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392 Lifeline Udan flights fly 736 tonnes of medical supplies across India

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has said that under Lifeline Udan, 392 flights have been operated by Air India, Alliance Air, IAF, and private carriers, transporting 736 tonnes of medical supplies across the country.

229 of these flights have been operated by Air India and Alliance Air alone. “Aerial distance covered by Lifeline Udan flights till date is over 3,89,100 km,” the ministry said in a statement yesterday.

‘Lifeline Udan’ flights are being operated by MoCA to transport essential medical cargo to remote parts of the country to support India’s war against COVID-19.

The domestic Lifeline Udan cargo includes COVID-19 related reagents, enzymes, medical equipment, testing kits, Personal protective equipment (PPE), masks, gloves, etc.

Besides, SpiceJet, Blue Dart, and Indigo are also operating cargo flights on a commercial basis.

The Spicejet has operated 608 cargo flights from March 24 to April 26 carrying 4,428 tons of cargo. Out of these, 216 were international cargo flights, the Civil Aviation Ministry said.

Similarly, Blue Dart operated 211 cargo flights carrying 3,481tons of cargo from March 25 to April 26. Out of these, 10 were international cargo flights, it said.

Additionally, Indigo has operated 50 cargo flights during 3-26 April carrying around 185tons of cargo while Vistara has operated 12 cargo flights during 19-26 April carrying around 82 tons of cargo.

The Lifeline Udan flights connect hubs to airports at Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Agartala, Aizwal, Dimapur, Imphal, Coimbatore, Thiruvanthapuram, Bhubaneswar, Raipur, Ranchi, Port Blair and Goa.

Special focus has been on the North East Region, island territories and the hill states. Air India and IAF collaborated primarily for J&K, Ladakh, North-East and other island regions.

In the International Sector- a cargo air-bridge was established with East Asia for transportation of pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and COVID-19 relief material. The medical cargo brought in by Air India to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Seoul, Guangzhou this month on several dates. Total 593 tonnes of cargo was transported to these cities.

Apart from that, Blue Dart has uplifted around 109 tons of medical supplies from Guangzhou starting 14 April upto 26th April 2020. The Indian logistics company has also uplifted 5 tons of medical cargo from Shanghai on 25th April 2020. Spicejet has also uplifted 140 tons of medical supplies from Shanghai upto 26th April 2020 and 13 tons medical supplies from Hong Kong and Singapore upto 25th April 2020, MOCA said in a statement.

Fact check: No deduction in allowances of Central Government employees

New Delhi (NVI): The Centre is not going to deduct allowances of its government employees, the Fact Check Unit of Press Information Bureau (PIB) clarified today in response to a media report speculating that Government was planning such a move in response to the coronavirus crisis.

PIB, through its special Fact Check Twitter handle informed that no such planning is being done by the government after a Hindi newspaper published a report regarding the deduction of allowances of Central government employees.

“Claim: Hindustan newspaper has reported that in view of Covid-19, Central Government Employees will have to face deduction in facilities like LTC/Leave encashment/OTA/Medical.

#PIBFactCheck: There is no such proposal by the government. The media report is wrong and baseless,” the tweet read.

On April 23, the Union Finance Ministry had announced the freezing of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to Central Government pensioners at current rates till July 2021, in the wake of the economic crisis arising in the country due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Apart from that, the Government has not indicated any other deduction in allowances of Central Government employees.

In another fact check, PIB busted a rumor that was making rounds on Facebook that blamed ICMR for allegedly buying COVID19 testing kits at a significantly inflated price when cheaper options were available.

In this regard, ICMR has also clarified that it has fixed-rate brackets for the kits and is open to any company that can provide the kits at a still cheaper rate.

The PIB tweeted that the test kits like (RT-PCR) are being bought at Rs 740 to Rs 1,150 whereas Rapid test kits bought at Rs 528 to Rs 795. ICMR has also invited companies providing test kits at a cheaper price.

NITI Bhavan employee found Covid positive

File

New Delhi (NVI): An employee working at NITI Aayog Bhavan in the National Capital has been detected positive with COVID-19, the government’s top think tank said in a tweet today.

The building has been sealed for disinfection and sanitisation after the confirmation of the case.

In a tweet, Niti Aayog said: “An employee working at NITI Bhavan has been detected positive with COVID-19. It was informed to the authorities at 9 am this morning. NITI Aayog is following all the due protocols necessary as per the Ministry of Health guidelines. The building has been sealed.”

“Disinfection and sanitisation of the building are underway. Contacts of the single covid-positive person have been asked to go on self-quarantine,” it said in another tweet.

J&K: Pakistan violates ceasefire along LoC in Poonch

Ceasefire
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Jammu (NVI): Pakistan today violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Shahpur, Kirni & Qasba sectors in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, defence sources said.

“At about 1100 hours, Pak intiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms & shelling with Mortars along LoC in Shahpur, Kirni & Qasba sectors, District Poonch(J&K),” they said, adding that Indian Army was retaliating befittingly.

Yesterday also, Pakistani troops violated ceasefire in Uri sector along LoC in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, drawing strong retaliation from the Indian Army.

In another incident yesterday, three militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces at Lower Munda area of Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

(More details awaited)

Guidelines issued for home isolation of mild and pre-symptomatic COVID-19 cases

Health Ministry
Representative Image

New Delhi (NVI): The Union Health Ministry has issued fresh guidelines for home isolation of people who have been diagnosed with very mild COVID-19 symptoms or for people who are pre-symptomatic.

The fresh guidelines are in addition to the guidelines on proper management of suspect or confirmed cases of COVID-19 issued by the Ministry earlier this month.

As per existing guidelines, during the containment phase, the patients should be clinically assigned as very mild/mild, moderate or severe and accordingly admitted to COVID Care Centre, Dedicated COVID Health Centre or Dedicated COVID Hospital, respectively. However, very mild/pre-symptomatic patients having the requisite facility at his/her residence for self-isolation will have the option for home isolation,” the ministry stated.

As per the eligibility guidelines, these are the steps to follow:

1. The person should be clinically assigned as a very mild case/pre-symptomatic case by the treating medical officer.

2. There should be requisite facility at their residence for self-isolation and also for quarantining the family contacts.

3. A care giver should be available to provide care on 24 x7 basis. All close contacts of such cases should take Hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis as per protocol.

4. The patient should download the Arogya Setu app on their phones and should remain active at all times through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

5. The patient shall agree to monitor their health and regularly inform their health status to the District Surveillance Officer for further follow up by the surveillance teams.

The health ministry also listed the symptoms that determine if a patient needs immediate medical attention or not.

However, the patient under home isolation will end the isolation only if and when advised by the treating medical officer, ministry further added.

Coronavirus cases top 3 million globally; deaths cross 2,11,000

Coronavirus cases
(Representational/file photo)

New Delhi (NVI): The number of people confirmed with coronavirus has risen to more than 3 million worldwide with at least 2,11,000 people who lost their lives due to the pandemic, according to John Hopkins University tally.

On the other hand, the total number of positive cases in the US is nearing 10 lakh-mark with more than 56,000 fatalities reported from the country so far.

Donald Trump has said the US will conduct “serious investigations” into China’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak

Meanwhile, New Zealand has partially relaxed restrictions and said that 75% of the economy is now operational as 1 million people return to work and restaurants open for takeaway.

In addition to this, China has reported 6 new coronavirus cases and no deaths.

The UN rights chief has warned that countries flouting the rule of law in the name of fighting the novel coronavirus pandemic risk sparking a “human rights disaster”.

COVID-19 cases in India rise to 29,435; death toll at 934

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases in India has increased to 29,435 while 934 people have died due to it across the country, Union Health Ministry confirmed.

In the last 24 hours, 1,543 tested positive for novel coronavirus, it said.

At least 62 people succumbed to the pandemic in a day, the sharpest ever increase in death cases in India.

With 8,590 cases and 369 deaths, Maharashtra is the worst hit state.

It is followed by Gujarat and Delhi with 3,548 and 3,108 cases respectively.

The other worst affected states are Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

The recovery rate of COVID-19 patients in the country was a little more than 23% as 6,869 people have been cured or discharged, as per Health Ministry data.

So far, number of active cases stands at 21,632.

Assam: 11 poisoned vultures cured, released into the wild

A vet treating a poisoned vulture. (Source: WTI)

New Delhi (NVI): Veterinarians from Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in Assam have cured 11 vultures who were poisoned after eating a contaminated carcass and released them into the wild today.

These vultures were spotted at Dichagmukh area last week, suspected to have fed on a poisoned animal carcass on the banks of Brahmaputra of which 19 birds were already dead on April 21, WTI said.

Sharing a video of the birds being released today, WTI tweeted: “Our vet treated 11 #vultures rescued from feeding on a poisoned carcass in Sibsagar distt. and released them #BackToTheWild this morning. #MondayMotivation that keeps us going through #lockdown.”

First responders from Assam Forest Department and wildlife workers from BNHS working in the vicinity reached the spot on the 22nd of April and shifted thirteen surviving vultures to the forest facility at Sibsagar, where they were kept under observation for 24 hours, WTI said.

The forest department decided to shift them to the WTI-IFAW- Assam Forest Department run Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) at Kaziranga the following day, it said.




Two of the thirteen surviving vultures brought to CWRC were critical condition and didn’t survive (one slender billed and one white backed vulture), WTI said.

Dr Samshul Ali, the WTI veterinarian observed: “Secondary poisoning led to vulture deaths and remains a very critical issue. We are losing these threatened and critically endangered species, also known as nature’s cleaners. We tried our level best to stabilise the two seriously ill birds, but they succumbed in the early hours today. Right now, eleven birds are under care. We are hopeful of their recovery.”

Cases of secondary vulture poisoning in Assam continue to occur periodically, WTI said, adding that their veterinarians have successfully treated and released vultures around the same time in previous years.

Pak cleric blames women’s ‘obscenity’, ‘wrongdoings’ for coronavirus

New Delhi (NVI): A Pakistani cleric has said that the “wrongdoings” and “obscenity” are responsible for the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic which is a form of God’s wrath, reports Dawn.

Maulana Tariq Jameel, who has a huge following in Pakistan, made the remarks during a televised event on April 24 in which Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had also participated, the Pak daily reported.

Jameel was called in to say a prayer after the Ehsaas Telethon event which had been organised to raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts.

The cleric also condemned the women for dancing and over the way they dress, saying it was these “immodest actions” that have “brought the Almighty’s wrath upon the country”.

What is surprising is that the Pakistan PM did not stop him or interrupt him for making such remarks. The cleric faced severe backlash in Pakistan media, social media as well as among members of civil society.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has also condemned the Maulana for his “inexplicable” statement.

Taking to Twitter, the body said, “HRCP is appalled at Maulana Tariq Jamil’s recent statement inexplicably correlating women’s ‘modesty’ to the Covid19 pandemic. Such blatant objectification is unacceptable and, when aired on public television, only compounds the misogyny entrenched in society.

Nida Aly, director of the Asma Jahangir Legal Aid cell (AGHS), was quoted as saying by Dawn that Pakistan had seen a rise in the cases of violence against women, and extreme situations, including honour crimes, domestic violence, assault and abuse of women.

She said while women under lockdown needed security from the community, “the government trotted out Tariq Jamil on a broadly televised programme who not just objectified women but declared them and their individualist actions to bring the wrath of God and punishment in the form of Covid-19.”

COVID-19 cases doubling rate higher in Pune: MHA

Punya Salila Srivastava, Joint Secretary in the Home Ministry

New Delhi (NVI): The doubling rate of coronavirus cases in Pune, Maharashtra is 7 days, which is slightly higher than the rest of the country, a senior official from Union Ministry of Home Affairs said today.

One out of every 9 samples is found to be COVID-19 positive in Pune, while in the rest of the country, the average is 23 samples, according to Inter Ministerial Central Team (IMCT), the MHA official said.

Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Punya Salila Srivastava, while addressing a media briefing said, “The Inter-Ministerial Central Team of Pune found these results when they visited Pimpri-Chinchwad, Haranwadi and Baramati containment zones.”

The Joint Secretary further said, “Permissions for certain movements have been allowed during the course of lockdown. By 26th April, more than 80% wheat harvesting has been completed. More than 2000 (which is about 80%) mandis have also started working.”

She further said that around 2 crore labourers have been employed through MNREGA, for works related to large community assets like water conservation and irrigation.

Meanwhile, the Inter Ministerial Central Teams (IMCT) formed by MHA under Disaster Management Act, 2005, have reached their stated states and started working, she added.

IMCT has advised that high-risk persons should be identified fast; testing and surveillance should be increased and also contact-tracing is to be done fast. It is necessary to enforce protocols at places like slums and markets where social distancing is not being followed properly, the Joint Secretary said.

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