Archives for February 2021

MUMBAI: Maharashtra school education minister Varsha Gaikwad on Friday said the Std 10th and 12th boardexaminations will be held in the state.

She denied reports that Std 10th examination has been canceled due to the surge in coronavirus cases in the state.

In schools where coronavirus cases have been found, local authorities have been directed to ensure that necessary hygiene and disinfection measures are taken, the minister said.

Considering the rise in cases in some districts, the local administration has been asked to close schools for some time from March 1 if felt necessary, Gaikwad said.

MUMBAI: Aviation regulator DGCA on Friday extended the suspension of international commercial passenger flight services till March 31.

Scheduled international flight operations were suspended from March 23 last year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

“In partial modification of circular dated June 26, 2020, the competent authority has further extended the validity. Regarding scheduled international commercial passenger services to and from India till 23.59 pm IST of March 31, 2021,” the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a circular.

However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on select routes by the competent authority on case-to-case basis, it said.

The restriction will not apply to cargo flights and flights specifically approved by DGCA, the circular added.

Amid the suspension, special international flights have been allowed under the Vande Bharat Mission since May last year and under bilateral “air bubble” arrangements with select countries since July.

India has formed air bubble pacts with several countries including the US, the UK, the UAE, Kenya, Bhutan and France, among others.

Under an air bubble pact between two countries, special international flights can be operated by their airlines between their territories.

Mohammad Yousuf Khan, sarpanch of Kamalkote, said cessation of hostilities along the LoC is a big relief.

SRINAGAR: Relieved over the agreement between the armies of India and Pakistan to strictly follow the ceasefire accord, the residents of border areas in Jammu and Kashmir said it should be a permanent ceasefire. “The border ceasefire will bring a lot of respite to us. We could now move freely from our dhoks (huts) and do normal chores without any threat of facing Pakistani bullets, mortar and artillery shells,” said Imtiyaz Ahmad, a resident of Kamalkote, close to the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector. 

Since Kamalkote is about 100 to 200 metres away from the LoC, it is always prone to shelling. “We are happy over the ceasefire agreement, but want it to be a permanent affair and not a temporary one. The ceasefire can lead to peace,” Imtiyaz said adding, “The cross-LoC trade should also be thrown open”.

Two residents of Kamalkote were killed and two others injured, one of them lost both legs, in heavy cross-LoC shelling on November 13 last year. Mohammad Yousuf Khan, sarpanch of Kamalkote, said cessation of hostilities along the LoC is a big relief. “We pray that both countries stick to the border ceasefire. It will allow us to start our normal chores of life without any threat or fear,” Khan said.

He said the administration should take this opportunity to construct underground bunkers so the villagers can take refuge in them in case of outbreak of hostilities in future. Mohammad Aslam, a resident of Salotri in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district, said if there is no shelling, they could do farming and graze their cattle. Aslam had lost three of his family members on March 1, 2019 cross-LoC shelling. 

India and Pakistan’s decision to strictly follow the ceasefire was welcomed by the UN and the US. While UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said it was encouraging to note the steps announced by India and Pakistan along the LoC, the US called it a positive step towards greater peace and stability in South Asia. “The US welcomes the joint statement between India and Pakistan that the two countries have agreed to maintain strict observance of a ceasefire along the LoC starting on February 25,” White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said. “United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is “encouraged” by India and Pakistan`s decision to strictly observe all agreements on a ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC),” UN Secretary General’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

BJP retained power in all six municipal corporations in Gujarat after the polls. In Surat, the AAP came second with 27 seats while the BJP bagged 93 of the 120 seats.

MUMBAI:  Days, after the AAP won 27 seats in the elections to Surat Municipal Corporation in Gujarat, party chief, and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Friday, took out a roadshow in the industrial city to thank the electorate. https://storage.googleapis.com/vendo-gcs.mmpww.com/jwplayer/index.html?r=18871384

BJP retained power in all six municipal corporations in Gujarat after the polls. In Surat, the AAP came second with 27 seats while the BJP bagged 93 of the 120 seats. The Congress, which had won 36 seats last time, drew a blank.

During his address to the party corporators here, Kejriwal said, “The people of Gujarat are watching you with great hope. In our first attempt, AAP won 28 Assembly seats in Delhi and came to power. People trusted us because they knew we are true patriots”

“In the 49 days of our rule, we did a lot of pro-people work. As a result, the people of Delhi gave us 67 seats in the second election. Now, six crore people of Gujarat will observe the work of 27 AAP corporators. If you perform well, I am sure there will be a huge revolution in 2022,” Kejriwal added.

Kejriwal also warned the corporators of BJP contacting them to switch sides. “I am sure that BJP people will call you. But remember, our true wealth is people’s trust. If anyone of you switches side, it will break the trust of six crore people.”

The Election Commission of India announced the poll schedule for TN, Kerala and Puducherry in the south and West Bengal and Assam in the east, sounding the bugle for the next big battle for states.

NEW DELHI / KOLKATA / GUWAHATI: The onset of summer will coincide with soaring political temperatures in the country as four states and a Union Territory will see electoral heat in March-end and April. https://storage.googleapis.com/vendo-gcs.mmpww.com/jwplayer/index.html?r=52142890

The Election Commission of India announced the poll schedule for TN, Kerala and Puducherry in the south and West Bengal and Assam in the east, sounding the bugle for the next big battle for states.

The assembly elections in Bengal will be chief minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee’s biggest test yet in the face of a saffron onslaught while Assam will see the ruling BJP face a challenge from a plethora of coalitions.

Among the two southern states, Congress nurtures hope of returning to power in Kerala. In TN, the two national parties will piggyback on the local players Congress on the DMK and BJP on the AIADMK.

Puducherry is heading for an interesting fight amid defections from the Congress to the BJP, leading to President’s Rule.

The BJP, under the leadership of JP Nadda, will seek to assert its status as a pan-India party as it hopes to reap political dividends of the Citizenship Amendment Act in Assam and Bengal.

Ranking heavily on turncoats from the ranks of the TMC, the BJP is hoping to build on the massive gains it made in Bengal in the 2019 LS poll, bagging 18 seats and over 40% vote share.

In Assam, the party, in alliance with regional players, will seek to outsmart the Opposition, while the Congress-AIUDF combine will attempt to consolidate minority votes.

In Kerala, the BJP, which had polled about 15% votes in 2016, will make a pitch to establish itself as the third force. To find a foothold in TN, the party is experimenting with caste equations by promoting Dalit and OBC faces.

The Congress, which is grappling with leadership issue and infighting, has grim chances in Bengal, where it’s contesting in alliance with the Left, but is looking at making some gains in Assam. But the party’s main focus is on Kerala, especially because Rahul Gandhi is MP from Wayanad, though the Left Front’s performance in the local body polls is a cause of worry for the Congress-led UDF.

NEW DELHI: India registered a single-day spike of over 16,000 COVID-19 cases for the third day in a row on Saturday, pushing the infection tally to 1,10,79,979, while the recoveries surged to 1,07,63,451, according to Union Health Ministry data.

A total of 16,488 novel coronavirus cases were reported in a day, while the death toll rose to 1,56,938 with 113 new fatalities, showed the data updated at 8 am on Saturday.

The active case count has further increased to 1,59,590, which comprises 1.44 per cent of the total infections, the data stated.

The number of recoveries reached 1,07,63,451, which translates to a national COVID-19 recovery rate of 97.14 per cent and the case fatality rate stands at 1.42 per cent.

A total of 16,577 new COVID-19 cases were reported in India on Friday, while 16,738 fresh infections were registered in the country on Thursday.

India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7; 30 lakh on August 23; 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.

It went past  60 lakh on September 28; 70 lakh on October 11; crossed 80 lakh on October 29; 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed one crore on December 19.

The 113 new fatalities include 48 from Maharashtra, 15 from Punjab and 14 from Kerala.

The death toll from the pandemic stands at 52,041 in Maharashtra, 12,488 in Tamil Nadu, 12,320 in Karnataka, 10,906 in Delhi, 10,263 in West Bengal, 8,725 in Uttar Pradesh and 7,169 in Andhra Pradesh.

For the first time, a coronavirus-linked death has been reported in Lakshadweep.

The Health Ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths were caused due to comorbidities.

“Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR),” the ministry said on its website, adding state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.

PALGHAR: The authorities in Maharashtra’s Palghar have banned weekly markets and mass marriages across the district in view of the prevailing coronavirus situation in the state, an official said on Friday.

An order to this effect was issued by district collector Manik Gursal on Thursday, he said.

“Weekly markets are a regular feature in Palghar and other rural parts of Maharashtra.

However, in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases in the state, the collector ordered a ban on the weekly markets in the district from February 25 till further orders,” the official said.

The collector also banned mass weddings in the district to avoid large gatherings, he added.

“The administration has started cracking down on marriage halls to check compliance of COVID-19 guidelines and action is being taken against the violators,” the official said.

According to him, only 50 people can attend a wedding as per the guidelines.

The coronavirus tally in Palghar district has gone up to 45,838 with the addition of 45 cases on Thursday,while the death toll has reached 1,204, another official said.

MUMBAI: An FIR has been registered in connection with the seizure of a vehicle, which had explosive material inside it, from near industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence in South Mumbai, police said on Friday.

The vehicle with gelatin sticks and apparently a fake number plate was found parked on Thursday on Carmichael Road near ‘Antilia’, the multi-storey residence of Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries.

The FIR has been registered at the Gamdevi Police Station against unidentified persons, a Mumbai Police spokesperson said.

Police have registered the case under Indian Penal Code sections 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), 465 (punishment for forgery), 473 (making or possessing counterfeit seal), 506(2) (criminal intimidation, if threat be to cause death or grievous hurt), 120(B) (criminal conspiracy), the spokesperson said.

Section four of the Explosive Substances Act, 1908, (punishment for attempt to cause explosion, or for making or keeping explosive with intent to endanger life or property) has also been included in the FIR, the official said, adding that the vehicle has been seized.

The registration number on the vehicle’s number plate was the same as that of an SUV in Ambani’s security detail, police had said.

A letter was also found inside the car, the spokesperson said, without revealing its contents.

Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had tweeted, “Twenty gelatin explosives sticks were found in a Scorpio van in the vicinity of industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s residence in Mumbai. The Mumbai Crime Branch police is investigating the matter and the findings will be out soon.”