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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

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.

Spicejet pilot who did not fly international flight in March tests positive for Wuhan Coronavirus

OpIndia Staff
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Spicejet pilot who did not fly international flight in March tests positive for Wuhan Coronavirus

A Spicejet pilot, who did not fly an international flight in March, has tested positive for the Wuhan Coronavirus. “One of our colleagues, a first officer with SpiceJet, has tested positive for COVID-19. The test report came on March 28. He did not operate any international flight in March 2020,” a spokesperson of the airline told PTI.

“The last domestic flight that he operated was on March 21 from Chennai to Delhi and since then he had quarantined himself at home,” the spokesperson added. All crew and staff who had come in contact with him have been asked to quarantine themselves at home for the next fourteen days as a precautionary measure.

The spokesperson said, “All measures are being taken to provide appropriate medical care to him. The safety of our passengers and employees is our topmost priority.” “We have been diligently following the guidelines issued by the WHO and the government of India. All our aircraft are being disinfected thoroughly since the end of January and the disinfectants used are as per the WHO standards,” the spokesperson said.

All passenger flights have been currently suspended in the wake of the nationwide three-week lockdown. There are 932 active cases currently in the country as per covid19india.org as of the time of writing this report. 86 people have recovered from the disease while the number of deaths has gone up to 27.

ISIS affiliated Pakistani terrorists plan terror attack in Delhi as India is ‘preoccupied with coronavirus outbreak’

OpIndia Staff
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ISIS affiliated Pakistani terrorists plan terror attack in Delhi as India is ‘preoccupied with coronavirus outbreak’

Two Pakistani terrorists, operating out of Shopian region in Kashmir, have reportedly left for national capital to carry out terror attack reports Times of India. As per the report, the two Pakistani terrorists have allegiance to ISIS and were communicating using Telegram. ISIS magazines al-Naba and Voice of Hind have also reportedly written articles urging jihadis to ‘capitalise’ on India’s preoccupation with coronavirus outbreak.

An editorial in al-Naba reportedly urges jihadis to exploit the ‘opportunity’ as the government’s ability to coordinate counter-terror operations may be reduced as the country is focusing on ensuring safety and supply of essentials to citizens amidst coronavirus outbreak. As per the report, on pro-ISIS channels, a message was circulated that read, “We are preparing for new attacks, which will be the last thing they want. The military apparatus is also crippled because of restriction of movement. The overburdened hospitals will have a nightmare if the mujahideens greet them in the morning.”

Subsequently, security has been increased in Delhi and efforts are on to disperse crows at the bus terminals. Punjab as well as Mumbai Police have also been warned to stay alert. The security agencies are taking this threat ‘very seriously’ as per the report. According to the report, the terrorist duo have left for Delhi from Shopian by road last week and are expected to reach Delhi within few days.

Last week, ISIS carried out a terror attack on a Gurudwara in Afghanistan. One Mohammad Sajid from Kasaragod ISIS module in Kerala had reportedly carried out the attack.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directs health officials to put 1 lac migrant workers who came to the State under quarantine for 14 days

OpIndia Staff
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UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directs health officials to put 1 lac migrant workers who came to the State under quarantine for 14 days

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 migration of workers from different parts of India to Uttar Pradesh began after a nationwide lockdown was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of Wuhan Coronavirus outbreak.

The names, addresses and phone numbers of the migrant workers had been made available to the district magistrates. Yogi Adityanath had also asked village heads and ASHA workers to trace those migrant workers who have not been quarantined.

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.” He also ordered the officials to keep the supply chain of essential goods intact. Urging people to stay at their homes, the UP CM said, “You will be provided with all kinds of facilities at your doorstep. For this, I and my team are working 24 hours.”

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.

Earlier, to do away with the migrant workers in the national capital amidst the pandemic, the AAP government in Delhi allegedly spread the rumour that buses have been waiting at the UP borders to take them to their respective households. This impelled the mass exodus of these migrant labourers, now camping at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, in an attempt to return to their respective villages.

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

OpIndia Staff
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A female Shrimp seller in Wuhan may be Coronavirus ‘Patient Zero’

A 57-year-old female shrimp seller, Wei Guixian, at a Chinese wet market in Wuhan is believed to be the ‘Patient Zero’ or the first person to have been diagnosed with the virus. Wet market refers to a market where live meat, fish etc are sold. It was reported as such by a Chinese digital news outlet, The Paper. Guxian developed cold on December 10 last year while she was selling seafood at the Hua’nan market.

On December 11, 2019, she visited a local clinic and was given an injection. When her condition worsened, Guxian rushed to the Eleventh Hospital in Wuhan. The doctors gave her some medicines but could not cure her disease. She then went to the Wuhan Union Hospital where a doctor had called her disease as “ruthless.”

The probable ‘Patient Zero’ was quoted as saying, “Every winter, I always suffer from the flu. So I thought it was the flu. I felt a bit tired, but not as tired as in previous years.” She was quarantined in late December and recovered completely by January 2020. Guixian is of the view that she had contracted the infection after using a public toilet used by other meat sellers.

Her daughter who would frequently touch Guixian along with her niece and the niece’s husband had tested positive for the Wuhan Coronavirus. The seafood vendors who worked in close proximity with her at the Hua’nan market had also contracted the infection. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, the ‘Patient Zero’ said that the number of casualties would have been much lesser if the Chinese Government acted on time.

A December 31 statement from the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission revealed that Wei was among the first 27 patients to test positive for COVID-19, and one of 24 cases with direct links to the seafood market.

Taking a strong note on the possibility of China unleashing the biological weapon of Wuhan COVID-19, the Indian government on Friday demanded the strict compliance of a global treaty banning the production of the entire range of biological weapons of mass destructions. India also highlighted the need for an effective response to the challenges posed by new scientific developments in the area.

The significant statement by the Indian government comes at a time when the Chinese coronavirus has caused a health emergency across the world. This is the first time that India has tacitly insinuated that China may have used a bio-weapon against other countries. In making the fresh call to ban biological weapons on the occasion of 45th anniversary of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) coming into force, India made mention of the fast-spreading coronavirus and its global impact.

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