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Indian Railways pulls freight traffic ahead of 2019 level in spite of COVID-19

(File/Representational image)

New Delhi (NVI): Indian Railways achieved a significant milestone of pulling 3.13 million tonnes (MT) freight traffic ahead of last year’s level, in spite of COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Railways said.

The total freight loading was 3.13 million tonnes (MT) on July 27, 2020 which was higher than last year till the same date, the ministry said in a statement.

It may be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had emphasized upon achievement of long term and far-reaching goals during the lockdown.

Accordingly, Railways has completed nearly 200 infrastructure works in this period and has achieved a milestone in freight transportation too.

Apart from this, the average speed of freight trains on July 27, 2020, was 46.16 kmph which is more than double as compared to last year (22.52 kmph), the railways said.

In the month of July, the average speed of freight trains is 45.03 kmph which is around double as compared to last year for the same month (23.22 kmph).

Meanwhile, the West Central Railway with the average speed of 54.23 kmph, Northeast Frontier Railway with the speed of 51 kmph, East Central Railway 50.24 kmph, East Cost Railway 41.78 kmph, South East Central Railway 42.83 kmph, South Eastern Railway 43.24 kmph and Western Railway with the speed of 44.4 kmph are the leading Railway Zones in the average speed of freight train in Indian Railways.

On July 27, a total of 1,039 rakes were loaded with freight in Indian Railways which includes 76 rakes of foodgrain, 67 rakes of fertilizer, 49 rakes of steel, 113 rakes of cement, 113 rakes of iron ore and 363 rakes of coal.

Notably, these improvements in freight movements will be institutionalized and incorporated in the upcoming zero based time table. These steps will lead to significantly higher freight traffic and earnings for Railways and cost competitive logistics for the entire country.

The statement further stated, it is worth mentioning that a number of concessions and discounts are also being given in Indian Railways to make the freight movement very attractive.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has been used by Railways as an opportunity to improve all-round efficiencies and performances.

-RJV

West Bengal extends partial lockdown till August 31

New Delhi (NVI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today announced the extension of partial lockdown in state till August 31. There will be a complete shutdown across the state for two days every week.

“We are extending the partial lockdown in the state, which was in force till July 31, till August 31,” she said. Making an exemption, Banerjee said that there will be no lockdown in the state on August 1, on the occasion of Bakr Eid.

The Chief Minister stated that a total lockdown across the state will also be implemented on July 29, August 2 and 5.

In addition to this, lockdown in the containment zones has also been extended till August 31.

All the government and private offices, commercial establishments, public and private transport will remain shut. Only the essential services will be functional. Petrol pumps are allowed to open.

Furthermore, the functioning of courts, work in agricultural fields and tea gardens, intra-state and inter-state goods movements and home delivery of cooked food will be permitted.

West Bengal reported a record number of cases today. At least 2,112 people tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours. The total number of coronavirus cases in the state stood at 60,830.

-CHK

At 2,367, India has 70% of global tiger population

New Delhi (NVI): India’s tiger population now stands at 2,967 which is 70 percent of the global tiger population, according to a detailed report of Tiger Census on the eve of Global Tiger Day, released by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change here today.

At the release of the detailed report, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said, “Tiger is an incredible part of the nature and the increased number of the big cats in India reflects equilibrium in the nature.”

The environment minister said that tigers and other wildlife are a kind of soft power India has to show on the international front. He said that despite several constraints such as less landmass, India has eight percent of bio-diversity because the country has a culture of saving and preserving nature, trees and its wildlife.

Noting that wildlife is a country’s natural wealth, Javadekar said, “it is praiseworthy that India has 70 percent of world’s tiger population. The Minister mentioned India is tirelessly working with all 13 tiger range countries towards nurturing the tiger.”

Highlighting the keystone nature of the tiger, a poster on the presence of small cats was also released by the Environment Minister. “With the presence of nearly 30 percent of India’s tigers outside tiger reserves, India had embarked upon assessing management interventions through the globally developed Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS) framework, which will now be extended to all fifty tiger reserves across the country,” read a statement by the MoEFCC.

According to the detailed report of the fourth All India Tiger Estimation, abundance index of co-predators and other species has been carried out which hitherto was restricted only to occupancy.

Sex ratio of tigers in all camera trap sites has been carried out for the first time, as per the report.

Besides, anthropogenic effects on tiger population have been elaborated in a detailed manner and tiger abundance within pockets in tiger reserves has been demonstrated for the first time in the report.

Also present on the occasion, Minister of State for Environment, Babul Supriyo said, human-animal conflict can be avoided but it cannot be ruled out in the country. He said, frontline officials have done commendable job in raising the numbers of tiger in the country.

According to the detailed report of the fourth All India Tiger Estimation, abundance index of co-predators and other species has been carried out which hitherto was restricted only to occupancy.

Sex ratio of tigers in all camera trap sites has been carried out for the first time, as per the report.

Besides, anthropogenic effects on tiger population have been elaborated in a detailed manner and tiger abundance within pockets in tiger reserves has been demonstrated for the first time in the report.

The detailed report released today assesses the status of tigers in terms of spatial occupancy and density of individual populations across India.

In addition to the summary report released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the “Status of Tigers in India” in July 2019, the detailed report compares information obtained from the earlier three surveys (2006, 2010, and 2014) with data obtained from the 2018-19 survey to estimate population trends at country and landscape scales, patch colonization and extinction rates along with information on likely factors responsible for changes in tiger status at the fine spatial resolution of 100 km, the ministry said in a statement.

“The report evaluates the status of habitat corridors connecting major tiger populations and highlights vulnerable areas that require conservation attention for each landscape. The report provides information on major carnivores and ungulates regarding their distribution and relative abundance,” it said.

Apart from that, Javadekar also announced that his Ministry is working on a programme in which efforts would be made to provide water and fodder to animals in the forest itself to deal with the challenge of human-animal conflict which is causing deaths of animals.

“For this LIDAR based survey technology will be used for the first time. Lidar is a method for measuring distances by illuminating the target with laser light and measuring the reflection with a sensor,” the Ministry said in a statement.

Also present on the occasion, Minister of State for Environment, Babul Supriyo said, human-animal conflict can be avoided but it cannot be ruled out in the country. He said, frontline officials have done a commendable job in raising the numbers of tiger in the country.

-ARK

India’s COVID-19 fatality rate drops to 2.25%; recovery rate over 64%

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New Delhi (NVI): India’s Case Fatality Rate (CFR) within the Covid-19 pandemic has been progressively falling is now 2.25 per cent, which continues to remain one of the lowest in the world, Union Health Ministry said.

In an official statement the ministry said that, “This achievement is a result of effective implementation of containment strategy combined with house-to-house surveys, aggressive testing and standardized clinical management protocols based on holistic Standard of Care approach which ensured that hospitals were left unburdened with supervised home isolation for the asymptomatic patients.”

It added that, “Under the guidance of Central government, State/UT governments have focused on reducing the fatalities by effectively managing the severe cases and prioritising care of the high-risk population using field health care workers leading to decrease in the CFR across the country.”

The CFR has reduced from around 3.33 per cent in mid-June to 2.25 per cent today, the statement said.

According to the ministry, the ramped up three-tier hospital infrastructure along with prompt and seamless patient management has helped consistent increase in the recoveries.

Notably, India has seen more than 30,000 recoveries per day for the fifth day in a row, it added.

The COVID-19 recovery rate has also seen a sharp increase from around 53 per cent in mid-June to more than 64 per cent as on today.

The ministry further said, with 35,176 patients discharged in the last 24 hours, the total recoveries across India stand at 9,52,743.

Meanwhile, the gap between the recovered cases and the active cases has also increased to 4,55,755.

Apart from this, the focused efforts on early detection and isolation along with handholding of states and UTs by the expert teams of AIIMS, New Delhi for efficient clinical management of hospitalized cases and periodic visits of central teams, have borne results with continuously improving recovery rate, the ministry added.

-RJV

World Nature Conservation Day 2020: How COVID-19 is helping nature to heal

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New Delhi (NVI): With industries shut, vehicles off roads and most of the economy staying shut in view of COVID-19 pandemic, nearly three months of lockdown proved to be a golden period for the flora and the fauna giving it enough time to recover.

Not only the air and other pollution went down drastically, but there were many instances reported were the wildlife also came out of their hideouts and roamed across cities.

World Nature Conservation Day is celebrated to create and increase awareness about the importance of natural resources and how one can live sustainably. The day encourages people to save and protect Earth’s natural resources that are fast-depleting owing to over-exploitation and even misuse.

Celebrated across the globe on July 28, this Day also recognises that a healthy environment is the core reason for a stable and productive society. The sustainabke practices are such that the well-being of the present and future generations can be secured.

The Ministry of Culture, via their official Twitter handle, posted a video and captioned it: “Nature worship is indeed an integral part of the Indian Culture. On the occasion of #WorldNatureConservationDay let’s all take pledge to protect, conserve, and sustainably manage our natural resources and make this world a better and healthier place for our future generations.”

The best example of healing of nature due to lockdown was witnessed when Yamuna in Delhi started having clean water.

According to a finding by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, the Yamuna was cleaner by around 33 per cent compared to the pre-lockdown days.

The lockdown also had a huge positive impact on the air quality in India as well as around the world.

-CHK

15 mn children vaccinated against measles in Ethiopia despite Covid-19

New Delhi (NVI): In an effort by the Ethiopian health authorities to maintain essential health services, over 15 million children in the country have been vaccinated against measles, even as they continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization has said.

The vaccination campaign, which ran for 10 days, was initially scheduled for April but was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic and resumed in July, the WHO said in a statement.

The nationwide campaign was launched under the leadership of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health with support from World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

During the campaign, the health workers wearing face masks delivered the measles vaccine in open and well-ventilated areas. Other measures such as physical distancing, handwashing and temperature checks were also followed in compliance with COVID-19 prevention guidelines.

The immunisation drive targeted children aged between 9–59 months, vaccinators were trained on the COVID-19 prevention measures, communities informed of the campaign and vaccination supplies, as well as personal protective equipment and sanitizers, were shipped.

Moreover, the campaign’s target was 15 million children and it attained 96 per cent coverage (14.4 million), showing that even with an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, countries can continue to carry out life-saving mass vaccinations.

Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa said, “By taking the appropriate measures, we can continue to provide essential services while striving to end this pandemic. Millions of children are at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases and waiting for the end of COVID-19 to restart immunization campaigns is a gamble we cannot afford.

Fewer than 10 of the 47 countries in the WHO African Region are on track to achieve the 2020 measles elimination target of cutting new infections to fewer than one per 1 million population, according to the report.

The COVID-19 pandemic threatens to set the region back even further. Initial data from the first quarter of 2020 indicates that 1.5 million more African children missed the first dose of measles vaccine compared with the same period last year.

Unless vaccination services manage to reach these children in the coming months, the decline adds a significant number of susceptible infants and young children to the existing pool of unvaccinated children across the region, posing huge risks for measles outbreaks, WHO said.

The organization further informed that unless vaccination services manage to reach these children in the coming months, the decline adds a significant number of susceptible infants and young children.

Measles is a highly contagious disease and one of the leading causes of death among young children globally despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine.

An estimated 52,600 people died from measles in 2018 in the region, mostly children under the age of five, as per the WHO report.

However, outbreak of measles remain a risk in all African countries where the routine immunization coverage remains below 95 per cent.

WHO has also issued guidance on the importance of maintaining safe immunization services. It provides advice on the criticality of urgent catch-up vaccination when COVID-19 movement restrictions are lifted.

The guidance recommends conducting careful risk assessment before implementing preventive mass vaccination, with attention to appropriate protective measures to avoid COVID-19 transmission.

-RJV/ARK

FDA warns to avoid over 75 ‘toxic’ hand sanitisers

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New Delhi (NVI): The US Food and Drug Administration has expanded its list of toxic hand sanitizers due to the presence of methanol, a toxic substance that could result in death.

According to the FDA, there are now a total of 76 kinds of hand sanitizers on the updated list of toxic products, some of which have already been recalled while others are being recommended for recalls.

All of the hand sanitizers on the list were apparently produced in Mexico.

The FDA said in a statement that, it has seen a rise in the number of hand sanitizer products labeled to contain ethanol, but have tested positive for methanol, which can be toxic when absorbed through the skin or ingested.

“The US Food and Drug Administration continues to warn consumers and health care professionals not to use certain alcohol-based hand sanitizers due to the dangerous presence of methanol, or wood alcohol – a substance often used to create fuel and antifreeze that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin as well as life-threatening when ingested,” read the official FDA statement issued yesterday.

“Substantial methanol exposure can result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death,” it added.

Moreover, the FDA’s ongoing testing has found methanol contamination in hand sanitizer products ranging from 1 per cent to 80 per cent.

“Consumers must also be vigilant about which hand sanitizers they use, and for their health and safety we urge consumers to immediately stop using all hand sanitizers on the FDA’s list of dangerous hand sanitizer products,” FDA Commissioner Dr Stephen Hahn said in a statement.

Earlier this month, the FDA first warned consumers about nine hand sanitizer products to avoid due to the possible presence of methanol, two weeks later, more brands have been added to the list. The complete list can be found on the FDA’s official site.

The agency also asked the consumers to dispose off the hand santitisers mentioned in the list immediately in appropriate hazardous waste containers.

However, the FDA will take additional action as necessary and will continue to provide the latest information on this issue for the health and safety of consumers.

-RJV/ARK

COVID-19 pandemic fallout will leave 6.7 mn children dangerously undernourished: UNICEF

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New Delhi (NVI): Almost 7 million children could become dangerously undernourished this year, amid growing concerns that the fallout from the pandemic will kill more people than the coronavirus itself, according to a new report.

According to an analysis by UNICEF published in The Lancet, an added 6.7 million children under the age of five could suffer from wasting this year – a life-threatening form of malnutrition that leaves children emaciated.

As a result at least two decades of progress in tackling hunger could be reversed. Even before Covid-19, there were an estimated 47 million children under five who were moderately or severely wasted, were too thin and too weak, not only putting them on the verge of death but also affecting their development, growth and learning for years to come.

Without urgent action, the global number of children suffering from wasting could reach almost 54 million over the course of the year.

The study found that roughly 80 per cent of children who become wasted due to the socio-economic consequences of the pandemic live in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where communities have been hard-hit by stringent lockdown measures.

Now as lockdowns and international trade routes disrupt vital aid supplies, the UN warned that the coronavirus pandemic could have an “intergenerational effect” on the health of millions.

“It’s been seven months since the first COVID-19 cases were reported and it is increasingly clear that the repercussions of the pandemic are causing more harm to children than the disease itself,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore.

Fore added, “Household poverty and food insecurity rates have increased. Essential nutrition services and supply chains have been disrupted. Food prices have soared. As a result, the quality of children’s diets has gone down and malnutrition rates will go up.”

But overall, the prevalence of wasting among young children could increase by 14 per cent across low and middle income countries this year – equating to an additional 10,000 deaths a month.

The models showed that in the worst case scenario, where the pandemic could cause young children to miss 50 percent of their nutritional care and treatment services, nearly 1,80,000 could die this year alone.

In countries already experiencing a humanitarian crisis, the United Nations’ children’s fund has warned that up to 100 percent essential nutrition services could be disrupted.

Earlier this month the United Nations’ under-secretary for humanitarian affairs, Mark Lowlock, said that the pandemic is set to trigger “a series of human tragedies more brutal and destructive than any of the direct health impacts of the virus” in low and middle income countries.

-CHK

India, UK to take up £8 mn research to tackle anti-microbial resistance

WHO
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New Delhi (NVI): India and the UK have decided to deepen their existing scientific research collaboration with five new projects to tackle anti-microbial resistance (AMR) that could lead to important advances in the global fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes.

The new research would cost around eight million pounds (over 77 crore rupees), the British High Commission said in a statement.

The five projects are planned for September this year, after getting approval. For funding the research, the UK is contributing £4 million from the UK Research and Innovation Fund for International Collaboration, and India is matching this with its own resources (£8m in total), the BHC said.

India is a major producer of antimicrobials in the pharmaceutical industry global supply chain, and the research projects aim to develop a better understanding of how waste from antimicrobial manufacturing could be inadvertently fuelling AMR, according to the British High Commission.

The funding awards were announced by Tariq Ahmad, Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth, who is on a virtual visit to India today.

On the occasion, Tariq Ahmad said: “The UK has already partnered with India’s Serum Institute to manufacture the vaccine for Covid-19, if clinical trials are successful, with plans to distribute to a billion people across the developing world. But there is more we can do together to tackle urgent global health issues in the world. Our thriving research and innovation partnerships will benefit people in the UK and India, and beyond.”

Philip Barton, High Commissioner to India, said: “The UK is India’s second-biggest research partner, with joint research expected to be worth £400 million by next year. This huge investment enables us to work closely together on global health challenges such as the search for a Covid-19 vaccine. Today’s announcement is another demonstration of our excellent research relationship and will strengthen the important fight against anti-microbial resistance.”

During the visit to India, Tariq Ahmad will chair a virtual roundtable with senior Indian and UK-based stakeholders on cold-chain technologies that are critical for the effective transport of vaccines, ensuring they successfully reach their final destination, the BHC said in a statement.

Other elements of the UK Minister’s visit include meeting with Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, V Muraleedharan, to discuss a number of subjects including multilateral cooperation, a meeting with Gujarati Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, discussions with regional governments and others on opportunities in wind power and a virtual tour of a UK funded solar plant in Rajasthan, the BHC statement said.

-ARK

Covid claims 4 more lives in J&K, death toll 332

Over 3,200 cops COVID positive in J&K and 15 succumbed to virus
File photo

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): The coronavirus today claimed four more lives in Jammu and Kashmir including two from the capital city of Srinagar, taking the number of people who have died of the virus in the Union Territory to 332 so far, health officials said.

The four patients, who died include a 60-year-old woman from Nowhatta, and a 62-year-old man from Batamallo in Srinagar, a 59-year-old man from Damhal Hanjipora, Kulgam and a 75-year-old man from Noorbagh, Srinagar.

An official at SKIMS, Soura hospital said that the woman from Nowhatta was admitted on July 27 while another patient from Batamaloo was admitted on July 17 and both were suffering from multiple ailments. “Both the patients passed away today morning. They were Covid-19 positive cases,” the official said.

He said that the patient from Yarikah Damhaal Hanjipora, Kulgam was admitted on July 11 and the patient from Noorbagh, Srinagar, was admitted on July 25 with pneumonia and other ailments and both died today.

With four more deaths, the death toll in J&K has reached 332 including 309 from Kashmir and 23 from Jammu.

The fresh deaths related to Covid came on a day when authorities lifted the five-day lockdown imposed on July 22 across Kashmir. The Srinagar administration, however, said the district will continue to witness further orders. Even as life limped back to normalcy in view of the Eid-ul Adha (festival of sacrifices) that falls on August 1, Srinagar streets continued to wear a deserted look with security forces deployed in the area.

-ARK

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