Karnataka govt relaxes lockdown norms

The Karnataka government has partially relaxed Covid-19 lockdown norms in the state allowing IT and IT-enabled services to operate with essential minimum staff and also certain construction activities, manufacturing of packaging materials, courier services, among others from Thursday.

The activities will be permitted only outside the Covid-19 containment zones identified by the government.

There were reports of some large-scale traffic movement in some parts of the city this morning as lockdown curbs were relaxed.

'To mitigate hardship to the public, select additional activities have been allowed,which will come into effect from 00.00 hours of April 23,' chief secretary T.M. Vijay Bhaskar had said in an order on Wednesday.

However, these additional activities will be operationalised by district administrations and BBMP (city corporation in the case of Bengaluru city) based on strict compliance to the guidelines on lockdown measures, it said.

Before operationalising these relaxations, district administrations and BBMP (city corporation) shall ensure that all the preparatory arrangements on social distancing in offices, work place establishments as also sectoral requirements are in place, it added.

IT and IT-enabled services will be allowed to operate with essential minimum staff only while the rest would work from home.

Official sources said, IT companies will work on essential staff required to work from office spaces and will mobilise them.

Central team visits Rajarhat near Calcutta

A central team on Thursday visited a quarantine centre in Rajarhat area near Calcutta to take stock of the Covid-19 situation, an official said.

Two central teams are in West Bengal to look into the state's preparedness for tackling the Covid-19 outbreak.

The inter ministerial central team, which is in Calcutta, on Wednesday sought a detailed presentation from the West Bengal government on whether the level of testing in the state is adequate and enough oxygen and ICU beds and ventilators are available.

The central team in the state capital, led by Apurba Chandra, a senior bureaucrat in the ministry of defence, visited the quarantine centre in Rajarhat area in North 24 Parganas district, the official said.

The second central team in North Bengal, however, is yet to begin field visits, the official said.

The death toll due to Covid-19 rose to 686 and the number of cases climbed to 21,700 in the country on Thursday, with 34 more deaths and 1,229 fresh cases being reported since Wednesday evening, according to the Union Health Ministry.

The number of active Covid-19 cases stood at 16,689 as 4,324 people were cured and discharged, and one patient migrated, the ministry said.

Thus, about 19.93 per cent of the cases have recovered so far, a Health Ministry official said.

The total number of cases includes 77 foreign nationals.

A total of 34 deaths were reported since Wednesday evening of which 18 fatalities were reported from Maharashtra, eight from Gujarat, three from Andhra Pradesh, two from Rajasthan and one each from Delhi, Telengana and Madhya Pradesh.

Rajasthan cases touch 1,935

Forty-seven more people were confirmed positive for coronavirus in Rajasthan on Thursday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 1,935, officials said.

The fresh cases include 20 from Jodhpur, 12 from Jaipur, 10 from Nagaur, two each from Kota and Hanumangarh and one from Ajmer, they said.

Of the total 1,935 coronavirus cases, 344 patients have recovered and 133 have been discharged, according to the latest data issued by the government.

The state has reported 27 deaths due to Covid-19 so far.

Eastern Railway doctor tests positive

A doctor at an Eastern Railway (ER) hospital in Calcutta has tested positive for coronavirus, a spokesperson of the railway zone said on Thursday.

The doctor, who was on leave since April 14 as she was feeling unwell, tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday, ER spokesperson Nikhil Chakraborty said.

She has been admitted to a private hospital in the city, he said.

At least 10 staff members of the B R Singh Hospital, the main hospital of the Eastern Railway, have been asked to go on home quarantine by authorities of the medical establishment as they had come in contact with the doctor at their workplace, the spokesperson said.

Four members of the doctor's family have also been asked to remain under home quarantine by the state health department, he said, adding that they will be tested for Covid-19.

No coronavirus patient has so far been treated at the B R Singh Hospital, he added.

Municipal corporation workers sanitize a hotspot area of Hindpiri during the nationwide lockdown, to curb the spread of Coronavirus, in Ranchi, Thursday, April 23, 2020 PTI

So far 3,219 arrested for defying lockdown in Noida

As many as 3,219 people have been arrested across Noida and Greater Noida in a month—an average 107 arrests a day—for violating lockdown restrictions, according to police data.

Altogether 3,681 people were booked for defying lockdown curbs during the period that saw registration of 944 first information reports (FIRs), stated the police data from March 23 till 7pm of April 22.

The Uttar Pradesh government had announced a three-day lockdown from March 23 and later a nationwide lockdown was announced, an official told PTI, explaining why the data is from March 23.

Between March 23 and April 22, 3,681 people were booked for violating the lockdown of which 3,219 got arrested and 944 FIRs were registered, the police data stated.

The FIRs were registered under Indian Penal Code section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and violation of prohibitory orders put in place under CrPC Section 144, which bars assembly of four or more persons.

Separately, five FIRs were registered under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, in which five people were booked and three of them arrested till April 22, the data said.

During the period, 63,273 vehicles were checked across 200 barrier points in the district and challans issued to 12,118 of them for lockdown violation. Another 807 vehicles were impounded for the offence and Rs 1,47,400 were collected in fines, according to the police data seen by PTI.

Actor Jatin Bora distributes relief materials to film technicians to tide over the lockdown Telegraph picture

Create Covid-19 facility for police personnel: Baijal

Delhi lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal on Thursday directed authorities to create a dedicated Covid-19 facility to treat infected Delhi Police personnel, officials said.

The move comes in the wake of over 20 police personnel testing positive for the virus in the city so far.

An official told PTI that the lieutenant-governor has also directed setting up an exclusive testing centre for Delhi police personnel, besides providing personal protective equipment to those who are on Covid-19 duty.

'There is a plan to set up a dedicated Covid-19 testing centre for police personnel at Shahdara Police Station, but a final decision is yet to be taken,' a source said.

According to a senior police official, the Delhi Police's strength is about 82,000.

Haryana govt sends 31 buses to bring back students stuck in Kota

The Haryana government on Thursday sent 31 state transport buses to bring back over 800 students of the state who are stuck in Rajasthan's Kota due to the nationwide lockdown imposed to control the spread of coronavirus.

The students from Haryana, who were preparing for various competitive examinations, have been stuck at the coaching hub of Kota due to the lockdown.

'Thirty one Haryana Roadways buses have gone to Kota to bring back the students,' Haryana's Transport Minister Mool Chand Sharma told PTI.

He said the buses from the Rewari and Narnaul depots of Haryana Roadways have been sent to bring back the students.

Nearly 850 students are expected to travel back to their homes in the buses, officials said.

15 new cases of coronavirus in Kanpur

Kanpur district in Uttar Pradesh reported 15 more coronavirus cases on Thursday, taking the district's tally to 94, a senior official said.

'The new cases are from Colonelganj, Anwarganj, Coolie Bazar and Kidwai Nagar, all hotspot zones,' said Chief Medical Officer (Kanpur) Dr Ashok Shukla.

Meanwhile, samples taken from a 72-year-old man, who died on Tuesday at his house in Coolie Bazar, have come out positive for coronavirus, the CMO said.

The virus has so far claimed three lives in the city while seven people have recovered.

The district has now 84 active cases, the CMO added.

No Ambubachi Mela at Kamakhya Temple due to Covid-19 pandemic

The four-day annual Ambubachi Mela at the Kamakhya Temple from June 22 will not be open for devotees this year due to coronavirus outbreak.

A statement issued by the Maa Kamakhya Devalaya said on Thursday that a decision has been taken by the 'Dolois' (priests) that only the rituals and prayers associated with the festival would be performed by them.

It has been also decided that devotees, sadhus or tourists will not be allowed to enter or stay in the premises of the Shakti peeth atop the Nilachal Hills here.

The temple authorities announced that no arrangements for fooding and lodging for the pilgrims will be made this year.

The priests also appealed to all to cooperate with the temple authorities in this regard.

Every year, the temple remains closed for four days in the belief that the annual menstrual cycle of Goddess Kamakhya falls during the period.

The temple reopens on the fifth day when devotees throng the place of worship to seek the blessings of the Goddess.

The occasion witnesses around 25 lakh footfalls from all over the country and abroad every year.

The Kamakhya temple was closed for devotees since March 20 due to the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent nationwide lockdown.

Yogi asks senior officers to camp in worst-hit 15 districts to oversee Covid-19 response

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Thursday ordered senior administrative and health officers to camp in all districts that have reported more than 20 coronavirus cases to aggressively implement government's containment measures there.

Additional Chief Secretary, Information, Awanish Awasthi told reporters here that the decision was taken after the chief minister held a meeting to review the coronavirus situation in the state.

He has directed to post senior administrative and health officers in each district with 20 or more coronavirus cases,' Awasthi said.

'There are 15 such districts in the state. As officers are already there in Gautam Buddh Nagar, in the rest 14, they will be sent. These officers will have to camp there for a week and oversee the implementation of lockdown and other health-related issues,' he added.

The CM, he said, also directed to ensure that there is no misuse of vehicles being used to transport essential goods.

'Such vehicles should be run only with driver and helper. If anyone is found carrying passengers or misusing it, the vehicle will be seized. This is a strict warning for drivers,' Awasthi said.

Kerala govt files statement in HC on IT deal with US firm for processing Corona patients' data

The Kerala government has filed a statement in the High Court rejecting charges of illegality in its IT contract with a US firm for processing data related to Covid-19 patients and contended that initiation of penal actions for breach would fall within the ambit of Indian IT Act.

Considering a plea seeking quashing of the state government's contract with the US-based IT firm Sprinklr, the Court on April 21 had sought to know as to why foreign jurisdiction was included as a clause in the deal for adjudication of possible disputes.

The case has been posted for Friday for further consideration.

In response to various contentions raised in the plea, the state government has filed in a statement in the High Court as directed by it.

'It is pertinent that data resides in India and hence there would no issues of jurisdiction.

Even if any breach occurs from outside India, Section 75 of the IT Act empowers initiation of prosecution within India provided such breach impacts a computer or computer resource within India,' the government said in its statement.

The government also contended that legal department's scrutiny was not required for signing the deal as it was an issue of a purchase order to avail the service of a readymade software application, with the set of conditions binding to the purchase that accompany it.

South Central Rly converts 486 coaches into isolation wards

As part of measures in the fight against Covid-19, Secunderabad-headquartered South Central Railway (SCR) on Thursday said it has converted 486 non-AC coaches into isolation wards.

The Ministry of Railways had instructed all zonal railways to change around 5,000 non-AC coaches into such wards to check the spread COVID-19, a SCR press release said here.

Out of the 5,000 non-AC coaches planned for conversion, the South Central Railway was given a target of 486 coaches.

The officers and staff of SCR, under the directions of Gajanan Mallya, its general manager, chalked out plans for early completion of the target, the release said.

Mallya instructed procurement of essential material by the workshops at Lallaguda and Tirupati and advised the six divisions and two workshops of the Zone to take up the task of conversion of coaches.

Accordingly, the Secunderabad Division converted 120 coaches, Hyderabad Division 40 coaches, Vijayawada Division 50, Guntakal Division 61, Nanded division 30, Guntur 25 coaches, Lallaguda workshop converted 76 coaches and Tirupati workshop converted 84 coaches, it said.

Central government departments asked to ensure that more than one-third of employees attend work

All central government departments were on Thursday asked to ensure that more than one-third of employees, below the level of deputy secretary, were not called to offices to avoid crowding and to ensure safe social distancing norms, according to a Personnel Ministry communique.

The move comes after it was noticed that more than one-third of officials/staff below deputy secretary level are being called to offices in some ministries/departments.

'This might lead to undesirable crowding in the office jeopardising the preventive measures in place for containing the spread of COVID-19,' it said.

It is reiterated that the guidelines for attendance for officers/staff at levels below deputy secretary, be strictly followed, the ministry said.

There are 48.34 lakh central government employees.

It referred to the revised guidelines related to the ongoing lockdown issued on April 15 by the Home Ministry, that provide that all officers of the level of deputy secretary and above are to function with 100 per cent attendance while 33 per cent of the remaining officers/staff are to attend offices as per requirement.

'The spirit of the guidelines is that crowding in the offices may be avoided and safe social distancing norms may be maintained,' the Personnel Ministry said.

It said heads of departments (HoDs) may direct their officers/staff to attend office in staggered timings to further avoid crowding in offices/workspaces.

The Personnel Ministry had last month suggested three slots of staggered timings -- 9AM to 5.30 PM, 9.30 AM to 6 PM and 10 AM to 6.30 PM-- for the employees.

'Suitable roster may, accordingly, be drawn up by the HoD. Needless to say that officials/staff working from home on a particular day should be available on telephone and electronic means of communications at all times. They should attend office, if called for any exigencies of work,' it said.

West Bengal files affidavit in HC on plea alleging ICMR, WHO guidelines not being followed

The West Bengal government on Thursday submitted before the Calcutta High Court an affidavit-in-opposition in connection with a PIL that alleged that ICMR and WHO protocol was not being followed by the state for tackling the Covid-19 outbreak.

The state government submitted its position through the affidavit on clarifications sought by a division bench comprising Chief Justice T B N Radhakrishnan and Justice Arijit Banerjee.

Hearing in the PIL was, however, adjourned by the division bench till April 28 on a request made on behalf of the state government.

The court gave liberty to the petitioner to file an affidavit-in-reply to the state's position by the next date of hearing.

The division bench had on April 17 directed the state government to furnish details and information asked for by it in the form of an affidavit by the next date of hearing.

The state was directed to file its response on whether WHO (World Health Organisation) and ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) guidelines and advisories were being followed by all stakeholders, including the state administration.

The bench had directed the state government to report to it on the acceleration of the rate of sample collection and testing in adherence to ICMR testing protocol and WHO guidelines.

Covid-19 detection test method developed by IIT-Delhi gets ICMR nod: Officials

A method to detect Covid-19 which will significantly reduce the cost of testing, making it affordable for a large population in the country, developed by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi has got the approval from ICMR, officials said on Thursday.

IIT Delhi is the first academic institute to have obtained ICMR approval for a real-time PCR-based diagnostic assay.

'The test method has been approved by ICMR. The assay has been validated at ICMR with a sensitivity and specificity of 100 percent. This makes IITD the first academic institute to have obtained ICMR approval for a real-time PCR-based diagnostic assay,' a senior official told PTI.

Using comparative sequence analyses, the IITD team identified unique regions (short stretches of RNA sequences) in the Covid-19 and SARS COV-2 genome.

Mamata hits Kolkata streets again, asks people to stay indoors

For the third day in a row, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hit the streets of Kolkata and advised people to strictly follow the lockdown norms, saying this was needed to break the chain of coronavirus transmission.

Visiting Moulali and Behala areas of Kolkata on Thursday, Banerjee used a loudhailer from inside a car to call upon people to stop gathering, gossiping, hanging around for the time being and stay put at home.

'Remember that social distancing does not mean you are getting disconnected from your near ones and friends. It is only about physical distancing which will help us win the battle against coronavirus and celebrate the Durga Puja which is still months away. Please don't come out,' she pleaded.

Durga Puja is the biggest festival of the state.

'Lockdown is a new term. None of us knew about it in the past. But this is the only way. We have to observe it though people are facing immense hardships which we are trying to mitigate,' the chief minister said.

She also described the lockdown as the most unprecedented event after the demonetisation of 2016.

Lockdown is the only way to fight coronavirus which has left a large number of people affected in Maharsahtra, Delhi and other states, Banerjee said.

Though the situation in West Bengal is under control, everyone has to remain cautious, she said.

Asking people not to hide if they have Covid-19 like symptoms, the CM said, 'Corona positive patients are getting cured. Even today 34 patients have been cured in the state.'

Apparently referring to the criticism by opposition for venturing out on road, the Trinamool Congress supremo said she was not afraid of being infected by the disease as she believed to stand beside people during their hardships.