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Coronavirus fight: Assam man offers to donate 4 acres of land to build a hospital for treatment of COVID-19 patients

OpIndia Staff
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Coronavirus fight: Assam man offers to donate 4 acres of land to build a hospital for treatment of COVID-19 patients

A 42-year-old man by the name of Krishna Mahanta who hails from Kaliabor area in Nagaon district of Assam has pledged to donate 4 acres or 10 bighas of land to the Government for building a Coronavirus treatment hospital. He has written a letter to the Kaliabor Sub-Divisional Officer making the offer and the same has been forwarded to the ssam government.

Krishna Mahanta who is a businessman by profession wrote, “The entire world is now gripped by the deadly novel coronavirus and nearly a thousand people have been affected in India also. Our family has decided to donate 10 bigha land to the government to construct a Covid-19 hospital. We hope that the government will accept this.

A few days ago Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced that the govt is going to build five 300-bedded Covid-19 hospitals with ICUs and ventilators. He had said that while two hospitals would be set up in Guwahati and Dibrugarh, rest locations were not finalised and DCs in the districts have been asked to identify land in their areas for the rest 3 four hospitals. Seeing this, Krishna Mahanta and his wife decided to offer his plot for a hospital in Kaliabor, which is located in middle Assam.

He said that he has a plot of 10 bighas near the National Highway, and he is voluntarily offering that to build a Coronavirus hospital there. Mahanta said, “Money is not everything, money will come, but in this moment of crisis everyone has a duty. I am not doing this for publicity. Our health minister is doing so much, in front of that this is nothing.”

In the meanwhile, the state government has already selected five locations for the 5 hospitals which will be built within 2 months using prefabricated material. The selected locations are Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Silchar, Lakhimpur and Bongaigaon, and minimum requirement of land for the hospitals is 30 bigha.

As India spent the fourth day of the 21-day lockdown, central and state authorities are taking several provisions to contain the spread of Covid-19. Though Assam has not yet recorded a single positive Covid-19 case, the state government has stepped up its preparations to fight highly contagious Wuhan Coronavirus.

The health authorities in Assam, led by CM Sarbananda Sonowal and health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma have dramatically raised the efforts in this regard in the last week. The state government had already announced a complete lockdown from 6 PM on 24 March, on the same day that PM Narendra Modi announced nationwide lockdown from the next day.

On 26th March, Health Minister Himanata Biswa Sarma announced several measures that the government is taking to prepare for Covid-19. The state government has already started building a quarantine centre at the Sarusojai Sports Complex in Guwahati with capacity for about 700 people.

The govt has reserved several govt hospitals in the state with more than 5000 beds exclusively for Covid-19 patients, and MoUs have been signed with private hospitals to treat patients of govt hospitals for free. The govt is also training final year medical and nursing students to treat Covid-19 patients, and have already set-up a 50 bed ICU unit with ventilators in Guwahati Medical College and Hospital, and a similar 12 bed unit at MMC hospital in Guwahati in last one week.

Centre directs States to seal borders and prevent outflux of migrant workers in the wake of coronavirus lockdown

OpIndia Staff
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Centre directs States to seal borders and prevent outflux of migrant workers in the wake of coronavirus lockdown

On Sunday, the Central Government directed the governments of all States and Union Territory administrations to seal their borders in order to restrict the movement of migrant workers during the nationwide lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak.

The official statement read, ” There has been a movement of migrant workers in some parts of the country. Directions were issued that district and state borders should be effectively sealed. It was noted that, by and large, there has been effective implementation of the lockdown guidelines across all States and UTs. Essential supplies have also been maintained. The situation is being monitored round the clock and necessary measures are being taken as required.”

The States have also been directed to restrict the movement of people across cities and on highways. Only the movement of goods and essential supplies are to be permitted. Migrant workers who have violated lockdown guidelines and travelled to other states are to be kept under quarantine for 14 days in government facilities.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba and Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla briefed the DGPs and Chief Secretaries to make adequate provisions for food and shelter for the migrant workers. Besides, the States had been directed to make timely payment of wages without any cut to the migrant workers at the place of their work. Strict action will be taken against those tenants asking labourers to vacate their premises.

On Saturday, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued directions to officials to keep roughly 1,00,000 people who had arrived in the state in the past three days under quarantine for 14 days. The Government has assured the migrant workers that all their daily needs including shelter and food would be taken care of by the State. Yogi Adityanath said, “No one in the state should remain hungry during the lockdown.”

Undertaking a similar initiative in Bihar, minister Sanjay Kumar Jha had said that the migrant workers would be kept under quarantine in relief centres located near the State border. Jha said that all essential amenities would be provided by the State Government.

Akshay Kumar, Prabhas, Pawan Kalyan, Kapil Sharma, Varun Dhawan among celebrities to pledge monetary contribution to fight the Coronavirus outbreak

OpIndia Staff
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Akshay Kumar, Prabhas, Pawan Kalyan, Kapil Sharma, Varun Dhawan among celebrities to pledge monetary contribution to fight the Coronavirus outbreak

The Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic has infected almost one thousand people and claimed 25 lives in India. The Government has imposed a 21-day lockdown to contain the transmission of the deadly virus. Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a dedicated fund named Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES Fund) to fight disasters like this and encouraged people to contribute that will help enhance disaster management capabilities and strengthen research on protecting Indian citizens. As such, several celebrities from Bollywood and cricket fraternity made a generous donation to fight the Wuhan coronavirus.

Movie Stars

Akshay Kumar, who is often mocked for possessing a Canadian passport, pledged a whopping ₹25 crores from his savings to the PM Cares Fund. He added, “Jaan hai toh jahan hai (If you are alive, then, you have everything in the world.)”

Bahubali Prabhas is donating 4 crores for the fight against Covid-19. He will be giving Rs3 crore to the central govt and Rs50 lakh each to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana govts.

Telugu star Pawan Kalyan is a total of Rs 2 crores to fight the Wuhan Coronavirus. He has pledged Rs 1 crore for the central govt and Rs 50 lakh each for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana CM relief fund.

Another Telugu actor Ram Charan has also announced that he will be donating a total of Rs 70 lakhs to the central govt and AP and Telangana govts.

Comedian and TV show host Kapil Sharma wrote, “It is time to stand together with the ones who need us.” He pledged to donate ₹50 lacs to the Prime Minister Relief Fund. Sharma also urged everyone to stay home.

Actor Varun Dhawan also pledged to contribute ₹30 lacs to the PM Cares Fund. He said, “Desh hai toh hum hain (If country survives, then only we will survive).”

Bollywood start Hrithik Roushan though did not pledge any amount but he informed that procured N95 and FFP3 maks for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) workers. He reiterated that people must ensure the safety of the most fundamental caregivers of the city.

Telugu actor Mahesh Babu has tweeted that he will be contributing Rs. 25 lakhs towards Corona crisis charity for TFI workers.

India’s Cricketers

Middle-order batsman Suresh Raina announced on Twitter that he will donate ₹31 lacs to the PM CARES Fund and ₹21 lacs to the UP CM’s Disaster Relief Fund.

Cricketer Ajinkiya Rahane pledged to donate ₹10 lacs to fight against the deadly Wuhan Coronavirus.

Sachin Tendulkar who is hailed as the God of Cricket has donated ₹50 lacs in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.

Former Indian Captain and the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Sourav Ganguly, pledged to donate ₹50 lacs worth of rice to the underprivileged families amidst the nationwide lockdown.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on March 19 listed out 9 points of call to action and urged the citizens to follow them to help contain the spread of deadly coronavirus. Celebrities across the spectrum came together to hail PM Modi’s efforts and vowed to follow the advisory in order to control the pandemic

Uttarakhand: Four arrested while smuggling smack using an ambulance as disguise, one became doctor, another patient

OpIndia Staff
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Uttarakhand: Four arrested while smuggling smack using an ambulance as disguise, one became doctor, another patient

Smack smugglers were apprehended in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand while they were attempting to smuggle the substance in an ambulance during the coronavirus lockdown. Four youths were arrested by the Police in connection with the incident. One of the four pretended to be the patient, one the doctor, and the other two pretended to be the driver and his assistant. The Police have recovered 25.10 gm of the substance from the smugglers.

The estimated cost of the seized substance is over two and a half lakh rupees. The accused have been identified as Mukesh Kumar, Imran Ali, Shubham Kumar and Shiv Kumar. As per the Police, the Kotwali Police were checking vehicles at Teenpani in Kichha Road. During this, the Police stopped the smugglers riding the ambulance. On seeing the police, the smugglers made an attempt to run for it. However, they were nabbed by the Police.

As per reports, the smugglers were taking the smack from Kichha to Haldani via Rudrapur. According to the Police, Mukesh was the driver of the ambulance. A case has been registered under relevant sections by the Police against the four accused.

Coronavirus: AAP shrugs off responsibilities after pushing lakhs of UP-Bihar migrants under the bus in middle of pandemic, indulges in blame games

Editorial Desk
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Coronavirus: AAP shrugs off responsibilities after pushing lakhs of UP-Bihar migrants under the bus in middle of pandemic, indulges in blame games

As the Chinese coronavirus pandemic slowly engulfs the country, Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party is back to doing what it does the best, shrug off responsibility and play petty politics. AAP leaders and supporters have now taken to Twitter to put the blame squarely on government of neighbouring states after the Delhi-government run DTC buses dumped lakhs of migrant workers on state borders to fend for themselves.

AAP wrote a thread on Twitter claiming that people got together on Anand Vihar ISBT because of UP government’s notification that they will arrange for transportation of those workers.

The notification of UP government came after lakhs of migrant workers were already dropped off by AAP’s Delhi government’s DTC buses near Noida border. Nowhere in the notification does the UP government state that they will be picked up from Anand Vihar ISBT. It clearly mentions the lakhs of migrant workers who have reached the border and are walking home on foot.

AAP does not mention that they, through DTC buses, brought all these lakhs of migrant workers to the borders.

Then, AAP mentions how the Ghaziabad District Magistrate informed about buses being made available at Lal Kuan in Ghaziabad.

Do understand that these buses were for those who have already crossed the Delhi border to Ghaziabad. Nowhere does the DM mention that the passengers will be picked up from Anand Vihar. Then AAP mentions that UP CM Yogi Adityanath announced deployment of 1000 buses which will take the migrant workers to their respective homes. AAP does not mention that Yogi Adityanath did not invite those people to reach Anand Vihar ISBT. Neither does it mention that Delhi government-run buses brought them to ISBT despite country-wide lockdown orders issues. Kejriwal-led AAP conveniently forgets series of tweets by Yogi Adityanath appealing to people to stay at home and stay wherever they are. If the tweet about arrangement of buses would bring the crowd to Anand Vihar ISBT in Delhi-government run buses two days later, wouldn’t tweet from same day make the people stay wherever they are? AAP also conveniently forgets the fact that in middle of the night announcements were made in colonies where migrant workers live informing them that DTC buses will take them to ISBT and that they will have buses ready there to take them back home. In a video clip shared by BJP leader Kapil Mishra, one can hear the announcements being made about taking people to Anand Vihar ISBT. AAP does not share this clip in its Twitter thread mentioning reasons why lakhs of people gathered at Anand Vihar ISBT. So really, Aam Aadmi Party, how exactly did lakhs of people land up and Anand Vihar Bus terminal?

However, instead of admitting their gross negligence and reckless behaviour, Arvind Kejriwal and his party leaders have decided to turn a blind eye to their failure in governance and blame it on the neighbouring state.

Perhaps when all this is behind us and we have all emerged victorious, Arvind Kejriwal would introspect and be the leader his voters wished he would have been.

Coronavirus Pandemic: Maruti Suzuki to manufacture ventilators, masks for patients, health workers

OpIndia Staff
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Coronavirus Pandemic: Maruti Suzuki to manufacture ventilators, masks for patients, health workers

As the country is in the middle of the COVID-19 health emergency, automobile manufacturer Maruti Suzuki India Limited has decided to produce ventilators, masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) to support India’s fight against the Wuhan Coronavirus. According to the reports, Maruti Suzuki has made an arrangement with AgVa Healthcare, who is an existing approved manufacturer of ventilators, to manufacture 10,000 ventilators per month.

This comes after the government reached out to Maruti Suzuki India asking the company to make ventilators. The company has now initiated the process and tied up with AgVa Healthcare and roped in its joint venture partners for the same.

AgVa Healthcare will be responsible for the technology, performance and other matters related to all the ventilators produced and sold by them while Maruti Suzuki India Limited will use its suppliers to produce the required volume of components and use its experience and knowledge to upgrade systems for the production and quality control of higher volumes.

The company will also help in arranging the finance and obtaining all permissions and approvals required to enable higher production.

In addition to that, Krishna Maruti Limited, a joint venture of MSIL, will also manufacture three-ply masks for supply to the Central and Haryana governments for free. For manufacturing of protective clothes, Bharat Seats Limited, a joint venture of MSIL with the Relan family, will be producing protective clothing for health workers as soon as all approvals are in place.

All these facilities will be fully quarantined with no access to outsiders.

Reportedly, the production will start as soon as permissions are in place and full precautions will be taken to manufacture these products.

Ever since the Chinese coronavirus outbreak occurred in the country, India Inc. has risen to the occasion to extend assistance to the government in their fight against the COVID-19. Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries, Anand Mahindra, the chairman of Mahindra Group and Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal have pledged their support amidst the unprecedented crisis that has triggered widespread lockdowns across many parts of the country.

Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance has announced a slew of measures taken by the conglomerate to shore up India’s battle against the COVID-19. Reliance has decided to step up production of 1 lakh masks per day, free fuel to emergency vehicles carrying COVID-19 patients and free meals to the needy ones in several cities to support the livelihood of those affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

Anand Mahindra, the chairman of the Mahindra Group, had cautioned that the country might already be in stage 3 of the transmission and urged the government to announce the continuation of lockdown for a few more weeks to blunt the spread of the virus. He also added that he is exploring ways to use his organisation’s manufacturing facilities to make ventilators. Mahindra has also offered resorts under Mahindra Holidays as temporary care facilities for the patients.

Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal has pledged an amount of Rs 100 crores to fight the pandemic of coronavirus that has hit the nation. 

Coronavirus Pandemic: Punjab-based manufacturer gets approval for indigenously designed Hazmat suits, raw material to be procured from India

OpIndia Staff
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Coronavirus Pandemic: Punjab-based manufacturer gets approval for indigenously designed Hazmat suits, raw material to be procured from India

Jagatjit Cotton Textiles (JCT) Mills Limited, based in Phagwara, Punjab, will supply Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suits to medical professions fighting the Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic on the frontlines. The Hazmat Suit by JCT Mills has been approved and certified for production by SITRA (South India Textile Research Association (SITRA) Coimbatore) — an industry-sponsored, Union government-supported renowned research institute in the textiles sector, Indian Express has reported.

JCT Strategic Business Development Director Priya Thapar told The Indian Express that the suit is indigenously designed and all the raw material will also be procured from domestic sources. “We have already started the production of hazmat at JCT Phagwara,” Thapar said, adding that negotiations and communications for the quantum of the order were ongoing with the Centre. Phagwara is located in Doaba region of Punjab, the epicentre of coronavirus cases in the state.

Thapar has said that JCT Mills and its associates could manufacture up to a million PPE suits in a month. She also expressed her gratitude towards the central and state government for “supporting the JCT in the innovative product, 100 per cent polyester full body suit with built in hood to cover head and a shoe cover”. Punjab Additional Chief Secretary (Investment Promotions and Industry and Commerce) Vini Mahajan said, “Now the placement of order is under discussion. Central agencies are also looking into it. Order process has been going on. But, they have been cleared and advised to start manufacturing immediately.”

“The product which we offer we will follow all safety standards. There are a lot of people who are involved (in the manufacturing of PPE), who are trying to get material passed. We have got certification from SITRA. Anyone and everybody cannot make a hazmat suit and start selling it. That is completely non-ethical. So, we went in for testing from SITRA,” said Thapar. “Our protective suit is 100 percent polyester with certain proprietary trademark coatings and other technology that is applied to it. There is a seam sealing technology in our product so that there is no passing of blood fluids or any other synthetic fluids through the fabric or through the seam. The test done by SITRA is as per prescribed norms and done under a certain water column pressure. Our product conforms to that,” she said.

“It is time we find indigenous solutions. We cannot depend on the Chinese because China exported this virus to the world and now they are trying to follow it up with exports of all their medical equipment and their medical wear masks and their gowns and anti-infective suits which they are selling at three to four times price not even at the right quality,” Thapar stated further.

Apart from JCT Mills, PPE suit samples from other manufacturers such as Evershine Industries, Shiva Tex Fab and Swami Textiles in Ludhiana, and Supreme Safety Products in Hoshiarpur have been sent by the Punjab Government to the SITRA for approval. With an increasing number of cases, it is expected that medical supplies will be required by healthcare professionals in huge numbers. Therefore, the central government and state governments are looking to increase the procurement of medical supplies and manufacturers have been asked to ramp up the productions.

Private entities in India have entered the battle against the Wuhan Coronavirus as well and are investing vast resources in order to combat the crisis. On Thursday, Mylabs Discovery Solutions became the first Indian firm to release indigenously developed testing kits for coronavirus in the market. The Tatas, Ambani, Vedanta, Mahindra and many others have pledged a lot of resources in order to overcome the threat to the country. Meanwhile, Indian manufacturers are looking to up the ante as well in providing the healthcare professionals with the adequate quantity of medical supplies.

CISF head constable at Mumbai airport and BSF officer in Madhya Pradesh test positive for Wuhan Coronavirus

OpIndia Staff
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CISF head constable at Mumbai airport and BSF officer in Madhya Pradesh test positive for Wuhan Coronavirus

Fifty personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF) have been quarantined at the BSF Academy in Tekanpur city of Gwalior district in Madhya Pradesh after an officer at the academy tested positive for the Wuhan Coronavirus. The officer had attended a meeting that was attended by the Additional Director General (ADG) and the Inspector General (IG), both directors of the BSF Academy. The meeting was attended by other officers as well.

As per reports, the commanders of all units were part of the meeting. It is believed that the officer contracted the virus from his wife who has a travel history to the United Kingdom. The officer, who is of second-in-command rank, has been admitted to a local hospital and is undergoing treatment.

A CISF personnel at the Mumbai airport has also tested positive for the virus. It is believed that he contracted the virus while checking passengers. “He was posted at the international terminal and it is more or less certain that he contracted the virus on duty,” a CISF official in charge of airports told CNN-News18. “He was asymptomatic. Even now his temperature is normal but he has cough and cold. We have sent his sample for a third test to confirm,” the official said.

Hemendra Kumar, the spokesperson of CISF, said all precautions are being taken. “He was first in Hiranandani hospital and once his tests showed positive, he was moved to Kasturba Gandhi hospital,” he said. Fourteen other personnel who shared the barrack with the infected Head Constable have been asked to quarantine themselves.

At least 26,000 people from 24 villages home quarantined in Punjab after ‘super spreader’ came in contact with them

OpIndia Staff
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At least 26,000 people from 24 villages home quarantined in Punjab after ‘super spreader’ came in contact with them

Nearly 26,000 people residing in 24 villages in Punjab have been home-quarantined after it was suspected that they may have come in contact with 70-year-old Baldev Singh, the only patient to die of COVID-19 in the state, reports New Indian Express.

Baldev Singh of Pathlawa village of Nawanshahr district, who was granthi (preacher) of the village gurdwara had travelled to Germany and Italy for religious congregations along with his two men from his neighbouring village. Singh returned to India on March 7 contracting the Chinese virus. Subsequently, Singh died at the civil hospital in Banga after testing positive for COVID-19 on March 18.

Reportedly, out of the total of 38 positive cases so far in Punjab, 28 are directly linked to one super spreader, Baldev Singh. As of now, 14 members of Singh’s family including three sons, daughter, daughter-in-law and six grandchildren have tested positive. The families members of the other two men who travelled with Singh have also tested positive.

The three men upon their arrival to India were advised to isolate themselves upon their return from abroad. However, they defied the rules to roam freely. Shockingly, Singh had even attended the Hola Mohalla festival at Anandpur Sahib from March 10 to 12 which was attended by about 20 lakh pilgrims this year.

Read- Kerala Congress leader diagnosed with Wuhan Coronavirus had escaped quarantine, could be a ‘Super Spreader’

He also visited people’s homes to offer sermons. In all, 18 villages in Nawanshahr district and six villages Hoshiarpur district have been sealed.

“Now the authorities are making announcements across these villages asking people to tell about those people who have contacted these people. We fear the numbers could be in several hundred,” an official said.

Deputy Commissioner of Nawanshahr Nagar Vinay Bublani said that they have now sealed the villages one by one. He added that protocols are being followed for supplying essential commodities, water and electricity supply.

Read- A female Shrimp seller in Wuhan may be Coronavirus ‘Patient Zero’

“The NRIs residing in these villages have also been quarantined. The teams of health department along with other staff are visiting them every day to check their health conditions,” Bublani added.

Sub Divisional Magistrate of Banga in SBS Nagar district of Punjab, Gautam Jain said, “As per the health protocols, we have sealed the fifteen villages in my area for a period of two weeks no one is allowed to go in or out. The essential commodities are being supplied. As per the data the total population of these villages is somewhere around 20,000.” Sources pointed out that in the rest three villages are in SBS Nagar subdivision of the district with a population of around 5,000.

An official of Hoshiarpur district said that the six villages which have been sealed have around 1200 people who belonged to 250 families. “Some 700 people who were in close contact with Singh are among the total number of quarantined people. About 333 swab samples of symptomatic people have been taken for test from these villages so far,” said a health official.

Thousands of migrant workers gather in Kottayam, Kerala, to go back home amidst coronavirus outbreak. Watch video

OpIndia Staff
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Thousands of migrant workers gather in Kottayam, Kerala, to go back home amidst coronavirus outbreak. Watch video

Thousands of migrant workers from Bengal, Bihar and Chhattisgarh have gathered at Kottayam, Kerala, wanting to go back home amidst coronavirus outbreak.

As per journalist Padmaja Joshi, the migrant workers there say that they haven’t eaten since past 2-3 days. Kerala has reported second highest number of COVID-19 positive people (174), second only after Maharashtra (183). It is the second state after Delhi where migrant workers have gathered in large numbers after announcement of nationwide lockdown.

Read: Midnight announcements, false promises: Watch how Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government played with lives of millions amidst coronavirus outbreak

As per reports, the migrant workers in Kerala gathered after they saw buses were arranged for migrant workers by Delhi government in Delhi which let off the migrants at border and left them on their own. Most of these workers then eventually started walking towards their villages, hundreds of kilometers away. Now as per reports, they have also decided to walk all the way from Kerala to their home towns back in North India.

Last week, migrant workers in Kerala were forced to walk till Karnataka border in Kodagu where they were later sheltered in quarantine.

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