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The 61-year-old Union Education Minister said he is following medical advice after his report came positive.
NEW DELHI: Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.
“This is to inform you all that I have tested COVID positive today. I am taking medication and treatment as per the advice of my doctors. Request all those who have come in my contact recently to be observant, and get themselves tested.
Bidar: Former MLA Syed Zulfiqar Hashmi (57), passed away due to kidney failure in the early hours of Tuesday at a Hospital in Hyderabad. The deceased is survived by his wife, three sons, two daughters, and a multitude of relatives and friends.
After joining politics at the age of 27, in 1994, as a BSP candidate, Syed Zulfiqar Hashmi was elected to the Vidhana Sabha from the Bidar constituency. Thereafter he had contested as a JDS candidate from the Bidar region for the Vidhana Sabha and lost in the elections. For some years after that, he had also been a recognized figure within the Congress.
Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar on Tuesday said Bengaluru has emerged as an epicentre of coronavirus cases in Karnataka and there was a need to work on a war footing.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, “Bengaluru is the epicentre of Karnataka. If you see the total cases, at least 70 per cent are reported in Bengaluru.”
He was replying to queries on the all-party meeting to be chaired by Governor Vajubhai Vala.
Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa will attend the meeting virtually as he has got reinfected by the virus and is undergoing treatment.
Sudhakar said there will be discussion on Bengaluru and seven other districts, which have been designated as sensitive zones in view of the alarming rise in COVID cases.
He added that the government will seriously consider constructive suggestions by the opposition leaders such as Siddaramaiah, Congress state chief D K Shivakumar and JD(S) leader and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy.
According to him, the meeting has been convened because everyone has a role to play in this pandemic season and it should not be left to the government alone.
To a question on opposition’s accusation that the government has miserably failed in managing the situation, Sudhakar said, “We have to be battle-ready for this war. We have to strive to protect people and their lives.
This is where our focus should be.”
He, however, said, “We are unable to provide more number of ICU beds to the patients due to the rising coronavirus cases.”
The minister also pointed out that India alone was not confronting the shortage of beds but the entire world, including the most advanced nations.
“Why is the death rate high in America and Europe? Is their health system there in disarray? This is a major pandemic spreading rapidly across the globe, which we had never seen before,” Sudhakar said.
He underlined that infrastructure can still be created but the army of doctors and nurses cannot be raised overnight.
To another question on stringent measures to contain COVID-19 surge, Sudhakar blamed people for the current situation stating that if they had strictly followed the norms, there was no need for any lockdown or night curfew. PTI GMS ROH
New Delhi: The ICSE class 10 board exams have been cancelled in view of the worsening COVID-19 situation and the option for students to appear later has been withdrawn, board secretary Gerry Arathoon said on Tuesday.
Last week, the board had postponed both class 10 and 12 exams.
The Council for The Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) had announced that class 10 students will get an option to either write the exams later or get evaluated on the basis of an alternative criteria.
“Given the present worsening situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the CICSE has decided to cancel the class 10 examination. The option for students announced earlier, stands withdrawn. The safety and wellbeing of our students and teaching faculty is of topmost priority and paramount importance,” said Arathoon, Secretary and Chief Executive of the CISCE.
“We are committed to devise a fair and unbiased criterion for declaring class 10 results. The criterion as well as the date of declaration fo results will be announced later,” he said.
Dubai: The International Cricket Council on Monday said the World Test Championship final, to be contested between India and New Zealand in Southampton from June 18, will go ahead as planned after Britain added India to travel “red list” after COVID-19 caseload surge.
India entering the “red list” effectively bans all travel from the country and makes a 10-day hotel quarantine compulsory for UK residents arriving back home.
However, the ICC expressed confidence in staging the WTC final in a bio-secure environment.
“The ECB and other members have demonstrated how we can stage international cricket safely in the middle of a pandemic and we are confident that we can continue to do that and that the WTC Final will go ahead as planned in June in the UK,” said the ICC in a statement.
“We are currently discussing with the UK Government the impact of countries being on the red list’,” it added.
The Indian women’s cricket team is also scheduled to tour UK in June. The men’s team is also to play five Tests in England starting August 4.
Bengaluru: Ruling out talks with the workers of road transport corporations (RTC) whose strike completed the 13th day on Monday, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi appealed to them to resume work.
Stating that it was not right to go on strike as the State is reeling under the COVID-19 pandemic, Savadi, holding the transport portfolio, warned those instigating or creating fear among employees who have returned or willing to return to work.
The employees of the four transport corporations have been keeping off work demanding wages as per the 6th Pay Commission recommendations.
Noting that employees were slowly returning to work, Savadi, in a statement, said over 7,000 RTC buses were operating and some private buses were plying to cater to the public.
He said over 110 buses have been damaged in stone-hurling in the name of strike, causing loss to the RTCs.
“Today too, three KSRTC buses were stoned and two employees, who were coming to duty, were assaulted. This is condemnable. The government will not tolerate such goondas,” he said, adding that those indulging in such acts and causing fear among employees or instigating them would be punished.
Rejecting reports of talks between government and the RTC employees, Savadi said, “The Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has himself ruled out talks and asked them to get back to work.”
He dismissed as false the claims made by some leaders of RTC employees to the media that talks have been held with Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
Bommai too issued a statement clarifying that he had only requested Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, honorary president of the Karnataka State Road Transport Employees League, who met him this morning, to withdraw the strike in the interest of the people.
“I had only requested them to withdraw strike and get back to work. No assurance was given regarding the Pay Commission.
I have only said that I would bring their demand to the notice of the Chief Minister and Transport Minister,” he said.
Mumbai: The spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali tormented the Rajasthan Royals batting line-up to ensure a second consecutive win for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL here on Monday.
Cameos from Faf du Plessis (33 off 17), Dwayne Bravo (20 not out off 8), Ambati Raydu (27 off 17) and Ali (26 off 20) helped CSK post 188 for nine after being put in to bat.
Royals made a promising start in the run chase courtesy Jos Buttler (49 off 35) before the batsmen succumbed to the spinners on the Wankhede pitch which offered more turn than earlier games. CSK won the game by 45 runs after Royals’ innings ended at 143 for nine.
Ali (3/7 in 3 overs) picked up three wickets in quick succession to effectively seal the game for his team after Jadeja (2/28 in 4) provided the crucial breakthrough by castling Buttler with a classical away turning delivery. One of the best fielders around, Jadeja also took four catches.
It was another emphatic win for CSK after they outplayed Punjab Kings while Royals suffered their second loss in three games.
Earlier, CSK lost wickets towards the end with the batsmen going for big hits and also in the face of some good bowling by Royals.
Bravo smashed a huge six off the last ball of the innings from Mustafizur Rahman (1/37) to ensure the Super Kings got close to 190.
Du Plessis top scored with 33 as the CSK batsmen got starts but couldn’t capitalise on them after.
Young Chetan Sakariya (3/36 from 4) was the best bowler for Rajasthan while Chris Morris finished with 2/33 despite conceding 15 runs in his final over.
M S Dhoni, in his 200th match as CSK captain, came in to bat at No.7 but could not get going as quickly as he would have liked. He, however, managed two boundaries in his 17-ball 18 before being beaten by an off-cutter by Sakariya only to give a catch to Jos Buttler.
He survived a run-out chance and a few anxious moments in his brief knock.
Rayudu and Suresh Raina (18, 15 balls, 1 four, 1 six) added 45 runs in quick time for the fourth wicket before the former perished going for an attacking shot on the off-side off Sakariya.
Sakariya struck again a few balls later, getting Raina to hit one straight to Morris at mid-off as CSK slipped to 125 for fice in the 15th over.
Rayudu hit sixes off successive deliveries in Tewatia’s second over, scoring 14 runs as he and Raina attempted to take advantage of the fifth and sixth bowlers (Tewatia and Riyan Parag) employed by Royals skipper Samson.
Tewatia had begun well by conceding only five runs in his opening over and got ride of Moeen Ali (26 off 20).
Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad’s struggles continued as his attempt to hit his way out saw him miscue a pull only to see it lob to Shivam Dube off Rahman. He fell for 10 (13 balls, 1 four) after adding 25 runs for the first wicket with fellow opener du Plessis.
The South African showed intent and waded into Jaydev Unadkat in the fifth over, hammering three fours and one six before an ambitious shot brought his downfall off Morris’ bowling.
Allahabad: Amid a surge in coronavirus cases, the Allahabad High Court on Monday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to impose a week-long lockdown in Lucknow, Allahabad, Kanpur Nagar, Varanasi and Gorakhpur.
Reacting to the order, the UP government, however, said there will be no “complete lockdown” in the cities for now.
A two-judge bench comprising justices Siddhartha Varma and Ajit Kumar passed the lockdown order on a Public Interest Litigation on the condition of quarantine centres in the state and treatment of coronavirus patients.
“We are of the considered view that in given scenario of present time if people are restrained from going outside their homes for a week in the first instance, the current chain of spread of COVID infection can be broken and this will also give some respite to the frontline medical and health workers.” the bench observed.
Accordingly, we are passing the directions in respect of cities of Prayagraj (Allahabad), Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur Nagar and Gorakhpur and we direct the government to strictly enforce them forthwith,” it said.
“All establishments be it government or private, except financial institutions and financial departments, medical and health services, industrial and scientific establishments, essential services including municipal functions, and public transport, shall remain closed till 26th April, 2021. The judiciary will, however, function on its own discretion,” the bench said.
The state has witnessed a spurt in coronavirus cases over the past few weeks.
Responding to the order, Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary, Information, Navneet Sehgal said strict curbs are necessary to control the spread of the virus and that the government has taken several steps in that direction.
However, he said, alongside saving lives, protecting livelihoods is also important.
“Therefore, there will be no complete lockdown in the cities for now. People are automatically closing many places,” he said.
He did not say whether the government intends to move the Supreme Court against the HC order.
NEW DELHI: As India reels under a massive spike in coronavirus cases, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has asked the Army to extend assistance to state administrations to deal with the pandemic, including by offering help in creation of additional capacities to treat COVID-19 patients.
Sources in the security establishment said following Singh’s communication to Army Chief Gen MM Naravane, it was decided that the Army would consider offering treatment to civilians in its medical facilities, wherever possible, besides extending other assistance to civil administrations.
Singh has conveyed to Gen MM Naravane that the Army units in various states can get in touch with state administrations to understand their requirement like creation of additional capacities to deal with increasing volume of patients.
Subsequently, it was decided that the senior-most Army officer in a state would get in touch with the chief minister to understand the requirement and take forward the process, including offering to treat civilians wherever possible, they said.
The sources said the defence minister has been in touch with the top brass of his ministry and the three forces on how the civilian administration across the country could be assisted in battling the coronavirus situation.
The sources said it was also communicated to the leadership of the Indian Air Force and the Navy to gear up their preparedness in dealing with the situation.
Separately, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar reviewed the possible areas where the armed forces can extend assistance to the civilian authorities.
Following his review, the Defence Ministry instructed 67 hospitals run by Cantonment Boards across the country to ensure medical services to cantonment residents as well as those from outside.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has already been told to extend all possible assistance it can extend to civil administrations across the country.
The DRDO has already reopened a medical facility near the Delhi airport for treatment of COVID-19 patients.
The facility has been made operational with 250 beds and their number is being increased to 1,000.
The premier organisation is coming up with a similar facility in Lucknow.
India has witnessed a massive spike in coronavirus infections as the country recorded over two lakh cases daily in the last five days.
In view of the rapid surge in infections, India is facing an acute shortage of hospital beds, oxygen, essential drugs.
NEW DELHI: India’s total tally of COVID-19 cases climbed to 1,53,21,089 with 2,59,170 new coronavirus infections being reported in a day, while active cases surpassed the 20-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.
Registering a steady increase for the 41st day in a row, the active cases increased to 20,31,977, comprising 13.26 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has dropped to 85.56 per cent.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 1,31,08,582, while the case fatality rate has further dropped to 1.18 per cent, the data stated.
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 the one-crore mark on December 19.
According to the ICMR, 26,94,14,035 samples have been tested up to April 19 with 15,19,486 samples being tested on Monday.
The 1,716 new fatalities include 351 from Maharashtra, 240 from Delhi, 175 from Chhattisgarh, 167 from Uttar Pradesh, 146 from Karnataka, 117 from Gujarat, 83 from Punjab, 79 from Madhya Pradesh, 53 from Rajasthan, 46 from Jharkhand, 44 from Tamil Nadu, 41 from Bihar and 38 from West Bengal and 33 from Haryana.
A total of 1,80,530 deaths have been reported so far in the country including 60,824 from Maharashtra, 13,497 from Karnataka ,13,157 from Tamil Nadu, 12,361 from Delhi, 10,606 from West Bengal, 9,997 from Uttar Pradesh, 7,985 from Punjab and 7,437 from Andhra Pradesh.