Govt. may take Ordinance route to clear legal hurdles

HC order on deferment of salary of employees

29/04/2020, N.J. NAIR,THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

The State government is likely to promulgate an Ordinance to clear the legal hurdles to its decision to defer the salary of government employees and teachers.

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday had stayed for two months the operationalisation of the government order to defer the payment of six days’ salary from April to August to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Cabinet is likely to clear the draft Ordinance on Wednesday and set the ground for deducting the salary. The stay order was set to compound the fiscal woes of the government which was striving hard to garner resources for meeting its routine expenditure.

Inadequate funds

Finance Department sources told The Hindu that the ₹2,000 crore left at its disposal was grossly inadequate to foot the salary bill, leave alone the service pension and other expenses. The estimated outgo for salary and pension is ₹3,800 crore. Had the court not stayed the decision to defer the salary, the government would have saved ₹500 crore a month.

The returns from Goods and Services Tax for the month has been pegged at ₹150 crore, the revenue deficit grant from the Centre at ₹1,276 crore and a trickle of ₹574 crore from petrol cess and other sources.

Of the approved limit of ₹25,400 crore for the current financial year, the government has already borrowed ₹6,000 crore. On deciding to expend the ₹2,000 crore for clearing the salary and pension bills, the government would again have to opt for market borrowing to meet the other committed expenditure and the additional burden incurred by COVID-19.

Disbursal of full complement of the salary would still be a tough task. On deciding to promulgate the Ordinance, the government could buy time to decide its future course.

Four COVID-19 patients discharged from Salem GH

29/04/2020, STAFF REPORTER,SALEM

Four patients, who were undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at the Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital here, were discharged on Tuesday.

The patients, a 20-year-old youth from Mettur, a 45-year-old woman and two women aged 25 from different parts of Salem city were discharged after their results turned negative in the last two tests.

The doctors said that the patients were contacts of previous cases reported here.

R.Balajinathan, Dean of Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital, P.V.Dhanapal, Medical Superintendent, Dr.Rani, Resident Medical Offficer, Suresh Kanna, Head, General Medicine, and J.Nirmalson, Deputy Director of Health Services cheered the patients on their recovery.

Dr.Balajinathan said that till date, 20 COVID-19 patients had been discharged from the Hospital and there were 11 patients from Salem, four from Namakkal and a patient from Dharmapuri undergoing treatment at the Hospital.

Grocery shops in Salem might operate on rotation basis

29/04/2020, STAFF REPORTER,SALEM

With the total lockdown ending in Salem on Tuesday and the earlier lockdown with some relaxation set to resume, Salem District Collector S.A. Raman said the district administration was planning to allow grocery shops to operate on rotation basis.

However, uzhavar sandhais and vegetable shops in containment areas would not function.

“We are planning to let grocery stores function in a controlled manner. In a bazaar, shops on left side would be allowed to function on one day and shops on right side on the next day. Public should strictly follow social distancing when they come out and they should compulsorily wear masks and they may be fined otherwise,” he said.

About 250 mobile vegetable vehicles were being operated in the district.

On Tuesday, Mr.Raman flagged off a mobile grocery store with over 70 products for delivery in containment areas.

Mr. Raman said that teams were working at the State and district level actively for identifying from where recently reported primary cases in the district contracted the disease.

He said that there was no community spread at present in the district.

On Tuesday, Mr. Raman received 1.5 lakh eggs provided by Tamil Nadu Egg Poultry Farmers Marketing Society here.

He said 85,000 eggs would be provided to Salem Corporation, 40,000 to municipalities and 25,000 to town panchayats for free distribution to public to improve their immunity.

The eggs would be provided to sanitary workers, and to others through Amma canteens and community kitchens.

Students from Assam want to return home

29/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
COIMBATORE

As many as 39 women students from Assam, pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate courses in different educational institutions in the city, have demanded facilities to return home.

They had tweeted their wish to the Assamese officials and this was taken up by a non-profit organisation working in the north eastern States. The organisation sought support from the local authorities here to meet the needs of these students.

The students, who are staying across the city, had received financial support from the Assam government. They said their main need was train service to return home. They said they were not feeling comfortable staying here and preferred to go back to their families.

District Collector K. Rajamani said officials had met the students and provided them with provisions. The officials had also discussed with the students their needs and assured them support to return home when train services will be resumed.

Rise in number of people dependent on Amma canteens in Erode city

29/04/2020, STAFF REPORTER , ERODE

With the lockdown entering 35th day on Tuesday, the number of people dependent on Amma canteens has gone up significantly in the last one week.

11 canteens

The Erode Corporation runs 11 canteens in the city that provides breakfast and lunch at a nominal price to about 1,200 poor people every day.

After the announcement of lockdown on March 24, all the hotels and eateries were closed.

Homeless people, poor people and those involved in providing essential services started relying on Amma canteens for food. Since the demand for food has gone up, the Corporation started providing dinner at all the canteens from the first week of April.

The average number of people depending on the canteens started to increase with 7,500 people consuming food every day.

From April 23, food was provided free of cost to the people and hence long queues can be seen outside the canteens.

With more people turning up, food was served in areca leaves and police personnel were posted to monitor the crowd and to ensure personal distancing.

Corporation Commissioner M. Elangovan told The Hindu that on an average 15,000 people consume breakfast in the canteens. “Since the canteen workers are experienced, they are able to serve over 45,000 people a day in the city”, he added.

CM silent on filing appeal

29/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
,THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday refused to reveal whether the State would file an appeal against the High Court’s stay on deducting the salary of government employees.

The High Court had put in abeyance, for two months, the controversial decision to defer the payment of six days’ salary every month from April to August to help the government tide over the financial crunch caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. Mr. Vijayan said the State was constitutionally bound to obey the decision of the court. Mr. Vijayan ignored the question whether the Law Department had let down the government by issuing an ambiguous order that had scant legal backing or precedence. Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala who had moved the High Court against the controversial order, said the arrogance of the government that it could arm-twist State employees into forsaking their pay had earned the opprobrium of the court.

Curbs may continue beyond May 3

29/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
,THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Lockdown restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 might continue even beyond May 3.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday hinted that the State would have to brace itself for a further prolongation of the stifling regulations on social life and economic activity, including curb-side retail business. He said the new flare-ups in Idukki and Kottayam had forced the government to do a rethink.

“The government will have to evaluate the lockdown situation against the backdrop of its experience in the two districts and set a new course after May 3,” he said.

Some oppose, some hail HC stay on salary cut

29/04/2020, STAFF REPORTER
,THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

The All Kerala School Teachers’ Union has said that despite the High Court stay on the government order to cut salaries, its members will be ready to hand over voluntarily the salary to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund.

Union president N. Sreekumar and general secretary O.K. Jayakrishnan, in a statement here on Tuesday, said the stay was unfortunate, and all teachers should be ready to surmount it through their determination. They appealed for a considerate approach to the government decision to help the poor who had no jobs for the past one month.

Meanwhile, the Aided Higher Secondary Teachers’ Association has termed the stay a moral victory for teachers and other government employees.

No cut in April salary for government employees

29/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,BENGALURU

Though major revenue generating departments are not mobilising much income to the State during the 40-day lockdown, the government has decided on giving April salary in full to its nearly six lakh employees.

Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Tuesday chaired a meeting with senior officials of the Finance Department to find ways and means for generating revenue to the State exchequer to pay April salaries. However, the department has decided to freeze the DA at existing levels for the current financial year. The government’s tax revenues have plummeted because of lockdown, while expenses have shot up owing to the support provided to the vulnerable groups.

“Salary shall be drawn only for April 2020 – from the amount made available to departments. Treasuries shall ensure that no arrears of salaries shall be drawn without prior concurrence of Finance Department,” said an order issued by Ekroop Caur, Secretary, Finance Department, on Tuesday.

It said administrative expenditure, building and transport expenses should be utilised on most essential items required to run the offices. However, the government banned spending money on purchase of vehicles, furniture, major repairs of buildings/construction. Further, the order said administrative departments should within a week communicate a list of schemes, if necessary, to the department, which need to be implemented in public interest.

State seeks extension of work from home for IT firms till March 2021

For now, Centre grants it till July 31

29/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,BENGALURU

The Union Minister for IT and Telecommunications has promised to take a call on further extension after assessing the situation in July.File photo

While the Centre on Tuesday gave permission for IT professionals to work from home till July 31, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan mooted extending work from home (WFH) for IT/BT sector until March-end, 2021.

This came up for discussion during a videoconference by the Union Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunications Ravi Shankar Prasad with all State IT Ministers.

Responding to Mr. Narayan’s suggestion that WFH be extended till next year, the Union Minister for now has granted it till July 31, 2020 while promising to take a call on further extension after assessing the situation in July. At the meeting, Mr. Narayan explained the problems faced by the IT sector due to lockdown, the solutions found, and steps taken by the State.

The Union Minister agreed to a suggestion to hold a videoconference with the top IT industry leaders to understand the problems faced by the sector. He also commended Karnataka’s online health services noting that there has been an improvement in online services after the pandemic breakout.

Apthamitra helpline

Mr. Narayan explained how the State government has been successful in using technology to provide education and other essential services. More than 500 professionals are working at the Apthamitra helpline, and receive at least 50,000 calls on an average every day. As an alternative to e-commerce, Apthamitra helpline provides all essentials, including groceries and medicines to people's doorsteps in red zones.

Strategy committee

Mr. Prasad also announced the setting up of a national-level strategy committee to prepare detailed guidelines and solutions in a pandemic situation like COVID-19.

“Not just the IT sector, but all States should give importance to developing startups and research. The focus will be to provide effective e-governance and e-passes. Nearly 80% of professionals are working from home. To help this, Internet services would be strengthened through Bharat Net,” Prasad said.

With fewer patients, doctors take pay cut

Most hospitals are functioning at under 20% of patient capacity and are finding it hard to pay staff

29/04/2020, TANU KULKARNI,BENGALURU

Hospitals are incurring costs on PPE kits and sanitisers, while also taking other precautionary measures.K. Murali Kumar

Several private hospitals in the city that have stopped elective surgeries and are focussing only on emergency cases are struggling to pay salaries to their staff, including doctors. Most are functioning at less than 20% of their patient capacity.

While some hospital boards have asked a section of their doctors to take leave with loss of pay, others said both doctors and administrative staff have volunteered to take pay cuts.

R. Ravindra, president of the Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association, which has close to 400 hospitals in the city, said they have instructed their hospitals to ensure that they do not lay off or cut salaries of their nursing and housekeeping staff. “Hospitals are currently seeing patients in the range of 10% to 20% of their total capacity. Many of the specialists are freelancers and get paid based on the patients they treat. They come if there are patients. Since they do not have patients, they have not been coming,” he said.

Doctors involved in COVID-19 duties are being paid on time without any pay cut.

Vikram Sreeram, managing director of Mallige Hospital, admitted that it was indeed difficult times for hospitals. “We have adopted two strategies for our doctors. While some doctors will have to take a pay cut, we have told senior consultants that their salaries will be deferred,” he said. The salary cut for doctors ranges from 30% to 50%, based on their salary slabs. “Our occupancy is only 15%. We are taking only emergency cases on an outpatient basis.”

He also said some senior doctors have been requested not to report to work.

Some hospitals have told their staff that the salary cuts would be applicable for the next three months, after which the situation would be reviewed based on the trajectory of the pandemic.

In a circular, Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences has requested the staff to forego an amount equivalent to 12 days’ pay. This is not applicable to staff members drawing less than ₹20,000 a month, which includes paramedical, support, and nursing staff.

Temporary shutdown

Explaining the effect of the lockdown and the pandemic on their financial health, Dr. Ravindra said that some of the smaller hospitals, including ENT and eye hospitals, have shut down temporarily. “We are getting reports of some hospitals having less than five patients,” he said.

At the same time, hospitals are incurring costs on procuring PPE kits and sanitisers, and are spending on other precautionary measures. The association has asked the State government if some of their outgoings for utilities, including electricity bill, can be deferred for the next couple of months.

For some doctors, the salary cut is going to make life difficult, but is unavoidable. “Our hospital is requesting us to accept a pay cut. I am the sole breadwinner of my family. Though we have the same bills to pay as earlier, I have no option but to accept the decision of the management,” a doctor said.

Plans of educational institutions go haywire

Hope situation improves by July-end, says APSCHE chairman

29/04/2020, P. SUJATHA VARMA ,VIJAYAWADA

K. Hemachandra Reddy

The lockdown necessitated by the outbreak of COVID-19 has derailed the academic calendars of schools and universities.

Educational institutions across the country have been closed since March 16 when the Centre announced classroom shutdown as a measure to contain the spread of the virus. Later, a nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24, which has now been extended till May 3.

“We are going through very uncertain times and the worst part is that we can’t even plan anything in this situation,” says K. Hemachandra Reddy, Chairman, Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE).

Education Minister Adimulapu Suresh, at a review meeting with the officials of the Department of Higher Education and Vice-Chancellors of universities recently, asked them to make swift arrangements to move online and conduct virtual classes to complete the syllabus. But sources in the department said there are technology issues and it may not be possible to conduct online classes for all students in the long run since the department does not have the wherewithal to do so.

The authorities fear that the academic year may be grossly delayed. Instead of June-July, the new academic year may start in September.

“In Andhra Pradesh, a majority of the classes have been completed and only examinations have to be conducted now,” says Prof. Reddy.

“If the situation improves even by July-end, we could plan things,” he says, adding that even if classes for B. Tech courses could be conducted by October-November, things could be managed by sacrificing Saturdays and Sundays.

All eyes on UGC

With the academic plans going awry, universities have no option but to look to the decision of the University Grants Commission (UGC), expected to be announced within a week. The UGC, it may be noted, had constituted two committees to look into the issue of academic loss and online education in the wake of the lockdown in the country due to the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the panels, led by Haryana University Vice-Chancellor R.C. Kuhad, was formed to look into the ways of conducting exams in universities amid lockdown and work on an alternative academic calendar. The second committee, to suggest measures to improve online education, was led by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Vice-Chancellor Nageswar Rao. Both the committees submitted their reports recently.

“We’ll do our best to overcome this difficult situation,” says Prof. Reddy.

Delhi University teachers on hunger strike

29/04/2020,NEW DELHI

Several DU teachers on Tuesday observed a day-long hunger strike to protest the non-payment of salaries, DUTA said. “The government has so far not cared to respond to the repeated pleas by the DUTA for the immediate release of salaries,” the group said.

Explain MHA order on full wages, SC tells govt.

29/04/2020

Nagreeka said it was engaged in manufacture and export of cotton yarns, fabric and textiles. It said stoppage of operations since the lockdown had led to losses to the tune of ₹1.50 crore.

Separate petitions have also been filed by entities from the micro, small and medium sector against the government’s order to pay full wages to their workers. MSME industries have said they are compelled to slide into insolvency by the government, which has ordered them to continue to pay full salaries to their workers. These petitions have asked the court to order the government to support them by taking responsibility for 70% of their staffers’ pay by drawing funds from the PM Cares Fund or the Employees State Insurance Corporation. The court is yet to list these pleas.

Cong. questions govt.’s ₹68,607 cr.-loan ‘write-off’

Defaulters include ‘BJP’s friends’: Rahul

29/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

Rahul Gandhi

The Congress on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “explain” why his government had “written off” bank loans worth ₹68,607 crore taken by the top 50 defaulters, including Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Vijay Mallya, at a time when the country is fighting the coronavirus [COVID-19] pandemic.

The party cited a reply of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to an Right to Information (RTI) query and claimed that until March 2020, the government had written off loans worth ₹6.66 lakh crore since 2014.

‘Truth held back’

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, in a tweet, said though the government had refused to answer him in Parliament, the RBI has now put out the list, which includes names of BJP’s “friends”.

“I asked a straight question in Parliament — state the names of the 50 top bank loan defaulters in the country. The Finance Minister refused to answer the question. Now the RBI has given the names of Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and many of BJP’s ‘friends’ in the list of bank frauds. That is why this truth was held back from Parliament,” Mr. Gandhi tweeted in Hindi.

Addressing an online press conference, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “This is a classic case of promoting the ‘dupe, deceive and depart’ policy of the Modi government, which can no longer be accepted and the Prime Minister has to answer.”

Mr. Surjewala said while the entire country is fighting the coronavirus, the Centre doesn’t have money to pay to States but still decided write off ₹68,307 crore of defaulters.

“This reflects the misconceived priorities and dishonest intentions of the Modi government,” he said.

Jobs lost, migrant families battle heat and hunger

Except for some philanthropists, no officials have reached out to the distressed lot in 

Telangana

29/04/2020, R. AVADHANI,ISNAPUR

Difficult phase: The migrant workers from Nanded are facing a tough time in Telangana due to the lockdown.MohdArif

Akkamma, in her fifties, is staying along with her family of five in a small hut. During afternoons, when the sun is at its peak, she joins other women to sit under a tree and chat with them.

The reason — sitting out of their houses is more comfortable than inside as the tarpaulin roofs generate unbearable heat, and they feel suffocated staying inside even for a few minutes. “It is impossible to stay in our shacks. To get some respite from the heat, we are taking rest under this tree. We will spend time till evening here,” Ms. Akkamma said.

There are 65 families who migrated from Nanded in Maharashtra and are staying at Isnapur in Sangareddy district of Telangana for the past eight years or so. A large number of children are also part of the group, most of them famished.

Family members made a living by doing various jobs like breaking stones, driving tractors or working as daily wage labourers. The national shutdown rendered them jobless because of which many of them have a meal in the afternoon and skip dinner.

Though the location of their makeshift dwellings is close to the National Highway, the administration has not reached out to them so far, they complained.

“Some philanthropists came and extended assistance twice. But we have not received any help from the government so far. We are using our limited rations so that we can have something for tomorrow,” Sunil, another migrant, said.

What do they do the entire day? “Eating, chitchatting and sleeping. Nothing else,” said another young man from the group.

There are more than 60 children, aged between six months and 14 years, and there are also six lactating mothers. All of them are waiting for help from the administration.

No handover of bodies till lab results are out

Standard safety protocol for burial/cremation

29/04/2020, S. VIJAY KUMAR ,CHENNAI

Government and private hospitals will not hand over the bodies of persons who died due to Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI), including COVID-19 and suspected COVID-19 cases, till the results of laboratory tests are known. A standard safety protocol for burial/cremation of such bodies will be followed, irrespective of the test results, sources in the Health Department said on Tuesday.

The decision follows the recommendations made by the State Level Technical Committee for conducting an audit of COVID-19 deaths. It was decided that all deaths linked to SARI/COVID-19/suspected COVID-19 cases should be reported to the Director of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, the Director of Medical & Rural Health Services and the Director of Medical Education within an hour.

A case-sheet exclusively for COVID-19 cases, formulated by an expert committee, will be used by doctors to ‘legibly’ enter all details that may be useful for the death audit by institutional and State-level committees. The hospital superintendent and senior doctors, drawn from various specialities, will be part of the hospital committee that will audit the death — analyse the treatment protocol and assess the cause of death — and send its report to the State-level committee on the same day, sources said.

“The findings of the death audit report should be recorded and acted upon. A copy of the patient’s case-sheet after hospital audit should be sent to the State- and district-level audit committees and also to the State Death Control Desk at the Directorate of Public Health for future reference,” a senior health official said, adding that the recommendations of the committee had been accepted for implementation.

People haven’t realised how virulent COVID-19 is, says CM

He will chair meetings with Collectors, medical experts today

29/04/2020, DENNIS S. JESUDASAN ,CHENNAI

Edappadi K. Palaniswami

The public are yet to realise the virulence of COVID-19, and have been playful, disregarding physical distancing and other norms, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said during a meeting with 12 coordination teams at the Secretariat on Tuesday. “They don't seem to learn from news reports from the U.S., Italy and Spain, where the death tolls have been high,” he said.

“Despite our advice, members of the public are refusing to abide by the rules and are being playful about it. They do not realise the virulence of this disease..,” Mr. Palaniswami said in his opening remarks during a meeting with IAS and IPS officers. The challenge in ensuring physical distancing was primarily seen in vegetable markets in Municipal Corporations like Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and Tiruchi, he said.

Noting that people were watching on TV and reading newspaper reports of people dying in the U.S., Italy and Spain due to COVID-19, the CM said, "Initially, people there [in the worst-affected countries] did not realise the severity of the disease. But after they started following the guidelines laid down by the government, the number of deaths declined."

A senior officer present at the meeting said the CM had indicated that the urban centres were proving to be a challenge, unlike rural areas, where the lockdown rules were being fully complied with.

“The spread has declined in Italy and Spain and, according to media reports, the lockdown has been relaxed in those countries,” he pointed out. "But our people are not following [the rules]. We are in the initial stage [of the pandemic]. If the public extend their cooperation to the steps being taken by the government, the spread of the disease could be contained easily. Otherwise, even if all other countries contain the spread, we will not be able to do it. So, people should realise the virulence of the disease and follow the rules. Police and Local Administration departments have been carrying out street campaigns to create awareness," the CM said. He also instructed the authorities to assign less tedious tasks to police personnel who were over 55 years of age.

Question time

Multiple officers who were present at the meeting pointed out that it was unusual, with the CM specifically putting across questions to the department secretaries. "Usually, the secretaries make presentations, and then there would be some time for questions. But on Tuesday, the CM asked the officers specific questions, and only after getting answers did he allow them to make presentations. He bombarded nearly every officer with questions,” a senior officer said.

The CM asked questions on a wide range of topics including the methods being adopted by various departments to ensure physical distancing, whether the cash assistance of ₹1,000 and dry rations for unorganised sector workers were reaching the beneficiaries, and specific ways for exiting the lockdown.

"Looks like the CM got specific questions prepared by a team of officials, who might have framed questions based on media, police, intelligence and politicians. The questions and answers and presentations went on for about three hours," another officer said.

‘Mood for opening’

A senior officer said there was a "mood for opening" among the top officials, wherever possible, of course only in areas that were not in containment zones and red spots. "There has been no talk so far on extending the complete lockdown in five Corporations and areas around Chennai after April 29. As for what happens after May 3, the expert panel will decide," the official said.

The CM is scheduled to chair video-conference meetings with all District Collectors and medical and public health experts at the Secretariat on Wednesday.

Deputy CM O. Panneerselvam, Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar, Revenue Minister R.B. Udhayakumar and Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam, Director General of Police J.K. Tripathy and other senior officials were present at the meeting on Tuesday.

Seven discharged in Dindigul, six in Virudhunagar, four in Madurai

No new positive cases reported in the districts

29/04/2020, MADURAI 

BUREAU,DINDIGUL/VIRUDHUNAGAR/MADURAI

Seven COVID-19 patients from Dindigul district were discharged from the Government Medical College Hospital, Karur, on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters, Collector M. Vijayalakshmi said 11 more persons from Dindigul district were under treatment.

She said the district reported 80 positive cases. After screening, the patients were shifted to the Karur hospital, from where 67 of them had so far been discharged. A 95-year-old patient died and another person had been detained in Puzhal Central Prison, she said.

There were no new cases reported in the last three days. Containment zones were brought under surveillance by officials of different departments and essential commodities were being supplied in there. There were a few issues with ensuring supply of essential commodities to all the people, but they were sorted out, she said. Government Dindigul Medical College and Hospital Dean Vijayakumar said 1,248 of the 1,328 samples collected in the district tested negative. The results of the remaining samples were awaited.

Six of the 22 positive persons from Virudhunagar district were discharged from Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai on Monday night after complete recovery. The district had witnessed 10 positive cases between April 21 and 24. Now, there are 16 active cases in the district.

The district administration has decided to take swab test on at least 200 pregnant women who were expecting delivery by this weekend. “This will help us not only to provide special care for the mothers and children, but also to doctors and paramedical staff,” Collector R. Kannan said, adding another 200 expecting mothers would also be tested next week.

The district administration has also launched a survey of people who had entered the district from outside. After four persons who had entered the district from other districts using e-pass turned positive, the district administration has decided to conduct swab test on all those who have entered the district in the last 10 days.

Meanwhile, the working of the newly-set up Reverse Transcription- Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing equipment at Virudhunagar Medical College Hospital has been validated by Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Mr. Kannan said.

“We are waiting for the government’s nod for starting tests,” he added.

Four COVID-19 positive patients – all men from different parts of Madurai district – were discharged from Madurai GRH on Tuesday. This brought the total number of discharged persons to 40.

The patients were predominantly asymptomatic and were in the COVID-19 block of the GRH for two weeks, said hospital sources. Now, the district had 37 active cases, said Collector T.G. Vinay.

Boat with 33 migrants reaches Odisha coast from Chennai

29/04/2020, STAFF REPORTER,BERHAMPUR

Risky ride: The boat carrying migrant workers at Arjyapalli fishing jetty near Gopalpur port. Special Arrangement Special Arrangement

A fishing boat carrying 33 migrant workers from Chennai reached Odisha’s Ganjam district on Tuesday. This is the third motorboat to bring migrants from Chennai to Ganjam since April 25. To dodge the lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19, these workers opted for a dangerous journey without any navigation equipment.

The motorboat set out from Chennai on April 24 and reached the Arjyapalli fishing jetty near the Gopalpur port at 1 a.m. Twenty-nine passengers were from Ganjam and one from Puri, and the other three were from Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. They were kept in quarantine at Arjyapalli High School.

Swabs of persons showing symptoms will be sent for testing, an official said.

One of the two engines of their boat developed a snag near the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border. As the boat ran on a single engine, they arrived late. The migrants, who worked at the Kasimedu fishing jetty in Tamil Nadu, contributed ₹2 lakh to buy the boat.

Unfair to call test kits faulty, says China

Committed to assisting India in fight against pandemic, embassy says

29/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

It is irresponsible to term Chinese products “faulty”, a spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy here said after the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) asked the States to stop using the rapid antibody test kits and return them to manufacturers in China.

“We are deeply concerned with the evaluation results and the decision made by Indian Council of Medical Research. China attaches great importance to the quality of exported medical products. The Chinese Embassy maintained a close contact with ICMR and the two Chinese companies to find out the real situation,” said Ji Rong, Counsellor and spokesperson of the embassy.

The official said China was committed to assisting India in the fight against the pandemic, and reminded the test kits were sent to India after the ICMR and the National Institute of Virology approved them.

“It is unfair and irresponsible of certain individuals to label Chinese products “faulty” and look at issues with pre-emptive prejudice,” the spokesperson said.

The Hindu reported on April 28 that despite the decision of ICMR to return the test kits, India remains on track to import more medical goods in the coming days.

Centre starts preparing for post-lockdown urban services

Urban Affairs Ministry to ready protocols for metro trains and missions

29/04/2020, DAMINI NATH,NEW DELHI

Empty corridors: The Rajiv Chowk Metro station in New Delhi remains closed during the lockdown.PTI

Officials of the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry were on Tuesday asked to start preparing the post-lockdown protocols for the various urban missions and services, including operation of Metro trains.

Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri reviewed the progress of the various urban missions, including the Smart Cities Mission, the Swachh Bharat and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), being implemented by the Ministry.

Status check

Officers presented the status of the missions and were asked to prepare protocols, an official said. For instance, the officers were asked to have the protocols for restarting Metro services ready, the official said.

After the meeting, Mr. Puri said in a tweet that he had reviewed the progress of the flagship missions with the Secretary and senior officers.

“Happy to note that the missions are also contributing extensively towards COVID-19 related work along with their normal work and implementation of projects.”

Among the urban infrastructure pressed into service are the integrated command and control centres built as part of the Smart Cities Mission that are being used to monitor the spread of the pandemic and the response to it.

“Integrated Command & Control Centre in Agra Smart City has transformed into District Control Room for fight against COVID-19. It offers doorstep delivery of items of daily need, security services, detection of loitering, medical assistance & other services to citizens,” Mr. Puri said in a tweet.

While construction activities have been allowed with certain conditions, availability of workers has been hit as the lockdown led migrant workers to return to their hometowns or are stuck in camps on the way.

However, Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra said works under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) had started.

“229 projects worth more than ₹27,000 crore have started/restarted under AMRUT with available local manpower in 10 States. All prescribed precautions for fighting COVID-19 are being observed. This will provide livelihood opportunities to those who have lost their jobs temporarily,” he said in a tweet after the meeting concluded.

‘Private clinics, hospitals can’t refuse patients’

29/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,KOLKATA

The West Bengal government is set to issue an advisory to private hospitals making clear that they cannot turn back patients and directing private clinics and doctors’ private chambers to remain open during the ongoing lockdown.

“Private hospital will have to be more energetic,” Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha said. “We have to ensure that they do not refuse patients... We are issuing an advisory,” he added.

“Clinics are shut and doctors are saying that they cannot treat patients as they have their chambers in the private clinic’s building,” said a patient’s relative. “Many private hospitals are shut too,” the relative added.

Over 28 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours in the State.

Ministry does U-turn on plasma therapy

29/04/2020

“The IRCS may like to take up this at the earliest so that the blood collected from the recovered patients could be used for transfusion for the benefit of corona patients,” the Ministry said.

Several States across India too have been using and advocating for the therapy with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday directing officials to encourage use of plasma therapy for the treatment of infected people and to increase testing capacity.

Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra, among other States, have started clinical trials for the plasma-based treatment.

‘Anti-graft law covers deemed universities’

Officials are ‘public servants’, says SC

29/04/2020, LEGAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has held that bribery and corruption in a deemed university can be tried under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Individuals, authorities or officials connected to a deemed university, whatever be their role or designation, come under the definition of a ‘public servant’. They can be tried and punished under the anti-corruption law, the court said.

Deemed universities come within the ambit of the term ‘university’ in Section 2(c)(xi) of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988.

A deemed institution under the University Grants Commission Act of 1956 has the same common public duty like a university to confer academic degrees, which are recognised in the society.

Officials of a deemed varsity, though not seen as public servants in the conventional sense, perform duties in the discharge of which the State, the public and the community at large has an interest, a three-judge Bench led by Justice N.V. Ramana reasoned in a judgment pronounced on April 27.

“The object of the PC Act was not only to prevent the social evil of bribery and corruption, but also to make the same applicable to individuals who might conventionally not be considered public servants. The purpose under the PC Act was to shift focus from those who are traditionally called public officials, to those individuals who perform public duties. Keeping the same in mind, it cannot be stated that a deemed university and the officials therein, perform any less or any different a public duty,” Justice Ramana, who authored the main judgment shared with Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar, observed.

What is PM’s exit strategy: Cong.

Party seeks road map for economic revival and to deal with pandemic post May 3

29/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi consulted Chief Ministers on the lockdown, the Congress on Tuesday said the “nation is waiting” for him to spell out a clear exit strategy for the containment that ends on May 3.

“We once again appeal to the Prime Minister to come out with a clear exit strategy for the lockdown, to state the road map for economic revival and to deal with the health pandemic post May 3 as also restrict the lockdown only to hotspot zones,” Congress communication chief Randeep Surjewala told reporters through videoconference.

The Prime minister was expected to lead the nation in crises like these. “No one has still heard from the Prime Minister about the exit strategy or the road map and that is an area of serious concern,” he said.

Financial plan

Mr. Surjewala claimed that the Chief Ministers requested the Prime Minister to tell the nation what is the exit strategy. “What is the road map for the future post 3rd of May? How is the Prime Minister going to come out with financial action plan part-II as Shrimati Sonia Gandhi has repeatedly demanded, and so have many other experts, to mitigate starvation, kick-start the economy, return of the migrant labour or starting small, medium and micro businesses,” he asked.

On Monday, Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy, after the videoconference with the Prime Minister, told reporters that most of the Chief Ministers had urged Mr. Modi to adopt a cautious approach to lifting the lockdown.

Pinarayi silent about filing appeal

29/04/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT ,THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday refused to reveal whether the State would file an appeal against the High Court’s stay on deducting the salary of government employees. Mr. Vijayan said the government was yet to review the order in its entirety. The State was constitutionally bound to obey the decision of the court.