Tag: asks

COVID-19 surge: Centre asks states to stay alert, identify hotspots

[ad_1]
New Delhi: Amid rising cases of coronavirus, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday held a review meeting and advised states to stay alert and be prepared for COVID-19 management.
In the meeting with state health ministers and principal and additional chief secretaries held virtually, Mandaviya stressed on identifying emergency hotspots by monitoring trends of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases, ramping up testing and vaccination and ensuring readiness of hospital infrastructure.
Along with enhancing genome sequencing and ramping up whole genome sequencing of positive samples, he also emphasised on creating awareness about following Covid-appropriate behaviour.

The Centre and the states need to continue working in collaborative spirit as was done during the previous surges for COVID-19 prevention and management, Mandaviya said.
He also urged the state health ministers to conduct mock drills of all hospital infrastructure on April 10 and 11 and review the health preparedness with district administrations and health officials on April 8 and 9.
States and Union territories were further informed that currently WHO is closely tracking one variant of interest (VOI), XBB.1.5 and six other variants are under monitoring (BQ.1, BA.2.75, CH.1.1, XBB, XBF and XBB.1.16), a health ministry statement said.
It was highlighted that while Omicron and its sub-lineages continue to be the predominant variant, most of the assigned variants have little or no significant transmissibility, disease severity or immune escape. The prevalence of XBB.1.16 increased from 21.6 per cent in February to 35.8 per cent in March, 2023.
However, no evidence of an increase in hospitalisation or mortality has been reported, the statement said.

During the meeting, it was observed that 23 states and Union territories had average tests per million below the national average, according to a health ministry statement.
Mandaviya said irrespective of the new variants, the five-fold strategy of ‘Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate and adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour’ continue to remain the tested strategy for Covid management.
This would facilitate undertaking of appropriate public health measures, he said.
States and Union territories were also requested to expeditiously increase the rate of testing from the current rate of 100 tests per million, as on the week ending April 7. They were further advised to increase the share of RT-PCR in tests, the statement said.
The states and Union territories were briefed that the country has been witnessing a steady increase in COVID-19 cases with average daily cases rising to 4,188 in the week ending April 7 from 571 in the week ending March 17; and weekly positivity up to 3.02 per cent in the week ending April 7.
However, 88,503 daily average cases have been reported globally in the same time, with the top five countries contributing 62.6 per cent of global cases in the last one week, the statement said.
It was also informed that while India has achieved over 90 per cent coverage of primary vaccination, the coverage of precaution dose is very low.
The Union health minister advised the states and Union territories to ramp up vaccination of all eligible population, especially of the elderly and vulnerable population group.
It was also observed that eight states are reporting high number of Covid cases in India with 10 or more districts reporting more than 10 per cent positivity in Kerala, Maharashtra and Delhi and over 5 districts reporting more than 5 per cent positivity in Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Haryana.
Mandaviya stressed on the importance of enhancing public awareness campaigns regarding adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour. He requested all the state health ministers to personally monitor and review the preparedness of all logistics and infrastructure including availability of sufficient designated hospital beds and ensure that there is adequate stock of essential medicines.
States were also asked to regularly update their Covid data on the Covid India portal.
They were reminded of the joint advisory issued by the Union health ministry and ICMR to all states on March 25 which calls for a reinvigorated public health response to contain the surge of seasonal influenza and Covid cases through early detection, isolation, testing and timely management of suspected and confirmed cases to detect and contain outbreaks of new SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Mandaviya requested he states and Union territories to ensure effective implementation. There was comprehensive and detailed discussion on various aspects of COVID management including ramping up of hospital infrastructure; increased testing.
Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangaswamy, health ministers of Uttarakhand (Dhan Singh Rawat), Assam (Keshab Mahanta), Goa (Vishwajit Rane), Jharkhand (Banna Gupta), Madhya Pradesh (Prabhuram Choudhury), Punjab (Balbir Singh), Manipur (Sapan Ranjan Singh), Haryana (Anil Vij), Tamil Nadu (Thiru Ma Subramanian) and Telangana (Thanneeru Harish Rao) among others attended the meeting.
[ad_2]
#COVID19 #surge #Centre #asks #states #stay #alert #identify #hotspots
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 7, 2023
Allahabad HC asks UP govt to upload OBC panel report on website

[ad_1]
Lucknow: The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to upload the OBC Commission’s report on OBC reservation in urban local bodies’ polls on the state Urban Development Department’s website within four days.
The state government had constituted the Uttar Pradesh Backward Classes Commission to study the representation of OBCs in the urban local bodies.
The responsibility of the Commission was to collect data on the political backwardness of the OBCs.

A division bench of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Manish Kumar passed the order on a writ petition filed by Vikas Agarwal.
Agarwal had challenged the state government’s draft notification issued on March 30, 2023, regarding reservation of Nighasan Nagar Panchayat in the Lakhimpur Kheri district.
In his writ, the petitioner had submitted before the high court that the Commission’s report was not in the public domain, making it impossible for him to file an objection.
“As regards other relief made in this petition, we see no reason to interfere at this stage for the reason that the petitioner has already been informed that the ‘Agarwal’ caste does not fall in the OBC category,” the court said.
“Now, when the petitioner is aware that the seat pertaining to the Nagar Panchayat Nighasan has been reserved for the OBC category and the petitioner does not belong to the same, other relief can be claimed at the appropriate stage as and when the need arises,” the court added.

The Supreme Court on March 27 permitted the State Election Commission to issue notifications to roll out the election process for local bodies in Uttar Pradesh within two days.
Thereafter, a draft notification on reservation in the urban local bodies’ polls was issued on March 30 and the government invited objections by April 6.
[ad_2]
#Allahabad #asks #govt #upload #OBC #panel #report #website
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 7, 2023
Amid fresh spike in Covid-19 cases DHSK asks CMOs to increase testing rate

[ad_1]
Srinagar, April 03: Amid fresh spike in Covid-19 cases in Kashmir, Directorate of Health Services Kashmir has directed all Chief Medical Officers of the Valley to increase rate of Covid-19 testing and establish Flu clinics at all health institutions.
According to an order, a copy of which lies with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), DHSK stated that there is no increase in the Covid-19 testing rate.
“Furthermore, there hasn’t been any increase in the proportion testing of RT- PCR which should be the benchmark of minimum 80% of total Covid19 testing,” it reads.
DHSK directed CMOs to increase the rate of Covid19 testing, proportion of RT-PCR testing and ensure the establishment of Flu Clinics at all the health institutions as per the guidelines issued by MOHFW—(KNO)
[ad_2]
#fresh #spike #Covid19 #cases #DHSK #asks #CMOs #increase #testing #rate
( With inputs from : roshankashmir.net )

April 3, 2023
Anti-toll gate panel asks voters to defeat BJP in Karnataka assembly poll

[ad_1]
Mangaluru: The anti-toll gate action committee, which spearheaded the successful agitation against the toll gate at Surathkal here has asked voters in the twin districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi to defeat the BJP in the ensuing assembly elections for imposing hefty hike in toll charges on highways.
In a statement here, the committee convenor Muneer Katipalla strongly criticised the union government’s decision to increase highway toll charges by 25 per cent with effect from April 1.
Katipalla said the hike in toll charges has burdened the people who are already affected by price rise and increased cost of living.

Toll charges have now been increased at the four toll plazas in DK and Udupi districts, he said.
The common people should show their political will to teach the BJP a lesson in the coming elections and force all political parties not to act to benefit of corporates, he said.
While DK has two toll gates at Talapady on the National Highway border with Kerala and Brahmarakootlu on the Mangaluru-Bengaluru NH 75. Udupi has two toll plazas at Hejmady and Sasthana, both on NH 66.
Subscribe us on

[ad_2]
#Antitoll #gate #panel #asks #voters #defeat #BJP #Karnataka #assembly #poll
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 2, 2023
Hyderabad: Send out more dog-catching vehicles, GHMC Mayor asks officials

[ad_1]
Hyderabad: GHMC Mayor G Vijaya Laxmi on Saturday instructed the authorities to send out 10 more dog-catching vehicles to add to the current fleet of 50 to eliminate dog bites and the stray dog problem in the city.
In the GHMC, there are 30 circles, and two vehicles will be deployed in each circle.
The Mayor also authorised the appointment of Sanitary Field Assistants (SFAs) to clean the trash from hotels and other eateries in their respective jurisdictions and proposed that the Veterinary, Sanitation, and Health wings collaborate and implement collaborative actions to eliminate the stray dog scourge.

On Saturday, following a meeting with the committee established to address the dog threat, the instructions were provided, a press note said.
Eight corporators from various political parties make up the group, and on Saturday, its members presented 26 recommendations based on field reports from their individual districts.
Some of the proposals included raising the number of sterilisations from 300 to 400 per day, hiring additional 31 veterinarians on an outsourced basis, and boosting the number of dog-catching trucks.
Subscribe us on

[ad_2]
#Hyderabad #Send #dogcatching #vehicles #GHMC #Mayor #asks #officials
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 1, 2023
Aurangabad violence: Maha governor asks CM to ensure stern action against arsonists

[ad_1]
Mumbai: Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais on Friday asked Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to ensure that stern action was taken against those involved in an attack on a police station in Aurangabad city.
Bais had a telephonic conversation with Shinde, Raj Bhavan sources said.
At least 12 persons including ten policemen were injured on Thursday after a mob of around 500 people hurled stones and petrol-filled bottles when cops tried to control the situation following a clash between two groups near a Ram temple in Kiradpura locality of Aurangabad.
One person succumbed to injuries during the day while police have arrested seven persons in connection with the violence.
Subscribe us on
[ad_2]
#Aurangabad #violence #Maha #governor #asks #ensure #stern #action #arsonists
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 1, 2023
Maha: Will Modi show courage to probe Adani’s investments through shell’ companies, asks Patole

[ad_1]
Thane: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Friday alleged that the Adani group has invested Rs 20,000 crore through shell companies and asked if Prime Minister Narendra Modi will show “courage” to probe it.
He was speaking to reporters here after taking part in a demonstration against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre.
Patole said the Modi government has in the past nine years made “arrangements for his friends to grab public money”. The senior Congress leader said several government contracts have been given to companies of businessman Gautam Adani.
Patole claimed that the Adani group has invested Rs 20,000 crore through shell companies. “Where did this money come from? The same question has also been raised by Rahul Gandhi. Will Prime Minister Narendra Modi show the courage to inquire into this?” he asked.
The Congress has been demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe after US short-seller Hindenberg Research in January accused the Adani Group firms of “brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud” and using a number of offshore shell companies to inflate stock prices. Adani Group has rejected the allegations.
The Congress has stepped up its attack on the Centre after Rahul Gandhi was disqualifed as a Lok Sabha member following his conviction by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case.
Thane city District Congress president Vikrant Chavan was among those who took part in the demonstration.

Subscribe us on
[ad_2]
#Maha #Modi #show #courage #probe #Adanis #investments #shell #companies #asks #Patole
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 31, 2023
SC asks Centre, states to take steps to unclutter jails to clean criminal justice system

[ad_1]
New Delhi: The Supreme Court asked the Centre and the states on Tuesday to take effective steps to “unclutter” jails as it would eventually lead to the cleansing of the criminal justice system.
“Everybody talks about the cluttering of jails in the country and the people from socially weaker sections are languishing in jail. Some thought process we wanted from the government … by taking steps, you not only unclutter jails but you will unclutter the criminal justice system in the country,” a bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Aravind Kumar said.
The bench, which was hearing a 2021 suo motu (on its own) case on the “Policy Strategy for Grant of Bail”, made the observations after amicus curiae (friend of court) Gaurav Agrawal referred to the data on issues such as non-release of undertrial prisoners (UTPs) and convicts despite being granted bail, their premature release and the status of plea bargaining in the country.
On the issue of releasing UTPs under the plea-bargaining scheme, where an accused in certain offences accepts the guilt and is let off with a minor punishment, the bench expressed concern and said, “Keeping in mind the celebration of 75 years of independence, if these matters (of the accused) can be identified and released considering the pendency of the cases, it would be worth experimenting.”
The amicus curiae referred to a written note and said more than 5,000 accused and convicts were identified till December 31 last year, who were not released despite being granted bail.
He said, “5,362 such prisoners were identified till December 31, 2022 and 2,129 were released till March 13 this year. Around 600 people could not be released due to the pendency of multiple cases against them. In some cases, the modification of the orders has been sought. And about 2,000 cases are still pending.”
The bench also raised the issue of software and said there has to be a “better ability” on the part of jail authorities to put data in the public domain and the National Informatics Centre (NIC) has to play a proactive role in training them.
“We understand that there is a system used in Gujarat, which is named ‘Email My Case Status’. We have requested the amicus to look into that aspect, if it can be successfully used for other states,” it said.

The amicus curiae also referred to the status of plea bargaining, compounding of offences and probation in various states.
He said in the last two months, 1,428 cases of plea bargaining were dealt with.
Earlier, the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) had told the Supreme Court that according to recent data, about 5,000 UTPs were in jails despite being granted bail and 1,417 of them have now been released.
In a report filed in the apex court, the NALSA said it was in the process of creating a “master data” of all such UTPs who are unable to furnish surety or bail bonds due to poverty, including the reasons for their non-release from prison.
The top court had earlier flagged the issue of UTPs who continue to be in custody despite being granted bail on account of their inability to fulfil the conditions for the relief.
It had asked the states to issue directions to jail authorities to give the details of such UTPs to the NALSA, which will process it for making necessary suggestions on how to deal with the issue and provide legal assistance wherever necessary.
In the report, the NALSA had sought several directions from the apex court, including to the effect that a court that grants bail to an UTP or a convict would be required to send a copy of the order to the prisoner through the jail superintendent on the same day or the next day.
It had further sought a direction that the DLSA secretary, with a view to find out about the economic condition of an accused, may take the help of probation officers or paralegal volunteers to prepare a report on his socio-economic conditions, which may be placed before the court concerned with a request to relax the conditions of bail or surety.
[ad_2]
#asks #Centre #states #steps #unclutter #jails #clean #criminal #justice #system
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 28, 2023
Pawar steps in amid row over Rahul’s Savarkar remark, asks Cong to tone down attack

[ad_1]
New Delhi: Amid strains in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi alliance over Rahul Gandhi’s strident criticism of V D Savarkar, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has stepped in to play the peacemaker by conveying the Shiv Sena’s concerns on the issue to the Congress leadership.
Opposition leaders said Congress has agreed to tone down its criticism of Savarkar, which has led to unease among the NCP and Shiv Sena, its alliance partners in Maharashtra.
Pawar raised the issue during a meeting of opposition leaders convened by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday evening and made it clear that targeting Savarkar, a revered figure in Maharashtra, would not help the opposition alliance in the state, two leaders who attended the meeting told PTI.
Former Congress Presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were present at the meeting along with leaders of opposition parties.
Pawar also told Rahul Gandhi that Savarkar was never a member of the RSS and underscored that the real fight of the opposition parties was with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP.
As the BJP stepped up attack on Rahul Gandhi and sought his apology for “maligning” India on his recent tour to the UK, the former Lok Sabha member from Wayanad had said that he was not Savarkar and would not apologise.
Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had slammed Gandhi for his attack on Savarkar and said his outfit will not tolerate any insult of the freedom fighter.
The Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena had skipped the meeting convened by Kharge as a mark of protest against Gandhi’s remarks targeting Savarkar.

Subscribe us on
[ad_2]
#Pawar #steps #row #Rahuls #Savarkar #remark #asks #Cong #tone #attack
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 28, 2023
PM Modi always targets the Gandhis. Why is he not disqualified, asks Maha Cong chief

[ad_1]
Nagpur: In the wake of Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha following his conviction in a defamation case, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Sunday asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not facing a similar action for constantly criticising Sonia Gandhi and late PM Rajiv Gandhi.
He said Rahul Gandhi was being punished for becoming the voice of the people, and added that his disqualification was against democratic values.
Members of the Nagpur District Congress Committee and party workers led by Patole, former Union minister Vilas Muttemwar and other leaders staged a day-long ‘Sankalp Satyagraha’ protest at the Sanvidhan square to show their solidarity with Rahul Gandhi.
“Democracy in the country is facing a big threat because of the Modi-led government’s autocratic rule. Rahul Gandhi had been constantly raising the issue of fugitive economic offenders Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi, who ran away with the country’s money. This is what the Opposition does and it is the duty of the government to reply,” Patole said in a press conference during the protest.
“The country’s prime minister constantly attacked the Gandhi family and their (BJP) ministers insulted former Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the Lok Sabha. They call Rahul Gandhi anti-national, forgetting that he is the grandson of a freedom fighter and son of a martyr. They are targeting members of a family who have sacrificed their lives and this fight is against this mindset of calling a nationalist an anti-national,” he alleged.
Rahul Gandhi was sentenced to two years in jail for calling Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi thieves, he claimed.
“I want to question why there is no action against PM Modi, who constantly attacks Sonia Gandhi and called Rajiv Gandhi ‘chor’ (thief)? Why is he not getting this kind of punishment?” he asked.
Rahul Gandhi was becoming the voice of people, and disqualifying him from the Lok Sabha was against the values of democracy and injustice to him, Patole said.

The Congress leader announced that a huge rally will be taken out on March 29 against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at various places across India.
Gandhi, representing Wayanad parliamentary constituency in Kerala, was on Friday disqualified from the Lok Sabha, a day after his conviction in a defamation case by a court in Surat in Gujarat.
The court sentenced Gandhi to two years in jail in the defamation case over his “Modi surname” remarks at a 2019 poll rally in Karnataka. However, the court also granted him bail and suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow him to appeal in a higher court.
[ad_2]
#Modi #targets #Gandhis #disqualified #asks #Maha #Cong #chief
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 26, 2023