The Evening Wrap: Migrant movement spikes amid lockdown talk
| | The Evening WrapSunday | 11 April, 2021 |  |
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Amid lockdown talk, migrant movement spikes on Mumbai-Agra road in Indore |
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A severe spike in COVID-19 cases in Mumbai and persistent talk of a "complete lockdown" there to tackle it has made the National Highway No. 3 skirting past Madhya Pradesh's commercial hub Indore a prime route for wary migrants returning home to States like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, according to the Press Trust of India. The number of motorcycles, black-and-yellow mini trucks and auto rickshaws, teeming with migrants, have been on the rise over the past few days on a bypass road connected to this route, popularly known as Mumbai-Agra road, eye-witnesses said on April 11. "The virus outbreak has once again got very severe in Mumbai. There might be a lockdown and it may, like last year, render us jobless. So we have decided to return home," said Ramsharan Singh (40), making his way back to Ballia in Uttar Pradesh in an autorickshaw. Similar is the case with Mohammad Shadab, going back to his hometown in Bihar's Bhojpur district. "I work in a restaurant in Mumbai. I will think of returning there if the situation improves. Or else, I plan to stay back in Bihar and look for work," he said. In 2020, the route witnessed bumper-to-bumper traffic as people trying to escape a crippling coronavirus-induced lockdown in Mumbai and adjoining areas made their way home to eastern and northern States in some of the most helpless and trying travel conditions. Mumbai on April 10 reported 9,330 fresh cases and 28 deaths, taking the count of infections to 5,10,512 and the toll to 11,944. Mumbai division, comprising the metropolis and adjoining districts, reported 18,241 new cases and 89 deaths during the day, raising the tally to 10,64,221 and the fatality count to 21,028. Centre prohibits export of Remdesivir in view of spike in casesThe Centre has prohibited the exports of injection Remdesivir and Remdesivir Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) in an order issued on Sunday stating that there has been a sudden spike in demand for injection Remdesivir used in treatment of COVID patients. "India is witnessing a recent surge in COVID cases and there is a potential of further increase in demand for injection Remdesivir in the coming days," said the Centre in a statement. Seven Indian companies are producing injection Remdesivir under voluntary licensing agreement with M/s. Gilead Sciences, USA. They have an installed capacity of about 38.80 lakh units per month. The release issued by the Health Ministry noted that to ensure easy access to the injection all domestic manufactures of Remdesivir have been advised to display on their website, details of their stockists/distributors to facilitate access to the drug. "Drugs inspectors and other officers have been directed to verify stocks and check their malpractices and also take other effective actions to curb hoarding and black marketing. The State Health Secretaries will review this with the Drug Inspectors of the respective States/UTs," added the release. It added that the Department of Pharmaceuticals has been in contact with the domestic manufacturers to ramp up the production of Remdesivir. As per the National Clinical Management Protocol for COVID-19 of the Central Government Remdesivir is listed as an Investigational Therapy (i.e. where informed and shared decision making is essential). In survey, India Inc says it prefers strict safety measures to partial lockdownsCautioning that partial lockdown measures could impact the movement of labour and goods and lead to a decline of up to 50% in production, India Inc believes stringent implementation of safety norms is a better option than partial lockdowns, according to a survey by the CII. The survey on the impact of partial lockdowns on industry, conducted among 710 CEOs and senior industry leaders from manufacturing and services sectors, comes at a time when several States are imposing restrictions such as night curfew and full lockdowns amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. "Three out of four respondents feel that the implementation of night curfew or a partial lockdown will impact movement of labourers and workers to factories and workplaces, respectively. Out of these respondents, a further majority (52%) foresee a fall in production/sales ranging between 10%-50%, on a monthly basis, due to the restricted movement of labour," the CII said. About 31% of the industry leaders said they would accommodate their labour force in the factory in case of movement restrictions due to night curfew. T.V. Narendran, president-designate, CII, said, stringent enforcement measures to promote strict adherence to health and safety protocols are essential and any measures to restrict social gatherings should not be extended to regular functioning of industry and commerce. He also pitched for extending the vaccination programme to all people above 18 years of age. "Protecting livelihoods along with lives is essential and industry is keen to work with the government on universal coverage [18 years and above] of vaccination programme and in implementing strict health and safety protocols." Bengal BJP president warns of more Sitalkuchi-like shootingsWest Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Dilip Ghosh on Sunday courted controversy by warning that "there will be Sitalkuchi cases in various places" if anyone took the law into their own hands. "Where have so many naughty boys come from? The kind of naughty boys who got shot in Sitalkuchi in Cooch Behar won't remain in Bengal. This is just the beginning. ….Those who take the law into their own hands will be dealt with in a befitting manner… If they want to fight, then they have seen what happened at Sitalkuchi. There will be Sitalkuchi cases in various places. So be careful," the State BJP president said while addressing a public meeting at Baranagar in North 24 Parganas. Mr. Ghosh, who is no stranger to making outrageous comments, said that those who thought that the guns carried by the Central forces were "just for show" were now realising the "strength of the guns". The remarks drew condemnation from different political parties, including the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Left parties. "We have always said that the BJP is a fascist party, and Dilip Ghosh's comment has proved the point...I have no words to condemn it," TMC MP Saugata Roy said. Communist party of India (Marxist) leader Sujan Chakraborty said that Mr. Ghosh did not understand the meaning of democracy and had "no proper conception of human rights". Five persons were killed in two separate incidents of firing at Sitalkuchi at Cooch Behar during the fourth phase of polling on April 10. Four persons died when Central forces opened fire at booth number 126 at Jor Patki village in the Sitalkuchi Assembly segment. Jordanian prince makes first appearance since house arrestJordan's Prince Hamzah on Sunday made his first public appearance since he was placed under house arrest last week, attending a ceremony with King Abdullah II in what appeared to be an attempted show of unity on a major Jordanian holiday. But it remained unclear whether the king and his popular half brother had put aside the differences that escalated last week into the most serious public rift in the ruling family in decades. Prince Hamzah joined members of the Jordanian royal family marking the centenary of the establishment of the Emirate of Transjordan, a British protectorate that preceded the kingdom. The royal palace released a photo and video with Abdullah, Hamzah, Crown Prince Hussein and other dignitaries at the grave of King Talal in Amman, Jordan's capital. It was the first time that Prince Hamzah was seen in public since he was placed under a form of house arrest on April 3 following accusations that he was involved in a "malicious plot" to destabilize the kingdom. In statements leaked to the media, Prince Hamzah denied the accusations and accused the country's government of corruption and incompetence. King Abdullah subsequently said authorities had thwarted an attempt at sedition involving his half brother and some 18 suspects, while saying he was angry and in shock. King Abdullah also suggested there was continued control over Prince Hamzah's movements, saying the prince was "with his family at his palace, under my care." Covid watch: Numbers and DevelopmentsThe number of reported coronavirus cases from India stands at 1,35,08,801 at the time of publishing this newsletter with the death toll at 1,71,433. In BriefThe National Investigation Agency (NIA) on April 11 arrested police officer Riyaz Kazi, an associate of suspended cop Sachin Vaze, in connection with the case of an explosives-laden SUV found near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's residence, a police official said. Assistant Police Inspector (API) Kazi was called for questioning again by the NIA on April 11 and later placed under arrest, he said. He was previously also questioned by the NIA in connection with the case of the SUV with explosives found near Mr. Ambani's residence in south Mumbai on February 25 and the subsequent death of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran. Mr. Kazi was shunted out of the Mumbai Crime Branch last month, the official said. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. |
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