக்கும் கடும் போட்டி: வெல்லப் போவது யார்?

ஒரு பக்கம் நாள்தோறும் புதிதாக கரோனா பாதிப்பு ஒரு லட்சத்தைத் தொட்டு வரும் நிலையில், ஒரு லட்சத்துக்கும் அதிகமானோருக்கு கரோனா தடுப்பூசி செலுத்தப்பட்டு வருகிறது.

கரோனா தொற்று பாதிப்பு கடந்த ஆண்டு மார்ச் மாதத்தில் இந்தியாவில் அதிகரிக்கத் தொடங்கியது. தற்போது அதன் இரண்டாவது அலை வீசி வருகிறது. ஆனால், ஜனவரி மாதம் தொடங்கிய தடுப்பூசி திட்டத்தின் மூலம் தற்போது வரை 8.70 கோடிப் பேருக்கு தடுப்பூசி போடப்பட்டுள்ளது.

நாட்டில் பொதுமக்களுக்கு போடப்பட்ட மொத்த தடுப்பூசிகளின் எண்ணிக்கை இன்று 8.70 கோடியைக் கடந்தது. இதையடுத்து தடுப்பூசி போடுவதில் அமெரிக்காவை இந்தியா விஞ்சியுள்ளது.

இன்று காலை 7 மணி வரை 8,70,77,474 தடுப்பூசிகள் போடப்பட்டுள்ளன. கடந்த 24 மணி நேரத்தில் 33 லட்சம் தடுப்பூசிகள் போடப்பட்டன. 81வது நாளான நேற்று 33,37,601 தடுப்பூசிகள் போடப்பட்டன. குறிப்பிடத்தக்க முன்னேற்றமாக, உலகில் வேகமாக தடுப்பூசிகள் போடும் நாடுகளில், நாளொன்றுக்கு சராசரியாக 30,93,861 தடுப்பூசிகள் என்ற அளவுடன் இந்தியா அமெரிக்காவை விஞ்சிவிட்டது.

தடுப்பூசி போடும் திட்டத்தை மத்திய அரசு தீவிரப்படுத்தி வரும் அதே நிலையில், நாட்டில் ஒரு நாள் கரோனா பாதிப்பு தொடர்ந்து அதிகரித்து வருகிறது. கடந்த 24 மணி நேரத்தில் 1,15,736 பேருக்கு புதிதாக தொற்று ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது. இவர்களில் 80.70 சதவீதம் பேர் மகாராஷ்டிரம், சட்டீஸ்கர், கர்நாடகம், உத்தரப் பிரதேசம், தில்லி, மத்தியப் பிரதேசம், தமிழ்நாடு மற்றும் கேரளத்தைச் சேர்ந்தவர்கள். நாட்டில் கொவிட் சிகிச்சை பெறுபவர்களின் மொத்த எண்ணிக்கை 8,43,473 ஆக உள்ளது.

தற்போதைய நிலையில், கரோனா பரவலைக் கட்டுப்படுத்த வேண்டும் என்றால், மக்களுக்கு தடுப்பூசி செலுத்தி நோய் எதிர்ப்பு சக்தி அதிகரிக்க வேண்டும். இந்த நிலையை எட்ட ஒட்டுமொத்த மக்கள் தொகையில் சுமார் 60 - 70 சதவீத மக்களுக்கு தடுப்பூசி செலுத்தப்பட வேண்டும். ஆனால், தடுப்பூசி போடும் திட்டம் தொடங்கி 3 மாதங்கள் ஆகியுள்ளன. வெறும் 3 மாநிலங்கள்தான் ஒட்டுமொத்த மக்கள் தொகையில் 5% பேருக்கு தடுப்பூசி போட்டுள்ளது.

தடுப்பூசி போடும் திட்டம் மூன்றாவது கட்டத்தில் உள்ளது. தற்போது 45 வயதுக்கு மேற்பட்ட அனைவரும் தடுப்பூசி போட்டுக் கொள்ளலாம். ஒருவர் இரண்டு டோஸ்கள் போட்டுக் கொள்ள வேண்டும். அப்போதுதான் தடுப்பூசி முழுமைபெறும்.

இதுவரை 45 வயதுக்கு மேற்பட்ட சுமார் 70 சதவீத மக்களுக்கு தடுப்பூசி போடப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதில் சத்தீஸ்கர் மற்றும் குஜராத் மாநிலங்கள்தான் 20 சதவீதத்தை எட்டியுள்ளன. நம் தமிழகத்திலோ 10 சதவீதத்தைக் கூட எட்டவில்லை. அதாவது 45 வயதுக்கு மேற்பட்டவர்களின் மொத்த எண்ணிக்கையில், 10 சதவீதம் பேருக்குக்கூட தடுப்பூசி போடப்படவில்லை.

மறுபக்கம், முதல் அலையை விட இரண்டாம் கரோனா அலை மிக வேகமாக உள்ளது. மகாராஷ்டிரம், மத்தியப் பிரதேசம், குஜராத், சத்தீஸ்கர் ஆகிய மாநிலங்களில், கடந்த ஆண்டு ஒரு நாள் உச்சபட்ச அளவைவிட இரண்டாவது அலையில் அதிகபட்ச பாதிப்புகள் பதிவாகிவிட்டன.

இந்த மாநிலங்களைப் போல அல்லாமல் தில்லி, மேற்கு வங்கம், தெலங்கானா, ஜம்மு - காஷ்மீர் ஆகிய மாநிலங்களில் உச்சபட்ச பாதிப்பில் 30-40% தான் பதிவாகி வருகிறது.

எனவே, ஒரு பக்கம் தடுப்பூசி போடும் திட்டம் தீவிரப்படுத்தப்பட்டு வந்தாலும், மறுபக்கம் கரோனா பரவல், நாள்தோறும் புதிய உச்சங்களைத் தொட்டு வருகிறது. எனவே, இவற்றில் எது வெற்றி பெறப் போகிறது என்பதை நாம்தான் தீர்மானிக்க வேண்டும். கரோனா தொற்றிலிருந்து காக்கத் தேவையான முன்னெச்சரிக்கை நடவடிக்கைகளை நாம் முறையாகப் பின்பற்றினால், பரவல் குறையும், மறுபக்கம் தடுப்பூசி திட்டம் வெற்றிபெறும்.

கடந்த ஆண்டு, கரோனா தொற்றை வீழ்த்தும் ஆயுதம் இன்றி பேரிடருடன் போராடினோம். ஆனால் இந்த முறை தடுப்பூசி எனும் ஆயுதம் உள்ளது. எனவே, எச்சரிக்கையுடன் போராடினால் வெற்றி நிச்சயம்.

Dailyhunt

It’s a moment’s pause then back to work for state’s political leaders

It’s a moment’s pause then back to work for state’s political leaders

Team TOI

08.04.2021

A day after polling ended, a photograph of MNM chief Kamal Haasan with film director Lokesh Kanagaraj seated inside an aircraft was circulated with the caption, “Arambikalaangala?’’ (Shall we begin?) suggesting that the shooting of the actor’s next movie was to commence. If Kamal headed to the shooting spot after a daunting month of campaigning in heat and dust, several other political leaders were relaxing on Wednesday. Most of them, however, either ruled out a vacation or said they are yet to decide on one.

Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami took a break at his house in Salem on Wednesday. Party functionaries said he preferred not to meet them for a day as he was suffering from a sore throat. “He may not take a vacation. He has no plans to travel for the next few days,” said a party functionary.

DMK partymen said they would unwind for a few days depending on the plans of their party chief M K Stalin. For Stalin, it was back to his normal schedule of going to Anna Arivalayam, his party headquarters, around 10am. “He met party leaders and received their feedback on polling,” said a DMK source. With the Covid spike, Stalin is unlikely to travel abroad, the source added.

Deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam was in his home in Bodinayakanur in the morning and later left for Periyakulam. “The deputy CM would visit Chennai in a day or two,” said sources close to him.

AIADMK leaders say they will continue to ‘serve the public’ as they are still ministers and MLAs. “The Covid situation is getting worse. So, it looks like back to routine work for me,” said revenue minister R B Udhayakumar, who was at his office in Madurai meeting party functionaries.

DMK’s PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan who was busy poring over databases to figure out reasons for poor voter turnout in his constituency, said a break was ruled out. “We have to do preparatory work for government formation,” he said.

Tamil Naduu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K S Alagiri spent the day quietly at his village Keerapalayam in Cuddalore district. “I went around our fields and spent time with the family after a long time,” Alagiri told TOI. Alagiri plans to get admitted to a hospital and go for a health overhaul.

It will be a complete rest for PMK founder-leader S Ramadoss and his junior Anbumani Ramadoss until the poll results are announced on May 2. “Both the leaders are with their families at Thailapuram Gardens in Villupuram. There is no specific schedule for the next one month,” said a party spokesperson.

ON TO THE NEXT TASK: The photo tweeted by director Lokesh Kanagaraj on Wednesday indicated that MNM chief and actor Kamal Haasan has begun shoot for his next film. (right) Revenue minister R B Udhayakumar in his office in Madurai

Party workers monitoring strong rooms in for long haul

Party workers monitoring strong rooms in for long haul

Shanmughasundaram.J@timesgroup.com

08.04.2021

After toiling for more than a month electioneering under scorching sun, Tamil Nadu political party leaders are not about to let their guard down. Counting of votes is 23 days away and the DMK and AIADMK leaders have deputed workers to keep vigil round-the-clock at strong rooms, where EVMs are being guarded.

A small group of trusted functionaries from each political party have been deputed for the crucial post-poll duty. They keep a close watch over the 75 counting centres across the state. A few of the functionaries TOI contacted said their party high command had instructed them to take turns to maintain vigil near the counting centres until May 2 when the votes would be counted.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has made elaborate security arrangements. It has deployed armed CRPF personnel in the inner circle (covering the strong rooms) of the three-tier security arrangement, while the TN special police, armed reserve police and local police would be deployed in the outer circle.

“But we don’t want to take any chances,” DMK spokesman Tamilan Prasanna told TOI, recollecting the illegal entry of a tahsildar into a strong room in Madurai after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. “We have deployed a chief agent and a group of functionaries to keep a close watch on the strong room,” said DMK’s Harbour constituency candidate P K Sekar Babu.

“Agents of the political parties, who were given identity cards, will be allowed inside the monitoring room where live feed is screened round-theclock. The footage will be recorded and kept safely until the election results,” said Tirupattur collector M P Sivan Arul.

“We normally keep a watch over the strong rooms during all elections, even at night,’’ said an AIADMK functionary in Coimbatore. Collector S Nagarajan said necessary measures were taken and political party workers need not worry. “The EVMs from all the constituencies were kept inside the strong room and sealed in the presence of cadres from all political parties. They will be opened in their presence only,” he said.

(With inputs from V Mayilvaganan, M K Ananth)

TIGHT VIGIL: CRPF personnel guard a sealed strong room containing EVMs from Trichy west and east constituencies

Offices can hold vax sessions from April 11

Offices can hold vax sessions from April 11

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:   08.04.2021

The health ministry has allowed workplaces — in both public and private sector — to organise vaccination sessions for their employees from April11 to ramp up the exercise amid rising infections.

However, only employees aged 45 years and above can get vaccinated and outsiders, including eligible family members, cannot be vaccinated at such sessions. The move is aimed at making the vaccination drive more “citizencentric” as a substantial proportion of the population aged 45 years and above work in the organised sector of the economy. The ministry also issued guidelines to support states/ UTs to help organise these sessions.

HC: Wear mask even if alone in your car

Upholding a Delhi government decision in 2020 to fine a single occupant of a car if they didn’t wear a mask, the Delhi HC on Wednesday ruled that a mask is a “suraksha kavach” and wearing it is compulsory even if one is driving alone in a private vehicle. This also holds true if one has been vaccinated, it said.

Beneficiaries will need to register on Co-Win portal

Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in a letter to all states and UTs: “Covid-19 vaccination sessions may be organised at workplaces (both public and private) which are having about 100 eligible and willing beneficiaries by tagging these work places with an existing Covid Vaccination Centre (CVC).”

The sessions will still require beneficiaries to register on the Co-Win portal prior to vaccination, and the workplace management will designate one of its senior staff members to be the nodal officer for coordinating with district health authorities or private CVC and support vaccination activities.

Facility for onsite registration will also be available, but only to employees of the workplace.

“The schedule of vaccination session can be made up 15 days in advance and intimated to the work place so that maximum attendance is ensured on the day of the vaccination.

“In most of the work places vaccination schedule may, however, be completed in less than 15 days,” the guidelines said.

“The work place CVCs staff engaged in COVID-19 vaccination will follow existing SOPs for vaccination and reporting adverse events following vaccination,” it added.

10 states left with just 3-4 days’ vaccine stock

10 states left with just 3-4 days’ vaccine stock

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

18.04.2021 

At a time when Covid cases are rising in the country, about 10 states face dwindling vaccine stocks.

The vaccination drive in Maharashtra’s Gondia district was stopped with the district left with just 20 doses while the drive slowed down in Yavatmal, Akola, Buldhana and Washim. Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar and West Bengal have stocks that would last them 3-4 days. This has hit plans to ramp up vaccination. In Tamil Nadu, which aims to vaccinate three lakh people a day, now that the assembly elections are over, the stock of 18 lakh doses will last about six days.

Active cases in city cross 10,000-mark

A total of 3,986 fresh cases were recorded in TN on Wednesday and active cases in Chennai breached the 10,000-mark with 1,459 new cases. While 17 deaths took the toll to 12,821, total cases touched 9.11 lakh. The state has 18.18 lakh doses of vaccine and one lakh people were being vaccinated every day. 

Vax crisis has hit plans to ramp up vaccination in many states

Many of these states expect doses to arrive soon and have been pushing the Centre for replenishments.

While Odisha got the intimation that it would receive 3.49 lakh doses of Covishield after April 15, state additional chief secretary (health) Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra wrote to Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Tuesday, seeking immediate supply of 15 lakh to 20 lakh doses of Covishield. With just 6.5 lakh doses left in stock, Odisha can manage to vaccinate people for three more days.

Andhra Pradesh faces a similar predicament. While its next big consignment — 10.8 lakh doses — is expected around April 15, the state can manage to vaccinate people for 3-4 more days. This can get extended by a few days if the scheduled tranche of 2 lakh doses reaches the state on Thursday.

West Bengal too is uncertain about stocks getting replenished. “We have been allotted about 21lakh more doses of Covishield but no date has been confirmed yet,” said Ashim Das Malakar,state family welfare officer. Following Wednesday’s vaccination, the state has about 12 lakh doses left.

Uttar Pradesh health ministerJai PratapSingh said thereis no shortage of vaccines in the state. However, the present stock —12.33 lakh doses —would last about 3-4 days with UP vaccinating 2.5-3 lakh people a day. The state is expecting about 5 lakh doses early next week.

With Punjab inoculating about 1.5 lakh people a day, its existing stock of about 5 lakh doses would pull the vaccination drive for about 4 more days. The state has raised a demand of about 15 lakh doses. The situation is similar in Rajasthan, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand.

The shortage has also hit plans to ramp up vaccination in many states. Rajasthan had ramped up its vaccination to 5 lakh a day on Tuesday and Wednesday. However, its plan to vaccinate 7 lakh day has now hit a roadblock.

(With inputs from Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Bhubaneshwar, Ranchi, Jaipur, Bhopal, Dehradun, Patna, Ahmedabad, Goa, Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai)

HC: All-pass fiat is uninformed political decision

HC: All-pass fiat is uninformed political decision

Sureshkumar.k@timesgroup.com

Chennai:08.04.2021

The state government’s order to cancel all arrear examinations of all college students is nothing but an uninformed political decision, said the Madras high court, making it clear that it is not acceptable to the court.

“It is inconceivable that a whole mass of students will be certificated to have qualified in a system without having basic knowledge in respect of key aspects thereof,” said the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy on Wednesday.

“There is no doubt that lakhs of students who had thought that they had cleared the particular course after writing their final semester may have to be held back because they did not clear previous papers – at the same time, unqualified persons cannot be certified to have qualified to pursue professional courses or even higher studies,” the judges said.

The bench directed the Tamil Nadu government and the UGC to put their heads together to suggest any ameliorative measures that could be taken by way of an examination or some other method.

The court passed the order while hearing pleas moved by advocate Ramkumar Aditiyan and former vice-chancellor of Anna University E Balaguruswamy challenging the government order.

When the plea came up for hearing on Wednesday, advocate-general Vijay Narayan submitted that the exemption had been granted only to arts and science courses since the regulatory bodies of other professional courses like medicine, engineering and law refused sanction.

Recording the submissions, the bench said, “what appears to have been done by the state is all those who wanted to rewrite their exams as deemed to have passed without conducting any form of test or evaluation.”

Referring to UGC guidelines, the bench said, “it does not provide for such a scenario, nor is it acceptable to the court.”

The court then directed the state to produce the fullest particulars on a university-to-university basis or, if possible, on a college-to-college basis as to the number of such applicants and the number of those who have been found qualified.

The court then adjourned the pleas to April 15 with a direction totheUGCandthestate to indicate what would serve the interest of the relevant students in the best way without compromising on the sanctity of the system, notwithstanding the pandemic.

The bench said the state government’s decision does not adhere to UGC guidelines not is it acceptable to the court

Lost at Kumbh 5 years ago, woman reunited with kin at Maha Kumbh

Lost at Kumbh 5 years ago, woman reunited with kin at Maha Kumbh

MS Nawaz TNN

Haridwar  08.04.2021 

In 2016, Krishna Devi got lost at the Ardh Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. Her family kept looking, filed a missing person complaint and published ads, but no leads came up. Five years on, a routine identity verification drive for another Kumbh Mela — the ongoing Maha Kumbh — suddenly led to the 65-year-old woman in Rishikesh, now reunited with her family at long last.

Krishna Devi’s story goes back to the loss of her daughter in 2016. “Her younger daughter had died. She left home to go to Haridwar. The Ardh Kumbh Mela was on,” sub-inspector of Kumbh Msela police in Rishikesh Deepak Rawat told TOI. Disillusioned and overcome with grief, she drifted away.

Just as the Maha Kumbh Mela started, police launched an identity verification drive. At Triveni Ghat shelter home, they came across Krishna Devi. When they ran her records, they found a missing person complaint from five years ago. Mela police got in touch with their counterparts in Udaipur, where the complaint had been lodged. Her identity confirmed, her family was told she had been found.

Wearing mask a must even while driving alone: Delhi HC

Wearing mask a must even while driving alone: Delhi HC

New Delhi  08.04.2021 

Wearing a mask while driving alone in a private vehicle is compulsory as it is a public place in the context of Covid-19, the Delhi high court held on Wednesday and described face covering as a ‘suraksha kavach’ or protective shield against the spread of the infection.

Justice Prathiba M Singh refused to interfere with the Delhi government’s decision to impose challans for not wearing a mask while driving a private car alone, saying a vehicle even if occupied by one person would constitute a public place.

“There are several possibilities in which while sitting alone in the car one could be exposed to the outside world. Thus, it cannot be said that merely because the person is travelling alone in a car, the car would not be a public place. Wearing of a mask therein would be compulsory in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic,” the court said. Masks are necessary irrespective of whether a person is vaccinated or not, it added.

Justice Singh’s ruling and observations came while dismissing four petitions by lawyers who challenged the imposition of ‘challans’ for not wearing a mask while driving alone in a private vehicle.

“The wearing of a mask is like a ‘suraksha kavach’ for preventing the spread of Covid-19,” the court said, noting that a mask protects the person wearing it and also those exposed to him or her.

The wearing of a face mask was “one measure which saved millions of lives” during the pandemic, it pointed out. PTI

Mexico approves Covaxin vaccine for emergency use

Mexico approves Covaxin vaccine for emergency use

Swati.Bharadwaj@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad  08.04.2021 

: Mexico’s health regulator COFEPRIS (Comisión Federal para la Protección contra Riesgos Sanitarios) has granted approval for emergency use to India’s Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin.

The news of the approval was tweeted by Mexico’s foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard. “Very timely decision by COFEPRIS to authorise the emergency use of the COVAXIN vaccine manufactured in India. The options for vaccination against COVID-19 in Mexico are expanded,” said the post by Ebrard, a translated version of which was retweeted by the Twitter handle of the Indian Embassy in Mexico.

Covaxin now becomes the sixth Covid-19 vaccine to be approved in Mexico after Russia’s Sputnik V, the Pfizer & BioNTech vaccine, AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccie, Sinovac’s Coronavac and CanSino’s vaccine.

Mexico joins other countries like Zimbabwe, Nepal, Iran and Mauritius, among others, to have approved the use of the desi vaccine. The nod by the Mexican health regulator comes over a fortnight after neighbouring country Nepal granted emergency use approval to Covaxin and about a week after India shipped about 1 lakh doses of the vaccine to Paraguay.

Work output of govt officials went up with WFH: Jitendra

Work output of govt officials went up with WFH: Jitendra

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi  08.04.2021 

Work from home (WFH) protocol developed by the department of personnel and training (DoPT) for functioning of central government offices during the Covid-19 lockdown was so successful that many a time, the work output was even more than in normal circumstances because government functionaries were working online even on weekends and holidays, minister of state for personnel Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday.

Singh recalled that during the last one year of the pandemic, DoPT had developed a set of guidelines to be followed in government offices, which not only sought to contain the spread of Covid-19 but also aimed to carry on office functioning effectively and without interruption.

Singh, who reviewed the measures taken by DoPT to contain Covid-19 spread, particularly in the wake of the recent spike in cases, said the government was monitoring the situation very closely and based on the strategy adopted for prioritising vaccination, those above the age of 45 years could participate in the exercise. He said it was imperative for all government employees to get vaccinated in order to ensure their own safety as well as of those who come in their contact.

The minister also called upon state and Union territory governments to adopt the guidelines/advisories issued for central government employees. He said it was essential not only for the well-being of government functionaries but also to minimise the loss of man-days on account of government employees contracting Covid-19.

Full report on www.toi.in

AstraZeneca sends legal notice to SII over delays in vax supply

AstraZeneca sends legal notice to SII over delays in vax supply

Rupali.Mukherjee@timesgroup.com

Mumbai:08.04.2021 

The UK-headquartered drug firm Astra-Zeneca has served a legal notice to its manufacturing partner, Pune-based Serum Institute of India, over delays in the supply of its Covid-19 vaccine. The notice comes after Serum Institute delayed shipment of vaccines to the UK, and later did not meet its obligations to other countries that are part of the Covax programme.

Serum Institute has attributed the delay to the Centre’s decision to halt vaccine exports, while its CEO, Adar Poonawalla, according to media reports, said SII would prioritise domestic needs temporarily. In mid-March, the Centre decided to go slow on vaccine exports amidst a huge surge in Covid-19 cases. Demand for vaccines has also jumped after the government broadened its immunisation drive, relaxing the eligibility criteria for the 45-years-plus age group from April 1. A majority of vaccines being administered in India are Covishield (manufactured by SII); the remainder are Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

Serum has so far supplied around 100 million doses to the Centre, while it has exported 60 million doses.

Company sources expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved soon, and that the government was aware of it. With a limited supply of vaccines, and demand soaring due to rising Covid-19 cases in certain countries, shortages and supply constraints are being witnessed in many parts of the world.

SII asks govt for ₹3k cr to boost vax output

Starved of funds, Pune-based Serum Institute of India has asked the government for Rs 3,000 crore to ramp up capacity of its vaccine manufacturing facility.

The company, which produces around 65 million doses per month, has so far supplied around 100 million doses to the Centre and exported 60 million jabs. With the surge in demand for vaccines amid rising Covid-19 cases, Serum needs funds to ramp up capacity to 100 million doses a month from May. It is providing the shot at a subsidised rate of around Rs 150 to the government, significantly less than what it charges for exports. TNN

At 685 deaths, India records highest daily toll in 5 months

At 685 deaths, India records highest daily toll in 5 months

With 1.25L New Covid Infections, Active Cases Cross 9L Mark

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

08.04.2021 

India recorded another peak in daily Covid-19 cases for the second consecutive day on Wednesday even as active cases breached the nine-lakh mark, just a day after crossing eight lakhs on Tuesday. There was a rapid rise in fatalities as well with 685 deaths being reported in the last 24 hours, the highest since November 4 when 713 casualties were recorded.

The country reported its highest ever case count at 1,26,287 — crossing the 1.25-lakh mark for the first time. Active cases saw the sharpest ever surge in a single day — at 67,401— taking the number to 9,10,281. Nearly three lakh active cases have been added to the tally in last one week alone, signifying the alarming spread of the virus.

Maharashtra and three other states – Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat — registered their record single-day cases since the pandemic broke.

Maharashtra’s count was close to 60,000 (59,907 cases), accounting for 47% of the country’s fresh infections. Active cases in Maharashtra crossed the five-lakh mark on Wednesday, accounting for 56% of the country’s active caseload.

Chhattisgarh reported 10,310 cases — becoming the only state after Maharashtra to cross the 10,000-mark in daily count during the second wave of the pandemic while Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat recorded 4,043 and 3,575 cases, respectively.

Maharashtra continued to top the states’ chart in daily fatalities, recording 322 deaths, the highest in nearly six months. Punjab, too, continued to record high casualties with 63 deaths, followed by Chhattisgarh (53 deaths), Uttar Pradesh (40) Karnataka (35), Gujarat (22) and Delhi (20). Fatalities have significantly gone up in many states in the first week of April compared to the first week of March. For example, Rajasthan saw a nearly five-fold jump in deaths during this period.

A health worker takes a swab sample for testing in Patna on Wednesday

Shortage of buses troubles voters returning home

Shortage of buses troubles voters returning home

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Trichy:08.04.2021 

People returning from their hometowns after casting their votes on Tuesday night faced issues following shortage of buses to return to their respective destinations.

Bus stands were flooded with passengers on Tuesday night where passengers had to wait for hours to get buses towards Chennai, Coimbatore and Bengaluru.

S Saravanan, 40, working in a hotel in Chennai had to wait for a few hours to get his bus. “While additional buses were running on this route, they weren’t adequate. More buses should have been opertional on this route considering the demand,” he said.

Another passenger from Karur, Gurunathan, 35, had to wait in the bus stand until midnight to return to Bengaluru. “Suchcrowdsareseen only during festivals. With limited trains run due to Covid-19, we have to rely on buses,” he said.

As the central bus stand is not sufficient handle the huge crowd, temporary bus stands on Williams Road and at Mannarpuram Junction were created to handle buses on different routes. While the buses started operating from Monday, the stands witnessed a large number of passengers until midnight on Tuesday. Additional buses were operated to manage the swelling crowd.

RUSH HOUR

TN vet univ gets new VC

TN vet univ gets new VC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:08.04.2021 

Dr K N Selvakumar was on Wednesday appointed vice-chancellor of Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (Tanuvas) for a period of three years by governor Banwarilal Purohit.

Dr Selvakumar, being the senior most serving professor of Tanuvas, has a teaching experience of about 32 years and is serving as Dean, Madras Veterinary College at present. He had also earlier served as director of distance education, Controller of Examinations of Madras Veterinary College and as Dean, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Orathanadu.

He has also served as Member, Technical monitoring committee, Animal Husbandry department.

ஏப்.7 - உலக சுகாதார தினம்: இயற்கையை நேசித்து நலமாய் வாழ்வோம்

ஏப்.7 - உலக சுகாதார தினம்: இயற்கையை நேசித்து நலமாய் வாழ்வோம்

பத்மஸ்ரீ டாக்டர் வி.எஸ்.நடராஜன்

ஒவ்வொரு ஆண்டும் ஏப்.7-ம்தேதியை ‘உலக சுகாதார தினமாக’உலக சுகாதார நிறுவனம் அனுசரித்து வருகிறது. சுகாதாரம் என்பது உடல் அளவிலும் மனதளவிலும் நலமாக இருப்பதுதான். அதன்படி, தற்பொழுது மக்கள் அனைவரும் நலமாக இருக்கிறார்களா என்றால், பெரும்பாலோரிடம் இருந்து, இல்லை என்றுதான் பதில் வரும்.

‘இயற்கையை வணங்கு’ என்று நம் முன்னோர் அறிவுறுத்தியதை அறவேபுறக்கணித்து விட்டது இன்றைய சமுதாயம். நம்மை அறியாமலேயே, நாம் எதையும் கேட்காமலேயே, நாம் உயிர் வாழ எல்லா நன்மைகளையும் செய்து வருகிறது இயற்கை. ஆனால், நாம் இயற்கையை நம் காலடியில் போட்டு மிதித்து நசுக்கிக் கொண்டிருக்கிறோம் என்பதற்கு கீழ்க்கண்டவை சான்று:

நிலம்

விளைநிலங்களை எல்லாம் இன்று துண்டு போட்டு, வீட்டு மனைகளாக்கி வருகின்றனர். மணல் குவாரி, மண் குவாரி, கிரானைட் குவாரிகள் மூலம் பூமியைக் குடைகிறார்கள். தூக்கி எறியப்படும் பிளாஸ்டிக் பொருட்கள் என்றுமே மக்காத குப்பையாக மாறி பூமியின் வளத்தை அழிக்கின்றன.

நீர்

தண்ணீரில் கலப்படம், குடிநீரில் சாக்கடை நீர் கலப்பது, ஆற்று நீரில்சாயப்பட்டறை மற்றும் தொழிற்சாலையின் கழிவுநீர் கலப்பது போன்ற செயல்கள் அதிகமாகிக் கொண்டே போகின்றன. இவ்வாறு மாசுபட்ட நீரை அருந்துவதால், காலரா, பேதி மற்றும் தோல் நோய்கள் வருகின்றன. மேலும் சாயம் கலந்த நீரை அருந்துவதால், பெண்களிடம் குழந்தைப்பேறின்மை அதிகமாகக் காண முடிகிறது.

நெருப்பு

மண் சட்டி வைத்து விறகு அடுப்பினால் செய்த சமையல் எவ்வளவு ருசியாகவும் உடலுக்கு ஆரோக்கியமாகவும் இருந்தது. தற்போது சமைப்பதற்கு காஸ், மண்ணெண்ணெய் மற்றும் மின்சாரத்தைப் பயன்படுத்துகிறோம்.

காற்று

காற்று இல்லாமல் ஒருசில மணித்துளிகள்கூட உயிரோடு இருக்க முடியாது. வாகனங்கள் விடும் புகை, தொழிற்சாலைகளில் இருந்து வரும்புகை, புகைபிடிப்பதனால் உண்டாகும்புகை, இவைபோன்ற பல காரணங்களால் சுத்தமான காற்று அசுத்தமடைகிறது. காற்று மண்டலம் புகை மண்டலமாக மாறுகிறது. இதனால் ஆஸ்துமா, மூச்சுத் திணறல், நுரையீரல் கோளாறுகள் போன்ற நோய்கள் அதிகரிக்கின்றன.

ஆகாயம்

மழை பெய்யவும், தட்பவெப்ப நிலை சீராக இருக்கவும் ஆகாயம் நமக்கு பெரிதும் உதவுகிறது. ஓசோன் மண்டலத்தில் ஓட்டை விழுந்து விட்டதாகக் கூறுகிறார்கள். இதனால் அல்ட்ரா வைலைட் கதிர்கள் நம்மை நேரடியாகத் தாக்குகின்றன. இந்த கதிர்வீச்சினால் தோல் புற்றுநோய்கள் வரும் என ஆய்வுகள் கூறுகின்றன. ஆகாயத்தில் நச்சுப் பொருட்கள் கூடக்கூட அமில மழை பெய்யும் அபாயமும் ஏற்பட வாய்ப்புள்ளது.

ஒலி

வாகனங்கள், ஒலிபெருக்கிகள், தொழிற்சாலைகளில் இருந்து வரும் சப்தம், இவையெல்லாம் அமைதியை கெடுக்கின்றன. வீட்டுக்குள் சென்றால் தொலைக்காட்சி மற்றும் வானொலிப் பெட்டி மூலமும் இரைச்சல்! ஓயாதஇரைச்சலால் காது மிகவும் பாதிக்கப்படுகிறது. தலைவலி, மன பதற்றம், தூக்கமின்மை இவற்றோடு சிலருக்கு ரத்த அழுத்தம் அதிகரிப்பதும் உண்டு.

இதிலிருந்து எவ்வாறு மீளலாம்?

முடிந்த அளவுக்கு செயற்கை உரங்களைத் தவிர்த்து, இயற்கை உரங்களை உபயோகிக்க வேண்டும். உணவு முறையில் சிறு தானியங்களுக்கு முக்கியத்துவம் தர வேண்டும். பிளாஸ்டிக் பொருட்களை அறவே ஒழிக்க வேண்டும். புகைப்பிடிப்பதை ஒழிக்க தீவிரமான சட்டம் கொண்டு வரவேண்டும்

காடுகளை அழிப்பதைத் தவிர்த்தல், மழைநீரை சேகரித்தல் மற்றும் வீட்டிலும், வெளியிலும் ஒலி இல்லாசமுதாயத்தை உருவாக்க அனைவரும்இணைந்து பாடுபட வேண்டும். வீடு, பள்ளி, கல்லூரி, அலுவலகங்கள், அனைத்து பொது இடங்களிலும் மரம் நடுதலைக் கட்டாயமாக்க வேண்டும்.ஆகவே, வாழ்க்கை முறை மாற்றத்தின் மூலமும், இயற்கையை நேசிப்பதன்மூலமும் நாம் மட்டுமல்ல, நம்முடைய சந்ததியினரும் நலமுடன் வாழ முடியும்.

கட்டுரையாளர்: முதியோர் நல மருத்துவர், சென்னை

பூத் சிலிப் விநியோகத்தில் அலட்சியம்: அலுவலர்கள் வழங்காமல் கட்சியினரிடம் ஒப்படைத்ததாக மக்கள் புகார்

பூத் சிலிப் விநியோகத்தில் அலட்சியம்: அலுவலர்கள் வழங்காமல் கட்சியினரிடம் ஒப்படைத்ததாக மக்கள் புகார்வாக்காளர்களுக்கு வழங்கப்படாமல், செங்கல்பட்டு ஜோசப் பள்ளியில் வைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த பூத் சிலிப். படம்: 

எம். முத்துகணேஷ்.

செங்கல்பட்டு

பூத் சிலிப் விநியோகிக்கும் அலுவலர்கள், சில இடங்களில் வீடுதோறும் வழங்காமல், கட்சியினரிடம் ஒப்படைத்துள்ளனர். இதனால் பல இடங்களில் வாக்குப்பதிவு தாமதம் ஏற்பட்டது.

தேர்தலில் வாக்குப்பதிவு செய்ய தேர்தல் ஆணையம் சார்பில், வரிசை எண், பாகம் எண் உள்ளிட்ட விவரங்கள் அடங்கிய வாக்காளர் சீட்டு (பூத் சிலிப்) வழங்கப்படுகிறது. இவை ஆசிரியர்கள், அங்கன்வாடி பணியாளர்கள், கிராம உதவியாளர்கள் உள்ளிட்டோர் மூலம் வீடுதோறும் வழங்கப்படுகிறது. இதை பலரும் முறையாக வழங்காமல், அந்தந்த பகுதி கட்சியினரிடம் ஒப்படைத்துள்ளனர்.

செங்கல்பட்டு மாவட்டத்தில் பெரும்பாலான இடங்களில் வாக்காளர்களுக்கு பூத் சிலிப் வழங்கப்படவில்லை. பூத் சிலிப் இல்லாமல் வாக்களிக்க வந்த பலரின் வரிசை எண், பாகம் எண் உள்ளிட்ட விவரங்கள் தெரியாததால், தாமதத்தை தவிர்க்க பூத் சிலிப் வாங்கி வருமாறு திரும்ப அனுப்பி வைக்கப்பட்டனர். பின்னர் அந்த வாக்காளர்கள் வாக்குச்சாவடிக்கு முன்பிருந்த கிராம நிர்வாக அலுவலக ஊழியர்களிடம் பூத் சிலிப் வாங்கி வந்து வாக்களித்தனர்.

இதுகுறித்து, பொதுமக்கள் சிலர் கூறியதாவது: எந்த கட்சி சின்னத்தையும், வாக்காளர்களிடம் திணிக்கக் கூடாது என்பதற்காகத்தான் தேர்தல் ஆணையம் வாக்காளர் சீட்டை வழங்குகிறது. இதை, வாக்காளர்களிடம் நேரடியாக கொண்டு சேர்க்க பணியாளர்கள் நியமிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர். ஆனால், அவர்கள் அரசியல் கட்சினரிடம் மொத்தமாக ஒப்படைத்து விடுகின்றனர். கட்சியினர், இந்த வாக்காளர் சீட்டை கொடுத்து வாக்கு சேகரிக்கின்றனர். பலர் குறிப்பிட்ட இடங்களில் அமர்ந்துகொண்டு வாக்காளர்களை வந்து பெற்றுச்செல்ல அறிவுறுத்துகின்றனர். தேர்தல் ஆணையம், இனி வரும் காலங்களில் முறையாக அனைத்து வீடுகளுக்கும் வாக்காளர் சீட்டை கொண்டு சேர்க்க நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க வேண்டும். இவ்வாறு அவர்கள் கூறினர்.

காரைக்காலில் புதுமை: பெண் அலுவலர்கள் மட்டுமே பணியாற்றிய 'பிங்க்' வாக்குச்சாவடிகள்; ஆட்சியர் பாராட்டு

காரைக்காலில் புதுமை: பெண் அலுவலர்கள் மட்டுமே பணியாற்றிய 'பிங்க்' வாக்குச்சாவடிகள்; ஆட்சியர் பாராட்டு

காரைக்கால் ஆயிரம் வைசியர் திருமண மண்டபத்தில் அமைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த பிங்க் வாக்குச் சாவடியை பார்வையிட்ட மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் அர்ஜூன் சர்மா

காரைக்கால் மாவட்டத்தில் பெண் அலுவலர்களை மட்டுமே கொண்டு இயங்கும் வகையில் 5 வாக்குச்சாவடிகள் அமைக்கப்பட்டிருந்தன.

இன்று (ஏப்.06) நடைபெற்ற புதுச்சேரி சட்டப்பேரவைத் தேர்தலை முன்னிட்டு, காரைக்கால் மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள 5 சட்டப்பேரவைத் தொகுதிகளில் மொத்தம் 234 வாக்குச்சாவடிகள் அமைக்கப்பட்டிருந்தன.

இவற்றுள் 5 வாக்குச் சாவடிகள் ”பிங்க் வாக்குச் சாவடிகள்” என முழுமையும் பெண் அலுவலர்களால் மட்டுமே நிர்வகிக்கும் வகையில், புதுமையான முறையில் அமைக்கப்பட்டிருந்தன.

வரிச்சிக்குடி அரசு உயர்நிலைப் பள்ளி, செல்லூர் கால்நடை மருந்தகம், காரைக்கால் ஒப்பிலாமணியர் கோயில் தெரு அரசு தொடக்கப்பள்ளி, காரைக்கால் ஆயிரம் வைசியர் திருமண மண்டபம், நிரவி ஹுசைனியா அரசு உயர்நிலைப் பள்ளி ஆகிய 5 இடங்களில் இந்த வாக்குச்சாவடிகள் அமைக்கப்பட்டிருந்தன.

காரைக்கால் ஆயிரம் வைசியர் திருமண மண்டபத்தில் அமைக்கப்பட்டிருந்த பிங்க் வாக்குச் சாவடியை மாவட்ட ஆட்சியரும், தேர்தல் அதிகாரியுமான அர்ஜூன் சர்மா இன்று மாலை பார்வையிட்டார்.

பின்னர் அவர் கூறியது: இந்த வாக்குச்சாவடியில் தேர்தல் பணிகள் முழுவதையும் பெண்களே மேற்கொள்வது அவர்களின் தன்னம்பிக்கை வளர்வதற்கு ஒரு சிறந்த எடுத்துக்காட்டாக இருக்கும். இது போன்ற முயற்சிகள் ஒரு ஊன்றுகோளாய் அமையும் என்றார். ஸ்வீப் அதிகாரி முனைவர் ஷெர்லி உடனிருந்தார்.

TN elections: Abu Dhabi techie on vacation back home in Tiruchy finds his vote stolen

TN elections: Abu Dhabi techie on vacation back home in Tiruchy finds his vote stolen

When he provided his booth slip and identification proof for polling officials to verify his credentials, he was in for a shock as they informed him that his vote had already been cast

Published: 06th April 2021 05:11 PM |

R Ramesh Kumar

By Jayakumar Madala

Express News Service

TIRUCHY: Scenes from Kollywood flick Sarkar played out at a polling booth in Ponmalai on Tuesday when R Ramesh Kumar, an engineer working in Abu Dhabi, found to his shock that his vote had already been cast when he went to exercise his democratic right.

Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Mel Kalkandarkottai, works as an operations manager at a private firm in Abu Dhabi.

The 34-year-old, who had come back to India on vacation on March 22, decided to exercise his franchise by going to vote at his allotted booth -- Government Middle School in Mel Kalkandarkottai. However, when he provided his booth slip and identification proof for polling officials to verify his credentials, he was in for a shock as they informed him that his vote had already been cast.

Speaking about the incident, Ramesh Kumar said, "As I was present in my hometown during the polls, I thought I would cast my vote. When I approached the presiding officer at my booth, I was taken aback when they said that a vote has already been cast on my behalf. Only after cross-verifying with my identification proof, they realised that I was the original voter and a fake vote had been cast on my behalf."

The unidentified person who cast the vote on behalf of Ramesh Kumar had provided a fake Aadhaar card for details of identification. With the booth committee agents of various political parties also not showing any objections, the polling booth official accepted the fake Aadhaar card details and allowed the person to vote.

"The Aadhar details which were noted by the polling officer did not match with my identity proof. They had taken only the last four digits of the card and they were also incorrect. The officials present inside did not verify if the photograph in the Aadhaar card and the person present were the same. As a result of this farce, they provided me the facility of 'tendered' vote. But this has happened only due to the pure negligence of the polling staff," added Ramesh Kumar.

According to Section 49P of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, if a voter realises that someone has already voted in his/her name, they can approach the presiding officer at the polling booth and flag the issue. Upon answering the presiding officer’s questions about their identity, the voter will be allowed to cast a 'tendered' vote. These votes are cast on ballot papers and sealed and locked away. However, they are counted only when the margin between the winner and runner-up is slim. If there is a large difference, the tendered votes are not counted.

When contacted, S Divya Darshini, District Election Officer, Tiruchy, said, "The tendered vote facility is provided when someone else has cast the vote of the actual voters on their behalf. It will be difficult to ascertain who had cast the vote. We will conduct an enquiry once the polls conclude."

TN elections: Returning Officer allows son to cast father's vote in Tenkasi, this is why

TN elections: Returning Officer allows son to cast father's vote in Tenkasi, this is why

Returning Officer Rajamanoharan said that the polling staff and the booth agents of different political parties should have noticed the mismatch before Mathiyalagan voted.

Published: 06th April 2021 11:29 PM 

By Thinakaran Rajamani

Express News Service

TENKASI: After a 53-year-old man mistakenly cast his vote in the name of his 25-year-old son, the latter was allowed to cast his father's vote by the Returning Officer of Alangulam constituency on Tuesday.

Thangamani (25) said, "The polling staff delivered the booth slips for my family members on Monday. Since all of them were pinned together, my father, Mathiyalagan, who cannot read, brought my booth slip to the booth instead of his. Even though it was his fault, the staff on election duty should have noticed the mismatch in the name and age on the booth slip. But, the polling staff allowed him to cast his vote in my name. Later, when I was not allowed to cast my vote by the staff, I brought this issue to the knowledge of the Returning Officer. He then allowed me to cast my father's vote."

When contacted by TNIE, Returning Officer Rajamanoharan said that the polling staff and the booth agents of different political parties should have noticed the mismatch before Mathiyalagan voted. However, he refused to give an answer to the question on how a father and his son could exchange their votes.

Indelible ink vanishing after single wash?

Indelible ink vanishing after single wash?

Isolated incidents of the indelible ink disappearing after a single wash were reported in Coimbatore North and Chennai.

Published: 07th April 2021 05:25 AM |

The first time voter discloses the indelible ink mark on her point finger after casting her vote, at SIET College, in Chennai. (Photo | EPS/ P.Jawahar)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Isolated incidents of the indelible ink disappearing after a single wash were reported in Coimbatore North and Chennai. While some more incidents were reported on social media, Express could not verify the claims.

Vishnu Swaroop was among the first to vote in his constituency in Coimbatore (North). He voted at the Kovilmedu Corporation High School at 7.30 am and came back home to realise that his electoral ink had washed away by 10.30 am.

“I called up the flying squad toll free number and the constituency returning officer, and did not get a proper response. So I went back and told the presiding officer about the issue at 4 pm. They inked my index again,” he said. However when he reached home at 4.15 pm and washed his hands, the ink washed off again, he said.

The returning officer of Coimbatore (North) however denied any such incident in the constituency. Another resident from Chennai said that her ink was barely visible after she used alcohol based sanitiser on it.

Tamil Nadu Elections: Work from home gives them will, time to go vote

Tamil Nadu Elections: Work from home gives them will, time to go vote

The pandemic, which put employees in their homes, has become an ‘enabler’ this time

Published: 07th April 2021 05:32 AM 

Kerala goes to poll today. 

By Aadhithya MS

Express News Service

TIRUCHY: Many a campaign has been held by the Election Commission to raise awareness among people, especially the youth, on exercising their franchise. However, not every time can one travel to their hometown to get inked, thanks to their hectic lifestyle. However, this time probably, the tables have turned. Call it the ‘pandemic effect’, the work from home option has enabled more youth to come forward and cast their votes this time.

“Usually, we are given a day off to vote. But to just come down for that day and return to our workplace on time is taxing. Sometimes, there is a job pending as well. Given all that, only if employees can manage a long weekend, they go for voting. Many of my colleagues, and even I had missed out on voting chances several times,” says Abul Hassan, an IT professional from Tiruchy. “This time, however, we had it easy. Our employer in Chennai hasn’t called us back yet, and we are continuing to work from home. So, most of us are in our hometowns,” he adds.

K Akil from Karur, who works at a multi-national company in Bengaluru, shares the same opinion. “If there was no work from home, I might not have come this time,” she says. “This time, I did not even take a half-day leave. I was at the polling station by 8 am, was guided to the booth, got inked and walked back home. It did not take over 30 minutes,” she adds.

Kamaal, a DMK functionary who oversees booth agents in the locality, says: “Many youth in this locality are employed ar MNCs in Chennai, Bengaluru, and New Delhi. I know a fair share of them who missed the 2019 Parliamentary elections and the previous Assembly polls. This time, however, the turnout was impressive.”

Tamil Nadu Elections: Alangudi NRI flies down from Singapore to vote

Tamil Nadu Elections: Alangudi NRI flies down from Singapore to vote

Taking this spirit of patriotism up a notch, 29-year-old Sathiyasheelan travelled all the way from Singapore to Senthankudi in Alangudi to exercise his franchise.

Published: 07th April 2021 05:36 AM 

By Sowmya Mani

Express News Service

PUDUKKOTTAI: It’s usually only in movies that we see NRIs flying down to their natives to cast their votes. Taking this spirit of patriotism up a notch, 29-year-old Sathiyasheelan travelled all the way from Singapore to Senthankudi in Alangudi to exercise his franchise.

Sathiyasheelan reached his village 20 days ago. Not only is he interested in voting, but also passionate about the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK). “I came early to garner votes for the party, and to ensure that we improve our performance in this election. I hope that the party gets double the votes it did in the 2019 elections,” he says.

An engineer by qualification, Sathiyasheelan works for building maintenance in Singapore. He says though it was difficult getting leave from work, he did it for the elections. “I’ve been interested in politics and the betterment of people’s lives since childhood. I got involved with the NTK in 2009, even before its inception. I love the Tamil culture, and want to help protect it,” he adds.

Sathiyasheelan hopes to have inspired others in his village to vote, and says he didn’t mind the Covid tests and quarantine as it was all for a cause. “If I can come all the way from Singapore, people can travel for a few kilometers to vote,” he says.

Fake doc held for third time

Fake doc held for third time

Rajkot:  07.04.2021 

A 55-year-old man was caught practising as a doctor without a legitimate degree from near Aji Dam chokdi in Rajkot city on Tuesday. This was the third time that Sanjay Sompura was caught by cops.

According to police, Sompura, a resident of Shri Ram Park, used to practice as an ayurvedic doctor without a degree. Police also seized medicines and injections from his clinic.

Police said Sompura used to work as a compounder at a hospital six years ago before he started his own clinic. He was arrested for the first time about two and a half years ago. Later, he was arrested for the offence in November last year.

“Sompura has been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Medical Practitioners’ Act-1963. After he was caught for the first time, Sompura changed the name of the clinic to Dr Lakkad’s clinic and started treating people,” police said. TNN

GU defers PG medical exams

GU defers PG medical exams

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:07.04.2021 

Gujarat University has decided to postpone the upcoming exams for postgraduate medical students.

The decision has been taken keeping in view the recent surge in Covid-19 cases in the state, especially given the role played by these postgraduate students who are part of the frontline medical workers.

The medical colleges affiliated with Gujarat University including B J Medical College and Civil Hospital, GMERS Medical College and Hospital (Sola), NHL Municipal Medical College and GMERS Medical College, Gandhinagar.

Given the rise in the number of cases at the 100-bed hospital at Civil Hospital, the hospital superintendent had written to the dean of B J Medical College that more hands were needed to handle the situation. The letter also mentioned that as students are finding it hard to cope with studies while attending Covid-19 duty, the college authorities should consider postponing the exams slated to begin from May 1.

Parents run from pillar to post to get birth certificate for boy born mid-air

Parents run from pillar to post to get birth certificate for boy born mid-air

Yeshika.Budhwar@timesgroup.com

07.04.2021 

Jaipur:

Parents of the baby boy who was born in the Bengaluru-Jaipur flight last month have been running from pillar to post to get a birth certificate for their child who is now 20 days old.

The couple had boarded the flight around 5:45am from Bengaluru and landed in Jaipur airport around 8am on March 17 with their newborn baby. As per the rule, the birth certificate must be issued within 21 days of the birth.

Bhairu Singh, father of baby, told TOI, “After the delivery in the flight we were taken to a private hospital in Jaipur but I did not get my wife and child admitted as it was very expensive … so after initial check-up, we straight away came to my village Jaliya Rupabas in Beawar district.”

After reaching the village, Bhairu started the process to get his son’s birth certificate. “I went to the sarpanch who told me to go to the government hospital from where I was sent to another hospital. Both the hospital officials seemed confused as soon as I mentioned that my son was born in mid-air. They told me to go to the gram panchayat,” Bhairu told TOI.

The gram panchayat initially declined to issue the certificate citing jurisdiction. “Although the certificate should be issued in Jaipur, we will start the process from here to help out Bhairu Singh as now there is no other option left,” Dileep Singh, sarpanch, said.

The family is being tossed from one government body to another with no official having any clarity about issuing the certificate as the child was born mid-air.

When TOI contacted the district administration, the officials again assured that the birth certificate would be issued at the earliest but Bhairu claimed that he will believe it only when he gets the document.

Lalita with her baby Lakshit

25 nursing students in college in Davanagere found infected

25 nursing students in college in Davanagere found infected

07.04.2021 

Davanagere:

Twenty-five girls studying in a private nursing college in Davanagere tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday. All of them were admitted to a private hospital. The girls were staying in the college hostel with 109 other students besides 15 cooking staff. Swab samples from all inmates have been collected for testing, said Dr GD Raghavan, district surveillance officer. All of them are from Kerala and arrived at the hostel two months ago when the college reopened. They had furnished Covid negative reports on arrival. The hostel has been declared a containment zone. TNN

No food delivery as eateries remain shut in Madurai

TAKING A DAY OFF

No food delivery as eateries remain shut in Madurai

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Madurai:  07.04.2021 

As eateries and hotels in Madurai city and the suburbs remained shut on polling day, delivery was also stopped causing trouble to people dependent the service on Tuesday. The eateries and hotels were closed to help the employees exercise their franchise.

The online delivery firms also did not deliver food on Tuesday afternoon, much to the inconvenience of bachelors and people, who had decided to eat out after voting.

However, some hotels were open for dinner service later in the evening.

There were small shops that doubled up as eateries that made some quick money on election day this year, selling water bottles, soft drinks, vadas and bhaji. Beeman of Sakkimangalam said that there was not enough water at the polling booth in their region and he had made some arrangements through his contacts.

A one liter bottle of water, which would sell at Rs 15 normally, was being sold for Rs 20 or more in many of the villages in Madurai, while tender coconut and watermelon sellers also made decent money on the day.

As there was delay in food supply to election officials in a polling location in Valayankulam village in Thirumangalam-Madurai airport road, party men offered them food and refreshments. Street vendors selling fruits like watermelon and sugarcane juice saw good sale on polling day. “We have been seeing good sales since summer began. But, we had better sales on Tuesday as people came to vote in huge numbers to the polling booth, which is located nearby,” said N Muthulakshmi, who runs a sugarcane juice stall with her husband on Kamarajar Salai.

The online delivery firms also did not deliver food on Tuesday afternoon, much to the inconvenience of bachelors and people who had decided to eat out after voting

Madras univ makes Covid negative report must to attend convocation

Madras univ makes Covid negative report must to attend convocation

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:07.04.2021 

Amid the rise of Covid-19 cases, University of Madras has announced that students and faculty members must be Covid-19 negative to attend the 163rd convocation scheduled for Thursday.

The university is conducting the convocation after a gap of 18 months.

"Around 683 PhD scholars, 86 rank holders and 100 prize winners will receive degrees in person. It has been made mandatory for all students, staff members, senate members to take swab tests for Covid-19. Those with negative reports will only be allowed inside the convocation hall," said vicechancellor S Gowri. "Around 1,24,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students and 12,011 students from Institute of Distance Education will receive degrees in absentia," he added.

Professors said the university also made arrangements to conduct Covid tests for faculty members at the campus on Wednesday.

Governor Banwarilal Purohit will preside over the convocation and IIT Madras director Bhaskar Ramamurthi will be the chief guest. Purohit will give DLitt degrees to three candidates. Professor Ramamurthi and vice-chancellor Gowri will give the degrees, medals and prizes to the students.

City colleges under the university said they would conduct graduation day or convocation only after three months of awarding degrees by the university. "The university will award degree certificates to PhD scholars. It will take two to three months to get degree certificates of undergraduate and postgraduate students. So, we will conduct a graduate day function probably in June or July. By then, we expect Covid-19 cases to subside and will distribute the degree certificates in person to the students," a principal from a city college said.

Many colleges distributed degree certificates to students, who had graduated in 2019, in the past few months due to the pandmeic.