14 states start getting Covaxin supply directly

A SHOT OF HOPE

14 states start getting Covaxin supply directly

New Delhi:11.05.2021 

Bharat Biotech has commenced direct supply of its Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin to 14 states, including Delhi and Maharashtra, with effect from May 1, according to the company’s joint managing director Suchitra Ella.

The Hyderabad-based firm has started supplying its Covid-19 treatment vaccine to the states based on the allocations received by the central government.

“Bharat Biotech confirms direct supplies of Covaxin to the following state govt’s since 1/5/21, based on the allocations received by GoI. Requests have been received from other states, & will be processed for distribution based on availability of stocks 24x7,” Ella tweeted.

The company is supplying vaccines to Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

On April 29, Bharat Biotech announced a cut in the price of ‘Covaxin’ for states to Rs 400 per dose from the earlier Rs 600 per dose.

This followed widespread criticism of its pricing policy as it sold Covaxin to the central government at Rs 150 per dose. India has announced expansion of its Covid-19 vaccination drive by allowing its large18-plus population to get inoculated from May1.

Meanwhile, the Bombay high court has permitted Biovet Private Limited, an associate company of Bharat Biotech, to take possession of a fully operational and ready-touse vaccine manufacturing plant on a 12-hectare plot in Pune to produce Covaxin. PTI

NRI couple who came for family time die of Covid

NRI couple who came for family time die of Covid

Yagnesh.Mehta@timesgroup.com

Surat:11.05.2021 

“It would have been better had they not come to India. Despite trying for days, we did not get a hospital bed for my ‘mama’ (maternal uncle). We had to toil for hours to arrange oxygen cylinders for him. My ‘mama’ was on oxygen for over four days,” rues Piyush Bhatt, afinance consultant in Ahmedabad.

Bhatt is left lamenting as the septuagenarian NRI couple’s — Rashmikant Raval (73) and his wife Sushila (72) — died of Covid in span of two days last month. Raval, a retired hotel and catering business owner, passed away in Ahmedabad on April 23, while Sushila succumbed the next day.

“After making rounds of crematoriums, it was at the fourth one that I was able to perform the last rites of my uncle. I faced same problems while cremating my aunt,” Bhatt said. The US-based couple came to India in February spend some time with childhood friends and family after over a year of remaining locked in their house in Austin, Texas, due to global pandemic. The two had promised their grandchildren in the US that they will return soon.

The couple arrived in India on February 27 and did not take Covid-19 vaccine in the US. As the condition worsened in India they took the first dose of the vaccine in Ahmedabad on April 3 and 4. Sushila tested positive for Covid-19 on April 16 while Raval developed symptoms on April 19. But Raval tested negative in all three test he underwent.

For days Raval searched for a hospital bed for himself, but in vain. “After approaching several hospitals and trying for over12 hours my mother was finally admitted to one. But my father did not get admission in any hospital since his reports were negative. His CT-scan showed infection in chest.

Raval, who hailed from Choila village in Sabarkantha, lived with Rakesh, a businessman, in Austin, Texas. The family owns a fuel pump, restaurant and few stores that they have currently rented out.

Rashmikant Raval with his wife Sushila

Just 9 varsities started RT-PCR testing: Govt

Just 9 varsities started RT-PCR testing: Govt

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:11.05.2021 

After a push from Gujarat high court, the state government on Monday submitted that it could make only nine of 26 universities in the state start RT-PCR testing laboratories and has given up hope that five universities will ever start the facility.

When HC pressured the government to increase Covid-19 testing facilities, particularly RT-PCR testing, the state government said it would make 26 universities start these testing facilities. However, after nearly a month and instructions to administrative heads of the region to use the Epidemic Diseases Act to force these universities to act, facilities at only nine universities could be made operational, an addition of only four varsities since last week. These four are National Forensic Science University, Gandhinagar; Sardar Patel University, Anand; Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat and IIPH Gandhinagar.

For Anand Agriculture University, Uka Tarsadia University in Bardoli, Ahmedbad University, Kamdhenu University in Gandhinagar and Central University of Gujarat, the government said they “do not have appropriate RT-PCR machines for testing and thus, RT-PCR testing would not be possible in the five varsities.”

Google Maps now provides hospital beds, oxygen info

Google Maps now provides hospital beds, oxygen info

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:11.05.2021 

Google is testing a new feature using the Q&A function in Maps that enables people to ask about and share local information on availability of hospital beds and medical oxygen in select locations. “As this will be user generated content and not provided by authorised sources, it may be required to verify the accuracy and freshness of the information before utilising it,” the company said in a blogpost.

Google is also amplifying vital safety and vaccination messages that includes the ‘Get the Facts’ around vaccines campaign, to encourage people to focus on authoritative information and content for vaccines. “We’re also surfacing important safety messages through promotions on the Google homepage, Doodles and reminders within our apps and services.”

When people ask questions about vaccines on Google Search, they see information panels that display the latest updates on vaccine safety, efficacy and side-effects, plus registration information that directs users to the Co-WIN website. “You will also find information about prevention, self-care, and treatment under the Prevention and Treatment tab, in easyto-understand language sourced from authorised medical sources and the ministry of health and family welfare,” it said.

The new Q&A function in Maps enables people to ask about and share local information on availability of hospital beds and oxygen in select locations

MBBS students: Postponement of exams has jeopardised our future

MBBS students: Postponement of exams has jeopardised our future

Rema.Nagarajan@timesgroup.com

11.05.2021

Lakhs of medical students are exasperated with the government wanting to postpone all exams citing surging Covid cases and then asking the same students to join for Covid ward duty. Going by the government’s logic, they point out, MBBS doctors will get infected if they appear for exams, but not if they work in Covid wards.

They pointed out that their careers have been put on hold and their training periods have been extended indefinitely citing Covid cases even as elections were held and religious gatherings were allowed. Resident doctors and medical students have been writing to all authorities concerned to express their unhappiness with the series of decisions made by the central government. None have responded.

There are about 60,000 post-graduate medical students, including roughly 15,000 Diplomate of National Board (DNB) students — mostly in private hospitals and 45,000 MD/MS students in medical colleges — who were ready to graduate and become specialists by this time. Instead, the government has announced the extension of their tenure till the next batch joins. No fresh batch can join till the entrance exams for post-graduation are conducted, which has been put off till after August 31.

When Union health minister Dr Harshvardhan tweeted on April 15 to announce the indefinite postponement of the post-graduate entrance exam just two days before it was to be held, he said “the decision has been taken keeping wellbeing of our young medical students in mind”. He added that “health & safety of our young doctors is paramount”.

“It takes about a month for results of the exam to be declared and another two months for counselling. So, we cannot expect a fresh batch of PG students to join till November-December. Resident doctors have been doing Covid duty for more than a year now and they are exhausted. Instead of getting a fresh batch to relieve them, the government has done this,” lamented a postgraduate student.

Over 1.7 lakh MBBS doctors have registered for the post-graduate entrance exam. “We had been allotted our exam centres and we had even downloaded our admit cards for the entrance when the government decided to cancel it. Most of us have been preparing for more than a year for the exam. We could have joined as residents in various hospitals if the tension of the entrance exam had got over,” said a doctor who had registered to appear for the entrance.

The PMO also wants finalyear MBBS students to be used to help in the Covid effort. Neither they nor thirdyear students have done much of clinical duties They are now expected to do Covid duty. “Hardly any of them have been vaccinated as they did not qualify as health workers since they were still studying. You are risking their lives by putting them on Covid duty,” said a PG student.

Going by the Centre’s logic, they said, MBBS doctors will get infected if they appear for exams, but not during Covid duty

No vaccine stock, Bengalureans rush to nearby districts for shot

No vaccine stock, Bengalureans rush to nearby districts for shot

Christin.MathewPhilip@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:11.05.2021 

With the city facing a severe shortage of vaccine supplies, more and more Bengalureans, primarily in the 18-44 age group, are now heading to nearby districts for inoculation.

The skewed digital divide works in favour of them since most have better access to high-speed internet and smartphones, own vehicles and thus are increasingly travelling to neighbouring districts like Bengaluru Rural, Chikkaballapur, Kolar, Ramanagara, Tumakuru, Mandya and Mysuru to get the shots.

This sudden influx could slow down vaccination in these regions and adversely impact locals, who may not be familiar with the rigmarole involved in online registration for a vaccine slot.

Twitter handles like Bangalore Vaccine Update @Blore-Vaccine as well as several Telegram groups provide regular information on availability of slots in and around Bengaluru to tech-savvy citizens. There are also several ‘vaccine availability tracker’ portals, which provide information about centres where vaccines are available. Police are allowing those with confirmation SMS for scheduled vaccination to travel outside the city.

Sudhir Srinivasan, who received his first shot at Chintamani in Chikkaballapur, wrote on Twitter, “Reached at 9.10am. Got tokens around 9.40am. Vaccines arrived at 10.30am. They prioritized the second dose so it took a bit longer. But was out at 11.15am. Around half the recipients were from Bengaluru. Line moves fast (sic).”

Nikhil Rajendran, who booked slots at Chintamani for him and his wife, said: “Vaccination process was smooth. When it came to travelling, I was stopped thrice by police on Bengaluru-Chintamani route, but when I showed the appointment slip, they were fine and there were no issues.”

Abhishek Humney, who travelled from Mahadevapura to Government Boys’ School, Hoskote, said: “The centre was well-managed and there was no crowding. They will ask for your ID proof and appointment confirmation message.”

Girish Valecha, a netizen, asked on Twitter: “I got my vaccination slot in Bangalore Rural (562114) for 14th May. Am I allowed to travel for vaccination from 560008 with appointment slip and SMS confirmation?.” In response, the health department wrote back: “Yes.”

Though there is nothing illegal in getting vaccines from rural areas, health experts fear it could affect the rate of vaccination in those areas. “Bengaluru Rural vaccines are for people living there. Let’s not snatch it away,” tweeted Forever Bengaluru @ForeverBLRU.

Mallikarjuna NH, a netizen, wrote: “I might be overreacting, but these people who are booking rural slots of vaccines from Bengaluru are just shameless.”

Doses administered

According to Co-Win portal, as on Monday, the total vaccine doses administrated in BBMP was 19.86 lakh, followed by Bengaluru Urban (3.02 lakh), Mysuru (7.9 lakh), Bengaluru Rural (1.82 lakh), Kolar (2.36 lakh), Tumakuru

(4.29 lakh), Mandya

(3.26lakh), Chikkaballapur

(2.59lakh) and Ramanagara

(2.29 lakh).

Police act tough across state, citizens complain of caning

Police act tough across state, citizens complain of caning

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru:  11.05.2021 

Aggressive policing marked the start of the new two-week lockdown in Karnataka on Monday. There were reports of police teams caning people found outside without a valid reason in Bagalkot, Gadag, Dharwad, Kalaburgi, Belagavi, Ramanagara, Kolar, Chikkaballapur and Tumakuru districts. In north Karnataka, such incidents mainly occurred near vegetable markets and railway stations after 10am.

Long queues of vehicles were seen at checkposts in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Mysuru and Belagavi as many families tried to return to their hometowns. At several places, police personnel urged them to turn back.

In Bengaluru, authorities set up more than 300 checkpoints, including some in residential areas, to stop the non-essential movement of people and vehicles. “We are paying more attention to sending people back than seizing their vehicles,” said a senior officer. Citizens on the way to seek medical care or vaccination were allowed to proceed after they showed relevant documents.

Some people tried to mislead officials. A two-wheeler rider who was stopped near Chinnaswamy Stadium claimed he was a doctor. He had stuck a board stating ‘Doctor Covid-19 duty’ on his vehicle. When pressed for answers, he revealed he was a member of the housekeeping staff at a private hospital. A youngster driving an SUV with an MLC sticker on the windshield was flagged down near the stadium. He claimed that the car belonged to an MLC, but failed to name the legislator. Police seized the vehicle as he didn’t have a driving licence. Thirty men were caught roaming around in Koramangala.

After a 14-day curfew, the state government announced a stricter lockdown to slow the alarming spread of coronavirus infections that have strained the healthcare system. While free public movement is banned, certain industries have been allowed to operate with riders. The government notification permitting in situ construction that doesn’t involve calling workers from outside led to confusion on Monday. Police across the state came across labourers being taken to construction sites. Such groups were stopped.

“May is the time when construction activities move into top gear. A lot of work has to be completed before the monsoon sets in. The government has allowed construction by workers already at the site. But they have to move around to get materials,” said an engineer supervising a site in Bengaluru Rural.

Though the government has allowed delivery of essential items ordered online, many delivery agents complained that police beat them up. “Our colleagues were harassed by police when they were delivering orders in locations such as Kamakya-Banashankari, Sultanpalya, Mattikere, Shastrinagar, Kodigehalli and Ramamurthynagara. All the incidents took place between 10am and noon,” said Ravi Raj G from OTPxpress.

Doctors’ ethical dilemma: Save the young or seniors?

Doctors’ ethical dilemma: Save the young or seniors?

Sunitha.Rao@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:11.05.2021 

With an increasing demand for ICU beds and ventilators, clinicians are facing an ethical dilemma over allotment of beds: Young breadwinners or senior citizens? The focus is certainly more on saving the youngsters, multiple hospital authorities told TOI on the condition of anonymity.

“Age has to become a criterion for ICU admission, apart from the patient’s condition. Not that we are denying treatment for the elderly patients outright, but we do feel sorry for the families of young patients suffering from severe forms of the disease,” said an intensivist.

The head of a hospital in west Bengaluru told TOI that he had never faced such an ethical dilemma in his 35-year career. “Who should get priority, given the limited resources? From a medical practitioner’s perspective, we can’t differentiate between the young and the old. Now, it is different. Between an ailing senior citizen whose prognosis suggests s/he may not make a recovery and a young man who has chances of survival, I would go for the latter. We do explain the situation to the families,” the doctor said.

Hospital authorities say their focus is certainly more on saving the youngsters

Disease severity a criterion, not age: Doc

There are very few hospitals that have the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy, which is used to pump and oxygenate a patient’s blood outside the body, replacing the function of the lungs and heart.

“We have had a 44-year-old man on ECMO for the past three weeks and he is making subtle but gradual improvement. There was only one ECMO machine. A week ago, we had a 22-year-old woman who recently required ECMO. She died in front of us. Being helpless is adding to our stress. Each life we are losing was the one that should have been saved,” said an intensivist from a corporate hospital in Bengaluru.

Besides age, the patient’s class matters as they get multiple calls if s/he is from an influential background.

With resource crunch, NGOs helping several critical patients find a bed admit they do make a choice. “If the Covid patient is young and the only breadwinner of the family, we do make our best attempts to help find a bed,” says Mohammed Ismail, a volunteer working with Emergency Response Team of Mercy Mission.

“On April 30, we received a request from the family of a 32-yearold man, whose oxygen saturation level was 70% and the private hospital where he was had no ventilator for him. His parents had died the previous day and his pregnant wife had gone for their cremation. We had to speak to several MLAs, officers to get him a bed and he was finally shifted to Victoria Hospital,” Ismail said. The priority goes for a young breadwinner of the family, pregnant women in need of ICU beds, he added.

But some doctors look at the treatment path. The only criteria between an old and a young patient would be who is the sicker of the two, said Dr Smitha Thimmaiah, medical superintendent, Sparsh Hospital, Mysore Road. “If my parents were in this situation, I would not have ignored considering their age, right? The same is applicable to any other patient too. Age is not the criterion, but the disease severity and the need of treatment are,” said Dr Smitha.

‘Door-to-door vaccination not feasible’

‘Door-to-door vaccination not feasible’

11.05.2021 

Vaccine production in India will be ramped up to more than 13 crore doses per month by the end of July, the Centre told the SC while negating the court’s suggestions for door-to-door vaccination under the national immunisation scheme as unsuitable for Covid-19 inoculation.

The Centre pointed out that the vaccine is required to be maintained at a particular temperature and the person vaccinated is required to be kept under observation for 30 minutes. Moreover, vaccinators would have to open the vaccine vial box repeatedly, affecting maintenance of temperature and efficacy of the vaccines.

Govt Is Trying To Ramp Up Production Of Vaccines, Court Told

Govt Is Trying To Ramp Up Production Of Vaccines, Court Told

Dhananjay.Mahapatra@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:11.05.2021 

Clearing a cloud of claims over monetary aid given to Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers, the Centre informed the Supreme Court that it has provided no financial assistance to either Bharat Biotech or Serum Institute for development of vaccines but financial support of Rs 46 crore was extended for clinical trials.

“No governmental aid, assistance or grant is made either for research or development of either Covaxin or Covishield. However, they were given some financial assistance for conducting clinical trials,” the Centre said in its affidavit filed late on Sunday night in the SC. It clarified that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) spent Rs 46 crore on clinical trials of the two vaccines.

The Centre also informed the court that it has given 100% advance money to Bharat Biotech International Ltd (BBIL) and Serum Institute of India (SII), totalling Rs 2,520 crore, for procurement of vaccine doses for the months of May, June and July. SII was paid Rs 1,732.5 crore for 11 crore doses of Covishield and BBIL was paid Rs 787.5 crore for 5 crore doses of Covaxin.

It said Covaxin was developed under public private partnership between the ICMR and BBIL. “ICMR has not provided any funds to BBIL for Covaxin development. However, funds have been spent in various activities undertaken by ICMR and National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, for Covaxin development. Also, its phase 3 clinical trials have been funded by ICMR. The trials have been conducted at 22 sites in 25,800 participants. Total estimated expenditure of ICMR is 35 crore,” the Centre said.

“The bridging studies of Covishield on 1,600 participants in India were supported by ICMR in partnership with SII. No funds were provided to SII. Funds were transferred to 14 clinical trial sites. Total estimated expenditure of ICMR is Rs 11 crore,” it added.

According to an central government official, the Centre has also helping vaccine development with autonomous institutes of DBT involved in generating animal models for SARS-CoV-2. The immunoassay labs are serving as national service facilities for vaccine development.

In its affidavit, the Centre said the government was trying to ramp up production of vaccines and both BBIL and SII have expanded their facilities to almost double their production and provide 5.5 crore and 6.5 crore doses of vaccines, respectively, by the end of July. It said by then, Sputnik V production by Dr Reddy’s Laboratories would be around 1.2 crore doses.

“As some foreign vaccines have now been administered globally in large numbers, the NEGVAC has decided to allow the conduct of bridging trials of the foreign vaccines simultaneously with its market deployment as opposed to the earlier requirement of conducting bridging trials prior to market deployment, following due safety and quality protocols and in light of the global experience of these vaccines if such vaccines are approved by USA, UK, EU and WHO,” the Centre said.

It added that 11 new vaccines were in various stages of clinical trials. “The department of biotechnology is supporting the research and development of nearly 11 vaccine candidates by industry and public sector laboratories. Three of these vaccine candidates have progressed from proof-of-concept to the clinical development stage and are currently undergoing clinical trials. To further accelerate Covid-19 vaccine development efforts, support for vaccine candidates in clinical development is being provided under ‘Mission Covid Suraksha - the Indian Covid-19 Vaccine Development Mission’,” the government said

As many as 11 new vaccines are in various stages of clinical trials

We don’t print notes to give Covid aid: Minister

We don’t print notes to give Covid aid: Minister

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Shivamogga:11.05.2021 

Senior Karnataka minister KS Eshwarappa on Monday stoked controversy, saying the government does “not own a printing machine” to mint currency notes and hand out compensation to thousands of working-class people hit hard by Covid-induced lockdown.

The minister said, “Do we print notes (to extend doles)?” at his hometown Shivamogga in reply to state opposition leaders’ demand that the BJP government must consider giving Rs 10,000 compensation to each working-class family.

Eshwarappa is the second minister in the BJP government to make insensitive remarks about the plight of the people in less than two weeks.

On April 28, state food and civil supplies minister Umesh V Katti had told a farmer-activist enquiring about foodgrain allotment to “go die”, following it up by saying that it is a “good time for farmers to die”. The audio clip of the conversation on phone had gone viral, causing major embarrassment to the state government.

Oppn leaders should keep quiet for 14 days, says KSE

On opposition leaders’ criticism of the way in which the government is handling the Covid crisis, Eshwarappa said, “If they keep mum, then the lockdown will be a success (and allow positive cases to fall).” He said former CMs Siddaramaiah, HD Kumaraswamy and Congress state unit president DK Shivakumar should “keep their mouth shut for 14 days so that we can tide over the crisis”.

“It is not the time to criticise the government since the pandemic has attacked India after 100 years… Nobody had foreseen it,” he said.

Eshwarappa’s statement drew sharp reactions from Congress and JD(S), while the BJP offered a calibrated view on the issue. JD(S) leader HK Kumaraswamy said the statement is no different from that of Katti’s. “While Katti was crass, Eshwarappa is much more polished by stating it does not matter whether people die in the state.”

Congress working president Saleem Ahmed said, “It is Eshwarappa’s decision whether he wants to print additional notes or take it from the state exchequer. However, as a minister and leader of the ruling party, it is the responsibility and dharma of the government to help people from poor background.”

BJP state general secretary N Ravi Kumar said, “Opposition parties have been demanding a financial relief package, but that does not mean the government is in a position to provide it. The government will look into the needs of the people and will take an informed decision.”

Stalin launches ₹4,153cr dole to ration card holders, people crowd PDS shops

Stalin launches ₹4,153cr dole to ration card holders, people crowd PDS shops

₹2,000 For Each During First Phase

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

11.05.2021 

Chief minister M K Stalin launched Covid relief distribution for ration card holders in the state on Monday.

Stalin gave away ₹2,000 to seven people at the Secretariat in the presence of cooperatives minister I Periyasamy and food minister R Sakkarapani.

Elsewhere in the state, distribution of tokens for two crore ration card holders commenced at public distribution system outlets. While staff at PDS outlets went door-to-door giving away the tokens, people started thronging ration shops in few places unaware of the door delivery system. Ration shop staff had tough time sending them away. Officials, however, said cash distribution in exchange for the tokens from May 15 will be a seamless exercise with each card holder allotted a separate time slab.

Giving away Covid relief of ₹4,000 was one of the key prepoll promises of Stalin. It was one among the first five orders he signed immediately after assuming charge as chief minister. He allotted ₹4,153 crore for the purpose. Stalin said that ₹2,000 each would be given in the first phase and the remaining would be distributed in second phase.

The token distribution for the first phase would be done over three days and cash distribution is scheduled for May 15 at ration shops. “People should wear face masks, follow social distancing and receive the cash,” the statement said.

As people started thronging ration shops at several places in the morning, officials stepped in and issued instructions to send them back home. Salem district collector S A Raman said that he has strictly instructed ration shop staff to visit every car holders house and distribute token at their door step. “I also instructed the staff not to ask the card holder to come to the shop to collect the token,” he said.

In Chennai, authorities swung into action soon after the scheme was launched by Stalin at the Secretariat. Chennai region has 1,746 ration shops and 21 lakh ration cards. So, authorities have planned to finish distribution of tokens before this Friday. There was confusion whether those with sugar cards, who have applied for conversion into rice cards, will be eligible to get this amount. Food minister Sakkarapani clarified that this group will not be part of the relief distribution program. Officials said a team headed by tahsildar or BDO has been formed to ensure effective implementation of the scheme.

An official from the cooperative department in Madurai said they had ensured that people do not visit ration shops seeking tokens. “Tokens are being given door-to-door. People who did not get the tokens can approach the respective fair price shop on Thursday and get it at once,” he said. According to him, distribution of cash will take seven days to complete from May 15 to cover all card holders in Madurai. People need to visit the shop only at the specified time on the given day to collect the cash, the official added.

DEADLY CROWD: People wait outside a ration shop in Chennai on Monday without adhering to any Covid protocols

30 bodies floating in Ganga trigger Covid panic in Bihar town

30 bodies floating in Ganga trigger Covid panic in Bihar town

Piyush Tripathi & K Kamlesh

Patna/Buxar:  11.05.2021 

Residents of Chausa village in Bihar’s Buxar woke up to the macabre sight of half-burnt bodies dumped in the Ganga washing ashore near Mahadev Ghat on Monday. Villagers said they saw at least 150 corpses, suspected to be of Covid victims, floating down the river at dawn.

The Buxar district administration pegged the number of bodies at 30. “The bodies are not of local residents. It seems they were dumped in neighbouring UP 3-4 days ago,” Buxar DM Aman Samir said. “Instructions have been issued to intensify river patrolling.”

A local resident said he and other witnesses counted not less than 150 bodies. “The situation is dangerous. People in areas are in shock,” he said.

The DM said the unidentified bodies would be cremated in accordance with Covid-safety protocol after autopsy.

TROUBLED WATERS: The bodies may have floated down from UP

‘Govt will bear the cost of cremating Covid-19 victims’

P rem Swaroopam, executive officer of the Buxar municipal council, told a news channel that a probe had already been initiated into “people dumping bodies” in the river. “We have formed three teams to stop people from disposing of bodies like that. The government will bear the cost of cremating Covid-19 victims in accordance with the official guidelines.”

Late Monday, sub-divisional magistrate KK Upadhyay said the cremation of the bodies that washed ashore in the morning had begun. He said bodies were found floating in the river in adjoining Ghazipur district of UP, too.

Some local residents attributed dumping of bodies in the river to the higher cost of organising the cremation of Covid-19 victims and fear of getting infected.

Agree to terms or face limited functions: WhatsApp

Agree to terms or face limited functions: WhatsApp

Pankaj.Doval@timesgroup.com

NewDelhi:11.05.2021 

You won’t be tablet o access your chat list on WhatsApp and may have “limited functionality” on the country’s biggest messaging platform if you do not accept the Facebook-owned messenger’s latest privacy policy, the company said on Monday despite strong reservations expressed by the government, the Supreme Court, and the Competition Commission of India.

While WhatsApp – which has over 53 crore users in India --says that the scale-down of services will not happen immediately for those who do not accept update to the new policy by May15, the downgrade will happen subsequently when a user does not pay heed to repeated reminders from the company.

While the company has made clear that it will not delete the accounts of those who continue to ignore the controversial privacy policy (that have received flak across the world as the update seeks to share business communication of WhatsApp users with Facebook), it has now made it clear that things may not be the same anymore.

Through a blog post/advisory on its website, the company answers the crucial question of ‘What happens after I receive a persistent reminder (to update)?’, “At that time, you’ll encounter limited functionality on WhatsApp until you accept the updates… You won’t be able to access your chat list, but you can still answer incoming phone and video calls. If you have notifications enabled, you can tap on them to read or respond to a message or call back a missed phone or video call.”

Further, after a few weeks of limited functionality, “you won’t be able to receive incoming calls or notifications and WhatsApp will stop sending messages and calls to your phone.”

Govt rejects SII plea to export 50L doses to UK

New Delhi:11.05.2021 

Despite the international pressure and several rounds of negotiations by Serum Institute of India (SII), the government has turned down the request from SII to export 50 lakh doses of Covishield to UK under its prior commitments.

The decision was taken in the wake of severe supply crunch of vaccines locally and government insisting the local production be supplied to protect Indians first. States have been prompted to approach the Pune-based company to negotiate contracts to procure these doses to meet local demand. The doses are likely to be used to vaccinate those between18-44 age. “These 50 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine are now available for inoculating people between 18-44 years age. States have been asked to procure it. Private hospitals can also get them,” an official source said. The ministry has asked the states to contact the company and initiate procurement activity at the earliest. However, sources said, the labels of these doses may have to be changed. Since the vaccines were packed for supply to the UK, a different label was affixed on the vials but now since they have to be supplied in the local market, they need a label for the same. TNN

EPS is TN oppn leader, OPS rejects deputy leader’s post

EPS is TN oppn leader, OPS rejects deputy leader’s post

Julie.Mariappan@timesgroup.com

Chennai:11.05.2021

The AIADMK on Monday chose former chief minister and party co-coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami as leader of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly. The decision came after much wrangling and muscle flexing. Party coordinator O Panneerselvam initially resisted the move and proposed former speaker P Dhanapal’s name, sources said. But there were few takers for the suggestion. The power struggle was in full display as Panneerselvam and Palaniswami squabbled over who was more eligible to be the leader of the opposition. But with little support from the newly elected MLAs, 63 of them discounting the two leaders, Panneerselvam gave in. He rejected the offer of deputy leader for himself, proposing Dhanapal for the post instead, and left the party headquarters in a huff, sources said.

NEW ROLE: Edappadi K Palaniswami called on O Panneerselvam on Monday evening

OPS fails to garner any support at party meet

AIADMK deputy coordinator and erstwhile supporter of Panneerselvam, K P Munusamy, submitted a letter to assembly secretary K Srinivasan about the ‘unanimous’ choice of the legislature party, on the eve of the oath-taking ceremony of newly elected MLAs. Later in the evening, Palaniswami called on Panneerselvam at the latter’s residence and greeted him with a shawl and a bouquet. Panneerselvam returned the compliment, draping the same shawl on Palaniswami. Former ministers and senior functionaries accompanied Palaniswami. Allies PMK leader S Ramadoss and G K Vasan of TMC congratulated him.

The legislature party unanimously elected Palaniswami as leader of the opposition with a majority of the MLAs, including former ministers, backing him. “Except Alangulam MLA P H Manoj Pandian, no one present at the meeting backed OPS. They were all urging him to sacrifice one more time, like he did when he agreed to project EPS as chief ministerial candidate for the assembly election,” a senior leader told TOI. The decision was made after a three-hour long discussion by MLAs at the party headquarters in Chennai, and Panneerselvam left after signing the necessary papers, “appearing unhappy”.The leader of the opposition must be chosen by Tuesday night since the Speaker-elect would have to be taken to the chair on Wednesday by the chief minister and leader of the opposition. On Friday too, AIADMK MLAs discussed for nearly three hours, but failed to arrive at a consensus. Panneerselvam did not get support even from his own community members and senior leaders in the southern belt.

Close Palaniswami associates P Thangamani and S P Velumani and senior leader K A Sengottaiyan threw their weight behind him. The meeting began with Palaniswami stating he would accept whatever decision the MLAs took.

Except Alangualm MLA P H Manoj Pandian, no one went against Edappadi K Palaniswami

At least11 Covid patients die while Tirupati hosp refills oxygen tanks

SUPPLY DISRUPTION

At least11 Covid patients die while Tirupati hosp refills oxygen tanks

Sandeep.Raghavan@timesgroup.com

Tirupati:11.05.2021 

Several patients died due to shortage in oxygen supply at the SVRR government general hospital in Tirupati on Monday evening. Though the exact number of casualties was yet to be officially confirmed, sources told TOI that at least 11 patients died following a brief disruption in oxygen.

The government claimed that the supply was affected for just a few minutes during which time the tragedy took place. Relatives of some of the patients, however, claimed that supply was disrupted for at least 25 minutes.

There are about 135 ICU beds and 400-plus oxygen beds at the hospital where some 1,100 Covid-19 patients have been admitted at present.

Sources told TOI that the 10,000-litre oxygen tank at the hospital was nearly empty and was being refilled after a tanker arrived from Tamil Nadu. The refilling process led to interruption in oxygen supply and during this time the condition of several critical patients deteriorated.

Their attendants desperately tried to keep them alive by using hand fans and other, means, though in vain.

Jagan orders collectors to keep an eye on oxygen supply in hospitals

Videos coming out of the hospital showed a number of patients lying lifeless on beds even as people run around trying to help them with hand pumps and other equipment.

District collector M Hari Narayana rushed to the hospital after learning of the tragedy. He has asked the police to probe if there was any attempt to sabotage the oxygen supply.

Chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed shock at the death of the 11 patients and asked for a report from officials. He also ordered all collectors to keep an eye on oxygen supply in all hospitals in their districts and ensure that such tragedies don’t take place.

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No Proper Response To The Queries By Court: Patna High Court Warns Contempt Action Against Union Home Ministry Officials

No Proper Response To The Queries By Court: Patna High Court Warns Contempt Action Against Union Home Ministry Officials: ' It is also made clear that the Court may initiate a contempt proceeding against those who would be found in not cooperating the court proceeding.'

1993-batch bureaucrat Gagandeep Singh Bedi appointed Chennai Corporation Commissioner

1993-batch bureaucrat Gagandeep Singh Bedi appointed Chennai Corporation Commissioner

Bedi is known for his contribution to ecology and environment and won the Green Award twice, in 2003 and 2004.

Published: 09th May 2021 04:22 PM 

Gagandeep Singh Bedi (File | EPS)

By Omjasvin MD

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Senior IAS officer from the 1993 batch, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, has been appointed as the Chennai Corporation Commissioner by the DMK government, as the city finds itself in a tough spot battling the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to a government order by Chief Secretary V Irani Anbu, Bedi, who was the Principal Secretary of the State Agricultural Department, will replace the outgoing Commissioner G Prakash, who held the post since 2019.

Though Bedi is a very senior officer for the role of Corporation Commissioner, it appears that he has been appointed due to the Covid-19 crisis, given his expertise in handling natural disasters like the Tsunami and Cuddalore floods in the past.

The order stated that the post of Principal Secretary/Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation will be equivalent in status and responsibilities to the cadre post of principal Secretary-cum-commissioner.

Who is Gagandeeph Singh Bedi?

Bedi was born in Hoshiarpur in Punjab in 1968 and has graduated in BE (Electronics and Electrical Communication) and later joined as a lecturer at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology.

In 1993, he was selected for the Indian Engineering Services and got a posting in Indian Railways. Subsequently, in 1993, he was selected in the Indian Administrative Services and was allotted the Tamil Nadu cadre.

Since then, Bedi, who is known to be an honest and straightforward officer, held many prominent positions like the Additional Collector, Cuddalore; Commissioner of Corporation, Madurai; Collector of Kanyakumari District and Cuddalore District.

He was also the Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board and was Secretary for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department.

Bedi is known for his contribution to ecology and the environment and won the Green Award twice, in 2003 and 2004. As District Collector, he had promoted various Eco-Tourism projects and other environmental projects.

Bedi also received applause for his services in flood mitigation during the Cuddalore floods in 2015. He also spearheaded the district's fight against Tsunami and he was appreciated for handling the crisis efficiently.

He also received a national award in 2016 for implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme as Rural Development Department Secretary, from late Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Before taking over as the Chennai Corporation Commissioner, Bedi also served as the District Monitor Officer for Covid-19 in Cuddalore.

நிவாரண நிதிக்கு ஒரு நாள் ஊதியம்

நிவாரண நிதிக்கு ஒரு நாள் ஊதியம்

Added : மே 09, 2021 23:47

சென்னை: கொரோனா நிவாரணத்திற்காக, ஒரு நாள் ஊதியத்தை, முதல்வர் நிவாரண நிதிக்கு வழங்க, ஆரம்ப பள்ளி ஆசிரியர்கள் சங்கம் முடிவு செய்துள்ளது.

அரசு ஆரம்ப பள்ளி ஆசிரியர்கள் சங்க பொது செயலர் ஜான் வெஸ்லி வெளியிட்ட செய்திக்குறிப்பு:கொரோனா பாதிப்பால், அரசிற்கு ஏற்படும் நிதி நெருக்கடியை சமாளிக்க உதவும் வகையில், முதல்வர் நிவாரண நிதிக்கு, ஒரு நாள் ஊதியத்தை வழங்க முடிவு செய்துள்ளோம்.தொற்றால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ள நோயாளிகளின், மருத்துவ சிகிச்சைக்கு உதவும், டாக்டர்கள், நர்சுகள் மற்றும் துாய்மை பணியாளர்களுக்கு உதவும் வகையிலும், நிவாரண நிதியை வழங்க, இந்த முடிவு எடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.இவ்வாறு அவர் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

Not having valid licence costs teenager 10% accident payout

Not having valid licence costs teenager 10% accident payout

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  10.05.2021 

A teenager who got into an accident by driving a motorbike without a valid driving licence has been slapped 10% of ₹7.75 lakh compensation for contributory negligence by a city motor accident claims tribunal. The victim was a first year engineering student at the time of the accident and his bike was knocked down by a rashly driven truck near Poonamalee, resulting in grievous injuries.

T Karthikraj of Ponniammanmedu, in his petition stated that he was riding his motorbike on Thirunindravur Poonamalee Road when a rashly driven truck hit his vehicle. Karthikraj suffered 62% disability because of the accident and could not attend college for more than six months. The accident happened in October 2015.

In response, the insurer of the truck contended that the accident happened due to Karthikraj’s negligence.

After perusing the submissions and documents including FIR and accident report, the tribunal held that the accident occurred due to the rash and negligent driving of the truck driver. However, during the cross examination, the tribunal noted that the victim did not produce his original driving licence and held that he owed10% of the compensation awarded towards contributory negligence. Of the ₹7.75 lakh compensation amount calculated, the tribunal deducted ₹77,000 (10%) and asked the insurer to pay ₹6.97 lakh to the victim.

TN orders audit of all deaths

TN orders audit of all deaths

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:10.05.2021

State health minister Ma Subramanian has ordered an audit of deaths occrring due to Covid-19. The order will deal with reconciliation of deaths, active cases and discharges from the registry to ensure that policy makers get the right picture to make strategic decisions for prevention and management of the pandemic.

During a meeting with senior officials from the health and municipal administration, the health minister recalled chief minister M K Stalin’s directions that there should not be any fudging of numbers of fresh cases, deaths and discharges.

While Ma Subramanian could not be contacted, DMK spokesperson T K S Elangovan told TOI those directions have been issued for reconciliation.

“Yes, we are forming this committee. A data audit needs to be done so that people are aware of the seriousness of the issue. Already the chief minister had asked the officials to ensure the records are clean. To check the previous data, this team will be put in place a study and reconcile the data,” he said.

Guest workers protest after authorities stop jam-packed bus

Guest workers protest after authorities stop jam-packed bus

Coimbatore:10.05.2021

Hundreds of guest workers staged a protest at the Omni Bus Stand at Gandhipuram on Sunday afternoon, demanding buses to their hometowns.

Many private bus operators accommodated as many as 150 guest workers in a bus and charged ₹4,000 for a trip to Bihar from Coimbatore, regional transport office sources said.

“We seized six omni buses for failing to pay taxes till Saturday. Four buses were seized for the violation on Sunday. Most of them have Puducherry registration. Some guest workers functioning as agents had brought the buses to Coimbatore. The operators have to get permits and pay tax to the Tamil Nadu government,” said an official. “ We found 160 guest workers in an omni bus, which was stopped near the women’s polytechnic on Saturday night. As per rules, an omni bus can carry maximum 40 passengers. The bus was seized and the guest workers were sent to their workplaces here. On Sunday around1pm, an omni bus was found with more than 100 guest workers. The bus operator instigated the guest workers, who were assembled at the omni bus stand, to demand transport arrangements to their hometowns,” the official said.

RTO officials, revenue department officials and police pacified the workers. TNN

DEMAND FOR SERVICE

City colleges plan to conduct online exams during lockdown

City colleges plan to conduct online exams during lockdown

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:10.05.2021

While some city colleges are planning to go ahead with their online semester exams during the lockdown, state universities like Madras University and Anna University are likely to conduct their exams only after the lockdown is over.

Due to the assembly elections in the state, many colleges had scheduled their online exams from May 3. The Tamil Nadu government announced lockdown from May 10 to 24.

The directorate of collegiate education on Sunday asked the particulars from colleges including the number exams completed so far and number of days needed to complete the remaining exams to take a call on online exams.

Loyola College has completed four exams and three exams are scheduled till May 15. "Students and faculty members want to complete the remaining online exams as per the schedule. Since the exam is conducted online, students need not come out of their houses to write the exam. The staff members can also invigilate the exams from their houses. So, we would like to continue with the exams," said Thomas Amirtham, principal of the college.

Students will write the exams in pen and paper mode and scan the answer sheets and send it to colleges online. The 90-minute exams will be monitored online by faculty members.

Guru Nanak College asked the faculty members to prepare to conduct and monitor exams from their houses. "Unless the government says no to conducting online exams, we will continue with our exams as per the schedule," said M G Ragunathan, principal of the college. As per the schedule, the exams will be conducted till June 5.

However, some colleges like DG Vaishnav College postponed their online semester exams to June. "We planned to conduct online exams from May 17. But, all students may not have internet connections at their houses. So, we have decided to postpone it," said S Santhosh Baboo, principal of DG Vaishnav College.

Meanwhile, colleges like Madras Christian College and Women's Christian College have completed their exams.

Madras University also planned to start the online semester exams for affiliated colleges from May 17. However, exams were delayed due to setting question papers and non-payment of exam fees by students. "We will start the online exams only after the lockdown for affiliated college students," an official from the university said.

Anna University announced a retest for students who could not appear for exams due to technical glitches from May 17 for students studying in its four campuses. "The university has not taken any decision on the retest so far," sources in the university said. For affiliated colleges, the university is yet to schedule exams for BE, BTech students due to the confusion over the delay in deciding the mode of exams. The exams are likely to be scheduled only after the lockdown.

NEW REALITIES: Loyola College has completed four exams and three exams are scheduled till May 15

Penalise violators, but be polite, DGP tells cops

Penalise violators, but be polite, DGP tells cops

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:10.05.2021

With the state entering complete two-week lockdown from Monday, director general of police J K Tripathy has asked police personnel not to harass people while enforcing restrictions but to penalise them politely.

In a circular issued about enforcing lockdown rules, the DGP instructed police to not seize vehicles of violators but to take a photograph of their vehicle and penalize them. In unavoidable situations, even if the vehicle is seized, it should be released within a couple of hours, the circular said.

“Do not harass people. While enforcing restrictions, do not get into arguments or take the law into your own hands,” Tripathy said in the circular. He appealed to the law enforcers to show concern for roadside vendors and request that they close the business after permitted hours (12 noon).

He urged that public address systems be put to use to make announcements in crowded market areas rather than the personnel mingling with the crowd themselves. He added that police should ensure they follow all safety protocol strictly. “Deploy drones to monitor the crowding, and do not resort to lathicharge to disperse crowds.”

“You must ensure that vehicles carrying essentials such as oxygen cylinders and pharmaceutical items from other districts and within the cities do not face any difficulty,” Tripathy insisted. He advised that arrests be avoided unless in important cases, to not allow the general public inside police stations and to receive petitions outside the stations. He also asked not to deploy policewomen and policemen above the age of 50 years for lockdown enforcement.

SRM entrance test to be held online in May, July

SRM entrance test to be held online in May, July

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 10.05.2021

SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST) will be conducting SRM Joint Engineering Entrance Exam (SRMJEEE) 2021 online in two phases in May and July. Phase I will be held on May 23 and 24 while phase II will be on July 25 and 26.

The exams will through remote proctored online mode (RPOM) and the last day to apply for it is May 15 and July 20 for Phase l and Phase II respectively. Students aspiring to join BTech programmes in SRM need to take this exam. For more details, students can visit www.srmist.edu.in.

New corpn chief Gagandeep Singh Bedi is disaster management expert

New corpn chief Gagandeep Singh Bedi is disaster management expert

Directed Relief Efforts During Tsunami, Floods, Gaja

Siddharth.Prabhakar@timesgroup.com

Chennai:10.05.2021

Senior IAS officer and principal secretary of the agriculture department Gagandeep Singh Bedi was appointed as the commissioner of Greater Chennai Corporation on Sunday, replacing G Prakash. Prakash had been in the post since February 2019.

Since no elected council is in place, Bedi also becomes the de-facto special officer who will be able to take all crucial decisions taken by the council. He has been given charge of the civic body at a time when Chennai’s daily Covid-19 cases have reached a high of 6,000 and have not yet peaked.

Bedi is a well-known bureaucrat who has won awards including that of ‘Indian of the Year’ given out by a private news TV organisation for his work during the 2004 Tsunami, when he was collector of Cuddalore.

His image as a disaster management expert was enhanced by his work during the floods in 2005 and more recently, during the Gaja cyclone in 2018.

Bedi was also the officer who investigated the illegal beach sand mining in Tuticorin, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts and presented a report to the state government. He has also been at the helm of the fisheries department.

Sources in the TN bureaucracy said Bedi was earmarked for this particular role by the current political dispensation. “He is a very planned person who puts in his best efforts. He is also very soft-spoken,” an official said.

During his tenure, Prakash was known for aggressive field visits and encouraging fresh ideas from officials. GCC’s social media accounts were revamped and ideas such as corona monitoring app and home quarantine monitoring system were developed. Greening in Chennai received a fillip with waste lands converted into Miyawaki forests.

However, GCC continued to face allegations of tender fixing during Prakash’s tenure as well. Prakash, who lives in a locality on East Coast Road (ECR), faced a backlash from fellow ECR residents over construction of a German bank-funded, costly stormwater drain project which they said was unnecessary.

Bedi, a senior IAS officer, is taking over the reins as Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner from G Prakash, who served in the post since February 2019