Virus hit every family but Central govt. officials living in ivory towers, says HC

Virus hit every family but Central govt. officials living in ivory towers, says HC

It was hearing a plea about Sputnik V

19/05/2021

Staff Reporter New Delhi

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday remarked that COVID-19 has not spared even a single family while the Central government’s officers are living in “ivory towers” oblivious of ground realities.

“It is like a raging fire and nobody is bothered...No one is applying their mind. The virus has not spared any single family. Your (the Centre) officers are living in ivory towers,” a Bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Navin Chawla remarked.

The court was of the view that the manufacture of Sputnik V vaccine in India with the collaboration of Panacea Biotec with Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) should be seen as an opportunity to ensure there is no vaccine shortage.

“Every day you [Centre] are castigated by each and every court and still you are not awake...God bless this country,” the court said.

The observations came while hearing Panacea Biotec’s plea to modify a July 2020 order of the court, in which it had undertaken not to prosecute further the execution proceedings instituted by it in relation to an arbitral award, passed in its favour.

In its fresh application, Panacea Biotec sought release of the arbitral award on the ground that it needs funds in the larger interest of humanity as it has already manufactured trial batches of Sputnik V vaccine in collaboration with RDIF and the process of manufacturing scale-up batches is on.

Next hearing

During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Balbir Singh, representing the Centre, argued that Sputnik V’s manufacture by the company will not benefit the India as it will be for global supply by RDIF.

It posted the case for further hearing on May 31.

3 policemen suspended for torture of doctor

3 policemen suspended for torture of doctor

He claims he was released after giving ₹5.5 lakh to inspector, head constables

19/05/2021

Special Correspondent Bengaluru

An inspector attached to Sanjay Nagar police station and two head constables were suspended for allegedly detaining a doctor for two days as part of a probe into the illegal sale of Remdesivir and inflicting third degree torture on him. The doctor claimed he was released only after he paid them ₹5.5 lakh in cash.

The doctor recorded a video of the injuries he sustained and uploaded it on social media.

Taking cognisance, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North division) Dharmendra Kumar Meena, on Monday, ordered an inquiry into the actions of Inspector Kathyayini Alva. He removed the inspector and the head constables from their posts at Sanjay Nagar station and posted them at the DCP office until further notice. Based on the findings of an inquiry conducted by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, J.C. Nagar sub-division, City Police Commissioner Kamal Pant suspended the inspector and two head constables till further orders.

The complainant, Dr. Nagaraj from Sri Sai Hospital, was detained by Sanjay Nagar police on May 15 after they arrested a housekeeping employee and Dr. Sagar, from another private hospital, for selling Remdesivir for ₹40,000.

Based on Dr. Sagar’s claims, the police summoned Dr. Nagaraj, but did not arrest him. “I was tortured and beaten up so badly that I can’t even sit or sleep,” he alleged in the video. “The inspector not only took money to release me, but threatened to kill me if I spoke about this to anyone,” he alleged

11 T.N. doctors lost lives to COVID-19 in second wave, states IMA data

11 T.N. doctors lost lives to COVID-19 in second wave, states IMA data

Associations reiterate need to ensure safety of healthcare staff

19/05/2021

Serena Josephine M. CHENNAI

According to data in the Indian Medical Association (IMA) COVID-19 Registry, a total of 11 doctors — both in the government and private sectors — have died of COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu during the second wave of the pandemic.

This has reiterated the need to reduce exposure levels, improve testing and treatment for healthcare providers (HCP).

According to the data, a total of 269 doctors had died across the country during the second wave. Of this, 11 died in Tamil Nadu. As per IMA data released in February, 89 doctors from Tamil Nadu had succumbed to the infection till then.

J.A. Jayalal, national president, Indian Medical Association (Headquarters), said many HCPs were getting infected on a daily basis across the country.

“Majority of patients coming to hospitals are infected. This results in increased exposure and high viral load that poses a risk for HCPs. They should be protected. Testing and treatment for HCPs should be a priority,” he said.

There is an urgent need to augment manpower, he said, adding, “The Centre has postponed the conduct of NEET-PG. The only option for increasing the manpower is to conduct NEET-PG as quickly as possible so that nearly 45,000 doctors can join various institutions. The Tamil Nadu government should take this up with the Centre,” he said.

G.R. Ravindranath, general secretary of the Doctors’ Association for Social Equality, said each government hospital should earmark a separate facility to treat its doctors and staff nurses, who test positive for COVID-19. Compensation for families of doctors who have succumbed to COVID-19 should be increased to ₹50 lakh.

“One of the family members should be given a government job,” he said.

He said those who had tested negative in RT-PCR in COVID-19-suspected and -related deaths should also be compensated.

“RT-PCR test positivity alone should not be taken as the condition for COVID-19 deaths as in many cases the reports have returned negative,” he said.

Dr. Ravindranath called for an audit of deaths of doctors and nurses in the State.

A government doctor said financial assistance was yet to reach families of many who died in the first wave. “We have been repeatedly seeking compensation for Dr. Jayamohan, a doctor attached to a primary health centre in the Nilgiris, who died while on COVID-19 duty. There are no signs of any help till now,” he said.

Google rolls out News Showcase in India

Google rolls out News Showcase in India

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

NEW DELHI, MAY 18, 2021 23:06 IST

Partners 30 publishers for content

Google on Tuesday announced the roll-out of News Showcase in India with 30 news publishers, including national, regional and local news organisations.

The News Showcase allows partnering publishers to curate content which is displayed as story panels on Google’s News and Discover platforms.

The technology firm also pays the publishers to license their content, providing limited access to pay-walled content for readers.

In India, Google has partnered with news organisations, including The Hindu Group, HT Digital Streams Ltd., The Indian Express Group, ABP LIVE, India TV, NDTV, Zee News, Amar Ujala, Deccan Herald, Punjab Kesari, The Telegraph India, IANS and ANI.

Globally, more than 700 news publications have signed agreements for Google News Showcase in countries including Germany, Brazil, Canada, France, Japan, the U.K., Australia, Czechia, Italy and Argentina.

“Today’s announcement comes at a particularly challenging moment in India, with Indians seeking out authoritative news and information as the COVID-19 crisis deepens,” said Brad Bender, VP, Product, News, Google. “To support news organisations and readers, we’re introducing Google News Showcase, our new online experience and licensing programme,” he added.

He added that this programme incentivised and supported news publishers to curate high quality content on Google News and Discover platforms, connecting readers with the news they needed.

The content from Indian publisher partners in English and Hindi will begin to appear in dedicated News Showcase panels in Google News and on Discover, with support for more Indian languages to be added in the future.

“As part of the licensing agreements with publishers, Google will pay participating news organisations to give readers access to a limited amount of pay-walled content. This feature means readers will have the opportunity to read more of a publisher’s articles than they would otherwise be able to, while deepening readers’ relationships with publishers and encouraging them to subscribe,” he said.

The technology giant also announced plans to expand its work to strengthen digital skills in newsrooms and journalism schools across India to train 50,000 journalists and journalism students to aid reporting and combat misinformation online.

Sanjay Gupta, V-P, Google India, said, “Today, we’re also announcing the expansion of our Google News Initiative efforts to bolster journalist training efforts, and new programmes to support over 800 small and mid-sized publications achieve financial sustainability with trainings in audience development and product innovation to support.”

கூகுள் 'நியூஸ் ஷோகேஸ்' இந்தியாவில் அறிமுகம்

கூகுள் 'நியூஸ் ஷோகேஸ்' இந்தியாவில் அறிமுகம்

Updated : மே 19, 2021 04:52 | Added : மே 19, 2021 04:51 

புதுடில்லி : கூகுள் நிறுவனம், இந்தியாவில் 'கூகுள் நியூஸ், டிஸ்கவர்' வலைதளப் பிரிவுகளில், 'நியூஸ் ஷோகேஸ்' என்ற செய்திப் பலகையை அறிமுகப்படுத்தியுள்ளது. இதில், சிறந்த செய்திகள், கருத்துருக்கள் ஆகியவற்றை தரும், அச்சு மற்றும் ஊடக நிறுவனங்களுக்கு சன்மானம் தரப்படும் என, கூகுள் தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

கூகுள் நியூஸ், டிஸ்கவர் வலைதளங்களில் உள்ள நியூஸ் ஷோகேஸ் பகுதியில், ஜெர்மனி, கனடா, பிரேசில், பிரான்ஸ், ஜப்பான், ஆஸ்திரேலியா உள்ளிட்ட நாடுகளைச் சேர்ந்த, 700 செய்தி நிறுவனங்களின் தலைப்புச் செய்திகள் இடம் பெறுகின்றன. இதற்காக, இந்நிறுவனங்களுடன் கூகுள் ஒப்பந்தம் செய்துள்ளது. நெட்டிசன்கள், இந்த செய்திப் பலகையில், தங்களுக்கு பிடித்த தலைப்பை, 'கிளிக்' செய்து, சம்பந்தப்பட்ட செய்தி நிறுவனத்தின் வலைதளத்திற்கு சென்று விரிவான செய்தியை படிக்கலாம்.இத்தகைய வசதியை, கூகுள் இந்தியாவில் அறிமுகப்படுத்தியுள்ளது.

இது குறித்து, கூகுள் துணை தலைவர் பிராட் பென்டர் கூறியதாவது: நியூஸ் ஷோகேஸ், ஏற்கனவே பல நாடுகளில் வெற்றிகரமாக செயல்பட்டு வருகிறது. இந்தியாவில் தற்போது அறிமுகமாகியுள்ளது. இதற்காக, 30 செய்தி நிறுவனங்களுடன் ஒப்பந்தம் செய்துள்ளோம். மேலும், பல நிறுவனங்களை இணைக்க உள்ளோம். இதன் மூலம், அச்சு, ஊடக செய்தி நிறுவனங்கள், நம்பிக்கைக்குரிய செய்திகளை மக்களிடம் எடுத்துச் செல்ல முடியும். அத்துடன் அந்நிறுவனங்களுக்கு, கூகுள் மூலம் குறிப்பிட்ட தொகையும் கிடைக்கும்.

ஆங்கிலம், இந்தி மொழிகளைத் தொடர்ந்து விரைவில் பிராந்திய மொழிகளிலும் இச்சேவை அறிமுகமாகும். அடுத்த மூன்று ஆண்டுகளில், 50 ஆயிரம் பத்திரிகையாளர்கள் மற்றும் பத்திரிகையியல் மாணவர்களுக்கு பயிற்சி அளிக்க, கூகுள் இலக்கு நிர்ணயித்துள்ளது.இவ்வாறு அவர் கூறினார்.

Centre’s officers in ivory towers, don’t know ground realities: HC

Centre’s officers in ivory towers, don’t know ground realities: HC

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:19.05.2021

The Centre’s officers are living in “ivory towers” oblivious of ground realities that Covid-19 has not spared a single family, Delhi High Court said on Tuesday, after getting to know that an Indian firm collaborating with Sputnik vaccine makers of Russia is being starved of funds by the Centre.

“Which bureaucrat is giving you instructions? Is he not alive to the situation? God bless this country. That is why we are facing this situation. In such matters instructions are need to be taken from the highest authorities, that, too, within 30 minutes,” the court said, highlighting that such partnership attempts with foreign vaccine manufacturers are an opportunity to the nation facing shortage of vaccines.

“Tell your officers it is an opportunity for you, don’t lose it. The virus has not spared any single family. Your officers are living in ivory towers,” a bench of justices Manmohan and Navin Chawla remarked.

“Does your officer not see so many deaths are taking place in the country and we are short of vaccines? You are so short of vaccines and you are not taking it through. Maybe it is an opportunity for you. Don’t be so negative. It is like a raging fire and nobody is bothered. You people don’t understand the larger picture or what,” the court fumed.

“No one is applying its mind” when there is an opportunity for the government to get millions of vaccines, the bench said. “Otherwise, deaths will continue to happen. Every day you are castigated by each and every court and still you are not awake.”

HC’s reaction came after reports that the Indian firm collaborating with Sputnik makers is being starved of funds

Pvt hosps in 30 cities getting Covaxin directly

Pvt hosps in 30 cities getting Covaxin directly

Swati.Bharadwaj@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad:19.05.2021

After kicking off direct supplies of indigenous Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin to states, its developer Bharat Biotech has now commenced direct supplies to private hospitals in as many as 31 cities across the country, a top official of the company said on Tuesday evening.

The dispatches to private hospitals, which began on Monday, include direct supplies by the company to private hospitals in 25 cities and supplies to private hospitals in 10 cities as directed by the Union ministry of health and family welfare, government of India.

Tweeting about this, Bharat Biotech’s joint MD Suchitra Ella said the company has dispatched Covaxin to private hospitals in Gannavaram, Guwahati, Delhi, Gandhinagar, Ranchi, Pune, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Jaipur and Lucknow at the directions of MoHFW.