Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 26

Though India continues to see a larger number of Covid-19 cases with each passing day, the rate of rise in infections is either stable or low in early trends since the government announced social distancing followed by a lockdown.

Ban on international flights till April 14

All international commercial passenger flights will remain suspended till April 14, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation announced on Thursday, amid a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Thursday case load was 649 as against Wednesday’s 606, recording an increase of 43 cases. Six deaths were seen in the past 24 hours, taking the toll to 15.

“Every case is being aggressively tracked. Clinical protocols are being maintained, quarantine periods of recent travellers monitored and contact tracing of positive cases undertaken. We are seeing larger number of cases but parallel to that, the rate at which these cases are rising appears to be stabilising or reducing. These are very early trends and yet to be established but we want the current level of alertness to continue,” Health Ministry nodal officer for Covid-19 response Lav Agarwal said today. The government said there was no community transmission of the disease yet, saying isolated cases in Bhilwara, Hyderabad and Mumbai should not be read as community transmission. “We will tell you when we are there (community transmission). There is nothing to hide,” ICMR chief epidemiologist Raman Gangakhedkar said, adding that private laboratories are still procuring testing kits validated by ICMR and are yet to begin testing.

ICMR has approved 29 labs with 15,000 sample collection centres for Covid-19 testing. Encouraged by early trends, Cabinet Secretary Rajeev Gauba today urged state chief secretaries to ensure complete lockdown compliancem saying it was a must for India to break the chain of disease transmission.

“The police in states have begun making arrests, seizures and lodging FIRs against those violating infectious disease protocols,” Home Ministry said.

On the medical side, all 64,000 people who returned to India since March 21 and under quarantine are being monitored, said the Health Ministry.

“These people must observe 100 per quarantine. In the fight against Covid-19, one person’s non-cooperation can bring all national efforts to a naught,” Agarwal said.

India today defended its limited testing strategy even after WHO said locking down entire people won’t suppress the virus on its own and public health measures like detection, testing, isolation and management were equally important to ensure the virus didn’t return once lock downs ended.

ICMR prescribes 14-day home isolation for recent travellers and says they should come for testing only if they have any symptom of respiratory stress plus fever. The same is true for healthcare workers.

Man kills brother for stepping out

A 28-year-old man was arrested for allegedly killing his younger brother for stepping out of their home during the lockdown in the western suburb of Kandivali, the Mumbai police said on Thursday.

17 states have exclusive COVID hospitals

Stressing India is geared for Covid-19 challenge, the Health Ministry on Thursday said 17 states have started work on earmarking hospitals for dedicated treatment of Covid patients.

New Delhi, March 26

The government today announced a Rs 1.70 lakh crore relief package called “PM Garib Kalyan Scheme” to help the country’s most vulnerable sections of the population tide over the economic turmoil caused by the Covid-induced 21-day countrywide lockdown.

“At this moment we are reaching out to the poorest of poor. We will obviously think about the other things too,” said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman when asked when will the government address the middle class’ demands for EMI and loan waiver. The industry too has sought a resuscitation package of lower interest rates, easy credit and sustained governmental spending on infrastructure. Providing details at a press conference along with Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur who provided a running translation in Hindi, Sitharaman said today’s announcement covered cash transfers and food security. Besides, the government announced a medical insurance cover of Rs 50 lakh per person in order to bolster sentiments of safety and security among frontline health staff and their families. Although there have been persistent demands from civil aviation, tourism and hospitality sectors for immediate relief and a moratorium on EMI payments since many have been rendered unemployed, Sitharaman sought to keep the focus of the conference on food security and cash transfers to the vulnerable. “We have to first reach food to the poorest of the poor and reach money to those who need it immediately. That is why we have even extended cooking gas for free to help those who get grains but may not have the means for buying the fuel. At this point, we are looking at PM Garib Kalyan Yojna so that the poor don’t starve for food. As things develop, we will come back,” she said when asked about relief from EMI payments and a package for the worst-hit economic sectors.

“We will come back when something is ready,” she observed when asked for a second time on the issue. The announcements cover 80 crore people, and women will benefit several times over from money in Jan Dhan accounts, free gas cylinders, enhanced loan limit for women self-help groups and MNREGA.

The measures announced today also include instructions to states on spending Rs 31,000 crore in the Construction Workers Fund as well as drawing on the district mineral fund about which no ready figures are available. The package leaves several unanswered questions, especially about the raising of resources to fund the non-budgeted announcement, which the government is likely to announce later. — TNS

Package to soften lockdown blow

• Rs1.70 lakh crore relief package under PM Garib Kalyan Yojana
• Rs50 lakh Insurance cover for health workers
• 80 crore to get 5 kg wheat/rice and 1 kg of pulses free for next three months
• Free gas cylinders for 8 crore poor families for next 3 months.
• 20.4 crore women Jan Dhan account holders to get one-time relief of Rs1,500
• Poor senior citizens, widows and disabled to get direct cash transfer of Rs1,000
• EPF to allow non-refundable advance of 75% of the amount or three months of the wages, whichever is lower
• Govt to bear PF costs for small units with mostly low salaried workers
• Increase in MNREGA wage to benefit 13.62 crore families
• First instalment of PM Kisan Yojana frontloaded
• Lending limit doubled for women self-help groups
• States told to draw on district mineral development fund

Surinder Bhardwaj

Fatehgarh Sahib, March 25

A total of 537 NRIs have landed in different villages and towns of Fatehgarh Sahib district since the Covid-19 has been declared a pandemic. As per the information available with the Civil Surgeon’s office, the list of 507 passengers was sent by the Centre, whereas 30 passengers reported own their own, whereas one passenger identified as Beant Singh (33), a resident of Rajgarh Channa village in Amloh sub-division, has not yet reported and is untraceable.

DC Amrit Kaur Gill said of 536 NRIs, 206 have been quarantined at home, whereas the others have crossed the 14 days limit. She said efforts are being made to trace the missing one.

She said there were eight suspects of coronavirus and their blood samples were taken and out of these six have been found negative, whereas the result of two is awaited. She urged the people to the instructions of the government as curfew has been imposed for their safety. She said violators will be booked for violating the curfew. She said the district administration is there to help them. In case of any emergency, one can call on control room number 01763232217 and curfew pass will be issued.

Meanwhile, SSP Amneet Kondal said the district police have booked and arrested 46 persons for violating curfew. She said repeated announcements are being made regarding curfew and safety measures. She appealed to all not to violate curfew strict action will be initiated, whosoever he may be.