Breaking News HIGHLIGHTS: Cabinet Secretary Chairs Meeting Over Cyclone Jawad, Directs Agencies To Ensure 'No Loss'
Breaking News HIGHLIGHTS, December 3, 2021: This LIVE Blog brings to you the latest breaking news of the Parliament Winter Session in India, details on Covid variant Omicron & other news around.
October deadliest month of pandemic in Russia with nearly 75,000 deaths, AFP reported citing stats agency.
Due to the red alert issued in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh for Cyclone Jawad, UGC-NET December 2020 and June 2021 Examinations, scheduled to be held on Dec 5 have been rescheduled in the two states. A revised datasheet for rescheduled examination will be uploaded later.
Cyclonic Storm Jawad continued to move north-northwestwards during past 6 hrs & lay centered at 5:30 pm of today over westcentral Bay of Bengal, about 300 km south-SE of Vishakhapatnam, 420 km nearly south of Gopalpur, 480 km south-SW of Puri & 560 km south-SW of Paradip, IMD informed.
It is likely to move north-northwestwards, intensify further and reach west-central Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh – south Odisha coasts by tomorrow, the December 4 morning. Thereafter it is likely to recurve north-northeastwards and move along Odisha coast reaching near Puri around 5th December noon. Subsequently, it is likely to continue to move north-northeastwards along coastal Odisha towards the West Bengal coast, IMD stated.
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba chaired the second meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee in New Delhi today, to review the preparedness of States and Central Ministries/Agencies to deal with the Cyclonic Storm “Jawad”.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) has stated that the Cyclone is expected to reach the North Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coast by December 4 morning. Thereafter, it will recurve and move towards the West Bengal coast. The cyclone would bring with it heavy to very heavy rainfall. Wind speeds ranging up to 90-100 kmph accompanied by tidal waves, are expected.
Chief Secretaries and senior officers of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Islands apprised the NCMC of preparatory measures taken by them. It was informed that all efforts are underway to ensure the safe return of fishermen from the sea. Cyclone shelters have been readied and evacuation of people from low lying areas is being carried out. All actions have been taken to stock food grains, drinking water and other essential supplies. Teams for maintenance and restoration of power, roads, water supply and other essential services have also been positioned. Harvesting of standing crops is also being done to minimize damages.
The NDRF has deployed adequate number of teams in the states that would be affected and additional teams are on standby. Rescue and relief teams of the Army and Navy along with ships and aircrafts are ready for deployment as required.
Reviewing the preparedness of the States and Central Agencies, Cabinet Secretary emphasised that all protocols must be followed, so that there is no scope for loss of lives and damage to property is minimised. Cabinet Secretary also directed that all fishermen and vessels which are out at sea, must be accounted for by the concerned States for which required assistance would be provided by Coast Guard and other Central agencies in this regard. He also advised that essential services may be restored in the shortest possible time with minimum disruption, for which advance action should be taken. Public messaging may be carried out to ensure that people in the path of the cyclone are provided with suitable instructions and guidance during the period. The States were also advised to ensure uninterrupted functioning of COVID hospitals.
Secretaries and senior officers from Ministries/Department of Home Affairs, Civil Aviation, Ports, Railways, Shipping & Waterways, Petroleum & Natural Gas, Power and Fisheries along with those from NDRF, IMD, Hq IDS, and NDMA also attended the meeting.
New Delhi, Dec 3 (PTI) The government had sought data from states and union territories on deaths of Covid patients due to oxygen shortage during the second wave and only Punjab and Arunachal Pradesh have responded, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.
Punjab has sent an email saying that four deaths suspected to be due to lack of oxygen have been reported in a private hospital in Amritsar district, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in a written reply.
He was responding to a question on whether the government had sought report or data from states and union territories regarding deaths of Covid patients due to oxygen shortage in various hospitals across the country during the second wave.
"Request for data on the subject was emailed to all states and UTs including the last email sent on November 29, 2021. In response, only two states (Punjab and Arunachal Pradesh) have responded," he said.
He also said that detailed guidelines for reporting of deaths have been issued by Union Health Ministry to all states and union territories and accordingly, they report cases and deaths to the ministry on a regular basis.
The ICMR on May 10, 2020 issued 'Guidance for appropriate recording of COVID19 related deaths in India'.
The ministry on October 9, 2020 had conveyed to states and union territories, WHO and ICMR guidelines on correct recording of COVID-19 related deaths in accordance with globally accepted ICD-10 classification and also urged states to undertake periodic death audits with the aim to improve quality of healthcare services by suitable corrective measures, Mandaviya said.
The states and union territories were also provided with a proforma for undertaking death audits in this regard.
The COVID-19 management toolkit for district collectors shared by the ministry on April 2, 2021 with states, also highlighted the need for deaths audits and follow up action as one of the key monitoring parameters.
Mandaviya further said 170 central teams deployed to 33 states and union territories have also reiterated need for correct recording of deaths and undertake periodic death audits.
Listing several initiatives undertaken by the government on provisioning of medical oxygen, he said states have been supported with supply of oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators. As many as 1,02,400 oxygen cylinders were procured in April and May of 2020 and distributed to states.
Further orders for additional 1,27,000 cylinders have been placed on April 21, 2021 (54,000 jumbo cylinders (D type) and 73,000 regular cylinders (B type) and same has been delivered to all states and union territories, Mandaviya said.
One lakh oxygen concentrators are being procured and distributed to states under PM CARES Fund and guidance note has been prepared and circulated to states by MoHFW on June 8 regarding oxygen concentrators in primary health facilities.
States are also being supported in terms of installation of oxygen concentrator plants/ PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption plants) plants, Mandaviya said, adding as many as 1563 PSA plants are being established by the Centre.
These includes 1225 PSA plants being installed under PMCARES Fund in every district of the country. The remaining 338 Plants (110 by Ministry Petroleum & Natural Gas, 21 by power ministry, 56 by coal ministry, 95 by Railways ministry and 57 by foreign grants) are from other sources.
As on November 25, all the PSA plants sanctioned under PM-CARES have been commissioned, the minister said.
Further, states have also been requested to set up similar oxygen generation plants in the remaining public health facilities.
Also, oxygen demand aggregation system which is an online digital solution has now been developed to ascertain the demand for medical oxygen from all medical facilities based on bed availability and occupancy and aggregating them at the state level.
An oxygen digital tracking system to track the daily allocations of oxygen, their dispatch and deliveries, including movement of oxygen tankers has also been developed and put in place, the minister informed.
All the states have been advised rational use of oxygen and to prohibit the wasteful usage by strict monitoring. The guidelines on rational use of oxygen were issued on September 25, 2020. These were further revised and disseminated to states on April 25, 2021.
States have also been advised to undertake oxygen consumption audit in hospitals including private hospitals and to undertake facility-wise/hospital-wise oxygen inventory mapping and advance planning for timely replenishment so that there is no stock out, Mandaviya added.
Kim Hyoung-zhin, second deputy director of the National Security of South Korea called on NSA Ajit Doval in Delhi today.
At the invitation of Dy National Security Adviser Pankaj Saran, Second Deputy Director of National Security, Kim Hyoung-zhin visited Delhi for the Third India-Republic of Korea Strategic Dialogue between the National Security Council Secretariats of India and the ROK today, MEA stated, as reported by ANI.
It said both sides agreed to further strengthen & deepen mutually beneficial strategic cooperation in areas of bilateral, regional & global interest. Indigenisation, joint development & jt production in defence sector between India and ROK was emphasized upon.
The Ministry of External Affairs further added that partnership in critical and high technologies and supply chain resilience were also discussed. The 2 sides identified areas of cooperation in Cyber Security and Information Technology, Maritime Security and threats and challenges from terrorism, extremism and radicalisation.
It was agreed to strengthen synergies between India's "Act East Policy" and ROK's "New Southern Policy", MEA stated.
As communicated by the Serum Institute of India, the current monthly production capacity of anti-Covid vaccine Covishield is 250-275 million doses, the government informed Lok Sabha on Friday.
Further, as communicated by Bharat Biotech International Limited, Hyderabad, the current monthly production capacity of Covaxin is 50-60 million doses, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written reply.
Responding to a question on whether the government has ascertained if the two approved COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers have achieved optimum production capacity, Pawar said, "Both companies have achieved close to 90 per cent of present production capacity."
Lok Sabha adjourned till Monday, December 6.
(PTI) Pakistan on Friday agreed to let India transport 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat and life-saving drugs as humanitarian assistance for the people of Afghanistan on Afghan trucks through the Wagah border crossing, after a row erupted between the two countries over the modalities of transportation.
On Thursday, India said that discussions with Pakistan are going on to finalise the modalities for the transportation of its aid to Afghanistan through Pakistani soil and insisted that no conditionalities should be attached for sending the humanitarian assistance.
In New Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that humanitarian assistance should not be subject to conditionalities.
Pakistan last week formally informed India about its decision to allow the transportation of wheat and life-saving drugs to neighbouring Afghanistan through its territory on an "exceptional basis for humanitarian purposes".
On Thursday, Pakistan turned down India's wheat transit proposal.
However, Foreign Office said in a statement on Friday that the decision to let New Delhi send wheat and life-saving drugs to Afghanistan through Pakistan on Afghan trucks was formally conveyed to India.
With a view to further facilitate Pakistan's decision to allow transportation of 50,000 MT of wheat and life-saving medicines from India to Afghanistan via Wagah border on an exceptional basis for humanitarian purposes, it has been decided to also allow the use of Afghan trucks for transportation from Wagah border to Torkham, it said.
The Foriegn Office said that the decision was conveyed to the Charge d'Affaires of India at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
RT-PCR testing of over 16,000 passengers arriving on 58 flights from 'at risk' countries done so far. 18 of these tested positive for in RT-PCR testing, their genome sequencing is underway so that it can be determined if they have Omicron Variant or not: Health Minister in Lok Sabha earlier today.
Rajya Sabha adjourned till Monday, December 6.
Delhi's Sessions Court dismisses the plea of Ansal Brothers and others seeking suspension of sentence in tampering with evidence in the 1997 Uphaar fire tragedy case, ANI reported.
Depression over the west-central Bay of Bengal is likely to move north-westwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm in the next 6 hours. It is likely to reach north coastal Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coast by the morning of Dec 4: IMD Amaravati Director Stella Samuel.
It is likely to recur north, north-eastwards and move along the Odisha coast during subsequent 24 hours with a maximum sustained wind speed of 80 to 90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph. Trees & electric poles very likely to get uprooted.
Under Modi Govt,work is going on to strengthen weak health infrastructure.Without blaming pervious govts that ignored health infrastructure,Govt worked for results. In last 2 yrs, decisions under leadership of PM Modi show that this govt works with willpower¬ power: Health Min
Mumbai | 2 doctors & a nurse from Nair Hospital were suspended for alleged medical negligence. A 4-months old baby died after a delay in treatment. Committee formed to probe the matter & action will be taken against the guilty: Suresh Kakani, additional commissioner, BMC
While Karnataka has registered two cases of Omicron variant on Friday, according to ABP News sources at least 10 South Africa returnees and their contacts are missing from Bengaluru. Police and health department are trying to trace these people to conduct Covid test.
At least two wheels of the parcel van of Duranto Express jumped off the tracks at Haridaspur Railway Station in Odisha's Jajpur district on Friday, the East Coast Railway said.
There was no report of any injury due to the incident, it said.
Two front wheels of high-capacity parcel van of 12246 YASVANTPUR-HOWRAH Duranto Express has derailed while passing through Haridaspur Railway Station Yard at 11.14 hrs today. All passengers are safe, ECoR said in a statement.
The incident will not affect the movement of train services of the Kharagpur Bhubaneswar mainline, it said.
All passenger coaches will be connected with another engine The restoration of the affected coaches will be done with immediate effect, the statement added.
A low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclonic storm 'Jawad', the India Meteorological Department said on Friday.
The cyclonic storm is likely to reach the west-central Bay of Bengal off the coast of north Andhra Pradesh and Odisha by Saturday morning, the IMD said.
It will then move north-northeastward along the coast of Odisha and adjoining Andhra Pradesh and touch the coast around Puri by December 5 noon, according to the weather department.
Very heavy rainfall is likely to start in north coastal Andhra Pradesh and south coastal Odisha by Friday evening. The intensity of rainfall is likely to increase on Saturday, it said.
The low-pressure area had developed over the Andaman Sea on Nov 30.
It intensified into a depression on December 2 and further into a deep depression on Friday morning. It turned in a cyclone on Friday noon, the IMD said.
Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been adjourned till 2:30pm after discussing matters of public importance.
Due to heavy rainfall, electric&telephonic lines can be disrupted. Cyclone alerts are announced in the coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh. This can turn into a cyclonic storm and is likely to reach Vishakhapatnam by the evening tomorrow: Mrityunjay Mahapatra(DG, IMD)
Dr. Jitendra Singh, MoS, Prime Minister's Office introduced the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2011 in Lok Sabha.
Opposing strongly against the bill, Sougata Ray, Dum Dum (West Bengal) MP, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Baharampur (West Bengal) MP, said that the union govt. is misusing the central investigation agencies.
Chowdhury says that the government has rendered the police, and the investigation departments toothless.
MoS Dr Jitendra Singh proposed the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill after opposition strongly objected to the bill.
Suresh Kodikunnil, Mavelikkara (Kerala) MP, Sougata Ray, Dum Dum (West Bengal) MP oppose introduction of The Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
Shashi Tharoor, Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) MP, says that this Bill has been brought in by the Ordinance rules, which is against the law. He says that the extension of tenure should be granted only under rare circumstances but introduction of the Bill will make it a norm. He further says that he opposes the bill.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Baharampur (West Bengal) MP, also opposes the Bill saying it gives the govt. a free will to extend the tenure whenever it deems necessary, and he calls this undemocratic.
We had written to all States asking for data on it. 19 States responded, only Punjab reported four 'suspected' deaths due to oxygen shortage: Union Health Minister Dr Mandaviya in Lok Sabha on the question of 'deaths due to oxygen shortage'
Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala joins the Congress party in Chandigarh, in the presence of CM Charanjit Singh Channi and State Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu
UP govt tells Supreme Court that the closure of industries may affect sugarcane and milk industries in the State & UP is in the downward wind, the air is mostly coming from Pakistan. To this, CJI NV Ramana quipped, so you want to ban industries in Pakistan!
Two international air travellers, including a child, who arrived in Tamil Nadu from Singapore and the UK tested positive for Covid. Genomic sequencing of samples will be carried out to know whether they have been infected by Omicron variant, says state govt
Winter session of Parliament | Congress, RJD, CPI, CPI(M), NCP, DMK and AAP have jointly given Suspension of Business Notice under rule 267 in Rajya Sabha and demanded a discussion on the "alleged rigging of Municipal elections in Tripura."
9 international travellers including one from South Africa who arrived at Mumbai International Airport between 10th Nov -2nd Dec have tested positive for COVID19. Their samples have been sent for genome sequencing: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation
The deep depression over the west-central & adjoining the south Bay of Bengal to intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 12 hours & likely to reach the west-central Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh–south Odisha coasts by the morning of 4th December: India Meteorological Department
As many as five cases of COVID-19 Omicron variant have surfaced in New York City, taking cumulative tally in the US to eight.
"New York State has confirmed five cases of the omicron variant. Let me be clear: This is not a cause for alarm. We knew this variant was coming and we have the tools to stop the spread. Get your vaccine. Get your booster. Wear your mask," informed Governor of New York State in a tweet on Friday.
Other cases of infection with the COVID-19 Omicron variant in the US have been reported in the state of Minnesota, Colorado, while the first case was confirmed in the state of California.
The low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into Cyclone Jawad which is likely to reach the north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts on Saturday morning. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the depression lying centred over the Bay of Bengal about 770 km south-southeast of Vishakhapatnam late Thursday night is likely to move northwestwards.
The depression intensified into a deep depression over west-central adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal on Friday morning. It is expected to further intensify into a cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours and reach north Andhra Pradesh-Odisha coast by Saturday morning, according to the Met department.
Two travellers from South Africa have tested "preliminarily positive" for the Omicron variant of COVID-19 after landing in Singapore, the Ministry of Health has said.
Two passengers who arrived in Singapore from South Africa on a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight SQ479 have tested "preliminarily positive" for the Omicron variant on Wednesday, the MOH here said on Thursday.
"Both cases were isolated upon arrival in Singapore on December 1, and had not interacted in the community," Channel News Asia reported, quoting the ministry.
"There is currently no evidence of any community transmission from these cases," the MOH added. The two travellers, who arrived from Johannesburg, are recovering in isolation wards at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).
Both of them are fully vaccinated and have "mild symptoms of cough and scratchy throat", it said.
With two cases of the new Omicron variant of coronavirus detected in Karnataka, Chief Minister Basavaraj S Bommai on Thursday said he will discuss the matter in a high-level meeting in Bengaluru on Friday and take the next course of action.
"We are holding a meeting tomorrow with all details and will come out with new SoPs (standard operating procedure). We are also trying to get expert views and guidelines of the Centre," he told reporters here.
Bommai said though there is confirmation about the two cases of Omicron variant in Karnataka, the NCBS lab report has not come officially to the state government.
"We do not have much details, except for samples and the age of the two persons who tested positive for the new variant. However, we are very alarmed and cautious," he maintained.
Background
Breaking News HIGHLIGHTS, December 3, 2021: Hello and Welcome to the Daily Live Blog of ABP Live! We bring you the latest breaking news and updates from the day.
While the Parliament Winter Session continued to witness a lot of ruckus on the fourth day due to the suspension of 12 MPs from Rajya Sabha, the Opposition on Thursday hit out at the government over COVID-19 management, accusing it of mishandling the second wave, and struck a word of caution on the spread of the Omicron strain of the virus besides seeking clarity on booster doses of vaccines.
In a discussion in Lok Sabha on the Covid pandemic, members called for a ban on international flights in view of the outbreak of the Omicron strain and demanded that the government "accept responsibility" for the deaths of lakhs of people during the outbreak.
Launching a strong defence of the government, BJP members credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his leadership throughout the pandemic, for strengthening health infrastructure and making the country self-reliant in healthcare supplies such as vaccines, face-masks, PPE kits.
"Be it availability of medicines, stepping up oxygen production, ensuring vaccines for everyone or distributing free food grains for the poor, the prime minister cared for everyone," BJP member Rita Bahuguna Joshi said.
The discussion on the issue continued beyond midnight, in which 74 members participated. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is expected to reply to the debate on Friday.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has deployed a team of officials to South Africa's Gauteng province, the epicentre of the new Omicron coronavirus variant, for ramping up surveillance measures and contact tracing efforts as the country grapples with rising infections, an official said on Thursday, reported PTI.
Some 11,500 new infections were registered in the latest daily figures, a sharp rise from the 8,500 cases confirmed the previous day.
In contrast, daily infections were averaging between 200 and 300 in mid-November in the country, health officials said.
Omicron, which was first identified in South Africa exactly a week ago, now has been detected in at least 24 countries around the world, according to the WHO.
- - - - - - - - - Advertisement - - - - - - - - -