Monthly Archives: August 2018

The number of COVID-19 cases climbed to 873 in India on Saturday, 28 March with the death toll rising to 19, according to the Union Health Ministry.

The United States on Friday, 27 March, announced $174 million financial assistance to 64 countries, including $2.9 million to India, to help them fight the coronavirus pandemic, PTI reported.

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued an advisory to states and UTs on Friday to prevent an exodus of migrant and agricultural labourers, industrial workers, and unorganised sector workers during the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

• Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said that the state government will provide meals to 325 schools, and feed over four lakh people starting Saturday
• The Ministry of Human Resource Development on Friday, said it has postponed the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) exam
• First phase of Census 2021 and updation of National Population Register (NPR) postponed until further orders
• Nationwide lockdown to curb coronavirus was announced on Tuesday, beginning at midnight, 25 March, for 21 days
• The United States now has more than 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases

Over 2,500 People in Nagaland Kept Under Home Quarantine

Over 2,500 people have recently returned from other parts of the country and placed under home quarantine in Nagaland, where no person has so far tested positive for COVID-19, officials said.

Out of the 17 samples that were sent for testing, results for 13 were negative and the remaining reports are awaited, government spokesperson and minister for planning & coordination Neiba Kronu said.

Six New COVID-19 Cases in Maharashtra, Total Rises to 159

Six new coronavirus positive cases were confirmed in Maharashtra on Saturday – 5 in Mumbai and 1 in Nagpur. The total number of positive cases in the state has risen to 159, said Maharashtra Health Ministry.

Restaurants in Dehradun Can Keep Kitchen Open For Take Away/Deliveries

Restaurants in Dehradun can keep their kitchens open for take away/food deliveries from today, reported ANI. Also, vehicles of people rendering/availing essential services will not be stopped, ANI said quoting Dehradun District Magistrate Ashish Kumar Srivastava.

Dornier Aircraft of Indian Navy Carrying 60 COVID-19 Samples Takes off to Pune

A Dornier aircraft of Indian Navy, carrying 60 samples for COVID-19 testing, took off from INS Hansa (located near Dabolim in Goa) to Pune in Maharashtra on Friday, 27 March. The samples were carried by a technician from Goa State Health department.

China Reports Three Deaths, 54 New Confirmed Cases of Coronavirus

China has reported 54 new imported coronavirus cases, taking their tally in the last few days to 649, while the death toll in the country has risen to 3,295 with three more fatalities confirmed on Friday, China’s National Health Commission said on Saturday, 28 March.

While no new locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 were reported on Friday, the number of coronavirus infections in people returning from abroad has gone up to 649 with 54 new cases reported, it said.

A total of three deaths and 29 new suspected cases were reported in the Chinese mainland on Friday.

All the deaths were reported in the COVID-19 epicentre Hubei Province and its capital Wuhan, which are now being gradually opened up after kept under lockdown since 23 January.

The overall confirmed cases in the mainland reached 81,394 by the end of Friday.

Coronavirus Cases in India Climb to 834, Death Toll Reaches 19

The number of COVID-19 cases climbed to 834 in India on Saturday with the death toll rising to 19, according to the Union Health Ministry.

In its updated figures, the ministry stated two fresh deaths.

However, it could not be immediately known where these two new deaths were reported from as the state-wise figures are awaited.

748 Active Cases, 19 Deaths in India: Health Ministry

There are 748 active COVID-19 cases so far in the country, out of which 67 are cured/discharged/migrated cases and 19 deaths, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Saturday, 28 March.

COVID-19: 2 More Test Positive in Jammu and Kashmir

Two more persons have tested positive for coronavirus in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, Principal Secretary and government spokesperson Rohit Kansal said on Friday.

Mahesh Sharma

Mandi Ahmedgarh, March 27

Just allow us to walk down to our native places in Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Bihar and UP, plead those stranded at construction sites, madrasas, dharamsalas and slums in local towns and surrounding localities.

However, the administration is all out to support their subsistence by providing them regular supply of essential commodities with the help of social organisations.

Ahmedgarh SDM Vikramjit Singh Panthey and DSP Karanveer Singh claimed to have roped in communal organisations, which are supplying free ration and cooked food to the needy.

Having received information about their problems, authorities in intelligence agencies have drawn attention of the government towards the problems of these groups, who are not provided organised help, and might increase risk of spreading coronavirus by moving in an unsafe manner.

Investigations revealed that at least 100 people, which include women and children, were feeling stranded due to the lockdown imposed owing to COVID-19 crisis.

Besides supply of essential commodities, worry about other members and their scattered families was common concern for all these groups.

A labourer, who was at an under-construction police station building, Ajay Giri, said at least 40 people, including women and children, were on the verge of starvation, due to the lockdown and none of them were ready to stay here as there was no certainty about restoration of work in the near future.

“If government can not arrange transport for sending us to our families at our native place, we should be allowed to walk down so that all members of our families can face the crisis together,” said Ajay Giri regretting his wife was stranded in Nepal.

He worries about his parents in Bihar too.

Another group of Kashimiri labourers, led by Abdul Halik, who was stranded at Bhagat Ravidass dharamsala at Chhanna village, also wanted to return to their native state as there was no source of income now.

“How long can we survive on food and ration donated by social organisations of the area.” argued Halik demanding the government should arrange a way to send them back to Jammu and kashmir.

Condition of slum dwellers from Gujarat, led by Nikku and Sonu, was even worse as they could be asked to decamp from their present location at Jandali Bridge, and they have no source of communication with their families in their state.

They do not have their mobile phones.

Kari Furkaan of Madrasa Umar Farooq informed that at least 27 students from other states were feeling helpless by being isolated from their parents.

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 27

Chandigarh reported a new coronavirus case on Friday, an official said—the eighth case in the city.

UT Adviser Manoj Parida said in a tweet that authorities were trying to track down the people who might have come in contact with the person, who travelled to Dubai recently.

The latest case was a 22-year-old man from Sector 30 in Chandigarh who returned from Dubai on March 11. He developed fever on March 25, the 15th day of his return—considered unusual for the virus, which usually has an incubation period of between 2 and 14 days.

“Bad news, one new corona positive case in Chandigarh. Dubai returned.  Symptoms detection on 15th day. Unusual. Tracing his contacts. All will be quarantined,” Parida said in a tweet.

A press release by Chandigarh’s Department of Public Relations said that the patient was admitted to GMCH 32 on March 25. Health Department then tracked down 57 of his contacts—both primary, incluing his family, and secondary—and put them under home quarantine.

This number includes his mother, who the press release says is a “high-risk contact”.

High risk people in terms of this disease are either the elderly or people with pre-existing health conditions.

He’s been kept in an isolation ward and is “totally asymptomatic and fully stable”, the release said.

This brings Chandigarh’s coronavirus tally to eight. Seven people were  previously tested positive for the global pandemic that has wreaked havoc across the world.

India’s coronavirus tally has crossed 700, with 17 deaths. Chandigarh is under curfew to prevent spread of the disease.

Amit Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 25

Extending help to vagabonds, poor and needy people, Chandigarh Police personnel have come forward to provide them food during these hard days when they have nowhere to go. Various SHOs in Chandigarh are identifying such people in the area of their police stations to provide all possible help during the curfew imposed in the city.

A team of the Industrial Area police station, led by the SHO, Inspector Jasbir Singh, visited a 38-year-old visually impaired man, identified as Billu, a native of Bihar, who has been living under a tree in Sector 29 for the past two years.

Billu, an alumnus of Panjab University, is an MA and BEd, and has no one to take care of him.

Inspector Jasbir said he would be taking care of Billu by providing him food till the time the situation in the city returns to normalcy.

The police today got his hands sanitised and also got his surroundings cleaned.

A similar initiative has been taken by Inspector Narinder Patial, SHO of the Sector 26 police station.

Inspector Patial has identified eight persons living either in the market corridors or in the open, who are being provided food.

“On the first day, food was provided twice to five persons. However, today the number has increased to eight and I will look for more such people to extend help to them,” Inspector Patial said.

Interestingly, the food for these people is cooked by Patial’s wife Sonia. “I don’t feel any burden of cooking food for so many people. In fact, I am ready to help more people in the time of need,” she said.

Needy people at Sarangpur were also distributed food by the SHO, Inspector Ram Rattan.

A police official said these people were also provided masks and their hands were sanitised.

Meanwhile, other cops are also taking other initiatives at their end to ensure the safety of city residents from Covid.

In one such effort, newspaper vendors in Mani Majra were also provided masks and hand sanitisers by the SHO, Mani Majra, Inspector Jaswinder Kaur.

Dear Veterans ,

  Number of ESM organisations have again started fooling ESM and asking for donations into their accounts , directly on whats app, emails or through face book.

We all are aware that every ESM had donated during our fight for OROP either by cash,cheques,or spending from pockets for the buses. The total amount collected was  more than cores of Ruppees but till today no one knows where is that amount , how much collected in cash, by cheques and recieved from NRIs.

We equally know about the great threat of Cronavirus looming over our heads ,rather entire India and World. You can adopt any of the following way to contribute  financially so that it does not go in wrong hands.Though your motive is to help out no guarantee in whose pocket it will go as happened in the past

1. Send your cheques in favor of  Indian Govt ” Prime Minister Relief Fund” or to your own state  Govt” Chief Minster Relief Fund” to obtain satisfaction. All States are having CM Relief Funds like for Punjab CM Fund as below . Can be directly deposited . 

PRIME MINISTER RELIEF FUND OPEN CHALLAN FOR BELOW

PMNRF-CONTRIBUTION-CHALLAN_20190410112456

3.   PLEASE DON’T DONATE CASH TO ANY BODY IT IS ALSO SUGGESTED TO BUY IN KIND AND DISTRIBUTE TO POOR AND NEEDY : 

(A) MASKS

(B) MEDICINE AS PER PATIENTS PRESCRIPTION

(C) GREEN VEGETABLES FOR POOR

(D) FRUITS FOR THE SICK

(E) ATTA ,DAL, RICE, SALT, SUGAR,TEA ,MILK ETC AS YOUR WISH

HOWEVER DONATIONS FROM ABROAD CANNOT BE RECEIVED AS TRANSACTIONS ARE BANNED 

4. ONE OF THE MESSAGE BEING FLOATED ON FACE BOOK BY AN ESM ORGANISATION WHICH DE-FRAGMENTED ITSELF FROM ALL ESM ORGANISATION  AS OTHERS WANTED  ACCOUNTS OF DONATIONS COLLECTED IN CRORES.TODAY AGAIN AT ITS BEST TO HELP THE NATION LIKE AFTER RECIEVING  OROP DONATIONS

— 

Without masks, the contractual sanitation workers of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) are being forced to use handkerchiefs and dupattas to cover their faces to stay ‘safe’ amid the spread of coronavirus in the city.

The workers’ union has been taking up the issue with the administration since the first few cases started being reported in the country. They have been demanding that a good quality face mask should be provided to the 3,000 safai karamcharis and attendants working at PGIMER.

Now, the workers have decided that since the time of crisis is here and the administration is not cooperating, men must cover their faces with handkerchiefs and female workers should use dupattas to avoid infections.

“First, we decided to sit on a dharna outside wards if proper protection gear is not provided to us. But, at a time when every individual is working to fight the disease, we cannot sit back and escape from our duties. Even though they (administration) are not listening to our genuine demands, we do not want to create any obstruction in rendering health care services,” said Shripal, general secretary of PGIMER’s Safai Karamchari Union.

Workers’ body anticipates devastating consequences

In a video message circulated among workers, the members of the union said they are trying to warn the higher-ups about the devastating consequences if even one person among them gets infected.

“We are not directly dealing with the patients. But we clean everything the patient touches. We are in a clinical setting all the time and at as much risk as a doctor or a nurse. Our situation is a prime example of how deep discrimination is rooted in our society,” Shripal added.

As for the reasons for delay in accepting their demands, union members said they are being told they are not dealing with the situation directly. “We are the same people who work in people’s homes as domestic help. Even in the times of curfew, people call us up for household work. Aren’t we at a risk of being infected or being carriers? People at the helm should be aware of this situation,” said Shripal.

Mandatory becomes optional

Earlier, he said, if a worker was seen working in any ward without gloves or masks, they would be penalised. The mandatory has now become optional, he added.

When contacted, Dr Jagat Ram, director of PGIMER, said necessary gear has been provided to the staff at the frontline for now, and they are in the process of providing adequate gear to the people not directly linked with Covid-19 operations.

“The people who require it the most have been provided for. People working in other areas will also be provided the necessary equipment soon,” said the director.

People struggle to get their hands on food packets, while completing forgetting social distancing, the primary objective of curfew; several return empty handed

Even as supply of vegetables and milk improved gradually in sectors, people from the economically weaker sections struggled with erratic supplies, with many swarming near vendors and supply trucks, inviting infection risk in a city under curfew for the third day to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Food packets to the poor promised by the UT administration did not reach parts of the city’s labour and slum colonies, checks with people there revealed.

The situation in Dhanas turned tense as police were called in to disperse a crowd of over 200 gathered in a colony park after a local political promised to distribute free food.

Social distancing was impossible in a colony where more than 50,000 people lived in 8,400 cramped housing units, said Prem Pal Chouhan, president of the Dhanas Rehabilitated Colony Welfare Association.

No grocery or vegetables reached the area. “I dialled one vendor as per the UT list but he replied he had not been given a vehicle for distribution of essentials,” Chauhan added.

“On top of that, some politicians are luring crowds by promising them free rice and sugar. Is this how we will stem the coronavirus threat?” he asked.

Distribution vehicles mobbed

Supplies organised by the administration were not enough for crowds that virtually mobbed two trucks in Dadumajra to get the Rs 750 packages, each containing 10 kg flour, some pulses and spices for colonies.

Area councillor Farmilla said the trucks were sent after she made repeated calls to MC officials, but people forgot about social distancing and crowded around the vehicles, stripping them bare in minutes.

“A majority were left empty handed. This kind of distribution is very dangerous. I urge the UT to keep chemist and grocery stores open in peripheries and allow only one person per home to buy essentials,” she said

Local shops closed

Many poor families went hungry as police didn’t allow local shops to open in Mauli Jagran near Manimajra.

People did not get essentials such as flour and sugar for two to three days, said local resident Mukesh Rai.

None of the shops have stock. “The administration should give shopkeepers passes so that they can restock their shops and feed people,” Rai said.

Former mayor Rajesh Kalia, who represents Maloya colony, urged the administration to focus more on distribution.

Police had to be called to control the crowds in the Makhan Majra labour colony, many of them who had been unable to earn anything in the last few days. Shashi Shankar Tewari, a senior Congress leader active in colonies, said thousands of daily wagers had no money to feed their families and UT’s free ration was not reaching them.

He asked the administration to engage NGOs and religious organisations to distribute free food over there.

Blaming the BJP for the mismanagement on the ground, Congress local president Pardeep Chhabra said, “We do understand that things are not smooth during the lockdown but it is unfair that the poor sleep on empty stomachs.”

BJP local president Arun Sood said that Congress should not play politics, adding, “Our workers are helping in distribution and coordinating with the UT administration to streamline the system.”

MC commissioner KK Yadav was not available for comments despite repeated attempts

TROUBLE SPOTS

Local milk producers not getting feed for cattle that can affect milk supply and starvation of animals

People going cashless as ATM are closed and mobile ATMs are not covering all spots

Officers keeping their mobile switched off, adding to the woes of the residents

Closed flour mills could mean shortage of flour in the near future

Sanitisation not being done near homes people in quarantine