08:04 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Update
Suspension of rail services essential to prevent coronavirus spread, says railway official
Senior officials of the Railways on Tuesday said the suspension of train services and other public transport is necessary to ensure social distancing which is the only way to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Fearing a repeat of what happened in Mumbai earlier during the day when thousands of migrants gathered at Bandra railway station hoping to catch trains to their native places, the Northern Railway also issued an advisory.
"The general public is informed that a decision has been taken to not run any trains by Northern Railways till 3 May 2020 in view of COVID-19, hence such fake news in circulation may not be believed," a Northern Railways spokesperson said.
The official also asked media persons to publicise that Northern Railways is not running any train from Delhi or anywhere else.
07:56 (IST)
Coronavirus in West Bengal Latest Update
Over 600 arrested in Kolkata for flouting lockdown
Over 600 people were arrested from different parts of the city on the Bengali New Years' day on Tuesday for defying the lockdown norms imposed to break the chain of coronavirus transmission, a senior police officer said.
A total of 95 vehicles were also seized during the vigil conducted till 8 pm, he said. Those arrested will be prosecuted under sections dealing with disobedience of order duly promulgated, the officer added.
07:52 (IST)
Coronavirus in Maharashtra Latest Update
Curfew imposed in some more areas of Pune to check pandemic
Curfew was imposed on Tuesday in some more areas in Pune city after the civic body on Monday issued an order to seal them following a spurt in the cases of COVID-19.
Pune police on Tuesday night issued orders under section 144 of CRPC and restricted movement of people in various slums as well as non-slum pockets under Khadak, Bandgarden, Sinhgad Road, Dattawadi, Warje, Kothrud, Vishrantwadi, Khadaki, Chandannagar, Vimantal, Yerwada and Hadapsar police stations.
"As per the orders, restrictions on the movements of people have been imposed from 6 am on 15 April to 3 May in these areas," said joint commissioner of police, Ravindra Shisave.
07:50 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Update
Airlines decline refund to customers for cancelled tickets as lockdown extended
With the central government extending the lockdown to May 3 and the subsequent suspension of all commercial passenger services till then, domestic airlines have again decided not to refund customers in cash for their cancelled flights and instead offer them rescheduling of tickets for a later date without any additional fee.
India had imposed a 21-day lockdown from March 25 to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Consequently, all domestic and international commercial passenger flights were suspended for this time period.
However, most of the airlines had been taking bookings except national carrier Air India for domestic flights for the period beyond 14 April.
Aviation consultancy Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) India said the civil aviation ministry should instruct airlines to "halt unfair practice of taking advance bookings until resumption is certain and an interim transition schedule has been established".
07:41 (IST)
Coronavirus in Assam Latest Update
Markaz attendee's wife tests positive for COVID-19 in Assam as tally goes up to 32
The total number of COVID-19 positive patients in Assam has reached 32, according to Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
On Tuesday Sarma tweeted that one more person from Dhubri, who is the wife of an infected person linked to both the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi and Athgaon Kabristan congregation in Guwahati, has tested positive for COVID-19.
"A woman from Dhubri has tested positive for COVID-19. She is wife of a COVID-19 positive person who is connected both with Nizamuddin Markaz and Athgaon Kabristan congregation in Guwahati. The number of patients is now 32," the minister said in a tweet.
Alert ~ A woman from Dhubri has tested #COVID positive. She is wife of a #COVID19 positive person who is connected both with #NizamuddinMarkaz, and Athgaon Kabristan congregation in Guwahati.
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) April 14, 2020
The number of patients is now 32.
Update at 10.25 pm / April 14#AssamCovidCount
07:35 (IST)
Coronavirus in Madhya Pradesh Latest Update
142 new cases in MP, 99 in Indore alone, tally 757
With 142 persons testing positive on Tuesday, the number of coronavirus cases in Madhya Pradesh climbed to 757, health officials said. With three deaths, the death toll of COVID-19 patients in the state also reached 53.
Since Monday evening, two COVID-19 patients died in Indore while one person succumbed in Bhopal, officials said. Indore, a commercial hub, has reported the highest 427 cases in the state with 99 new cases being reported on Tuesday.
Sixteen new cases were reported in Bhopal, which took the tally of COVID-19 patients in the state capital to 158.
07:30 (IST)
Coronavirus in Delhi Latest Update
57 locations identified for accommodation of Delhi Police personnel
Delhi Police on Tuesday identified 57 locations to accommodate its personnel who are deputed in sensitive areas due to COVID-19 pandemic, officials said.
A letter has been written in this regard by Special Commissioner (Armed Police) Robin Hibu to all the deputy commissioners, special commissioners and joint commissioners.
According to the letter, the police personnel whose houses are in the COVID-19 hotspots areas of the national capital can also stay at the identified locations.
The details of these locations are available with the deputy commissioners in all the districts of Delhi, the letter said.
It said the deputy commissioners have been instructed to provide accommodation to the police personnel at these locations.
07:27 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Update
Migrant labourers gather on streets in Surat, Mumbai
In Surat, hundreds of migrant workers gathered in the Varachha area, demanding that they be sent to their native places despite the lockdown. In Mumbai, a large number of migrant workers who earn daily wages came out on the road near the Bandra railway station demanding transport arrangements to go back to their native places.
Daily wage workers have been rendered jobless ever since the lockdown was announced late last month to stem the spread of COVID-19, making their life a constant struggle.
07:23 (IST)
Coronavirus in India Latest Update
India reports 1,463 new cases in last 24 hours
India reported 1,463 fresh cases, a new record in a single-day increase of infections, taking the total number of infections to 10,815. The toll from the virus currently stood at 353, the health ministry said on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of the three-week nationwide lockdown for another 19 days till 3 May. Modi indicated easing some curbs after 20 April in areas which are not hotspots to allow some “select necessary activities”.
Coronavirus Outbreak LATEST Updates: The country reported 1,463 fresh cases, a new record in a single-day increase of infections, taking the total number of infections to 10,815. The toll from the virus currently stood at 353, it said.
The extension of the nationwide lockdown for another 19 days sparked protests by migrant labourers in Surat and Mumbai on Tuesday.
At both places, migrants gathered in large numbers in public, leading to fears of transmission of the novel coronavirus even as the country registered a record single day increase of 1,463 cases.
In Surat, hundreds of migrant workers gathered in the Varachha area, demanding that they be sent to their native places despite the lockdown. In Mumbai, a large number of migrant workers who earn daily wages came out on the road near the Bandra railway station demanding transport arrangements to go back to their native places.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of the three-week nationwide lockdown for another 19 days till 3 May. Modi indicated easing some curbs after 20 April in areas which are not hotspots to allow some “select necessary activities”.
Migrant labourers gather on streets in Surat, Mumbai
A large group of migrant labourers gathered in Bandra, demanding permission to return to their native states.
According to reports, heavy police deployment was seen in the area and the police resorted to lathicharge in order to disperse the gathering.
The migrants originally hail from states like West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.
One of the labourers, who did not reveal his name, said that NGOs and local residents are providing food to migrant workers, but they want to go back to their native states during the lockdown which has badly affected their source of livelihood.
"Now, we don't want food, we want to go back to our native place. We are not happy with the announcement (extending the lockdown)," he said, looking dejected.
Asadullah Sheikh, who hails from Malda in West Bengal, said, "We have already spent our savings during the first phase of the lockdown. We have nothing to eat now. We just want to go back to our native place. The government should make arrangements for us."
Daily wage workers have been rendered jobless ever since the lockdown was announced late last month to stem the spread of COVID-19, making their life a constant struggle.
An FIR has been registered in this regard against about 1,000 migrant workers, but no arrests have been made yet and the workers are being identified, a police official said.
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray appealed to migrant workers in the state to stay put and take up the challenge against the coronavirus, while also seeking to assure them that "lockdown" was not a "lock-up".
"Today what happened in Bandra was unfortunate. It might have happened because they thought that trains will start from 14 April, and so they would be able to go back to their villages," he said.
Stating that the highest number of coronavirus tests have probably been carried out in the state, Thackeray said between 20,00-22,000 tests have been carried out in Mumbai alone and between 10,000 to 15,000 tests have been carried out in the rest of the state till Tuesday morning.
Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh said that a probe has been ordered to find out who spread the rumour about train services resuming to take migrants home.
Hundreds of migrant workers gathered in Surat on Tuesday evening, demanding that they be sent to their native places despite lockdown, the Gujarat Police said.
The migrant workers gathered in Varachha area of the city and sat on a road demanding that they be allowed to go to their native places, police said.
Varachha is the diamond polishing hub of Surat, giving employment to lakhs of workers from different parts of Gujarat and the country. Many textile units are also located here.
"These migrant workers want to go to their native places. We have asked them not to be impatient because a lockdown is in force at present.
"Since some of them were complaining about food, we have called an NGO and immediately brought food packets for them. The situation is now under control," a police officer at the spot told reporters.
This was the second incident of migrant workers gathering on the streets in a week.
Migrant workers had staged violent protests in Surat on Friday, demanding that they be sent to native places despite lockdown.
Modi announces extension of lockdown till 3 May
Modi has announced the extension of the three-week nationwide lockdown for another 19 days to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
The prime minister acknowledged that the lockdown has come at a huge economic cost and also inflicted pain on the people, especially the poor, calling them “disciplined soldiers”.
Modi, however, asserted that India has chosen the correct path, and has managed to avert to a large extent the damage caused by the pandemic in many countries.
The prime minister's announcement on lockdown extension came at a time when India has recorded a sharp spike in COVID-19 cases in the last one week ever since Kerala reported the country's first coronavirus infection on 30 January.
The third and final week of the lockdown saw a jump of 5,574 cases and 215 deaths, an analysis of official data showed.
According to the latest health ministry data, there has been a record single day increase of 1,463 cases in the last 24 hours taking the total number of infections to 10,815. The toll from the virus currently stood at 353, it said.
A PTI tally compiled from states showed there were 11,312 cases with 389 deaths. The tally also showed that 211 of the 386 coronavirus patients in Kerala had recovered. There were two deaths in the state.
In his fourth address to the nation in the last one month on the coronavirus pandemic, Modi also announced that extensive guidelines for the second phase of the lockdown will be issued on Wednesday, declaring that his biggest priority is to save lives and minimise the hardships being faced by daily wagers and farmers.
During his 25-minute address, Modi also asked people to follow ‘saptapadi' (seven steps) in the coming days to help the government in its fight against coronavirus. The seven steps included taking care of the elderly people, maintaining social distancing and helping the poor.
Ten states — Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Maharashtra, Telangana, West Bengal, Karnataka, Meghalaya and Mizoram — and the Union Territory of Puducherry have already extended the lockdown till 30 April. Union government sources pointed out that the restrictions have been extended till 3 May as 1 May is a public holiday followed by the 2-3 May weekend.
IMF pegs India's growth at 1.9 percent in 2020-21
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected the growth of Indian economy in 2020 at the rate of 1.9 per cent, while the world economy is likely to contract sharply by "minus 3 percent" due to the coronavirus pandemic, which is proving worse than the 2008-09 financial crisis.
The IMF, in its yearly World Economic Outlook, gave a grim picture of the world economy amid global lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has jolted the world by claiming over one lakh lives globally.
The IMF has, however, given a bullish projection about India's economic growth in 2021, pegging the growth rate at 7.4 percent.
Gita Gopinath, Chief Economist and Director of the research department at IMF said in her opening remarks, "The COVID-19 pandemic is inflicting high and rising human costs worldwide. Protecting lives and allowing health care systems to cope have required isolation, lockdowns, and widespread closures to slow the spread of the virus."
"The health crisis is, therefore, having a severe impact on economic activity. As a result of the pandemic, the global economy is projected to contract sharply by minus 3 percent in 2020, much worse than during the 2008-09 financial crisis," said Gopinath.
As for China, the economy has been projected to grow at 1.2 percent and projected growth of 9.2 per cent in 2021.
With inputs from agencies
from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/3a8ESzQ
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