Home Blog Page 4377

Coronavirus: People queue up outside liquor stores as Kejriwal govt announces week-long lockdown

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Coronavirus: People queue up outside liquor stores as Kejriwal govt announces week-long lockdown

Owing to the escalating Covid crisis in the national capital, CM Arvind Kejriwal has announced a complete curfew in Delhi. The lockdown will begin tonight from 10 pm till next Monday (April 26), in view of the rising Covid-19 cases in the city, officials from the LG’s office said.

Essential services, however, will be exempted during the weeklong curfew, official sources have said, adding that all private and government offices will work remotely.

Subsequently, long queues started forming outside liquor stores as people thronged to replenish their stock.

A Delhi resident outside liquor shop said that she had come to buy alcohol as it may help her since medicines may not be useful.

She said she has been having a peg every day since 35 years and this is all the medicine she has.

According to official sources, the decision was taken at a meeting held between Lt Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Police Commissioner SN Srivastava, Delhi’s deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Health Minister Satyendra Jain and other officials on Monday. India TV reported that the decision on extending the curfew for one more week was proposed by the Delhi CM which the L-G approved.

“Delhi is facing the fourth wave of Covid-19. 25,000 cases have been reported now. Delhi’s health system has been stretched to its limit, is under stress. Harsh measures will have to be taken to prevent a collapse of the health system”, Arvind Kejriwal was quoted by ANI as saying as he announced the complete curfew in Delhi.

It may be noted that the national capital witnessed the biggest surge in the daily coronavirus caseload as 25,462 fresh cases were reported on April 18(Sunday).

Yesterday, the Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal had informed that Delhi was facing an acute shortage of oxygen.

Owing to the alarming situation in the national capital, Kejriwal has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal urging them to ramp up bed capacity in central government-run hospitals and to ensure uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen.

In a Tweet, Kejriwal levelled some baseless allegations on the central government, saying that the quota of medical oxygen that was meant for Delhi has been ‘diverted’ to other states.

A senior official in the Commerce Ministry, however, rubbished the allegations and called them “blatant lies”.

Delhi couple abuses cops over masks in viral video, husband blames wife after arrest

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Delhi couple abuses cops over masks in viral video, husband blames wife after arrest

Delhi police have booked and arrested a couple after the duo misbehaved with the personnel when they were stopped for not adhering to COVID-19 protocols in central Delhi’s Daryaganj on Sunday. The couple, identified as Pankaj and Abha, residents of Patel Nagar, were seen screaming at the police personnel after they were stopped for not wearing face masks inside their car. The video of the purported incident went viral on social media.

In the viral clip, Pankaj Dutta at first reprimands the police for stopping his car. “Why did you stop my car? I was inside my car with my wife,” the man told the policemen. When the cop asks them the reason for not wearing masks, he shouts “aapni gaadi mein kaisa mask?”

The lady also starts aggressively shouting at the police personnel. “Apni bezzati bina baat karwa rahe ho. Agar mein seedhi padi to tum, tumhare CM aur PM channe bechtain nazar aaoge. Aukat mein raho”, roughly translated as (Why would you want to get humiliated, if I show my true personality, you, your CM and PM will have nowhere to go. Stay in your limits).

The lady further yells: “If I kiss my husband now, can you stop me?” She goes on to call the police ‘beggars’ for issuing challans for not wearing masks.

The couple continued their arguments aggressively even after a policeman tells them about a recent High Court ruling that even one person inside a car must wear a mask.

The duo dares the police to record and upload their altercation with the personnel on social media and take action against them.

According to reports, the traffic police then called a policewoman on the spot who took the woman to the nearest police station, where she is being interrogated. Pankaj Dutta was also arrested and taken to the Daryaganj police station. He was produced before the court today morning.

‘My wife instigated me’, arrested Delhi man pins the entire blame on his wife

Interestingly, after his arrest, Pankaj pinned the entire blame on his wife. He said that he was asking his wife to wear a mask but she refused to wear one and even stopped him. “Na khud pehan rahi thi na mujhe pehane de rahi thi”, rued Pankaj Dutta.

“My wife was instigating me,” said Pankaj on how the events transpired. He further added that it was his wife Abha who called the personnel ‘beggars’. He added that the couple even picked up a fight when he pleaded with her to wear a mask at the red light.

“What she did was wrong. I had been telling her for long that we should wear our masks, but she refused to wear one and even did not let me wear a mask,” said Pankaj, blaming his wife for the incident and admitting that the behaviour was wrong on their part.

Pankaj Dutta went on to say that he always wears his mask when he is not with his wife. He appealed to Delhi residents to follow the guidelines.

The COVID situation in Delhi is extremely precarious. On Sunday, Delhi reported 25,462 new cases, the highest since the beginning of the pandemic. To curb the menace, CM Arvind Kejriwal has announced a lockdown from 10 pm tonight till 5 am next Monday. 

‘Why are you trying to please Kaafirs?’: Viral videos show revolt within Pakistan Army, personnel attack Imran Khan for letting TLP rioters die

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘Why are you trying to please Kaafirs?’: Viral videos show revolt within Pakistan Army, personnel attack Imran Khan for letting TLP rioters die

Days after Islamist outfit Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) unleashed violence and terror in several cities of the country, videos have now surfaced on social media wherein Pakistani army personnel are seen threatening rebellion against the government. The threats of mutiny come in the backdrop of the Pakistani government’s failure to expel the French ambassador from the country.

On Sunday (April 18), journalist Taha Siddiqui shared a video of a Pakistani soldier cautioning the Imran Khan government over its crackdown on TLP. The man said, “More than 45 lovers of the Prophet have died. I am calling upon you to enter the battlefield.” He has also asked the Pakistani Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to solve the issue at hand. “If you don’t do this, then all forces including Pak Rangers, Pak FC, Pak Army, Punjab police and youngsters will hit the battlefield,” he threatened.

The Pakistani soldier added that all of them are gulam (slaves) of Prophet Mohammed and are willing to sacrifice their lives in his honour. Quoting Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin, he emphasised, “I am not miffed with the Yazidis for the Battle of Karbala but with the Kuffars (comparing Muslims to infidels who remained silent).” He said that the Army is with the protectors of Islam (referring to Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan) and claimed that they are happy to die millions of times for the love of their Prophet Muhammad. “This uniform, and the flag is for the Prophet’s honour”, he reiterated.

“Gustaak-e-Nabi ki ek hi saza sarr tann se juda (The punishment for dishonouring our Prophet is separating the head from the body),” he continued. The Pakistani army personnel claimed that the Muslim ‘Ummah’ has come forward after the French government insulted the Prophet and caused great pain to Muslims.

He thanked the founder of the hardline party, Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi, for producing such Aashiq-e-Rasool (lovers of Prophet Muhammad). The man said that Rizvi and other such Islamist organisations had asked the government to wage Jihad against France. “If you cannot do this, expel the ‘impure’ French ambassador from this land of the ‘pure’. This was the agreement between Rizvi and the government. However, after his death, the dates have been extended (to take this matter up before the Parliament),” he lamented.

“Then the government forged an agreement with Rizvi’s son (Saad Hussain). They had demanded an extension till April. But they arrested Saad Hussain and said that they cannot honour the agreement (made between Imran Khan and TLP). This is because we are the puppets and dogs of the Jews of the world. So when lovers of prophet hit the streets, the government cracked down on them with lathi-charge, firing, shelling and water cannons adulterated with acid.”

‘Why are you doing this to please infidels?’ asks Pakistani army personnel

In another video shared by Kashmiri journalist Aditya Raj Kaul, another Pakistani army personnel warned, “Please ask the Prime Minister to pull a chain on the ‘haramkhor kutta’ (unfaithful dogs) in the police force. They have thrashed our Ulemas (clerics). They have brutally assaulted a young boy today so much so that he has now been martyred. Allah is watching.”

He further continued, “Why is Niazi (referring to Imran Khan) unleashing atrocities on our clerics? They talk about the protection and honour of Islam. They are asking you to get rid of the French dog (referring to the ambassador). Why are you not doing this? The French government has insulted our Prophet. Why don’t you remove him using government legislation?… Why are you doing this to please infidels? What will you answer to Allah? What will you answer to Prophet Muhammad (on the judgement day)?”

Pakistani army raised Islamist slogans alongside TLP

Despite the violence wrecked by the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan in the country, the Pakistani army personnel were seen raising Islamist slogans along with the party members. Journalist Shama Junejo tweeted, “This video gives a clear message to the world from our armed forces that where do they stand, who they are with, & what kind of social structure they will support in Pakistan. Yet we wonder about #FATF & being a high-risk country for the UK.”

The TLP protests

On Monday (April 12), violent protests broke out in several cities of Pakistan after security forces arrested Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) leader Saad Hussain Rizvi. TLP is a radical Islamist party that was founded in 2015 to prevent any changes to the existing blasphemy law in the country. 

In their charter of demands, TLP directed the ouster of the French ambassador within 3 months. They demanded the release of arrested members of the TLP and said that no further cases should be registered against the party’s workers. TLP also demanded that Pakistan would not appoint its ambassador to France, else they would continue their sit-in protests. 

In a video message on Sunday (April 11), TLP leader Saad Hussain Rizvi urged his followers to protest and hit the roads against the government if demands are not fulfilled. This call for a countrywide protest led to his arrest at around 2 pm on Wahdat Road in Lahore. Following his arrest, a large mob of his supporters blocked the Grand Trunk Road at several junctions.

On April 16, the Imran Khan-led Pakistan government took the decision to shut down social media websites and messaging applications like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter throughout Pakistan from 11 AM to 3 PM, according to Pakistani media sources. Meanwhile, the French embassy in Pakistan advised all French citizens and companies in the country to temporarily leave Pakistan which is staring at a violent civil war. This move comes in the wake of violent anti-France Islamist protests led by the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) affecting several parts of the country.

Fact-Check: Did the centre terminate the insurance cover for healthcare workers killed in the line of Covid duty?

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Fact-Check: Did the centre terminate the insurance cover for healthcare workers killed in the line of Covid duty?

On April 18, news agencies and a considerable number of social media users shared a report that suggested that the Government of India has decided to terminate the life insurance policy for healthcare workers who succumbed to covid infection in the line of duty.

As per the reports, the center has decided to cancel the existing insurance scheme of Rs 50 lakh for those healthcare workers who die in the line of Covid duty. The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package was launched last year to provide financial support to the family of Covid warriors, including Safai karmcharis, ward-boys, nurses, ASHA workers, paramedics, technicians, doctors, specialists and other health workers.

Many journalists had also jumped on social media to share the half-baked information about the update without confirming it from any official source. The Hindu’s Political Editor Nistula Hebbar wrote, “Centre quietly withdraws Rs 50 lakh insurance coverage for healthcare workers.”

Misleading tweet by Nistula Hebbar

Executive Chairperson of Biocon Limited, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw questioned, “If this true it is immoral and wrong – can Govt explain why?”

Misleading tweet by Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw

Teena Thacker, Health Journalist at Economic Times wrote, “The scheme promising 50 lakhs to deceased HCWs has ended. What an eyewash.”

Misleading tweet by Teena Thacker

Other netizens too jumped into questioning the alleged “ill-timed” step taken by the government of India.

Congress prince Rahul Gandhi shared the fake news too, along with a screen shot of the misleading headline.

Rahul Gandhi spreading misinformation

New India Express, one of the news agencies that reported it yesterday, updated the report with correct information. In a tweet, it said, “A correction has been made to the original story: The Centre has decided to cancel the existing insurance scheme of Rs 50 lakh for healthcare workers who die in the line of COVID19 duty. The government is in talks with a new insurance firm.” Notably, The New Indian Express reported that the majority of the liberal gang had shared.

Tweet suggesting the story has been corrected by The Indian Express

What did the Ministry say in the circular?

The circular issued in March by Rajesh Bhushan, Health Secretary, Government of India, and dated 24 March, talked about the scheme and mentioned that it had been extended for one month. It was mentioned in the circular that the insurance scheme acted as a safety net to the health workers fighting Covid-19.

Circular issued by Health Secretary (Source: Twitter)

“Under the scheme 287 Claims have so far been approved/paid by the Insurance Company. The Scheme has also played a very important psychological role in sending the right signals to the Health Care Workers and in keeping their morale high,” it added.

Ministry of Health’s statement on the insurance scheme

On April 18, in a tweet thread, the Ministry of Health, Government of India, said that the scheme was extended thrice till March 24, 2021.

It further added that the claims under PMGKP would be settled by the Insurance Company till April 24 2021. “Thereafter, a new dispensation will be provided to cover the Corona Warriors, for which the Ministry is in talks with the Insurance Company (New India Assurance),” it said.

Though Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw thanked the Ministry of Health for clarifying the situation, she did not delete her misleading tweet till the time this report was published.

Verdict: The Government of India has extended the insurance for health workers who died during the line of Covid duty till April 24, 2021. The government is discussing new insurance plans for the Covid warriors with another insurance company. So the Government of India is not withdrawing or canceling the life insurance cover, they are just looking for a new insurance provider to settle the claims. News reports and social media posts claiming that the government of India quietly canceled the insurance for Covid warriors are FAKE.

Congress leaders, others share old picture of Yogi and Amit Shah in Kumbh, accuse them of spreading Coronavirus

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Congress leaders, others share old picture of Yogi and Amit Shah in Kumbh, accuse them of spreading Coronavirus

Congress leader Alka Lamba recently took to social media to claim that in the current Kumbh Mela at Haridwar, UP CM Yogi Adityanath and Home Minister Amit Shah participated in the Shahi Snan. While the usual gang of liberals and leftist media alleged that Kumbh Mela became a super-spreader of Coronavirus, social media users have jumped in to accuse BJP of not only encouraging the event but also participating in it, leading to the further spread of the infection.

This claim is, however, untrue. Old pictures have been used to insinuate that BJP leaders lackadaisical attitude has added to the coronavirus scourge.

Alka Lamba tries to pass off an old picture of 2019 Kumbh as recent

Congress leader Alka Lamba took to Facebook on April 15, when the Kumbh event was underway, to share a picture of Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath taking a dip in the river Ganges along with other saints and seers. In her now-deleted post, Lamba insinuated that the Uttar Pradesh CM tested positive for the pathogen after he attended the Kumbh Mela in Uttarakhand.

Congress leader Alka Lamba’s now-deleted Facebook post

Lamba cheered that Yogi Adityanath had tested positive for coronavirus.

Other social media users soon followed suit. One Avneet Kaur took to the microblogging site on April 17, 2021, to share a picture of Yogi Adityanath and Union HM Amit Shah taking a holy dip in the Ganges to claim that by attending the Kumbh meal in Uttrakhand, the BJP leaders have played a significant role in spreading the deadly disease.

Avneet Kaur’s tweet

Another social media user went a step ahead and wrote while sharing another picture from the same event on April 16: “Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that the government will impose a fine of Rs 10,000 if caught without a mask.
(Photo: Yogi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah performing ‘Shahi Baptism’ at the Kumbh Mela attended by millions three days ago)”.

Tweet by Rinse Kurian

These claims are, however, completely untrue. What the Congress leader and these like-minded Netizens are trying to do is only misrepresent facts to malign the BJP government.

The fact is that these pictures which Alka Lamba and other social media users are trying to pass off as that of the recent Kumbh Mela in Uttarakhand is of 2019 Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj.

In February 2019, when Kumbh was underway in Prayagraj, BJP leader and HM Amit Shah along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attended the event. They had then taken a holy dip in the River Ganges. Shah had also performed Aarti at the Triveni Ghat. Many news agencies had reported this news then.

Hindustan Times report with the same picture published on Feb 13, 2019
The Indian Express shared the same picture in its report published on Feb 13, 2019

Kumbh wrapped up by April 17

On Thursday (April 15), the Panchayati Niranjani Akhada had announced that the Kumbh Mela would concluded by April 17. The decision came at the backdrop of rising cases of Coronavirus in Haridwar.

It must be mentioned that the itinerary of Kumbh Mela includes 4 ‘shahi snan’ and 9 ‘Ganga snan.’ The fourth ‘shahi snan’ will be conducted on April 27. Reportedly, a total of 2,167 people were diagnosed with Coronavirus in the past 5 days.  This is despite the fact that a Covid-19 negative RT-PCR report, not more than 72 hours prior to arrival, was made mandatory for attending the festival. The turnout of devotees was also less compared to the preceding years.

CBI moves HC against Rajiv Saxena’s bail in VVIP chopper scam, says he misled probe agencies and refuses to co-operate: Details

OpIndia Staff
-
0
CBI moves HC against Rajiv Saxena’s bail in VVIP chopper scam, says he misled probe agencies and refuses to co-operate: Details

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) moved the Delhi High Court against the bail order granted by a special CBI court to Rajiv Saxena, the accused turned approved in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam.

Seeking his judicial custody, the CBI contended that Saxena doesn’t deserve a “parity” with other accused in the case, and alleged that the accused-turned-approver had misled the probe agencies and did not cooperate in the investigation. The premier agency stated that Saxena needs to go behind bars for an “effective investigation”.

The Delhi High Court last week took cognisance of CBI’s appeal and issued notices to Saxena, asking him to respond within 15 days as to why his bail should not be cancelled.

The CBI had filed an appeal against the bail order after a special CBI court in February rejected the investigation agency’s contention that Saxena should be jailed and granted him regular bail.

One of the reasons why CBI is pursuing to get Saxena’s bail cancelled is because they believe that the accused might acquire foreign citizenship and escape punishment. Caribbean isle Dominica—where Saxena has allegedly sought citizenship— does not have an extradition treaty with India. 

The CBI claimed that Saxena did not reveal this fact to the probe agencies. The recovered documents revealed that Saxena had made “past efforts” for obtaining citizenship of Dominica and Cyprus while “intentionally keeping the Indian authorities in the dark regarding such attempts,” the agency said. 

The agency further submitted before the Delhi HC that Saxena had evaded investigation and had to be extradited from Dubai to India in January 2019

Rajiv Saxena, described by the ED as one of the “key money launderers” was picked up by UAE government security agencies in Dubai and later extradited to India on January 30, 2019.

It was reported that Rajiv Saxena has several accounts in Switzerland. OpIndia had acquired the list of accounts that Rajiv Saxena allegedly used for kickbacks received in the AgustaWestland scam.

Saxena’s “approver” status is contested before the Supreme Court, which in December 2019 stayed a decision of the Delhi HC declining to revoke Saxena’s “approver” status on a plea by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED). Saxena is an approver in ED’s case but co-accused in a case filed by the CBI.

As per the charge sheet filed by the CBI, Christian Michel, another middleman accused in the case, paid 0.9 million euros to four entities belonging to Saxena from the proceeds of crime. The charge sheet says AgustaWestland paid 37 million euros to Michel through his company, according to the charge sheet. 

It has also been alleged that Saxena colluded with Michel, co-accused Gautam Khaitan and top officials of AgustaWestland in routing kickbacks paid by the company through two entities: M/s IDS Tunisia and M/s Interstellar Technologies Ltd. 

Saxena received 12.40 million euros in the account of M/s Interstellar Technologies from M/s AgustaWestland. The charge sheet alleged that Sandeep Tyagi, brother of the then Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi allegedly laundered kickbacks of Rs 5 crore through banking channels.

ED contested approver status after it found accused Rajiv Saxena had withheld information

It is pertinent to mention here that charge-sheeting of Rajiv Saxena, one of the middlemen in the alleged scam, assumes significance after he was accorded the approver status. It was months later, in October 2019, that another agency, Enforcement Directorate, had approached the court seeking cancellation of his approver status claiming he had concealed facts from the agencies.

A dossier received from Mauritius, along with the forensic data analysis and scrutiny of WhatsApp chats has led the Enforcement Directorate to suspect the authenticity of disclosures made by Rajiv Saxena, one of the main accused in the Rs 3600 crore AgustaWestland scam. As per a report in the Economic Times, the investigating agency has now pointed out that Saxena has concealed and withheld information at the instance of co-accused, especially Ratul Puri.

Yogi Adityanath steps ups efforts to ensure supply of medical oxygen, asks officials to maintain sufficient stock of Remdesivir and other medicines

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Yogi Adityanath steps ups efforts to ensure supply of medical oxygen, asks officials to maintain sufficient stock of Remdesivir and other medicines

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has stepped up efforts to ensure an unabated supply of medical oxygen amidst the resurgent wave of the coronavirus outbreak in the country. The UP government has ordered the setting up of 10 oxygen plants for the uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen to all hospitals in the state.

As per sources in the UP government, the plants are being set up at different places across the state and they will be fully functional within a week’s time.

With the number of coronavirus cases steadily rising, Yogi Adityanath on Sunday directed officials to ensure a minimum 36-hour oxygen backup in every hospital in the state. The chief minister also instructed the officials to conduct an inspection of fire safety equipment in hospitals.

The government has already issued instructions that all medical oxygen being supplied for industry work should be stopped immediately, and the entire supply be made available to only hospitals.

Presiding over a review meeting through video conference, Yogi Adityanath asked officials to swiftly procure oxygen cylinders for dedicated COVID hospitals. He said health authorities should act quickly after assessing the 15-day demand for oxygen. The CM specifically asked medical education minister Suresh Khanna to keep track of oxygen supply in the state.

UP CM asks officials to ensure the state has sufficient stocks of Remdesivir injections and other medical supplies

Besides monitoring the oxygen supply to the hospitals in the state, UP CM Yogi Adityanath has also asked concerned departments to keep a close watch on the availability of Remdesivir injection in the state so that there is no paucity of medicines.

The chief minister asked the food and drug administration and health department to ensure that COVID-19 patients in home isolation don’t face a scarcity of medicines. He directed the FDA control room to closely monitor Remdesivir stock and asked medical and health minister Jai Pratap Singh to ensure the supply chain of Remdesivir and other medicines are not choked. 

The UP government has also set up a 24/7 control room where officials will evaluate the availability of the stock on a daily basis.

Yogi Adityanath directs authorities to expand bed capacities, enforce stricter quarantine measures and impose fines on violators

In his virtual meeting, Yogi Adityanath also asked officials to expand the capacity of ICU and isolation beds in areas worst affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The CM said facilities in Kanpur’s GSV Medical College, Rama Medical College and Narayan Medical College need to be upgraded.

Besides, the CM also recommended conducting sanitisation and fogging on a war footing during weekend lockdowns and rigorously carrying out screening of passengers arriving from other states. Those infected with COVID-19 should be quarantined with adequate facilities, he said. The chief minister also asked the authorities to conduct RTPCR tests in earnest to detect the cases early and stop the spread of the virus.

Furthermore, Yogi Adityanath asked officials to intensify the drive to restrict people from assembling in large numbers and enforcing mask compliance for people who venture out of their houses. He also directed the authorities to take strict action against the violators, such as slapping a Rs 1000 fine for not wearing masks.

Jharkhand: 60 ventilators procured under PM CARES fund lie unused, state govt demands more, report says

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Jharkhand: 60 ventilators procured under PM CARES fund lie unused, state govt demands more, report says

Jharkhand is one of the six states worst affected by the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. The state recorded around 4000 new coronavirus cases and 50 deaths in the last 24 hours. Amid the growing cases, 60 ventilators procured from PM Cares Fund lie boxed or covered in cloth in seven districts of the state, as per a Dainik Bhaskar report. 

No less than 12 ventilators are gathering dust at Latehar Sadar Hospital for the past five months. 21 ventilators in Gumla city remain unused due to the unavailability of trained technicians to operate the machine. In a shocking revelation, the ICU at the Bokaro district’s Sadar Hospital was kept locked and opened only on Thursday by the Deputy Superintendent Dr. Renu Bharti to admit a patient. 

9 ventilators in Hazaribagh have simply been installed in Primary Health Centre and Community Health Centres, but lie idle. Similarly, ventilators in Ramgarh, Chatra and Simdega lie unused due to the absence of trained staff. Another 28 ventilators received from NTPC, DMFT and NHRM funds also remain packed.  

It was informed that the ventilators were received in October 2020 in Lahetar but were packed off and locked up in a room. Because of no connection of oxygen pipe, they were just gathering dust since then. The administration is now currently working to fix the oxygen connection.

Out of the 45 ventilators lying unused in Bokaro districts Sadar Hospital, 20 have been sent to different locations while the other 20 have been installed, informed the Deputy Superintendent. The nodal officer at Gumla informed that the ventilators had not been installed due to the unavailability of expert technicians but has assured to get them installed in a day or two.

Jharkhand demands 1500 more ventilators

While the already procured ventilators lie locked in hospital rooms or without oxygen supply, the Jharkhand’s health department has demanded an additional 1,500 ventilators for Covid-19 patients from the Centre.

State health secretary KK Soan wrote to the additional secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Vandana Gurnani, mentioning that as per the current high-growth rate, the state will nearly have 33,000 to 35,000 cases, leading to a high requirement of ventilators by the end of this month. 

Centre assures aid

Owing to the daily surge in new coronavirus cases, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan assured the most impacted states with a fresh supply of ventilators. He informed that 1,121 ventilators will be sent to Maharashtra, 1,700 to Uttar Pradesh, 1,500 to Jharkhand, 1,600 to Gujarat, 152 to Madhya Pradesh, and 230 to Chhattisgarh.

The minister, in a high-level meeting with health ministers of 11 states and union territories to review measures taken to prevent, contain, and manage the fresh surge in covid-19 cases urged the states to plan in advance. He also advised the states to increase covid hospitals, oxygenated beds, and other relevant infrastructure to deal with any further surge in cases.

Ventilators in Punjab remain unused

As per a report, over 250 ventilators were gathering dust in the fag end of March in the Punjab state government’s warehouse amidst the second wave. The reason cited for uninstallation was the lack of competent manpower to efficiently manage patients on ventilators. 

Allegedly this was not the first time when the state hospitals failed to use the ventilators. Five years ago, 10 ventilators were sent to Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, but they remained unused for five years till it turned into a controversy when the pandemic hit. It was then proposed to hand the ventilators over to a local private hospital.

Congress is ruling party in Punjab and in alliance in the Jharkhand government led by Hemant Soren.

‘Congress leaders shamed the vaccines in public but took doses in private, quietly’: Dr Harsh Vardhan shows Manmohan Singh the mirror

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘Congress leaders shamed the vaccines in public but took doses in private, quietly’: Dr Harsh Vardhan shows Manmohan Singh the mirror

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has responded to the letter from former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addressed to his successor Narendra Modi in connection with the Covid-19 vaccination drive. In his response, Dr Harsh Vardhan pointed out the manner in which his own party members have conducted themselves over the same.

The Health Minister also raised his objection towards using different metrics to measure the success of the vaccination drive and the severity of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. “The emphasis you have laid on vaccination as an important tool to fight COVID-19 is well taken, which is exactly why India launched the world’s biggest vaccination drive and also became the fastest in the world to reach the milestones of 10, II and 12 crore administered doses,” Dr Harsh Vardhan said.

Dr Harsh Vardhan letter to Manmohan Singh
Dr Harsh Vardhan’s letter to Manmohan Singh

He continued, “Your advice to not get tempted to go by absolute numbers, but to go by percentage of population covered, is not incorrect. However, I am sure that you will agree with me that this is a practice that must be followed uniformly and junior members of your party too must follow your advice. Quite obviously, it cannot be that the discussion on total cases, active cases or mortality is based on absolute numbers, which the Congress party often tries to do, but the vaccination numbers continue to be touted as a percentage of the population covered.”

The Union Health Minister also emphasized the conduct of Manmohan Singh’s party men who have spread falsehood regarding the efficacy of the vaccines and contributed to vaccine hesitancy. He said, “A sitting Chief Minister of your party created a dubious world record of sorts by being the only head of government directly inciting people against an indigenously developed vaccine. Some Congress leaders even shamed the vaccines in public but took their doses in private, quietly.”

Dr Harsh Vardhan letter to Manmohan Singh
Dr Harsh Vardhan’s letter to Manmohan Singh

He stated further, “The irresponsible public pronouncements made by some of your leaders have resulted in a below national average vaccination coverage of senior citizens and even front-line workers in some of the Congress-ruled states. Please do note that it is these very same states that have also become the big contributors in the second wave of COVID-19 infection. The test positivity ratio in these states during the second wave is alarmingly high and they too could benefit from your counsel and wisdom.”

Dr Harsh Vardhan also pointed out that Manmohan Singh’s suggestion of allowing import of vaccines was made in the 18th April letter but a decision on it had already been announced a week earlier. He said that the former Prime Minister was misled by those who ‘drafted’ his letter to PM Modi or advised him on the same. The Union Health Minister expressed hope that Manmohan Singh will urge leaders of the Congress party to cooperate in the battle against the pandemic.

Dr Harsh Vardhan letter to Manmohan Singh
Dr Harsh Vardhan’s letter to Manmohan Singh

While sharing the letter on social media, Dr Harsh Vardhan said, “History shall be kinder to you Dr Manmohan Singh ji if your offer of ‘constructive cooperation’ and valuable advice was followed by your Congress leaders as well in such extraordinary times!”

Pakistan: ‘Banned’ Islamists abduct police officials, release them after govt negotiation, had brutally tortured the DSP

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Pakistan: ‘Banned’ Islamists abduct police officials, release them after govt negotiation, had brutally tortured the DSP

A day after the Islamist party Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) abducted 11 police officials in Lahore in Pakistan, it has now released the hostages following negotiations with the provincial government of Punjab.

On Monday (April 19), Pakistani Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed confirmed the release of the 11 policemen. In a video message, he said, “Talks have started with the TLP. The first round went well and the second round will take place after sehri. They have released 11 policemen who were made hostages and have gone into the Rehmatul Lil Alameen Mosque (Yateem Khana Chowk). The police have also stepped back.”

He further added, “These negotiations were held successfully by the Punjab government. We hope that the second meeting after sehri will also prove fruitful and matters will be resolved amicably with the TLP.” It must be mentioned that a case was earlier registered against the TLP Islamists under the anti-terrorism law for abducting the cops. Lahore CCPO (Additional Inspector General) Ghulam Mehmood Dogar also took part in the negotiation process.

Contradictory claims about the number of police officials abducted

On Sunday, Punjab police spokesperson Rana Arif had informed that TLP extremists took 5 police officials hostage, including a Deputy superintendent of police (DSP). He emphasised that the DSP was brutally tortured by the workers of the now-banned outfit. In a statement on Sunday, the Punjab police had said, “Today in the early morning, miscreants attacked Nawankot Police Station where Rangers and Police officers were trapped inside the police station and DSP Nawankot kidnapped and taken to the markaz. At least one oil tanker with 50,000 litres of petrol has been taken by the miscreants to the markaz.”

It further added, “The miscreants were armed and attacked Rangers/ police with petrol bombs. Police and Rangers pushed them back and took back the possession of the police station. Police did not plan or conduct any action against the mosque or the madrassa. The action, if any, was in self-defence and to protect public property.”

However, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, the special assistant to the Punjab CM, had claimed in a tweet that the Islamists had abducted a total of 12 police officials and took them to the Markaz.

On April 15, the Imran-Khan government issued a notification declaring Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) as a ‘banned organisation.’ In its notification, the government said that it has ‘reasonable grounds’ to believe that the Islamist party is engaged in extremism, vandalism, peddling hatred, inflicting grievous harm, assaulting civilians and police officials. TLP thus became the 79th organisation banned in Pakistan.

TLP unleashes violence in Pakistan

Pakistan has been gripped in violence the past few days because TLP leader Saad Hussain Rizvi urged his followers through a video message on Sunday to protest and hit the roads against the government if the TLP’s demands are not fulfilled. This call for a countrywide protest led to his arrest at around 2 pm on Wahdat Road in Lahore. TLP has been demanding that Pakistan should expel the French ambassador to the country, in protest against France govt supporting the right of people to publish drawings and cartoons of Muhammad, and the strong action against Islamic radicalism in the country.

Following Rizvi’s arrest, a large mob of his supporters blocked the Grand Trunk Road at several junctions. Major cities such as Islamabad, Lahore, Gujranwala, and Peshawar were cut off from the rest of the country. The Islamists had also blocked motorways, highways, train tracks and clashed with the police, resulting in two deaths.

1...4,3764,3774,378...7,657Page 4,377 of 7,657