NEW DELHI:  Daily COVID-19 cases in India were recorded over 20,000 after a gap of 145 days while the active cases increased to 1,36,076, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.

A total of 20,139 new COVID-19 cases were reported in a span of 24 hours, pushing the total tally of cases to 4,36,89,989.

The death toll climbed to 5,25,557 with 38 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated. The active cases comprise 0.31 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 98.49 per cent, the ministry said. An increase of 3,619 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.

The daily positivity rate was recorded at 5.10 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 4.37 per cent, according to the ministry The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,30,28,356, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.20 per cent.

According to the ministry, 199.27 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 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 the one-crore mark on December 19. The country crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4 and three crore on June 23 last year. It crossed the four-crore mark on January 25 this year.

The 38 new fatalities include 16 from Kerala, 10 from Maharashtra, four from West Bengal, three from Delhi and one each from Assam, Bihar, Goa, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

A total of 5,25,557 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 1,48,001 from Maharashtra, 70,186 from Kerala, 40,125 from Karnataka, 38,028 from Tamil Nadu, 26,288 from Delhi, 23,549 from Uttar Pradesh and 21,255 from West Bengal.

The ministry stressed that more than 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities. “Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that state-wise distribution of figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena on Thursday informed Gotabaya Rajapaksa that he should submit his letter of resignation as the President as soon as possible or else he will consider other options to remove him from the office, according to a media report.

On Wednesday, the Parliament Speaker said that the President in a telephone conversation had informed that he would tender his letter of resignation during the day, before midnight. However, he has not done it yet.

Speaker Abeywardena said that he informed President Rajapaksa to submit his letter of resignation as soon as possible, citing that he too is under pressure, News First Lanka reported on Thursday.

He said that since an acting President has been appointed, the Office of the Speaker is exploring the legal provisions to consider the option of “have vacated his post” if the President does not tender in his letter of resignation, the report added.

A spokesperson from the Sri Lanka Parliament said that given that the President had not yet tendered his letter of resignation, it is uncertain if Parliament would be convened on Friday.

The Prime Minister’s Media Division on Wednesday said that the acting President has informed Speaker Abeywardena to nominate a Prime Minister who is acceptable to both the Government and Opposition. There have been mass protests in Sri Lanka.

At least 84 people were hospitalised when protesters clashed with the security forces at the prime minister’s office and at the main access junction to Parliament on Wednesday after Rajapaksa fled the country.

The police fired tear gas and water cannons at the mob who were trying to break barriers and enter the restricted zone. The police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said protesters had grabbed a T56 firearm and 60 bullets from a Sri Lanka Army soldier. A police complaint had been lodged, the police said.

Sri Lankan authorities on Thursday also lifted the curfew, which was imposed in the Western province after the eruption of violence in the capital here. Sri Lanka is going through a deepening political turmoil and economic crisis.

Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, is under the grip of an unprecedented economic turmoil, the worst in seven decades, leaving millions struggling to buy food, medicine, fuel and other essentials. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe last week said Sri Lanka is now a bankrupt country.

Mhatre is the first former corporator of Shiv Sena from Mumbai who has openly announced support for Shinde.

She had represented ward no 7 in suburban Dahisar in north Mumbai in 2012 and 2017.

On Tuesday night, Mhatre along with some Shiv Sena workers visited Shinde’s residence and expressed her support to him.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena had appointed Mhatre as the ‘sampark sanghatak’ (coordinator) for the Alibaug-Pen area.

The crucial elections for the Sena-controlled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) are slated to be held in the next few months.

Shinde’s rebellion last month led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

He was sworn in as the chief minister on June 30 with Bharatiya Janata Party’s Devendra Fadnavis as the deputy CM.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena Members of Parliament (MPs) have urged Uddhav to mend ties with Shinde and former ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a party MP said on Tuesday.

Stressing for an alliance, the MPs have conveyed to Thackeray that the BJP was a “natural ally” of the Shiv Sena unlike the “unnatural alliance” of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Sena MP Hemant Godse said.

The MVA comprised Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Congress.

The Shiv Sena MPs raised this issue on Monday during their meeting with Thackeray at his private residence in Mumbai.

The meeting was attended by 13 of the 18 MPs from Maharashtra— three had taken consent from the party to skip the meeting.

Talking to PTI, Godse, who represents the Nashik Lok Sabha constituency, accused the NCP of trying to create obstacles in projects in the constituencies held by Shiv Sena.

“The Shiv Sena-BJP alliance was a natural alliance,” he said, adding that the Sena has traditionally fought the NCP at the ground level.

Godse also said that he had fought against the Bhujbals in the last three Lok Sabha polls.

In 2009 Sameer Bhujbal, the nephew of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal.

He fought against the Bhujbal senior in 2014, and again with Sameer in 2019.

After the MVA government was formed in November 2019, Chhagan Bhujbal became the guardian minister of Nashik.

“The decades-old rivalries do not end in five years,” he said.

Godse cited the example of the Nashik Lok Sabha constituency to stress the importance of allying with the BJP.

Of the six assembly segments, three seats in Nashik city are represented by BJP MLAs.

The rest three — Sinnar, Igatpuri and Deolali- are with the NCP and the Congress, where Shiv Sena candidates had lost.

“If we continue with the MVA alliance, then what will our Sena candidates do? This is the biggest question that will arise. So, with regards to an alliance with the BJP or if Eknath Shinde desires to come back to the party. We requested (Thackeray) to accept him back in the party fold,” the MP said.

Shinde’s rebellion with most of the Sena MLAs led to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government last month.

Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister with BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy.

Godse also drew parallels between the 25 years of the alliance between the Shiv Sena and the BJP and the two-and-a-half years of the MVA.

He said the chemistry between Shiv Sena and BJP was better.

“We have expressed our opinion and the decision taken by (Uddhav Thackeray) saheb will be final,” he said about the meeting.

When asked if the Sena leadership declines the proposal of MPs to mend ties with the Shinde faction or the BJP, he said, “We will request him from time to time.”

SHIVAMOGGA: A 27-year-old Bajrang Dal activist was assaulted at Rajiv Gandhi Badavane in Shivamogga on Monday night. The injured Kantharaju, who sustained injuries to his hand, has been admitted to McGann Hospital. Superintendent of Police B M Laxmi Prasad told media persons here on Tuesday that the incident occurred around 11 pm on Monday.

“Five youths assaulted Kantharaju with lethal weapons. We have detained three people and searched is on for the others involved in the incident. As per the initial details that we have, the attackers were angry with him as he was involved in Bajrang Dal activities. But, we have intensified the probe,” the SP added. Meanwhile, BJP leaders, including party district president TD Megharaj, visited the hospital and enquired about Kantharaju’s health.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Tuesday conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas. He also visited Bodeli, Rajpipla, Navsari, and Chhota Udepur areas. Patel interacted with people in Bodeli, and took stock of the ongoing rescue and relief work from officials.

State Disaster Management Minister Rajendra Trivedi on Tuesday briefed the media persons about the review meeting held at the State Emergency Operations Center, Gandhinagar. 

Emphasising that the administration is fully equipped to deal with the situation, he said, “Out of the state’s eight districts, three Bharuch, Chhotaudepur, and Narmada—have come out of the red alert zone. Surat, Tapi, Navsari, Dang, and Valsad are still on red alert.” As many as 27,896 civilians have been relocated to safer areas, Trivedi said. 

NEW DELHI: Ahead of a key party meeting to discuss organisational elections and the much-touted ‘Bharat-Jodo Yatra’ starting October 2, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi flew abroad on a personal visit. However, he is expected to be back before the start of Parliament’s monsoon session on July 18 and polling for presidential elections. 

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has called a meeting of the party’s central in-charges, states heads, and chiefs of frontal organisations on July 14. The agenda is discussion on party president’s elections scheduled in mid-August and Kashmir to Kanyakumari ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’. 

Sources said Rahul flew to Europe early Tuesday and will be back to attend the monsoon session next week.

The trip comes at a time when the party is struggling to keep its flock together in Goa, where a group of Congress MLAs are looking to defect to the BJP.    

The meeting is expected to discuss the election for party president which has been pending for long.

Rahul had resigned as Congress chief in 2019 after the party’s debacle in the Lok Sabha elections. Rahul has often faced flak for his frequent visits abroad, especially at crucial junctures. 

His recent visit to Cambridge, UK, had courted controversy with the BJP saying that he did not take permission for the event.

The Congress had said that for private events, MPs don’t need clearance from the foreign ministry. 

In May this year, the BJP circulated videos of Rahul at a nightclub in Kathmandu where he had gone to attend a friend’s wedding. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will also chair a meeting of Congress Parliamentary Strategy Group on Thursday to discuss party’s strategy for upcoming monsoon session of Parliament starting July 18.

The Congress is looking to raise issues related to Agnipath scheme, inflation, unemployment and Indo-China border issues among others.  The Centre has also called an all-party meeting on July 17.

Three persons were missing in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district after heavy rains and incessant downpour led to a rise in water levels of several rivers in Nashik district, where many temples, located on the bed of the Godavari river, were submerged.

Officials said three persons were swept away in overflowing nullahs in the last three days and their bodies were fished out later.

However, three more persons are still missing after being swept away in the nullah , they said.

Mumbai and its adjoining areas also received moderate showers on Monday.

After eluding the capital for over a week, rains lashed parts of Delhi on Monday afternoon bringing temporary relief from the muggy weather conditions.

However, by evening, the weather again turned humid.

Moderate rainfall occurred at most places in Rajasthan while isolated places received heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours ending Monday morning, weather officials said.

At least seven people were killed as heavy rains pounded several parts of south and central Gujarat districts, causing a flood-like situation in many areas, while over 9,000 people were relocated and 468 rescued.

In south Gujarat, Dang, Navsari, Tapi, and Valsad districts were affected while the rain-hit districts in central Gujarat are Panchmahal, Chhota Udepur, and Kheda.

The Met department issued a warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy rains in Dang, Navsari, Valsad, Tapi and Surat during the next five days.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured Gujarat of all possible help from the Centre.

“Seven persons died in rain-related incidents in the last 24 hours, taking the death toll due to rain-related incidents like lightning, drowning, wall collapse etc in Gujarat to 63 since June 1,” state Disaster Management Minister Rajendra Trivedi said.

He said 18 platoons each of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed at strategic locations for rescue and relief operations as and when required.

A total of 5,278 people in Chhota Udepur district, 2,902 in Navsari and 469 in Valsad and a few more in other rain-affected districts were shifted from flooded areas to safer places, out of which 3,821 stayed while others returned home after the water receded, he said.

In Madhya Pradesh, the Met department issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in 33 of 52 districts of the state, while lightning amid steady downpour claimed seven lives in the last 24 hours.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said very heavy rainfall in the 64.5 to 204.4 mm range was likely to lash 33 districts.

An official from the revenue department said lightning strikes at various places killed seven persons in a 24-hour period ending at 2:30 pm on Monday, which took the statewide death toll from such incidents to 60 since June 1.

“The seven deaths in the last 24 hours comprised two in Mandla, and one each in Ashok Nagar, Datia, Guna, Narsinghpur and Narmadapurman,” the official added.

IMD data showed Pachmarhi, the state’s lone hill station, received 103.2 mm of rainfall in a 24-hour period ending 8:30 AM on Monday.

It also showed that Raisen, Betul, Narmadapuram, Jabalpur, Chhindwara, Bhopal, Gwalior and Indore received 86.4 mm, 72.6 mm, 70.4 mm, 55.0 mm, 55.0 mm, 46.4 mm, 21.9 mm and 17.2 mm rainfall, respectively, during this period.

In Maharashtra, three persons were missing in Gadchiroli district after heavy rains.

Heavy showers continued to lash Nashik district, causing a rise in water levels of several rivers and submerging many temples located on the bed of the Godavari river.

The IMD has issued a ‘red’ alert for Nashik district till July 14, forecasting heavy to extremely heavy rains of over 20 cm in 24 hours.

Pune district, too, has been witnessing heavy rains since the last few days.

In Gadchiroli district in eastern Maharashtra, three persons were swept away in overflowing nullahs in the last three days and their bodies were fished out later, said a release issued by the District Information Office (DIO).

In Gadchiroli, as many as 353 people from 129 places affected by heavy rains have been shifted to safer places, it said.

In the last 24 hours, Surgana in Nashik district received the highest rainfall at 238.8 mm, followed by Peth at 187.6 mm and Trimbakeshwar at 168 mm, an official said.

Light to moderate rains also lashed Mumbai and its neighbouring areas on Monday, but there was no report of water-logging anywhere in the metropolis, civic officials said.

The IMD has predicted moderate rainfall in the city and its suburbs over the next 24 hours, with a possibility of heavy showers at isolated places, they said.

A landslide occurred on a road leading to the famous Bhimashankar temple in Pune district in the early hours of Monday following heavy rains, officials said.

Meanwhile, an official bulletin on Monday said over 3.79 lakh people are still reeling under floods across 10 districts of Assam, which was battered by heavy spells of rain last month.

According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), no death due to drowning was reported during the day, with the toll in this year’s flood and landslides standing at 192.

Amid heavy rains in its catchment areas, water will be discharged from the Khadakwasla dam in Maharashtra’s Pune district on Monday night, an irrigation department official said.

He said the collective water storage in four dams – Panshet, Warasgaon, Tembhar and Khadakwasla, that provide water to Pune city, stood at over 9 TMC (32.48) per cent.

“Owing to heavy rains in catchment areas of the Khadakwasla dam, the water level is over 75 per cent till Monday evening. With the water level rising, water will be released at 1,000 Cusecs (one cubic foot per second) in the Mutha river at 11.30 pm on Monday,” the official said.

Meanwhile, India Meteorological Department predicted overcast conditions for the Pune area on Tuesday and Wednesday with moderate to isolated heavy rains and very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in the ghat areas.

“With cloud covering Pune district and Pune city, the monsoon will be vigorous and will continue till July 14. Water logging and inundation may take place in low-lying areas,” said an IMD official.

Meanwhile, at least 16 incidents of trees falling and uprooting were reported in Pune city, Fire Brigade officials said.

A portion of an old wada (big house with many rooms) collapsed in the Somwar Peth area, but no one was injured in the incident.

As many as 83 people have died in rain-related incidents in Maharashtra between June 1 and July 10, the state disaster management authority said in a report on Monday.

The report said 164 animals, too, have perished during the same period in rain-related incidents.

Nashik district in North Maharashtra recorded the maximum number of deaths at 12 followed by Nagpur (four).

These deaths were caused by incidents like floods, lightning strikes, landslides, falling of trees and collapse of structures, among others, it said.

Chandrapur, Parbhani, Osmanabad, Hingoli, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Sangli, Solapur, Raigad, Thane and Mumbai did not record any fatality since the beginning of the monsoon last month, the report said.

Several parts of the state, including Mumbai and its adjoining areas, witnessed heavy rainfall between June 1 and July 10.

Heavy rains continued to lash Nashik district on Monday, causing a rise in water levels of several rivers and submerging many temples located on the bed of the Godavari river, officials said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘red’ alert for Nashik district till July 14, forecasting heavy to extremely heavy rains of over 20 cm in 24 hours.

Pune and Gadchiroli districts, too, have been witnessing downpour rains since the last few days.

After four straight days of downpour last week, Mumbai has been witnessing light to moderate rainfall.

Dona is the wife of former cricketer and current BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, who himself is said to be in the race. According to party insiders, the second seat would be given to either Dona or Sourav.

Mithun Chakraborty had campaigned for the BJP in the last Assembly elections as well as the Lok Sabha bypolls. “He still has enormous magnetic appeal and it was seen during his campaign in the Asansol LS bypoll recently. He will certainly be an added advantage for us,” said a BJP leader with the caveat that only the top leadership can say anything on the record. Popularly known as ‘Disco Dancer’, a moniker conferred on him by his fans for his outstanding performance in the movie with the same name, has also become active in politics after a short gap. According to sources, he recently went to the West Bengal BJP office and expressed his willingness to spend time on party affairs in the state. 

“Chakraborty’s nomination to the Rajya Sabha will not only give a strong message to the masses but it will also increase two votes for the upcoming vice-presidential elections,” said political analyst P K D Nambiar.

At present, the saffron party has no representative from West Bengal in the Rajya Sabha ahead of upcoming vice-presidential elections after the terms of Ganguly and Dasgupta ended recently.

Speculations about the Ganguly couple’s Rajya Sabha prospects began after Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited their home during his last visit to the state and had dinner with them. The Gangulys have neither confirmed nor denied reports of their being considered for Rajya Sabha.