The Evening Wrap: COVID-19 surge has gone from ‘bad to worse’, says Health Ministry
| | The Evening WrapTuesday | 30 March, 2021 |  |
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COVID-19 surge has gone from 'bad to worse', says Health Ministry |
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The COVID-19 situation in India has gone from "bad to worse over the last few weeks", the Union Health Ministry said today. "Trends show the virus is still very active and breaches our defences just when we think we can control it," VK Paul, the Chairman of National Expert Committee on Vaccine Administration said at the ministry briefing. Paul, however, denied that the mutated strains have a role to play in this surge. States, he said, are being told to enforce Covid-appropriate behaviour, including the use of masks. "Use the law, use fine as an option.... people need to wear a mask," he said. Delhi, taken as one district, is among the top ten Covid-19 high-burden districts. Eight such districts are from Maharashtra, he added. "We have taken pride that fatality has been low. But the death rate is now at four times -- at 271 from 73. The virus needs to be eliminated," Paul said. "We want to emphasize that without contact tracing, quarantining, and isolation, we cannot contain the virus." "There are 10 districts across the country that have the most number of active cases — Pune, Mumbai, Nagpur, Thane, Nashik, Aurangabad, Bengaluru Urban, Nanded, Delhi and Ahmednagar," health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said, adding, "We have been in constant touch with officials to ensure higher rate of testing." The number of reported coronavirus cases from India stood at 1,21,22,703 at the time of publishing this newsletter, with the death toll at 1,63,684. After backlash, Manipur retracts letter on Myanmar refugeesThe Manipur government has withdrawn the letter issued last week directing officials to not set up any camps for Myanmar nationals crossing the border into India and to "politely turn away" those seeking refuge. "It appears that the contents of the letter have been misconstrued and interpreted differently. The State government has been taking all humanitarian steps, including taking them to Imphal, to treat the injured Myanmarese nationals. The State government continues to provide all aid," said H. Gyan Prakash, Special Secretary (Home) in Manipur government in the letter dated March 29. "In order to avoid this misunderstanding I am directed to convey the decision of the government that it has decided to withdraw the letter dated 26.03.2021 mentioned above," Prakash added. Meanwhile, even though the Union Home Ministry asserted that the refugees should be identified and deported, the Mizoram government is planning to provide employment to refugees under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The neighbouring state Mizoram, which shares a 510-km border with Myanmar, has been at odds with the Centre on the treatment of Myanmar nationals seeking refuge in India. Initially, the Mizoram government had issued guidelines directing officials to provide shelter to those crossing over following the coup on February1. The guidelines were withdrawn following directions from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Rajya Sabha member from the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) M. Vanlalvena told The Hindu that the refugees living in Mizoram will have to work to earn a living till the situation improved. "More than thousand refugees have come; they are living in villages across the State. The State government has decided that they need to be given work so that they can earn a living. Work will be allocated to them under NREGS," Vanlalvena said. He added that Chief Minister Zoramthanga has granted ₹1 lakh from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to provide for food and relief to the refugees fleeing military crackdown in Myanmar. The Home Ministry has so far sent two letters to Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Mizoram stating that the refugees should be identified and deported and that State governments have no powers to grant "refugee" status to any foreigner" as India is not a signatory to the United Nations Refugee Convention of 1951 and its 1967 Protocol. The four states share a border with Myanmar. On March 18, Zoramthanga had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that "India cannot turn a blind eye" to the humanitarian crisis unfolding right in its backyard and the "political refugees" from Myanmar should be given asylum and provided food and shelter. The Myanmarese refugees belong to the Chin ethnic group comprising Lai, Tidim-Zomi, Lusei and Hualngo tribes — related to the dominant Mizos in the Northeast. President Kovind undergoes successful bypass surgeryPresident Ram Nath Kovind has undergone a successful bypass surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national capital on Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said. "I congratulate the team of doctors for the successful operation. Spoke to Director AIIMS to enquire about Rashtrapatiji's health. Praying for his well-being and speedy recovery," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Twitter. Last Friday, Kovind visited the Army's Research and Referral (R&R) Hospital following chest discomfort where he underwent routine check-up and was kept under observation. On Saturday, Kovind was shifted to AIIMS where after investigations, doctors advised him to undergo a bypass procedure, the Rashtrapati Bhavan had stated earlier. Motor vehicle tax rebate proposed for scrapping old vehiclesThe Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has brought out a draft notification proposing concessions in motor vehicle tax for those who take their old vehicle for scrapping. The notification dated March 29 invites objections and suggestions to the proposal for a period of 30 days. The draft proposes up to 25% concession in motor vehicle tax for non-transport vehicles and up to 15% in case of transport vehicles upon submitting a "Certificate of vehicle scrapping". The concession will be valid for a period of 15 years for non-transport vehicles and for 8 years for transport vehicles. The concession is among the several incentives planned by the Centre, including waiver of registration fees on purchase of new vehicles, to encourage scrapping of old vehicles. In BriefPeople of Indian origin and the Indian diaspora having Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cards are now not required to carry their old, expired passports for travel to India, as required earlier, according to a government notification that has been welcomed by members of the community. The OCI card gives its holder visa-free travel to India. In a March 26 press release, the Indian missions in the U.S. said that in order to ease the travel of OCI card holders, it has been decided that the "time line for re-issuance of OCI cards in r/o OCI card holders, who may be required to get their OCI card reissued has been extended until 31 December, 2021." Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. |
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