Bharat Biotech to produce Covaxin in Ankleshwar

Bharat Biotech to produce Covaxin in Ankleshwar

Ahmedabad:21.05.2021 

Bharat Biotech, the maker of India’s first indigenous Covid-19 vaccine, Covaxin, on Thursday announced that it will utilize its subsidiary Chiron Behring Vaccines’ facility at Ankleshwar in Gujarat to further ramp up its Covaxin production.

Bharat Biotech plans to produce 200 million doses of Covaxin per annum at the Ankleshwar facility and product availability at this plant will commence from the fourth quarter of 2021, the vaccine major said.

Bharat Biotech had already deployed multiple production lines at its Hyderabad and Bengaluru campuses.The Ankleshwar plant will take its overall capacity to produce Covaxin to 1 billion doses per annum. TNN

Kota hospital MD, staff booked for giving COVID patient glucose injection instead of remdesivir

Kota hospital MD, staff booked for giving COVID patient glucose injection instead of remdesivir

This comes a day after Kota District Collector Ujjawal Rathore ordered a probe into the incident that took place last week.

Published: 20th May 2021 11:46 PM  

 By PTI

KOTA: The managing director and the nursing staff of a private hospital here were on Thursday booked under culpable homicide, cheating and criminal conspiracy charges over the death of COVID-19 patient, who was allegedly administered a glucose injection instead of remdesivir.

This comes a day after Kota District Collector Ujjawal Rathore ordered a probe into the incident that took place last week.

Circle Inspector, Jawahar Nagar police station, Ramkishan Verma said a case was lodged under sections 304(A), 420 and 120 (B) of the IPC against nursing staff Manoj Raiger, Rakesh Raiger and Brijmohan, and managing director Rakesh Jindal of Kota Heart Hospital.

He said the case was registered based on a complaint lodged by Puneet Rohida, a resident of the Dakaniya railway station area of the city.

Rohida alleged that his COVID-positive mother was administered a glucose injection by the nursing staff at the hospital instead of remdesivir, even though he had arranged all medicines prescribed to her, leading to her death on May 14, Verma said.

The hospital management had earlier lodged a case accusing its nursing staff of theft and black marketing of medicines of the facility, the police official said.

Did vaccine hesitancy played significant role in COVID spread at AMU campus? V-C thinks so

Did vaccine hesitancy played significant role in COVID spread at AMU campus? V-C thinks so

Notably, 19 serving teachers at the university and at least 21 retired teachers lost their lives due to COVID-19 and COVID-like symptoms in recent weeks.

Published: 21st May 2021 12:52 AM

 Aligarh Muslim University (File Photo | PTI)

By PTI

ALIGARH: AMU Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor on Thursday said vaccine hesitancy played a big role in the spread of coronavirus in the campus, where at least 40 serving and retired teachers have died in recent weeks due to COVID or COVID-like symptoms.

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) authorities also launched a vaccination audit and urged all employees to provide their vaccination status and that of their family members for "future health planning and streamlining the vaccination drive".

"Vaccine hesitancy has played a significant role in the incidence of large number of cases of COVID-19 among university employees and their families, and consequent morbidity and mortality," the VC said in an open letter to AMU community.

Last week, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had visited the AMU campus and pointed that vaccination could have saved lives.

Notably, 19 serving teachers at the university and at least 21 retired teachers lost their lives due to COVID-19 and COVID-like symptoms in recent weeks.

The Vice-Chancellor said two vaccination centres are currently operational at the campus and appealed to the AMU community to shed doubts regarding the efficacy of the vaccines in preventing any further loss of life.

"All studies indicate that vaccines provide protection against serious disease, hospitalizations and deaths," he said.

To tackle the current crisis and prepare for a possible third wave of COVID, the Vice-Chancellor has also instituted a high-level 15 member committee to draw a roadmap for shoring up resources and medical facilities at the campus.

The committee will be headed by the AMU registrar and will include the principal dean and the superintendent of the medical college hospital.

It will also plan additional resources and equipment for the paediatric wards keeping in mind the possible threat to children.

Earlier, at the request of the Vice-Chancellor, ICMR had conducted genome sequencing of coronavirus samples around the campus but found that no new strain was responsible for the large number of deaths in the area.

கணவரின் ஓய்வூதிய பலன்: மனைவி மனு தள்ளுபடி

கணவரின் ஓய்வூதிய பலன்: மனைவி மனு தள்ளுபடி

Added : மே 20, 2021 22:18

சென்னை:கணவரின் ஓய்வூதிய பலன்களை, நிறுத்தி வைக்கக் கோரிய மனுவை பரிசீலிக்க கோரி, பிரிந்து வாழும் மனைவி தாக்கல் செய்த வழக்கை, சென்னை உயர் நீதிமன்றம் தள்ளுபடி செய்தது.

கரூரில் உள்ள புள்ளியியல் உதவி இயக்குனர் அலுவலகத்தில், சுப்ரமணியன் என்பவர் பணியாற்றுகிறார்.

சொத்துகள் விற்க முயற்சி

அடுத்த மாதத்தில் ஓய்வு பெற உள்ளார். இந்நிலையில், அவரது மனைவி ராஜேஸ்வரி தாக்கல் செய்த மனு:கடந்த, 2005ல் எங்களுக்கு திருமணம் நடந்தது. இரண்டு குழந்தைகள் உள்ளனர். வீட்டை விட்டு துரத்தப்பட்டேன். என் சகோதரர் வீட்டில், குழந்தைகளுடன் தங்கி இருக்கிறேன். குடும்ப வன்முறை பாதுகாப்பு சட்டத்தின் கீழ், கணவருக்கு எதிராக புகார் அளித்துள்ளேன்.

சட்டப்படியான என் உரிமையை முறியடிக்கும் நோக்கில், அவரது சொத்துக்களை விற்பதற்கு முயற்சி செய்கிறார்.என் கணவருக்குரிய ஓய்வூதிய பலன்களை அளிக்கக் கூடாது என, புள்ளியியல் உதவி இயக்குனர் அலுவலகத்தில் மனு அளித்துள்ளேன். என் மனுவை பரிசீலிக்க உத்தரவிட வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு மனுவில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

மனுவை விசாரித்த, நீதிபதி எஸ்.வைத்தியநாதன் பிறப்பித்த உத்தரவு:ஊழியர் வாழும் வரை, அவரிடம் தான் ஓய்வூதிய பலன்கள் வழங்கப்பட வேண்டும். விவாகரத்து கோரியும், மனுதாரர் வழக்கு தொடுத்துள்ளார். குடும்ப வன்முறை சட்டத்தின் கீழும் புகார் அளித்துள்ளார். உண்மையிலேயே பாதிக்கப்படும் பெண்களை பாதுகாப்பதற்கான இந்த சட்டம், துஷ்பிரயோகம் செய்யப்படுகிறது. குடும்பத்தை விட்டு துண்டித்து செல்ல வேண்டும் என்பது, இந்த சட்டத்தின் நோக்கம் அல்ல.

உத்தரவு

ஒவ்வொரு ஆணின் வெற்றிக்கு பின்னும், பெண் இருக்கிறார் எனக் கூறுவது உண்டு. அது, ஒரு பெண் மட்டும் அல்ல; தாயும், மனைவியும், ஆண்களுக்கு இரு கண்கள். குடும்பத்தில் மனைவி வேர் போன்றவர். வேரில் சேதம் ஏற்பட்டால், குடும்பமே பாதிக்கப்படும். சரிபாதியான மனைவிக்கு, முக்கியத்துவம் அளிக்க வேண்டும்.சொத்துக்களை விற்பதற்கு கணவர் முயற்சிப்பதாலும், ஓய்வூதிய பலன்களையும் அளித்து விட்டால், தனக்கும், குழந்தைகளுக்கும் ஒன்றும் வழி இருக்காது என, மனுதாரர் கருதுகிறார்.

யூகத்தின் அடிப்படையில், நீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவு பிறப்பிக்க முடியாது.பணியில் இருப்பதால், பணப் பலன்களை நிறுத்தி வைப்பது, விடுவிப்பது தொடர்பாக, சம்பந்தப்பட்ட அதிகாரி தான் முடிவெடுக்க வேண்டும். மனு தள்ளுபடி செய்யப்படுகிறது.இவ்வாறு நீதிபதி உத்தரவிட்டார்.

மே மாத மின் கட்டணம்: பொதுமக்களே கணக்கீடு செய்யலாம்

மே மாத மின் கட்டணம்: பொதுமக்களே கணக்கீடு செய்யலாம்

Updated : மே 20, 2021 22:28 | Added : மே 20, 2021 22:26 |

சென்னை:மின் கட்டணத்தை பொதுமக்களே சுயமாக மதிப்பிட்டு, அதை வாட்ஸ் அப் வழியாக மின்வாரிய அதிகாரிகளுக்கு அனுப்ப வேண்டும் என தமிழக மின்சார வாரியம் அறிவித்துள்ளது.

இது குறித்து தமிழக மின்சார வாரியம் வெளியிட்டுள்ள அறிவிப்பு: நடப்பு மே மாதத்துக்கான மின் கட்டணத்தை பொதுமக்களே தங்கள் வீடுகளில் இருக்கும் மீட்டர் பாக்ஸ் மூலமாக தாமே கணக்கீடு செய்து கொள்ளலாம் என்றும் அதை போட்டோ எடுத்து தங்கள் சுய மதிப்பீட்டை வாட்ஸ் அப் வழியாக மின் வாரிய அதிகாரிகளுக்கு அனுப்ப வேண்டும்.

பொதுமக்கள் தரும் சுய மதிப்பீட்டு கட்டணங்களில் சந்தேகம் இருந்தால் மீண்டும் மின் வாரிய பணியாளர்களே ரீடிங் எடுப்பார்கள். மதிப்பீடு உறுதி செய்யப்பட்டால் இணைய வழியில் மின்கட்டணத்தை செலுத்திக் கொள்ளலாம். இவ்வாறு மின்சார வாரியம் அறிவித்துள்ளது.

All legislature parties to discuss Covid measures on Sat

All legislature parties to discuss Covid measures on Sat

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:21.05.2021

Chief minister M K Stalin will chair a meeting on Saturday with legislature party leaders who are part of a committee constituted to recommend to the government Covid preventive measures. The meeting will take place at the secretariat at 11.30am. This is the first meeting of the consultative committee.

Following the recommendations of the leaders in an all-party meeting, the government set up the committee with representatives from DMK (N Ezhilan), AIADMK (former health minister C Vijayabaskar), Congress (AM Munirathinam), PMK (G K Mani), BJP (Nainar Nagendran), MDMK (T Sadhan Thirumalaikumar), VCK (S S Balaji), CPM (V P Nagai Mali) amd CPI (T Ramachandran).

Public secretary D Jaganathan is the member-secretary of the committee.

TN to consider ₹4,000 cash aid, spl vax drive for transpeople

TN to consider ₹4,000 cash aid, spl vax drive for transpeople

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:21.05.2021

Tamil Nadu government has told the Madras high court that it would consider the request of the transgender community to extend ₹4,000 Covid-19 cash aid to all transsexuals without ration cards and to organise a special covid-19 vaccination drive for the community.

Advocate-general R Shanmugasundaram made the submission on Thursday while responding to a public interest writ petition moved by transgender rights activist Grace Banu. Recording the submission, the first bench of chief justice Sanjib Banerjee and justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorty directed the state to consider the matter and report to the court on May 27.

According to the petitioner, transsexuals are finding it difficult to meet their medical and livelihood expenses due to the complete lockdown imposed by the government from May 10. “Besides livelihood, their life is also in danger due to uncertainty over taking Covid-19 vaccine since the government has not issued guidelines specific to suit the community’s unique needs, since some of them would be going through sex reassignment surgery (SRS),” the petitioner added.

Dense rain clouds, power cuts leave streets in dark

Dense rain clouds, power cuts leave streets in dark

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

21.05.2021

Rain that lashed some parts of the city and its suburbs on Thursday evening might stay with us for the next two days. The showers on Thursday, accompanied by strong breeze, caused power cuts in some neighbourhoods.

Southern suburbs received the maximum rain on Thursday - Meenambakam 2.3cm, West Tambaram 2.8cm, OMR 3.4cm, Chembarambakkam 1.6cm, while areas in the city such as Nandanam and Villivakkam recorded 1.2cm and 1.5cm rain. Many neighbourhoods including Aminjikarai, Anna Nagar, Nungambakkam, Korattur and parts of North Chennai received a short yet good spell of rain. There were power cuts for more than three hours in Pazhavanthangal, Pallikaranai, Keelkattalai, Medavakkam, Maduravoyal and Porur.

A senior official with Tangedco said they had cut power as precaution for field workers to check if there were any low-lying wires in the suburbs. “There were no cuts in most parts of the city.”

Chances of rain in the next 48 hours are high due to convergence of sea breeze and land breeze ahead of formation of a low pressure in the Bay of Bengal. An IMD forecast for the city said, “The sky condition is likely to be partly cloudy. Light rain is likely to occur in some areas.”

The southwest monsoon will make its onset and a low pressure that may turn into a cyclone will also develop over the south Andaman Sea by May 22. The state government has issued an alert asking fishermen to return to shore by May 23. However, the low pressure and the possible cyclone may not bring much rain to Chennai once the system takes shape and starts to move towards West Bengal.

SUDDEN SILHOUETTE: Dark clouds loomed over Chennai early on Thursday evening and resulted in a short, brisk spell of rain

Chromepet residents donate vehicle for use of Covid patients

SHOT OF HOPE

Chromepet residents donate vehicle for use of Covid patients

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:21.05.2021

In an effort to make resources available to those affected by Covid, residents in and around Chromepet came together to donate an emergency vehicle, 40 oxygen concentrators and cylinders to the local Covid-19 health centres.

Close to 1,200 people have made their way at the two major government Covid hospitals in the city’s southern suburbs – Chromepet Government Hospital and Tambaram TB Hospital – ever since the second week of April.

Only severe cases manage to get a ‘108’ ambulance to reach Chengalpattu Medical College Hospital or private hospitals for intensive medical care. Those with mild and moderate infection are unable to get a ‘108’ ambulance and private ambulances cost ₹25,000 to ₹30,000 even for short trips.

So residents, most of whom are also activists, from Chrompet rented a van for the next three months and converted it into an emergency vehicle so that mild/moderate patients too can be transported to other hospitals or Covid care centres set up in Tambaram and other neighbouring areas. This would roughly cost ₹2.25 lakh.

S M Govindarajan, president of Patel Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association said, “On May 6, we got a panic call from the GH for oxygen cylinders. Within 24 hours, we crowdfunded ₹2 lakh to buy 20 new cylinders for the hospital. We did not want this to be a one-time act. So till date we ensure that the cylinders are refilled at Gummidipoondi and made available for patients round the clock.”

Besides this, he managed to get the help of Bhoomika Trust to mobilise 20 oxygen concentrators for the GH. These were supposed to assist Chennai Super Kings players but with the IPL on hold, the trust decided to donate it for the benefit of patients at government hospitals, said Govindarajan, also head of Lions Club of Thiruneermalai.

“We are trying to mobilise 20 more concentrators from the US and it is expected to reach Chennai in the next two days,” said V Santhanam, another resident-activist from Chromepet helped the GH by donating four steel wheel-chairs worth ₹50,000 and heavy-duty trolleys to transport cylinders.

The group has also procured 100-odd new chairs for patients and their attendants, who wait in queue, before admission. “We hope this will inspire many others to help during this crisis,” Santhanam said.

Resident and Chengalpet collector A John Louis flag off the emergency vehicle fo the local government hospital on Tuesday

TN: 35,579 new cases, 397 deaths

TN: 35,579 new cases, 397 deaths

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:21.05.2021 

For the third consecutive day, Tamil Nadu reported the country's highest number of fresh cases, when new cases breached the 17 lakh mark. The 35,579 new cases and 397 deaths pushed the case tally to 17.3 lakh when the cumulative death toll reached 19,131. After 25,368 discharges, the state was left with 2.63 active cases.

Chennai cases dip Fresh cases in Chennai came down to 6,073 on Thursday, from 6,297 it reported on Wednesday. There were 73 deaths. After Chennai, the highest number of new cases were from emerging hotspot Coimbatore, which reported 3,335 new cases. While Chengalpet reported 2092 cases, neighbouring Tiruvallur logged 1,791 fresh cases. At least six districts Tiruppur (1581), Erode (1505), Trichy (1375), Madurai (1269), Kanyakumari (1096) and Tuticorin (1004) crossed the fourdigit mark. The lowest number of cases were reported from Perambalur (196), Sivaganga (237) and Ariyalur (267). After Chennai, the highest number of deaths were reported from Chengalpet (44), Vellore (36), Kancheepuram (27), Coimbatore (20) and Tiruvallur.

The number of new cases in the state, which was less than 30,000 until April 11, crossed 35,000 on Monday. “But over the last three or four days, the daily increase has slowed down,” said health secretary J Radhakrishnan. The doubling time for the viral infection is hovering around 33 days for nearly nine days now, he said. The viral reproduction rate – R naught – has also dropped from1.5 on April 8 to 1.1 on Wednesday. “It is too early to celebrate but we are seeing good signs,” he said.

‘Covaxin protection after the first dose not high’

‘Covaxin protection after the first dose not high’

New Delhi:21.05.2021

The interval between the two doses of Covishield has been increased to12-18 weeks as the first dose developed strong immunity but the four-week gap for Covaxin is unchanged as the immunity after the initial shot is not as high. Explaining the government decision to make a three-month interval mandatory for Covishield, developed by Oxford University and Astra-Zeneca, Indian Council of Medical Research head Dr Balram Bhargava said the immunity post the first shot was found to be quite strong.

He said a three-month gap will give the best results. “On the other hand, the immunity level after the first shot of Covaxin is not as high and this means the second dose should be taken after four weeks to ensure the full level of efficacy,” he said.

He also said the recommendation that those who had contracted Covid or persons who came down with after the first does wait three months for their vaccination was based on the assessment that patients who recover have sufficient anti-bodies.

“It is not clear how long the anti-bodies last...six or seven months. So it is advised that vaccination be done or completed after a three month interval,” Dr Bhargava said. TNN

TN a safer home during pandemic, say workers from UP

TN a safer home during pandemic, say workers from UP

Shanmughasundaram.J@timesgroup.com

Chennai:21.05.2021

Not Uttar Pradesh (UP), Tamil Nadu is a safer place to stay in the midst of the raging pandemic for several guest workers hailing from UP. Many of them, who hail from Gorakhpur, erstwhile LS constituency of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, prefer to remain at their workplaces in Tamil Nadu rather than return to their hometown as they feel there is better health infrastructure here.

“We see the situation in our home state on TV. It is grim,” said Ram Prakash (name changed) from Gorakhpur, which elected Yogi Adiyanath to the Lok Sabha for five consecutive terms. Gorakhpur is famous for Gorakhnath Math and the CM of the state Yogi Adiyanath is the head of the Math.

Nearly 30 workers, all hailing from places in and around Gorakhpur, are working in Chennai and its suburbs, said Prakash.

Except for the shortage of raw material to continue the work during the lockdown, there is no compelling reason to think of a shift now, they said. “Tamil Nadu is a safe place to work. It is like a second home for the workers from our state,” said Lal Yadav, another native of Gorakhpur.

Nearly15 workers from his home state are working for him. They hail from Gauree Mangalpur and surrounding areas in Gorakhpur. They are engaged in painting in Ambattur, Anna Nagar and Ramapuram in Chennai. “They are very much worried about the wellbeing of their families back home. There are only two medical college hospitals in our place (Gorakhpur) and the situation is heartwrenching,” said Yadav, who settled in Chennai eight years ago. He said he is one among the 100-odd agents from UP, supplying workforce from there to various industries here. “Everyone is concerned about what is happening in our home state,” he said.

Next to Bihar, workers from UP account for the largest chunk of guest workers in Tamil Nadu. The Southern Railway operated 55 of 218 Shramik special trains from Tamil Nadu to UP between May 1 and June 2 last year.

Next to Bihar, workers from UP account for the largest chunk of guest workers in Tamil Nadu

23 colleges told to pay fee or lose affiliation

23 colleges told to pay fee or lose affiliation

Engg Institutes Failed To Remit Exam Fee To Anna Varsity

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:21.05.2021 

Higher education minister K Ponmudi on Thursday warned 23 engineering colleges that they will lose their affiliation if they do not pay exam fees to Anna University by May 24.

“Anna University has withheld the results of students from 23 engineering colleges due to non-payment of exam fees. If these colleges do not pay exam fees collected from students by Monday, their affiliation to the university will be cancelled,” Ponmudi told reporters after a review meeting.

More than 5,000 students are studying in the 23 colleges.

Following complaints of more failures in the proctored online tests and withholding of results by Anna University, the state government directed the university to conduct unsupervised re-exam for these students as in other universities. The university is planning the re-exam in June.

The state government had also received complaints about regularising guest lecturers in colleges. “The previous government planned to regularise around 5,000 guest lecturers working in government colleges through a committee and not the recruitment agency. We have received complaints that mistakes have happened at minister level. We held discussions with the secretary. We will also discuss it with the chief minister on conducting the recruitment fairly. These appointments will be made as per University Grants Commission (UGC) rules and qualifications. Meanwhile, the guest lecturers should not fall prey to middlemen,” Ponmudi said.

The government would form a committee to review and update all textbooks for distance mode programmes in the state following the complaint of bias in the textbooks.

The minister said, “It was brought to my knowledge that a first year MA textbook of Tamil Nadu Open University terms the DMK and communist parties as “parties against religion” and also accuses them of “preventing people from joining the national stream.”

“The book also says these parties are appeasing minorities and do not condemn “if Muslims indulge in violence”. This is what our distance mode students read in political science and history books. You all know where it will lead to. I was also a political science student and I have never seen such prejudice,” the minister added. The textbook, titled “Indian Government and Politics,” was published by the social science department of the university in 2005. The minister said he had directed university officials to take action against those who were responsible for it and remove such prejudices from textbooks.

ஓய்வூதிய பலன்களில் பங்கு கோரிய 2வது மனைவியின் மனு தள்ளுபடி

ஓய்வூதிய பலன்களில் பங்கு கோரிய 2வது மனைவியின் மனு தள்ளுபடி

Added : மே 18, 2021 23:49

சென்னை:கணவரின் ஓய்வூதிய பலன்களில் பங்கு கோரிய, இரண்டாவது மனைவியின் மனுவை, சென்னை உயர் நீதிமன்றம் தள்ளுபடி செய்தது.

காஞ்சிபுரம் மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள அரசு பள்ளியில், முருகேசன் என்பவர் ஆசிரியராக பணியாற்றினார்; உடல் நிலை சரியில்லாமல் இறந்தார். ஓய்வூதிய பலன் வழங்கக்கோரி, அவரின் இரண்டாவது மனைவி அம்மு, உயர் நீதிமன்றத்தில் தாக்கல் செய்த மனு:

என் கணவர் ஏற்கனவே திருமணமானவர் என்பது எனக்கு தெரியாது. ஓய்வூதிய பலன்களை பெற, முதல் மனைவி முயற்சி செய்துள்ளார். எனக்கும், ஓய்வூதிய தொகையில், 50 சதவீதம் பெற உரிமை உள்ளது. எங்களுக்குள் உடன்பாடு ஏற்பட்டதால், முன்னர் தொடர்ந்த வழக்கை வாபஸ் பெற்றேன்.அதன்பின், உடன்பாட்டை மீறி, தனக்கு ஓய்வூதிய பலன் வழங்கும்படி, அரசு உயர்நிலைப் பள்ளி தலைமை ஆசிரியரிடம், முதல் மனைவி மனு அளித்தார்.

அதை தொடர்ந்து, முதன்மை கணக்காளருக்கு தலைமை ஆசிரியர் கடிதம் அனுப்பி உள்ளார். ஓய்வூதிய பலன்களை, சமமாக வாரிசுகளுக்கு வழங்கும்படி உத்தரவிட வேண்டும்.இவ்வாறு, மனுவில் கூறியுள்ளார். மனுவை விசாரித்த நீதிபதி எஸ்.வைத்தியநாதன் பிறப்பித்த உத்தரவு:

இந்த வழக்கை தொடர, மனுதாரருக்கு தகுதி இல்லை. சட்டப்பூர்வ வாரிசுகள் சார்பில், அவர்களின் தாய் என்ற முறையில், வழக்கு தொடர்ந்து இருக்க வேண்டும். அதற்கு பதில் அவரே இந்த வழக்கை தொடர்ந்துள்ளார். அதனால், அவர் கோரிய நிவாரணத்தை வழங்க முடியாது. மனு தள்ளுபடி செய்யப்படுகிறது.

சட்டப்பூர்வ வாரிசுகள் சார்பில் அதிகாரிகளிடம் விண்ணப்பிக்க, இந்த உத்தரவு தடையாக இருக்காது.இவ்வாறு நீதிபதி உத்தரவிட்டார்.

N Chennai gets spl focus in vax drive

N Chennai gets spl focus in vax drive

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.05.2021 

Greater Chennai Corporation has come up with a new strategy to control spread of Covid-19 in north Chennai. Though the region had a high number of cases during the first wave, infections were once again on the rise during the past few weeks, particularly in areas such as Tondiarpet, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Royapuram, Manali and Madhavaram. Officials noticed that a possible reason could be due to low vaccination figures in the areas.

“We have now asked zonal teams to hold more camps in the areas. On Wednesday, 66 vaccination camps were held in the city north. Tondiarpet alone had 30 camps and 486 people were vaccinated,” said Alby John, GCC deputy commissioner, health.

Active cases in the zones saw a dip on Wednesday. Zones such as Thiruvotiyur and Manali that had 1,846 and 982 active cases on May 17 saw a slight drop of infections on Wednesday and had 1,821 and 938 infections. Cases fell in Royapuram from 2,411 on Tuesday to 2,376 on Wednesday, and by 88 to 3,854 in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.

Population density, more slum settlements and lack of awareness were seen as major challenges in dealing with infections in the north. “Vaccination is the only way to break the transmission chain here,” said an official.

“Unlike in other zones, residential welfare associations in northern region were not very active. We roped in “Strengthening fever surveillance, adding more focus volunteers to ensure those in home quarantine do not step out, ensuring proper assistance and follow up on tests, distribution of medicine kits to symptomatic patients and tele counselling at zonal level, along with vaccination camps, have helped reduce the rate of transmission,” said the corporation commissioner, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, adding that efforts will be scaled up in the coming days.

GCC holds vax drives at residential hubs

GCC holds vax drives at residential hubs

40,000 People Vaccinated In Over 450 Camps Held In Two days

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.05.2021 

Greater Chennai Corporation conducted 208 special vaccination camps on Tuesday and 250 on Wednesday and has vaccinated about 40,000 people through them. The civic body plans to expand vaccination drives further and vaccinate more than 35,000 people a day.

GCC wants to ensure that before Thursday, when vaccination for 18 years and above will open in the state, at least 80% of those above 45 years are vaccinated. The city has vaccinated about 60% of the 22 lakh people above the age of 45 years.

“I want to ensure that we are vaccinating more people every day and I have asked all the field support teams (FST) to ensure that more camps are held,” GCC commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi said.

Fever surveillance workers have been asked to collect data on vaccinations extensively, including names of people above 45 from all residential welfare associations. “The civic body is getting ready to vaccinate all starting Thursday. Before that, we want to meet the target of vaccinating more people in the other age groups and the only way to do that is to hold massive vaccination camps,” said a zonal official.

Residential associations such as FOMRRA (Federation of OMR Resident Associations) have been working with the civic body in this regard. On Wednesday, vaccination camps were organised at gated communities along OMR and those 45+, looking for either first dose or second dose of CoviShield, were vaccinated. “Senior citizens, people who are wheelchair-bound and those with complications that prevented them from visiting hospitals/PHCs greatly benefited from the drive. With the vaccination for those under 45 opening up in the next few days, FOMRRA hopes to organize more camps,” said Harsha Koda, the association’s cofounder.

Apart from this, the civic body has instructed officials from the zonal enforcement teams to ensure that no shop is open after 10am. Bedi is holding a review with all the zonal field support teams via video conferencing every day to ensure that they stay motivated. A total of 382 shops have been sealed from April 9 till May 18 and a fine of ₹1.6 crore has been collected.

“We also want to increase testing. This is a war to be won and we all need to work to ensure the rate of transmission is cut,” Bedi said on Wednesday.

A total of 15,137 fever camps have been held in the city from April 1 to May 17 this year and about 8.4 lakh people had attended them, a press release from GCC said.

MULTIPRONGED APPROACH: Greater Chennai Corporation held vaccination camps at various residential spots along OMR on Wednesday

Now, a temple for ‘Corona devi’ near Coimbatore

1.5-FOOT-TALL IDOL

Now, a temple for ‘Corona devi’ near Coimbatore

Nivedha.Selvam1@timesgroup.com

Coimbatore:20.05.2021 

A temple to ‘Goddess Corona Devi’ has come up on the outskirts of Coimbatore, which already has a Plague Mariamman temple that came up when the scourge struck a century ago.

The Kamatchipuri Adhinam consecrated the one-and-a-half-foot-tall, black stone idol on its premises near Irugur on Tuesday and the poojas continued on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for the adhinam said special poojas would continue for 48 days but would not be open to the public in view of the pandemic protocols.

In a video released by the adhinam, Sri Sivalingeswara Swamigal said, “following the footsteps of our ancestors, we have installed an idol for ‘Corona Devi’ because we believe God will help the hapless. We will be conducting special prayers for 48 days and only adhinam staff will be allowed to participate in the prayers.

Devotees would be allowed to enter only after the special prayers are completed.” He asked them to pray from their homes.

He urged the public to follow all government guidelines, stay at home, consume healthy foods and cooperate with the government to contain the spread.

In early 1900s, hundreds of people died of the plague pandemic and many others fled the city. Seeking divine succour, people visited Plague Mariamman temple, which is located between Big Bazaar and Raja streets in Coimbatore and performed special poojas for the deity.

In June last year, a temple priest in Kadakkal in Kollam district ha installed a ‘Corona Devi’ idol in a makeshift shrine attached to his house.

SEEKING DIVINE HELP: The temple near Irugur on Tuesday

Unabated surge: 365 deaths, 34,875 fresh cases in TN

Unabated surge: 365 deaths, 34,875 fresh cases in TN

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.05.2021 

After recording a dip for three days, fresh Covid-19 cases in Tamil Nadu rose to 34,875 compared to 33,059 on Tuesday. This included 6,267 fresh cases in Chennai.

The city has seen an increase of 281 cases from the 6,297 cases it reported on Tuesday. Of the 365 Covid deaths across the state, 91 were from Chennai.

Total case tally touched16.9 lakh and cumulative death toll touched18,734. Meanwhile, the state recorded a steady drop in vaccination to 45,755 on Wednesday compared to 50091 on Tuesday and 63,101 on Monday. So far, the state has given more than 70.5 lakh doses of the vaccine.

Highest cases

The state continued to record the highest number of fresh cases in the country for the second consecutive day on Wednesday.

While Maharashtra reported 34,031 new Covid-19 cases, Karnataka reported 34,281 new cases and Kerala had 32,762 fresh cases. Active cases in Tamil Nadu are however fewer in Tamil Nadu compared to Maharashtra (4.2 lakh), Kerala (3.2lkh) and Karnataka (5.5 lakh).

All districts in red

All 37 districts in the state reported more than 200 new cases on Wednesday. Sivaganga, which reported184 cases on Tuesday, registered 210 cases – the lowest in the state followed by Perambalur (218). After Chennai, Coimbatore (3250) reported the highest number of cases. While Chengalpet reported 2,275 cases, five other districts – Tiruvallur (1778) , Tiruppur (1573), Trichy (1459), Erode(1362)andMadurai(1156) -- crossed the four digit mark.

Deaths spiral up

Barring Kallakurichi, Perambalur and Sivaganga, all other districts reported deaths on Wednesday. After Chennai, Chengalpet reported 46 deaths and Kanyakumari logged 23. Together with 18 deaths in Tiruvallur and eight deaths in Kancheepuram, the Chennai region had 163 deaths -- 45% of deaths in Tamil Nadu. With 17 deaths Coimbatore reported the highest number of deaths in the region, while Madurai reported14 and Trichy 13.

New Dean takes charge

New Dean takes charge

20/05/2021

R .Suganthy Rajakumari

Special Correspondent Virudhunagar

R. Suganthy Rajakumari has assumed office as new Dean of Government Medical College here on Wednesday. She was hitherto Dean of Kanniyakumari Medical College, Asaripallam.

Earlier, she had served as Professor of Dermatology in Tirunelveli MCH, Kilpauk MCH, Sivaganga Medical College, Madurai Medical College and Thanjavur Medical College.

She had completed her MBBS from Tirunelveli Medical College and was gold medalist and best out-going student during her post-graduation in Madras Medical College.

She said that she was able to increase the number of beds in KMCH from 850 to 1,206 during her tenure as Dean and got a dedicated electricity feeder to the hospital that saved huge money on fuel for generators.

Besides renovating dilapidated buildings, she got furniture and equipment for the hospital through sponsors.

She began her duty by planting neem saplings on the medical college hospital premises.

“Virudhunagar has got a dry climate and the hospital and college premises need lot of shade. I have brought 1,000 neem saplings to be planted here,” she said.

She said that she would approach the Department of Forest to plant at least 2,000 saplings in the college and hostel premises. She has invited to philanthropists to donate furniture like drip stands, stretchers, wheelchairs, disposable bedsheets, sterile gloves and N95 masks.

Foreign medicos to join fight against virus

Foreign medicos to join fight against virus

State eases restriction on internship

20/05/2021

S. Vijay KumarCHENNAI

In a significant order, Tamil Nadu has lifted the restriction on the intake of students for internship at government medical colleges as a one-time measure to handle COVID-19.

“We have decided to rope in the foreign medical graduates [under the Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship or CRRI] as part of the measures to strengthen the health workforce to manage the situation,” Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma. Subramanian told The Hindu.

The decision will pave the way for about 500 foreign medical graduates to join the health workforce. They have been waiting for internship, having completed their degree at foreign universities and cleared the qualifying examination conducted by the National Medical Commission.

The decision followed a proposal sent by the Director of Medical Education (DME), who underscored the urgent need for measures to contain COVID-19 cases that had reached “alarming proportions” with increased mortality.

NOC sought

The DME requested the government for permission to issue no-objection certificate (NOC) for the CRRI to students of other States, private colleges and other universities and foreign medical graduates without any ceiling.

The proposal was to relax the Tamil Nadu Medical Council’s stipulation that medical colleges issue the NOC to foreign medical graduates and students of other States after ensuring that the admission under the CRRI did not exceed 10% of the MBBS seats allotted by the National Medical Commission.

COVID-19 affected should defer shots by 3 months

COVID-19 affected should defer shots by 3 months

Ministry recommends vaccination for nursing mothers

20/05/2021

Battle continues: A health worker administering vaccine to a youth in Bhopal on Wednesday.A.M. FARUQUI

Special Correspondent NEW DELHI

Vaccination should be deferred by three months after recovery in individuals having lab test proven SARS-2 COVID-19 illness, said the Health Ministry in a statement issued on Wednesday.

COVID-19 patients who have been given anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma should also defer vaccination by three months from the date of discharge from the hospital. The Ministry also recommended COVID-19 vaccination for all nursing mothers.

The Ministry said it had accepted the recommendations of the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC). “These recommendations have been based on the evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic and emerging global scientific evidence and experience,” it stated.

It recommended that individuals who have received at least the first dose of the vaccine and got the infection before the completion of the dosing schedule should also defer by three months the second dose after clinical recovery from COVID-19.

Blood donation

“Persons with any other serious general illness requiring hospitalisation or ICU care should also wait for 4-8 weeks before getting the COVID-19 vaccine,’’ it noted. Also an individual could donate blood after 14 days of either receipt of COVID-19 vaccine or testing RT-PCR negative, if suffering from COVID-19.

There was no requirement for screening of the vaccine recipients by Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) prior to vaccination. The matter of vaccination of pregnant women was under discussion and further deliberation by the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI).

“The Health Ministry has written to States and UTs to direct the officials concerned to take note of these recommendations and undertake necessary action for their effective implementation. States have also been advised to undertake training of the vaccination staff at all levels,’’ said the release.

Harrowing tales from TN’s hinterland

Harrowing tales from TN’s hinterland

V Mayilvaganan@timesgroup.com

20.05.2021 

May 15 turned out to be a nightmare for G Mithun, 41, of Krishnagiri town. It was only two days ago that his 37-year-old younger brother’s oxygen levels dropped to 65 and he managed to get a bed in Krishnagiri government hospital after much struggle. But, much to his shock, the oxygen mask provided in the hospital was damaged and the gas was leaking.

Mithun says neither did the hospital staff provide an alternative mask nor was his offer to buy an oxygen mask was entertained. It was only after the issue was taken to the district collector V Jaya Chandra Bhanu Reddy when he came to the hospital for inspection, the hospital staff replaced the damaged one with a new oxygen mask.

Government hospitals in smaller towns and semi urban areas overflow with such tales of sufferings when the state’s rural hinterland is witnessing a surge in Covid cases.

There are barely any beds left in government hospitals in tier 3 cities and small towns. The number of doctors and nurses are highly disproportionate to the number of Covid patients in these hospitals. Mithun said one nurse served at least 10 patients in the covid ward of Krishnagiri GH.

The conditions prevailing in government hospitals are panicking Covid patients, said a relative of an elderly Covid patient in Ramanathapuram government hospital. He alleged attendants of the patients are forced to be in close proximity due to space shortage.

In Trichy, a total of 154 doctors and 150 regular staff nurses and 72 staff nurses on contractual basis have been overstretched to manage ten government hospitals in the district. “Three doctors at Thuvakudi GH turned positive for Covid-19 today. Remaining staff are on multiple shifts,’’ said a doctor.

This at a time when rural and semi urban areas are reporting a spike in cases. Tirupur, for instance, has reported a sharp spike in cases as the spinning mills and garment units in the district have turned into micro clusters. The district jumped from 800 cases a day to more than 1500 cases daily for the past two days.

In Coimbatore district, the number of cases in rural areas has increased from 30 % a week ago, to 41 % now as scores of people from remote villages and tribal hamlets have been reporting positive cases. ``The trend shows that cases first spread from core city to peripheries and then to suburban areas and then to villages,’’ said a health officer.

Test positivity rate (TPR) is among the highest in the state in few rural and semi – urban districts. While Kanyakumari and Theni reported a TPR of 26 %, higher than Chennai (23), Tuticorin and Ramnathapuram followed with 24% TPR as of May 15. Except for Tuticorin these districts had been reporting lesser TPR. But steadily cases shot up like a village in Ariyalur, where 21 people on a street tested positive the same day.

(With inputs from Padmini Sivarajah and R Gokul)

Some attendants in ICU forcefully evicted

Some attendants in ICU forcefully evicted

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.05.2021 

From transferring deans of government medical college hospitals to using police force for clearing unauthorised attendants from Covid-19 wards, the government has taken stringent measures to prevent the spread.

Health minister M Subramanian said that during a visit to Salem’s Government Kumaramangalam Medical College he was upset about the isolation area not being sterile. “Deans of some medical colleges were transferred last week as they failed to follow Covid protocols. Most doctors and nurses work hard. Such violation can lead to super-spreader events and cause lot of problems. We know the present strain is highly infectious,” he told TOI.

Many relatives of patients, however, refused to leave the hospital wards. At Chennai’s Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and Coimbatore’s ESI Hospital, some of who were removed from treatment wards and corridors, protested on Wednesday. Some of claimed there were not enough nurses and staff inside wards to take care of patients. At Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital in Chennai, attendants complained that there were only four nurses for every 100 patients in Covid wards.

While authorities denied the charges, nurses at these hospitals admitted they were under-staffed. “The entire workforce on roll is unavailable because some are infected, some are in quarantine and few others are posted in Covid care centres outside the hospital premises,” said a senior RGGGH nurse, requesting anonymity.

The protest by relatives lasted nearly two hours until police arrived to disperse the crowd. Only one attender was allowed for each patient in oxygen-supported beds or critical care units to take care of the food and other essential needs. Slips were provided to authorised attenders.

The same rule was followed at Stanley and Omandurar medical college hospitals, said doctors.

Protests by attendants of Covid patients, who were evicted, were common in hospitals in Chennai and Coimbatore on Wednesday

Vax hesitancy a major challenge for TN govt, says health minister

Vax hesitancy a major challenge for TN govt, says health minister

Jayaraj Sivan & Pushpa Narayan TNN

Chennai:20.05.2021 

The biggest challenge for Tamil Nadu government in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic is the hesitancy of the people in rural areas and the poor in urban centres to get vaccinated, said state health minister M Subramanian in an interview to TOI. “We create awareness among people to get themselves vaccinated. We tell them that if adults get vaccinated, it would encourage children to get inoculated when their turn comes. Another major challenge is delay by people in seeking medical care in Tamil Nadu,” he said.

Indifference of political executives and bureaucratic slackness since February, when the assembly elections were set in motion, resulted in abnormal increase in Covid infection and Tamil Nadu’s medical infrastructure getting overstretched, he said. “However, this is not the time to play the blame game. Our job is to set things right and we are at it,” he said.

Subramanian is cracking the whip to rein in erring medicos who throw the government guidelines and Covid protocols to the wind. He has transferred deans of a few medical colleges for permitting attendants of Covid patients inside Covid wards and ICUs, despite government orders prohibiting it. Many others have been put on notice for flouting norms. The pandemic may have hit the peak in Tamil Nadu and going by the present trend, it could subside within a month, he said. Daily fresh cases in Chennai has remained below 7,000 for four days in a row. The numbers have plateaued in several other districts, he said. FULL Q&A: P2

Fight Covid with CSR funds: CM

Chief minister M K Stalin on Wednesday urged representatives of industries to give priority to Covid-19 related requirements like oxygen concentrators and cryogenic tanks in their corporate social responsibility initiatives in TN. P 7

Perarivalan gets 30-day parole

Perarivalan gets 30-day parole

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.05.2021 

A G Perarivalan, a life convict in the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, was given 30-day parole (ordinary leave) by Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday.

Chief Minister M K Stalin issued the order, considering the plea of Perarivalan’s mother Arputhammal, to allow him to go on ordinary leave for 30 days as per the provision of the Tamil Nadu Prisoners Manual. A couple of days ago, Arputhammal appealed to the CM requesting him to grant her son parole. In her petition, she stated that the ravaging pandemic and the spread of covid cases in prison would put her son in danger as he has health issues. After completing formalities, he will be allowed to go on parole from Central Prison at Puzhal, where he has been undergoing imprisonment in the last few years.

‘Do not hand over vaccine facility to private parties’

‘Do not hand over vaccine facility to private parties’

Chennai:20.07.2021 

Expressing shocking over reports that the Union government has decided to hand over its integrated vaccine complex at Chengalpet to private parties, PMK’s Anbumani Ramadoss urged the Centre to drop its move or hand over the facility to the Tamil Nadu government. “The state could take over the complex and manufacture more vaccines than proposed to be procured from private players,” he said. TNN

38-yr-old man gets trapped inside burning car, charred to death

38-yr-old man gets trapped inside burning car, charred to death

Was Driving At High Speed To Avoid Police Checkpoints

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:

A 38-year-old man was charred to death after his car caught fire as it crashed into an electric transformer near Pallakaranai on Tuesday morning. Unable to come out of the vehicle, the man died.

The deceased was Khaja Mohideen of VGP Shanthi Nagar in Pallikaranai. He was an assistant manager at a showroom in Nungambakkam. The showroom was closed due to lockdown but on Tuesday morning Mohideen went out for some personal work and was returning home after 10am. He was driving fast as he did not want to be stopped at police checkpoints as surveillance has been intensified for eregistration.

Around 11am, on VGP Shanthi Nagar Main Road, Mohideen lost control of the vehicle and crashed into electric transformer. Police said that within a few seconds the transformer caught fire which soon spread to the car.

Hearing the noise, residents came out only to see the car ablaze. The doors of the vehicle got stuck and Mohideen could not release the seat belt and come out. Onlookers could see him struggling inside but stood helpless as the entire car was ablaze.

They were even scared to go near as the transformer too caught fire. They informed the fire and rescue team and the police. The Medavakam rescue team rushed to the spot and doused the fire. By the time they broke open the door, Mohideen was already dead. The Pallikaranai police retrieved the body and sent it for postmortem to the Chromepet Government Hospital. St Thomas Mount traffic investigation police registered a case and are investigating.

Automobile engineers said tension adjustment system in seat belt operating mechanism is designed to get locked when it senses a sudden deceleration so that passengers are not thrown forward.

UP IN FLAMES: The car caught fire after it crashed into a transformer on VGP Shanthi Nagar Main Road

Power of an accused should not influence judge: Cunha

Power of an accused should not influence judge: Cunha

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.05.2021 

“Judges should not be influenced by powerful personalities accused of corruption. They should go only by the cause and evidence,” said former judge of Karnataka high court Justice John Michael Cunha. It was Justice Cunha’s judgment delivered on September 27, 2014, that sent the then Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa and her three associates to jail in a corruption case.

Addressing a webinar organised by Chennai-based advocate J Ravindran on Wednesday, Cunha slammed attempts to dilute the Prevention of Corruption Act through amendments introduced in 2013. “We are fortunate that the Prevention of Corruption Act is not repealed, as all the substantive provisions of the Act had been modified through amendments brought in 2013,” Cunha said. The judge was delivering a lecture on amendments to the Act.

Such amendments have given double protection to public servants against probe and prosecution, and have made prior sanction from the state mandatory for investigations, he said, adding, “this goes against the findings of the Supreme Court.” Through the amendments, an effort has been made to protect, rather overprotect public servants or hijack the investigation itself, to dilute the entire investigation, Justice Cunha said.

Answering a question as to how judges maintain balance while deciding cases under the Act, as most of the accused would be people with political power and influence, Justice Cunha said the moment the judges are influenced, the judgment will be biased and perverse.

TN begins selling remdesivir directly to private hospitals

TN begins selling remdesivir directly to private hospitals

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:20.05.2021 

The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday started selling antiviral drug remdesivir directly to private hospitals.

Chief minister M K Stalin distributed the first batch, containing 960 vials, to 25 hospitals at a sales counter set up at Nehru Stadium in Chennai.

Thestatehealthdepartment has launched an online portal (tnmsc.tn.gov.in) for selling the drug to hospitals. As many as 343 hospitals in the state have registered themselves on the portal, and 151 have requested remdesivir by submitting requisite documents (patients’ medical records and ID proofs), according to official data.

After verification, a representative of these hospitals can collect the drug from Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC) counters set up at Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Salem,Trichy andTirunelveli. Earlier private hospitals asked Covid-9 patients' relatives to buy drugs directly. This led to black marketsaleof thedrug for up to ₹40,000 per vial and excess crowd at TNMSC counters. Now private hospitals are barred from asking patients’ relatives to buy the drug.

Black market sales have been controlled to an extent after police intervention. Even on Wednesday, three men from Thanjavur were arrested for selling the drug in black at ₹23,000 per vial.

Meanwhile,relatives of Covid patients from southern districts staged a protest outside Madurai District Collectorate on Wednesday demanding remdesivir.Tokensweredistributed to these people at TNMSC counter in Madurai on Saturday i.e., a day before the announcement on new sales arrangement was made. They dispersed after police convinced them about the new procedure.

Govt puts WhatsApp on notice as firm imposes curbs on users

Govt puts WhatsApp on notice as firm imposes curbs on users

Pankaj.Doval@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:20.05.2021 

WhatsApp started limiting functionalities and shutting down chat room and app access for many who refused to agree to its controversial privacy update, even as the ministry of electronics and information technology, which has made repeated requests for the withdrawal of the policy, warned the company of action if it did not respond favourably to a fresh notice within seven days.

“The government has given seven days to WhatsApp to respond to its notice. If no satisfactory response is received, necessary steps in consonance with law will be taken,” sources said, emphasising that the government is “concerned and serious” over what it called WhatsApp’s “bulldozing its way through to force users” to agree to the update.

In a fresh letter sent to the company, the IT ministry said that WhatsApp’s new privacy policy — which permits sharing business communication of users with Facebook although personal chats remain encrypted — is a “violation of several provisions” of Indian laws and rules.

“In fulfilment of its sovereign responsibility to protect the rights and interests of Indian citizens, the Indian government will consider various options available to it under laws in India.”

The government said that WhatsApp’s policy “undermines the sacrosanct values of informational privacy, data security and user choice for Indian users, and harms the rights and interests of Indian citizens”.

Shreya: WhatsApp taking advantage of a loophole since India does not have a law

The company, which has received opposition to its latest update from the IT ministry, Competition Commission of India, and even the courts, remains defiant in its decision to move ahead with the proposal, which though had been deferred across the European Union as the latter found the move against the tenets of user and data privacy of its citizens.

When contacted, a spokesperson for WhatsApp in India said that the company continues to engage with the government on the matter. “… we reaffirm what we said before that this update does not impact the privacy of personal messages for anyone. Our goal is to provide information about new options we are building that people will have, to message a business on WhatsApp, in the future.”

Shreya Suri, who tracks IT regulatory policies at law firm IndusLaw, said unlike the EU, lack of a data protection law in India is making it easier for WhatsApp to push the new update in India. “It’s taking advantage of a loophole since we don’t have a law.”

Full report on www.toi.in