Delhi Police have not removed the barricades, allege farmer leaders

New Delhi, April 24

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Saturday said one side of all highways at Delhi borders, where farmers have been camping for months to protest the new farm laws, have been opened to ensure free passage for oxygen tankers and ambulances amid the COVID-19 crisis.

However, the SKM alleged, the Delhi Police have not removed the barricades.

This comes days after the SKM, an umbrella body of farm unions spearheading the agitation against the Centre’s three agricultural laws, announced that one side of the highway at the Singhu border will be cleared for giving passage to vehicles carrying oxygen supplies.

In the interest of the nation, the farmers have already opened one side of roads at Delhi’s borders for emergency services, the SKM said in a statement.

Volunteers at Singhu, Ghazipur, Tikri and Shahjahanpur are constantly playing the role of COVID warriors and the emergency services are open at every border, it said.

Though the Delhi Police have not yet removed the barricades, the vehicles coming from or going to Delhi are not facing any problem due to the farmers’ protest. Farmers are helping COVID warriors reach their destinations, it added.

The SKM, the statement said, with the help of some social welfare organisations and doctors, is encouraging farmers to maintain sanitation at the protest sites.

At Tikri border, a team led by Dr Sawaiman Singh is reaching out to the farmers and urging them to take necessary precautions against coronavirus, it added.

On Wednesday, the Delhi Police created a green corridor for a truck carrying oxygen containers from the Singhu border to a private hospital in Rohini that was running out of supply. PTI

Part of Haryana highways opened: Kisan Morcha

he Centre wants to derail the farmers’ struggle by using the pandemic as an excuse.

Tribune News Service
Bathinda, April 24

Samyukt Kisan Morcha leader Rakesh Kumar Tikait has alleged the Centre was trying to scuttle the farmers’ agitation by carrying out “operation clean”.

Addressing a farmers’ rally at Karandi village in Mansa, Tikait said: “The Centre wants to derail the farmers’ struggle by using the pandemic as an excuse. We will not relent till the laws are withdrawn.”

“While farmers in Haryana are not facing any problem at procurement centres, in Punjab, the Centre is harassing them with an aim to crush the peasant movement,” he said.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also expressed similar sentiments for the people of India

slamabad, April 24

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday expressed solidarity with the people of India battling the deadly wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying “we must fight this global challenge confronting humanity together”.

A record single-day rise of 3,46,786 coronavirus cases pushed India’s tally of infection to 1,66,10,481, while active cases crossed the 25-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.

The death toll rose to 1,89,544 with a record 2,624 more fatalities in a day, according to the data.https://ff72124c73b7583813449fe0bce6b0c3.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

In a tweet, Khan said: “Our prayers for a speedy recovery go to all those suffering from the pandemic in our neighbourhood and the world”.

“I want to express our solidarity with the people of India as they battle a dangerous wave of COVID-19. “We must fight this global challenge confronting humanity together,” he said on Twitter.

His tweet came after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressed support to the people of India in the wake of a massive surge in COVID-19 cases in the country and extended his sympathies to the affected families.

Qureshi said the COVID-19 crisis is yet another reminder that humanitarian issues require responses beyond political consideration

“We express our support to the people of India in the wake of the current wave of #COVID19 infections that has hit our region hard. On behalf of the people of Pakistan, I extend our heartfelt sympathies to the affected families in #India,” Qureshi tweeted.

Pakistan continues to work with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries to foster cooperation to tackle the pandemic, he said.

Pakistan has reported 157 coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours, the highest since last year, while the new number of cases recorded were 5,908, the health ministry said on Saturday.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also expressed similar sentiments for the people of India.

“In these difficult times our prayers are with people of #India may God be kind and may these difficult times get over soon. #coronavirus,” he tweeted.

The tweets from the Pakistani leaders came amidst some signs of rapprochement in the relations between India and Pakistan over the Kashmir issue.

India’s decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 angered Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad. Pakistan also snapped all air and land links with India and suspended trade and railway services.

The militaries of the two countries, in a surprise announcement on February 25, said that they have agreed to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and other sectors. PTI SH/NSA AKJ

Tribune News Service

Ghaziabad, April 24

“Manav seva, param dharam” (service to humanity is the highest religion) is the core mantra that has been driving Ghaziabad Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (GGPC) vice-president Gurpreet Singh as he has come out with a unique initiative of “Oxygen langar” to help Covid-19 patients amid rising cases across the country.

Amid the second pandemic wave where people are finding it difficult to get oxygen to  breathe, Singh Sahib (as he is lovingly called) said, “We have started ‘Oxygen langar’ at the premises of Indirapuram Gurdwara in Ghaziabad and on a daily average for past one week, we have been providing life-saving facility to 70 to 90 persons on demand.” 

Also read: 

• 6 patients die following oxygen crisis at private hospital in Amritsar
• 20 patients die overnight at Delhi hospital amid oxygen crisis
• India witnesses record 3.47 lakh Covid cases, 2,624 deaths in a day

Singh said since the first wave of the pandemic and following the lockdown in March last year, under the aegis of Indirapuram Gurdwara, they formed an NGO called ‘Khalsa Help International Foundation’ and started helping people in  need. “Last year, we provided food to 1,000-1,500 people every day during the lockdown and now sensing the crisis, we decided on starting ‘Oxygen langar’,” he said.   

The Covid cases have created havoc in Ghaziabad too like many other parts of the country and this initiative has been brought up to help patients wandering for oxygen supply. For the purpose, the gurdwara has also set up a helpline, 9097041313.

Explaining the process through which the oxygen is provided to the needy, Singh’s son Rumid Singh Rabin (in his 20s), who has been actively involved in the exercise, said, “As soon as the gurdwara receives a call on the helpline number, a car is sent to the patient and as soon as the patient reaches them, they are provided oxygen supply until the person’s oxygen level reaches to the safe level or till hospital bed is not allotted to him or her.” He said for some logistic reasons the services are not provided at the patient’s door.

“Amid this critical situation when many leading hospitals are facing an acute shortage of oxygen, this initiative by the gurdwara is commendable as people are getting immediate relief. A large number of people are already gathering at the Indirapuram Gurdwara for oxygen supply,” said Raghav Pal, a local resident, who got oxygen for his brother at the facility.

Covid has been creating havoc in Uttar Pradesh as the state recorded 34,379 new cases in the past 24 hours, the highest single-day spike. As many as 195 persons succumbed to the virus. Ghaziabad saw almost 1,000 cases in a single day.

The aggrieved family say the hospital authorities did not conduct a Covid test on Ali Hasan (61)

Photo for representation only. Source: iStock.

Kanpur, April 24

The son of a Param Vir Chakra awardee died of alleged negligence in his treatment at Lala Lajpat Rai (LLR) hospital here on Friday, his family claimed.

The aggrieved family said the hospital authorities did not conduct a Covid test on Ali Hasan (61), the second son of Param Vir Chakra recipient Abdul Hamid.

Meanwhile, principal of GSV Medical College RB Kamal said he had been informed about the death. He refused to comment further.

Saleem, Hasan’s eldest son, alleged that his father died due to negligence by the doctors and hospital staff, who allegedly turned a deaf ear to his pleas.

Saleem told reporters on Friday night that his father was unwell for the past two to three days and admitted to LLR hospital on Wednesday (April 21) after complaining of severe cough and difficulty in breathing apart from a dip in the oxygen level.

After admission on April 21, Hasan was put on oxygen support but the facility was removed just after four hours by the hospital saying his health is stable and there was no need of oxygen anymore, Saleem told the media.

After witnessing Hasan’s deteriorating health, they approached the hospital staff and requested them to provide him oxygen, but the request allegedly fell on deaf ears.

The family claimed that they told the doctors that Hasan is the second son of ‘Veer Abdul Hamid’ who had received the country’s highest military decoration posthumously for his bravery during the India-Pakistan war in 1965, but to no avail.

Hasan had retired from Ordnance Equipment Factory in Kanpur and settled here. He is survived by wife, four sons and three daughters. PTI

For representation only. PTI file photo

New Delhi, April 24

The Indian and French navies will hold a three-day mega wargame in the Arabian Sea beginning Sunday that will feature complex naval operations like advanced air defence and anti-submarine drills.

The 19th edition of the Varuna exercise will showcase the increasing levels of synergy, coordination and interoperability between the two navies, officials said.

The Indian Navy will deploy guided missile stealth destroyer Kolkata, guided missile frigates Tarkash and Talwar, fleet support ship Deepak, a Kalvari-class submarine and a sleet of P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft, they said.

The French Navy will be represented by aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle with Rafale-M fighter jets, E2C Hawkeye aircraft and helicopters Caiman M and Dauphin, the officials said.

The French Navy will also deploy Horizon-class air defence destroyer Chevalier Paul, Aquitaine-class multi-missions frigate Provence and command and supply ship Var, they added.

The Indian side will be led by Rear Admiral Ajay Kochhar, Flag Officer Commanding, Western Fleet, while the French side will be headed by Rear Admiral Marc Aussedat, Commander Task Force 473. — PTI

New Delhi: The Air Force has brought four high-capacity oxygen tankers from Singapore and offloaded them at the Panagrh air base in West Bengal, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs said on Saturday. — TNS

J&K announces 34-hr curfew from 8 pm

Jammu: The J&K administration announced a 34-hour curfew from 8 pm on Saturday amid Covid surge. “Complete curfew in the UT from 8 pm on Saturday till 6 am on Monday,” a statement said. — PTI

Long queues outside BHEL for med oxygen

Bhopal: Amid acute shortage of medical oxygen due to Covid surge, vehicles and individuals are queuing up outside BHEL’s plant here to get the empty cylinders refilled with the life-saving gas. — PTI

Medics from armed forces get Covid vaccination at the Base Hospital in Delhi | Source: ArmyText Size: A- A+

New Delhi: The Indian armed forces is close to achieving complete vaccination, with over 97 per cent defence personnel having received the first vaccine dose and nearly 76 per cent having received the second dose as well, senior defence officials said.

The figures also include data for personnel of the Indian Coast Guard and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).https://a2197a087cd975e94b460e312c4a9d69.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

According to defence sources, the first vaccine dose has been given to 99 per cent of the 13-lakh strong Army while only 18 per cent of all personnel are left to receive the second vaccine dose.

All the IAF personnel have received the first dose of the vaccine. Only 10 per cent are left to receive the second dose.

Nearly 100 per cent of the Navy personnel too have received the first dose and over 70 per cent have received the second dose as well. Naval personnel who remain out at sea on long deployments are vaccinated when they are back ashore. The service first focused on vaccinating doctors and medics.

The IAF has nearly 2 lakh personnel and the Navy is nearly a lakh-strong.

No serious side-effects have been observed among vaccinated personnel, sources said.

Also read: Rajnath Singh assures support to Indonesian counterpart Subianto in tracing missing submarine

Vaccination programme in defence forces

Defence ministry sources told ThePrint that the three services, the BRO and the Coast Guard have cumulatively reported over 44,000 Covid-19 cases since the onset of the pandemic. There have been fewer than 150 fatalities.

Sources had earlier told ThePrint that the Covid vaccination drive was progressing fast for the defence services. They are being vaccinated irrespective of age since they are frontline workers. There was no prioritisation for vaccinating personnel in border areas.

The armed forces are using the Covishield vaccine.

Even the dependents of serving personnel who are over 45 years are being vaccinated at service hospitals in line with the national policy. The forces are also vaccinating their veterans in accordance with the age criteria put forth by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The preparations for vaccinating the armed forces personnel began last year. In January this year, nearly 4,000 Army soldiers posted in Leh, Ladakh, received the Covid-19 vaccine in the first phase.

Aid to civilians

The three services have also pitched in their resources to aid the country that is currently grappling with a record Covid surge.

They are working on ramping up infrastructure of military hospitals, and deploying doctors and medical staff to other cities that are reporting a surge. The forces are also transporting oxygen cylinders and essential medicines to Delhi, which is reeling under a massive shortage of these items.

Also read: Military hospitals could now treat civilians as Rajnath seeks armed forces’ aid in Covid fight

Twenty-three mobile oxygen generation plants are being airlifted from Germany. IAF is making all efforts to get oxygen tankers reach plants as fast as possible, says defence ministry
Amid shortage of oxygen in hospitals during the second wave of COVID-19, the Ministry of Defence has decided to import oxygen generation plants and containers from Germany.
“Twenty-three mobile oxygen generation plants are being airlifted from Germany that will be deployed in AFMS hospitals catering to the COVID patients,” a defence ministry official said, adding that each plant has a capacity to produce 40 litres of oxygen per minute and 2,400 litres an hour. “At this rate, it can cater to 20-25 patients round the clock.”
The advantage of these plants is that they are easily portable. These oxygen generating plants are expected to arrive in India within a week.
Decision to import oxygen generation plants was taken after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s high-level review meeting on April 23, in which he directed the armed forces to go ahead with procurement of critical medical requirements under emergency financial powers. In addition, the DRDO and HAL have also pitched in with oxygen generation plants. Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas on-board oxygen generation system has also been converted into a civilian use oxygen generation plant.
Moreover, IAF’s transport fleet of aircraft has also been pressed into service to ferry oxygen tankers across the country. IAF has swung into action by carrying out sorties from various parts of the country to airlift oxygen containers, cylinders, essential medicines and equipment required for setting up and sustaining COVID hospitals and facilities. Transport aircraft like C-17, C-130J, IL-76, An-32 and Avro are being used, while Chinook and Mi-17 helicopters are on standby. Tasks undertaken include airlift of doctors and nursing staff from Kochi, Mumbai, Vizag and Bangalore for various hospitals at Delhi.
An official said that the C-17 and IL-76 aircraft of IAF have started airlifting big empty oxygen tankers from their place of use to the filling stations across the country to speed up the distribution of much needed oxygen. In addition to this, the C-17 and IL-76 have transported large quantity of load comprising bio safety cabinets and autoclave machines for setting up of an additional COVID test facility at Leh. The IAF transport and helicopter assets are on standby to be deployed at a short notice.
In another important decision, the Ministry of Defence is giving extension to Short Service Commissioned Doctors in AFMS till December 31, 2021 to tide over the current surge in medical services. This will augment the strength of AFMS by 238 more doctors.

Need for agile, mobile light platform with adequate firepower, protection, surveillance, communication capabilities increasingly finding its operational relevance, says ministry’s request for information

For representation only. Tribune file photo

Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 23

After projecting a requirement for a light tank for employment in the mountains in the wake of the stand-off with China in Ladakh, the Ministry of Defence on Friday sought requisite information from the industry for procurement.

The Army intends to procure approximately 350 new generation light tanks in a phased manner along with performance based logistics, niche technologies, engineering support package and other maintenance and training requirements.https://40b73a56d20b0dc6cc7b169e2fc0780a.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

“In the foreseeable operational scenario, the need for an agile and mobile light platform with adequate firepower, protection, surveillance and communication capabilities is increasingly finding its operational relevance,” a request for information (RFI) issued by the MoD states.

“The light tank must have the versatility to execute operations in varying terrain conditions across diverse threats and against the equipment profile of the adversaries Hence, light tank having employability in various sectors in the country as well as rapid overseas deployment capability is an operational imperative,” the RFI adds..

The operational concept outlined by the Army is employment of a light weight versatile weapon platform with enhanced tactical and strategic mobility for employment in high altitude areas, marginal terrain like the Rann of Kutch and amphibious operations. The weight of the tank would be below 25 tonnes.

The Army had airlifted its T-90 main battle tanks, which weigh about 46 tonnes, to the area to beef up its capability after the stand-off with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh unfolded in May last year.

The Army already had a brigade of the older generation T-72 tanks along with BMP-2/3 mechanised infantry combat vehicle in Ladakh that were moved there over a decade ago. Airlifting tanks and armoured vehicles is the only way to deploy them in Ladakh as there cannot be moved by road due to the terrain, narrow roads and hairpin bends.

Procurement of light tanks is part of the Army’s plan to enhance the mobility and maneuverability of its armoured elements as these are considered to be more versatile in rugged terrain and narrow confines that Ladakh offers.