INDIA - The Purbottar

09 Apr

In a new daily high, India detected 1,31,968 cases of coronavirus in the 24 hours

editor0 CommentsHealthCoronavirus, Covid-19, INDIA

In a new daily high, India detected 1,31,968 cases of the novel coronavirus in the 24 hours ending 9 am on Friday. The country’s Covid-19 caseload includes 9,79,608 active cases, 7.5 per cent of the total infections; 1,19,13,292 recoveries, taking the recovery take to 91.22 per cent; and 1,67,642 deaths, a 1.28 per cent fatality rate. India reported 780 deaths on Thursday, the highest fatalities in a day since October 18, 2020. Nearly half the deaths, or 376, were from Maharashtra. Chhattisgarh reported 94, Punjab 56, Uttar Pradesh 39, Karnataka 36, Gujarat 35, Madhya Pradesh 27, Delhi 24, Tamil Nadu 19, Kerala 18 and…

08 Apr

Net-zero goal for 2050, which the US wants India to be on board on: Explained

editor0 CommentsBusiness, Healthclimate, INDIA, net zero, POLITICS, USA

John Kerry, the US President’s Special Envoy on Climate, is currently on a three-day visit to India trying to rekindle a climate change partnership that had been all but put on hold during the four years of the Donald Trump administration. The immediate purpose of the visit is to exchange notes ahead of the virtual Climate Leaders’ Summit convened by US President Joe Biden on April 22-23 where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is one of the invitees. This is Biden’s first big international intervention in climate change, and his administration would be keen to ensure a substantive outcome from it. In…

08 Apr

States hit by Covid-19 second-wave ask for more vaccines, while Centre says they are “trying to divert attention”

editor0 CommentsHealthCovid-19, INDIA, Vaccine

The coordinated Covid-19 battle plan between the Centre and states came under strain Wednesday when the Union Health Ministry, being pushed by several states to supply more vaccine doses and open up the vaccination process to all individuals above the age of 18, reacted sharply, accusing the second-wave surge states of “politicizing” a public health issue and “spreading lies”, and of not doing enough in terms of testing, contact tracing and ramping up the health infrastructure. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, who came down heavily on Maharashtra, Delhi and Punjab, the states contributing most to the second surge of Covid-19 cases, said they were “trying…

07 Apr

Election Commission removes returning officers of eight Kolkata constituencies

editor0 CommentsNorth Bengalelections, INDIA, POLITICS, west bengal

The Election Commission has removed returning officers of eight constituencies in the city that will go to the polls in the last two phases of the West Bengal assembly elections on April 26 and 29, an official said on Wednesday. New officials have already been appointed in the Chowringhee, Entally, Bhowanipur, Beliaghata, Jorasanko, Shyampukur, Kashipur-Belgachia and Kolkata Port assembly segments, he said. Chief Electoral Officer Ariz Aftab described the transfer of the eight returning officers “as a routine move since they had held their posts for more than three years”. Sources in the poll panel said complaints were received against…

06 Apr

Maharashtra continues to report the highest daily new cases accounting for 55.11 percent of the cases in the country.

editor0 CommentsNorth EastCoronavirus, INDIA, mahashtra, mumbai

ON SUNDAY, Maharashtra imposed full lockdown on weekends and fresh restrictions to last through April, but just two days before, it kept silent about any such plans during the high-level review meeting chaired by the Cabinet Secretary on Friday. Senior government officials told The Indian Express that the silence was probably explained by the fact that unlike in the initial phase, the Centre had made it clear to Maharashtra almost two weeks back that weekend lockdowns have limited impact on containing and suppressing the chain of transmission. “The Chief Secretary, Maharashtra, received the largest chunk of time during the Cabinet Secretary meeting. However, no…

06 Apr

President Ram Nath Kovind appoints Justice NV Ramana as next Chief Justice of India

editor0 CommentsNorth Eastchief justice, GOVERNMENT, INDIA, judiciary

Justice NV Ramana has been appointed as the next Chief Justice of India by President Ram Nath Kovind. He will take oath on April 24. Ramana will serve as the 48th Chief Justice of India till August 26, 2022 — a term of over sixteen months. Last month, Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, who is due to retire on April 23, had recommended Justice NV Ramana as his successor. Appointed as a judge of the top court on February 17, 2014, Justice Ramana has been a part of many significant rulings, including those on setting up of special courts for fast-tracking criminal cases…

05 Apr

It was not an intelligence or operational failure says CRPF DG on Chhattisgarh encounter

editor0 CommentsNorth Eastbijapur, chattisgarh, crpf, INDIA, maoist

A day after 22 security personnel were killed during an encounter with Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, the Director General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Kuldeep Singh, dismissed claims that the operation was an intelligence failure. “If it was a bait, more security personnel would have died. The Maoists would have set up an ambush at a place where we would have suffered maximum damage. We were moving through an area that is under their control and as such, they do have a tactical advantage there. They started firing at us with light machine guns when we were returning following our…

05 Apr

Building collapse in Ludhiana: 1 dead, 2 in critical condition

editor0 CommentsNorth Eastaccident, collapse, INDIA, ludhiana, punjab

At least one person was killed after a building housing an old factory collapsed in Mukund Nagar on Daba road of Ludhiana Monday. The lintel of the building gave in at around 10.30 am. Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the police rescued at least 36 people, and are searching for four workers who are feared to be trapped under the debris. Of the 36 workers who were rescued, one was declared brought dead at Civil Hospital, Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Varinder Sharma said. There are five workers being treated at Civil Hospital,…

02 Apr

Down with covid, Sachin Tendulkar hospitalised

editor0 CommentsHealthCovid-19, INDIA, sachin tendulkar, SPORTS

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who tested positive for Covid-19 last week, Friday said that he has been hospitalised under medical advice and also wished all Indians and his teammates on the 10th anniversary of the 2011 World Cup win. Tendulkar took to Twitter to say, “Thank you for your wishes and prayers. As a matter of abundant precaution under medical advice, I have been hospitalised. I hope to be back home in a few days. Take care and stay safe everyone. Wishing all Indians & my teammates the 10th anniversary of our World Cup win.” The 47-year-old Master Blaster tested positive for Covid-19 along…

02 Apr

Jammu and Kashmir police on Friday gunned down three militants involved in the attack at a BJP leader’s residence in Srinagar

editor0 CommentsNorth EastBJP, INDIA, kashmir, terrorist

The Jammu and Kashmir police on Friday gunned down three militants involved in the attack at a senior BJP leader’s residence in Srinagar, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said. A police constable was killed in the attack on Thursday morning, and the militants had escaped with his rifle. The attack took place at the residence of BJP leader Mohammad Anwar Khan at Aaribagh Nowgam on the outskirts of Srinagar — Khan was not in the house at the time of the incident. Police said the militants were affiliated to the Lashkar-e-Toiba and two of them were locals. “Three militants involved in attack on BJP leader’s…