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Mobile vending of vegetables in Diglipur,N&M Andamans

Consignment of vegetables from ShaheedDweep reaching Port Blair

Regn. No. 34190/75 No. 91 Port Blair, Friday April 10, 2020 Web: dt.andaman.gov.in Rs. 3.00 Pages 4

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Drizzle likely over Port Blair.Maximum and Minimumtemperature will be around 31°Cand 26°C respectively on Friday10/04/2020. MaximumTemperature (°C) of Date: 31.8Minimum Temperature (°C) of Date: 26.1Relative Humidity(%) at 0830 IST 072Relative Humidity(%) at 1730 IST 078Sunrise Time for tomorrow (in IST): 0510Sunset Time for tomorrow (in IST): 1731Rainfall upto 0830 hrs of date (last 24 hrs)- in mm: 000.0Rainfall upto 1730 hrs of date in mm: 000.0Rainfall (Progressive total from 1st January 1.3 upto0830 hrs (of date) in mm

“It is health that is realwealth and not pieces of

gold and silver.”

...the Largest Circulating Daily of the Islands

Since 1920s the Oldest Daily...

DO NOT PAY HEED TO RUMOURS ON CORONA VIRUS: CLARIFY YOUR DOUBTSBY DIALING STATE HELPLINE NO: 03192-232102

Doorstep distribution of milk by ANIIDCO

Door step delivery of locally grownvegetables in Nicobar.

COVID-19; Administration ensuring supplyof essential commodities to Islanders

ANIIDCO catering to the milk demand of people in South AndamanFarmers taking their produce directly to customers at doorstepsSufficient stocks available in the Islands

Port Blair, Apr 9 The A&N Administrationis making best effortstowards maintaining thesupply and smoothdistribution of essentialcommodities to theIslanders during thislockdown period. TheAdministration ismonitoring the status ofstocks of essentialsupplies in A&N islands ona daily basis to ensure theiroverall adequacy andinter-island distribution. The locally grownabundant fresh vegetablesare regularly reaching thelocal markets for sale.Interested farmers havebeen facilitated to take tomobile vending of theirproduce directly to thecustomers at theirdoorstep. Mobile vendingof vegetables has beenvery successful in N&MAndamans and Nicobardistricts. In SouthAndamans too, there is aconsiderable upswing indoor to door sale ofvegetables in vendingcarts/cargo vans/trucks. On an average, 3250kg of fresh vegetables are

reaching Port Blair on adaily basis particularlyfrom Mithakhari,Ferrargunj, Manglutan andWandoor panchayats. Theproduce from ShaheedDweep is also beingfacilitated to be brought toPort Blair for sale twice aweek. Over 7 tonnes ofproduce lands in Port Blaireach time. Mobile vending ofvegetables at the doorstep

is supplemented by theassured stock ofvegetables with the retailshops. As per the data ofDeptt of CS&CA, 80 MTof vegetables are availableas on 8th April. The stockposition is sufficient andfurther supplies are beingensured. To check anyartificial price rise,hoarding or blackmarketing, provisions ofEssential Commodities Act

1955 are being invoked topunish the wrongdoers. Like vegetables, milkconstitutes an essentialdaily need item. Livestockfarmers have beenfacilitated to home deliverto their designatedcustomers. Surplus cowmilk from N&M

Andamans and SouthAndamans is beingregularly collected byANIIDCO therebyallaying any apprehensionof loss of income of thelivestock farmers. ANIIDCO issuccessfully catering to

Port Blair, April 9The Pradhan, GramPanchayat Mannarghat,Shri O Bashir hasvoluntarily collectedmoney from about 86volunteers fordistribution of 298 reliefkits among all the dailywage workers residingunder GP Mannarghat.The relief kit has beendistributed to all the

beneficiaries. The itemsof the relief kit included5 kg rice, 2 kg atta, 1 kgeach of onion, potato,sugar, dal, besides 1 ltroil and other food items.The Pradhan has alsothanked all the volunteersfor their monetarycontributions and forhelping in distribution ofthe relief kits, acommunication said.

Relief kits distributed atMannarghat

New Delhi, Apr 9Government hascompleted transfer offirst installment of 500rupees to around 20crore women Jan Dhanaccount holders as partof relief packageannounced by it lastmonth in the wake of

COVID -19 outbreak.The money has reachedeach and every accountand the beneficiary canwithdraw as per theirneeds keeping socialdistancing norm in themind.Last month, FinanceMinister Smti Nirmala

Sitharaman hadannounced that around20.5 crore women JanDhan account holderswill get 500 rupees permonth for next threemonths to run theirhouseholds, a moveaimed at mitigating thehardships caused by thelockdown.

First installment of relief package to 20 crorewomen Jan Dhan account holders released

New Delhi, Apr 9Indian Railways ismaking all out efforts tosupplement the healthcare initiatives ofgovernment. In thisdirection, Railways isproducing reusable facemasks and sanitizer in-house in all its ZonalRailways, ProductionUnits and PSUs. About 6lakhs reusable face

masks and more than40000 litres handsanitisers have beenproduced in-house in itsZonal Railways,Production Units andPSUs.Operation andmaintenance staff areworking round the clocksince freight operationsare running 24X7 tomaintain essentials andgoods supplies.

Indian Railways gears up to producereusable face masks, sanitizer

Port Blair, Apr 9 In pursuance of directions of the Govt. of India,Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, New Delhi,COVID-19 Isolation and Treatment Block formanaging Corona Positive cases has been earmarkedin the GB Pant Hospital, Port Blair with immediateeffect. The Isloation and Treatment block has 10 bedsin the Isolation Ward (Nursing Home) and 40 beds inthe newly constructed ward, a communication fromthe Director of Health Services said.

Isolation & Treatment Block formanaging Corona Positive cases

in GB Pant Hospital

Centre approves COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness package

New Delhi, Apr 9The Centre hassanctioned 15 thousandcrore rupees for IndiaCOVID-19 EmergencyResponse and HealthSystem PreparednessPackage. Out of it, seventhousand 774 crorerupees will be utilized forimmediate COVID-19Emergency Response andrest for medium-termsupport of one to fouryears to be providedunder mission modeapproach.The Health Ministry in astatement said that the keyobjectives of the packageinclude mounting

emergency response toslow and limit COVID-19in the country throughthe development ofdiagnostics and COVID-19 dedicated treatmentfacilities, centralizedprocurement of essentialmedical equipment anddrugs required fortreatment of infectedpatients. Besides, the aimof the package is also tostrengthen and buildresilient National andState health systems tosupport prevention andpreparedness for futuredisease outbreaks, settingup of laboratories andbolster surveillance

activities, bio-securitypreparedness, pandemicresearch and proactivelyengage communities andconduct riskcommunication activities.These interventions andinitiatives would beimplemented under theoverall umbrella of theMinistry of Health andFamily Welfare.Earlier, Prime MinisterShri Narendra Modi in hisaddress to the Nation on24th of last monthhighlighted that theCentral Government hasprovisioned 15 thousandcrore rupees for treatingCoronavirus patients and

Port Blair, Apr 9Instances have come to the notice of theAdministration related to overpricing ofessential goods by the traders in the UT of A&NIslands, especially rice, atta, pulses, sugar, edibleoils, salt, agriculture produce etc. during thelockdown period. In order to avert the possibilityof hoarding and black-marketing, profiteeringand speculative trading so as to ensure that pricerise of essential goods do not take place, the A&NAdministration has also issued a Notificationunder the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 toregulate the wholesale & retail price of allEssential goods during the lockdown period.Traders and consumers have been informed thatthe rates of all agro-horticultural products in theUT shall never exceed the extent of ratesprevailed in the market prior to lockdown dueto COVID-19.Traders involved in the sale of essentialcommodities including rice, atta, pulses, sugar,edible oils, salt, vegetables, fruits etc. have beenadvised to refrain from unfair trade practices

Seven years imprisonment for traders indulgingin overpricing of Essential Commodities

Traders advised to refrain from unfair trade practices

(Contd. on last page)

New Delhi, Apr 9Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has urged people todownload Aarogya Setu mobile App saying it is an importantstep in fight against COVID-19. Shri Modi said, byleveraging technology, the App provides importantinformation. He said, as more and more people use it, it'seffectiveness will increase. The mobile app is to bring thepeople of the country together in a resolute fight againstCOVID-19. It enables people to assess themselves the riskfor their catching the Corona virus infection. The appcalculates the risk based on their interaction with others,using cutting edge Bluetooth technology, algorithms andartificial intelligence.

PM Modi urges people to download'Aarogya Setu' mobile App

strengthening the medicalinfrastructure of thecountry. Health Ministryhas been playing a lead rolein executing the healthsector response withcontainment and controlas key responsestrategies. So far, a totalof 223 labs comprising anetwork of 157government and 66private laboratories areconducting rigorous

(Contd. on last page)

SC directs Centre to ensure doctors,medical staff attending to Coronavirus patients get appropriate PPE

New Delhi, Apr 9The Supreme Court today directed theCentre to ensure that appropriatepersonal protective equipment (PPE)are made available to doctors andmedical staff attending to Coronaviruspatients as they are the first line ofdefence of the country in the battleagainst COVID-19 pandemic. Whilepassing a slew of interim directions to ensure safety of doctors and healthcareprofessionals, a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Ravindra Bhatexpressed concern over the recent incidents of attack on them. The courtdirected the Centre, all States and Union Territories to provide necessarypolice security to the medical staff in hospitals and places where patients,who are either quarantined, suspected or diagnosed with COVID-19, arehoused.The court passed the order on three petitions seeking protective kits, otherrequisite equipment and safety measure for doctors and healthcare workersamid the coronavirus pandemic. It said that the government may also restrictexport of such materials to augment inventory and domestic stock.

such as black marketing, hoarding etc with themalicious intention of creating artificial crisiswhich shall ultimately lead to exploitation ofconsumers by charging over and above the actualrate of the commodities in this extraordinaryemergency situation. It is also to bring to thenotice of all concerned that the offences underthe Essential Commodities Act, 1955 are CriminalOffences and shall result in imprisonment of 7years or fine or both. Offenders shall also bedetained under the Prevention of BlackMarketing and Maintenance of Supplies ofEssential Commodities Act, 1980.The consumers have been advised to be vigilantand inform the matter related to overchargingof any essential commodity to the Director,Directorate of Civil Supplies & ConsumerAffairs, Port Blair viatext message onmobile number 9434266828 or to the ControlRoom over Toll free Phone No. 18003453197 &on Ph No: 03192-234062, a communication fromthe Director (CS&CA) said.

++++

+

FridayApril 10, 20204 Daily Telegrams

Published by IP Division, Directorate of IP & T and printed by Manager, Govt. Press, Chief Editor: Kanak Radha Chatterjee, Ph- 229217, 227201 Fax: 03192-227719 E-mail: thedailytelegrams@gmail.comFor distribution /advertisement queries contact Manager, Govt. Press : 229465

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Andaman & Nicobar AdministrationDirectorate of Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs

******Port Blair, the 09th April, 2020

NOTIFICATION No. F. No. DCS/LM/73/EC/2017/PF - In exercise of the powersconferred under Section 5, of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (10 of1955), read with Section 2 (d) thereof and in pursuance of letter no. D.O. 40-3/2020-DM-I(A) dated 07.04.2020 of Govt. of India, Ministry of Home Affairs,the Lieutenant Governor (Administrator), Andaman and Nicobar Islands herebymakes the following Order, namely:-1. Short Title, Extent and Commencement :-i. This Order may be called the Fixation of Wholesale and Retail Prices ofEssential Commodities Order, 2020.ii. It extends to the whole of the Union Territory of Andaman and NicobarIslands.iii. It shall come into force with immediate effect and shall remain in force upto 30th June, 2020.2. i.The Wholesale Rate of all essential commodities will be derived at therate of 05 percent over and above the actual expenditure involved upto theWholesaler's premises.ii. The rate of essential commodities in retail market shall be over and above10 percent permissible as per the Wholesale Rate.iii.The rate of all the Agro-horticultural products shall be to the extent of thelast rates prevailed in the market prior to Lock Down due to COVID19.3. If any person contravenes any of this order, he/she shall be punished/prosecuted as per Section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and therules made there under.

By Order and in the Name of Lt. Governor (Administrator)Andaman & Nicobar IslandsDr. Navlendra Kumar Singh

Director (CS&CA)A&N Administration

24x7 CONTROL ROOM NUMBERS: 240126/232102/1077/1070(Source: Principal Secretary (Health),

A&N Administration

Centre approves ....(Contd. from page 1)

available to guide thecustomers during thetransaction by maintainingstrict compliance of theCOVID-19 norms of socialdistancing, etc. The modeof recharge is throughInternet banking/creditcard/debit card/ cash card/wallet/ UPI payment, etc. E-receipt would be providedthrough SMS or email,which is registered duringthe transaction. Currently,the service is beingprovided from 10 am to 5pm and will be graduallyincreased to '8 am to 8 pm'on all days. The CGM stated that withthe help and support ofA&N Administration,BSNL is able to maintain thetelecommunication and ICTservices in A&N Islandseven during the lockdownperiod. For further detailscustomers may contact thetelephone no. 220200 oremail at atrkioskbsnlpb

Port Blair, April 9 BSNL, Andaman &Nicobar Telecom Circle hasstarted the ATR (Any TimeRecharge) facility atTelephone Bhavan, PortBlair today, in presence ofthe Chief General Manager,BSNL, A&N Circle, ShriMurali Krishna. The CGMstated that the ATR Kioskis basically a serviceinitiative by BSNL oncomplementary basis tomitigate the hardshipsfaced by esteemed BSNLcustomers during thelockdown period onaccount of COVID-19. The BSNL hasrequested the subscribersto 'Go Digital' forrecharging their accounts.Several options availablefor recharge includeMyBSNL mobile app,BSNL websitewww.portal.bsnl.in andother popular walletservices. Service of aVolunteer has been made

BSNL launches ATR Kioskat Telephone Bhavan

New Delhi, Apr 9Department of Pensionand Pensioners’ Welfare(DoPPW) todayorganised a webinar forawareness and relatedissues on COVID-19. Inthe webinar, around 100pensioners from 22 citiesinteracted withDr.Randeep Guleria,Director, AIIMS and DrPrasun Chatterjee,Associate ProfessorGeriatric Medicine,AIIMS. These expertsdeliberated in detail onspread of novelCoronavirus, presenthealth scenario, Dos andDon’ts withprecautionary measuresand remedial course.During the question andanswer sessions, manyPensioners fromdifferent parts of thecountry raised theirconcerns which wereelaborately addressed byDr. Randeep Guleria and

Dr Prasun Chatterjee.

Union minister DrJitendra Singh, whileaddressing pensionerssaid that mortality ishigher in older populationand morbidity is higher inyounger people.However due to weakerimmune system olderpeople are morevulnerable to COVID-19.Dr Singh said, goodhygiene practices areimportant to fight againstthis pandemic. He urgedpensioners to downloadAaroygaya Setu appwhich provides relevantinformation on COVID-19 and also informspeople if they come intocontact of any COVID-19 positive person. Helauded doctors asCorona warriors forputting all efforts bystretching their limits inorder to ensure safety ofpeople.

DoPPW organises webinarfor awareness & related issues

on COVID-19

the milk demand not only in Port Blair but outsideareas also like Sippighat, Chouldari, Tushnabad, Tirur,Mithakhari and Wimberleygunj upto Bambooflat. Both

COVID-19; Administration....(Contd. from page 1)

toned milk and cow milk (as per availability) is beingdistributed to the grocery/bakery shops for easy andassured availability to the people. Besides this, doorstepdelivery of milk continues in the PBMC areas. Doorto door distribution of milk in areas upto Calicut andTeylorabad are covered on alternate days. On anaverage, 4200 litres of milk is being distributed byANIIDCO on a daily basis. With dedicated and assuredsupply lines, the initial panic and unrest among thepeople has subsided, a communication from the NodalOfficer Civil Supplies, Smti Anjali Sehrawat said heretoday.

Health bulletin for containment of COVID-19

(No. 10/ 09th April 2020)

COVID-19 STATUS AS ON 09.04.2020 > National as on 09.04.2020 at 1700 Hrs*

Total Confirmed Cases 5865 Cured / Discharged / Migrated 478 Death 169 Source Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Andaman & Nicobar Islands:

Total Positive cases 11 Discharged from Hospital 00 Death 00 Admitted at Hospital 11 Migrated out of Country 00 Outside Resident 00

> Status of Hospitals: Name of Hospital

Isolation Beds Available

Occupied Positive Cases Admitted

G B Pant Hospital, Port Blair

50 11 11

* No cases are admitted at Private Hospital.

* The Health Condition of all +Ve cases are normal and stable .

> Status of Sample Testing: Total Samples sent till date 615

Total Reports received till date 574

Total Pending Reports 41

> House to house surveillance for contact tracing of positive cases is being done by District Administration with the help of Health Workers.

> Intensive awareness is continued through print and electronic media. > 170 passengers from COVID-19 affected countries have been screened at

VSI Airport, Port Blair and Port/Harbour of the Islands and placed under surveillance.

> 2020 passengers screened at VSI Airport till 24.03.2020 by medical teams. > Calls received at 102 - 136 calls. > 15 lines are activated in State Head Quarter Control Room and District

Headquarter Control Room also set up at North & Middle Andaman District and Nicobar District.

SURVEILLANCE DATA Contacts put under Home Quarantine till date 228 Contacts under Home Quarantine as on today 228 Contacts completed 14 days period of Home Quarantine NIL Persons under Institutional Quarantine as on today 293 ** Persons completed 14 days period of Institutional Quarantine

139

Passengers put under Quarantine till date 2020 Passengers under Quarantine as on today Nil Passengers completed 14 days period of Quarantine 1812

** The figure contains institutional Quarantine persons from passengers as well as contacts both.

All mobile subscribers' validity extended up to April 20, free of cost@gmail.com during officehours. In case of anydifficulty in physicallyaccessing the ATR kiosk, atTelephone Bhawan,customers can call on thetelephone number220200and will be guidedtelephonically toaccomplish their mobilerecharge online. BSNL, as a support to itsmobile subscribers, has alsoextended the validity of allmobile subscribers upto20th April 2020, free of costso that the subscriberscontinue to receiveincoming calls. In addition,BSNL is also giving free talktime of Rs.10. to all suchsubscribers who reach zerobalance during thelockdown period. Thesefacilities are extended tofacilitate communi-cation byBSNL mobilesubscribers in an emergency,a communication from theCGM, BSNL, A&N Circlereceived here said.

New Delhi, Apr 9Government has extendedthe premium paymentperiod for Postal LifeInsurance and Rural PostalLife Insurance till 30th ofJune this year. Ministry ofCommunications said, inview of lockdown acrossthe country, the customerof Postal Life Insuranceand Rural Postal Life

Insurance are facingdifficulty in approachingpost offices for paymentof premium.The Ministry has given anextension of period forpayment of their duepremium of March,April and May 2020 upto30th June withoutcharging any penalty anddefault fee.

Govt extends premiumpayment period for Postal Life

Insurance till June 30

New Delhi, Apr 9lIndian Oil Corporation isfully geared to meetadditional demand for LPGcooking gas in the countrythat may arise in the courseof the ongoing COVID-19crisis. The Corporation hastied up additional importsof the product for April andMay to ensureuninterrupted availability ofbulk LPG for its bottlingplants.Indian Oil is taking steps toincrease LPG production in

its major refineries byoptimising operations,improving LPG yield inLPG producing units. TheCorporation's LPG bottlingplants too are workingextended hours, operatingnight shifts as well as onpublic holidays andSundays to meet thegrowing demand. Thetransport infrastructurelinking the plants to thedistributors has also beenoptimised for quickdistribution.

IOC fully geared to meet additionaldemand for LPG cooking gas

screening process. The Ministry has already disbursed 4113 crore rupees to allthe States and Union Territories for dealing with the emergency COVID-19response.

2 FridayApril 10, 2020Daily Telegrams More National/International News

New Delhi, Apr 9Prime Minister, Shri NarendraModi has saluted the CRPF on itsValour Day today. Shri Modi,remembered the bravery of CRPFpersonnel in Gujarat's Sardar PatelPost in 1965. In a tweet, Shri Modisaid the sacrifices of the bravemartyrs will never be forgotten.He added that the courage of CRPFis widely known.Home Minister, Shri Amit Shahtweeted that a small contingent ofthe CRPF created history bydefeating the invading enemy armyseveral times larger than them on9th April 1965 at the 'Sardar Post'located in Rann of Kutch,

Prime Minister salutesCRPF on Valour Day

Gujarat.The Home Ministercongratulated the force and salutedthe brave martyrs of CRPF. He

said, 'Shaurya Divas', is a symbolof indomitable courage, valour andsacrifice.

New Delhi, Apr 9In its latest Monetary Policy report,the Reserve Bank of India - RBIhas stated that the global economyis expected to go into recessionafter taking into account theimpact of the COVID-19pandemic. It also says thataggregate demand is expected to

Global economy is expected to go intorecession in view of COVID-19 pandemic: RBI

be impacted adversely by likelyrecession in the global economy,caused by disruptions in globalsupply chains, travel and tourism,and lockdowns in many economies.The report suggests that whileefforts are being mounted on a warfooting to arrest its spread,COVID-19 would impact

economic activity in India directlythrough domestic lockdown.Second round effects would operatethrough a severe slowdown in globaltrade and growth. It also says thatthe lockdown is expected tosignificantly lower aggregatedemand in both rural and urbanareas.

New Delhi, Apr 9Agriculture and Farmers WelfareMinister, Shri Narendra SinghTomar chaired a meeting yesterdaywith State Agriculture Ministers toreview relief measures taken forthe farmers in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.Shri Tomar appreciated the effortsof States for their proactive role inundertaking agriculture activitiesduring the lock down. During themeeting, states have been asked tosensitize field agencies aboutexemptions given to farmingrelated activities and allow hasslefree movement of farm produce,fertilizers and farm machinery. Ithas also been decided that Kharif

Centre asks states to sensitize field agenciesabout exemptions given to farming

National Conference will be held on16th April of this month throughVideo Conferencing. The Ministerassured the States that all thenecessary help and support wouldbe provided to the states duringCovid-19 pandemic. He urged thestates to popularize Aarogya Appamong the farmers and othercitizens. Issues related to farmingoperations, harvesting, agriculturemarketing, mandi operations,procurement at MSP, logisticsissues, movement of agricultureand horticulture produce werediscussed with the states in themeeting. The states were requestedto sensitize their field agencies forfacilitating smooth farming

operations including sowing,harvesting and marketing. It wasalso requested to ensureexpeditious permission formovement of farm labours, goods,machines and materials related tofarming.It was informed that the Ministryhas released e-NAM modules toenable the e-trading and biddingfrom source point by farmers,FPOs and Cooperatives. Stateshave been asked to issue necessaryinstructions to give effect to thesame which would facilitate thefarmers in selling their produce,ensuring availability of produce atconsumption centers anddecongesting mandis.

New Delhi, Apr 9To ensure tribal gathererscarry on their work safely,TRIFED has collaborated withUNICEF for developing a digitalcommunication strategy forpromoting a digital campaign forSelf Help Groups (SHGs) involvedin this work, highlighting theimportance of Social Distancing.UNICEF would provide thenecessary support to be circulatedto the SHG centers in the form ofDigital Multimedia content,Webinars for Virtual trainings(basic orientation on COVIDresponse, key preventivebehaviours), Social Mediacampaigns (on social distancing,

TRIFED to launch digital campaign incollaboration with UNICEF for to ensure Tribal

Gatherers carry on their work safelyhome quarantine, etc.) and VanyaRadio. Additionally, TRIFED hasreached out to the Art of LivingF o u n d a t i o n ' s#iStandWithHumanity Initiativewith a Stand With Tribal Familiescomponent in providing muchneeded food and ration for survivalof the tribal community.The webinar, for the promotion ofthe campaign is scheduled to beheld tomorrow i.e. on 9th April,2020. It is aimed to reach morethan 18,000 participants andwould cover tribal regions acrossall the 27 States.A total of 1205 VanDhanVikasKendras (VDVKs)have been sanctioned in 27 States

and 1 Union territory involvingaround 18,075 Van Dhan SelfHelp Groups. This involves over3.6 Lakhs tribal gatherers in theScheme. To start with, 15,000 ofthese SHGs will be promoted asVan Dhan Social DistancingAwareness cum LivelihoodCenters' through a digital trainingprogram. The SHGs will createawareness among the communityabout social distancing and stepsto be followed. Do's and Don'tsAdvisories relating to NTFP to bekept in mind during Covid-19,providing suggestive practicesfor maintaining personal hygiene,adopting cashless practices,among others will be shared.

Washington, Apr 9US President, Mr. Donald Trump today thanked India for Prime,Minister Shri NarendraModi's decision to allow the export of anti-malaria drug Hydroxychloroquine to the United States. He tweetedthat India's gesture would not be forgotten and said that Prime Minister,Shri Modi's leadership was helping not only India, but, humanity aswell. President Trump also added that extraordinary times call forglobal cooperation in the fight against COVID-19. Hydroxychloroquinehas been identified by the US Food and Drug Administration as apossible line of treatment for the COVID-19. The disease has inflictedmore than four lakh Americans, claiming lives of over 13,000. PresidentTrump had requested the Prime Minister to lift the ban on export ofHydroxychloroquine from India and supply the drug to the UnitedStates.

US Prez thanks India on decision toallow Hydroxychloroquine export to US

New Delhi, Apr 9In a major boost to the supply chainacross the country, IndianRailways has introducedunhindered services of Time tabledParcel Trains for nationwidetransportation of essentialcommodities and other goods. Thisis expected to boost the availabilityof vital goods required for ordinarycitizens, industry and agriculture.The Railways has introduced 109Time Tabled parcel trains over 58routes to connect all the importantcentre since the start of lockdown.Till 5th of April, 27 routes werenotified, out of which 17 routeswere regular scheduled services,while the remaining were for singletrip only. Subsequently, 40 newroutes have been identified and

109 time tabled parcel trains introducedfor nationwide transportation

notified.With this almost all the importantcities of India will get connectedfor transportation of vital goods ata fast speed. It said, time tabledParcel Trains are planned as per thedemand of the customers. SuchParcel trains connect vital corridorsof the country including Delhi,

Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai,Hyderabad, and Bengaluru.In addition, proper connectivity hasalso been ensured to Guwahati, toensure supplies in the North-easternregion. Local industries, e-commercecompanies, interested groups,individuals and any other prospectiveloaders can book parcels.

New Delhi, Apr 9The Center has announced thelaunch of a learning platform tocombat COVID-19 for all front-line workers to equip them withthe training and in coping withPandemic. The target groupsfor the platform, igot.gov.in areDoctors, Nurses, Paramedics,Hygiene Workers, Technicians,Auxiliary Nursing Midwives,ANMs, Central & State Govt.Officers, Civil DefenceOfficials, various PoliceOrganisations, National CadetCorpz, NCC, Nehru YuvaKendra Sangathan, NYKS,National Service Scheme, NSS,Indian Red Cross Society,Bharat Scouts and Guides andother volunteers.A Department of Personnel andTraining release said,appropriate training will alsoprepare them for thesubsequent stages of thepandemic. By giving COVID 19training to other potentialsecond line workforce, Indiawill be better prepared for theemergent situations.The platform delivers curated,role-specific content, to eachlearner at his place of work orhome and to any device of hischoice. iGOT platform isdesigned to population scale,and will provide training toaround 1.50 crore workers andvolunteers in the coming weeks.

Center launches learningplatform to combat COVID-19

To begin with nine courses on iGOT have been launched on topics like Basics ofCOVID, ICU Care and Ventilation Management, Clinical Management, Infection Prevention through PPE,Infection Control and Prevention, Quarantine and Isolation, Laboratory Sample Collection and Testing,Management of COVID 19 Cases, COVID 19 Training.The platform reflects the vision of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi to 'care forthose who serve the nation' and boost their morale. As a critical weapon in the arsenal of all front lineCOVID-19 healthcare warriors, their knowledge and capacity, will help them and ournation win the battle against COVID-19 Pandemic. The first version of the platformis available with Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, and subsequent versions willsupport other browsers.

Railwaysdistributes over8,50000 cooked

mealsNew Delhi, Apr 9 Railways have distributed overeight lakh 50 thousand cookedmeals to needy people in the last12 days. More than five lakhs ofthese cooked meals wereprepared in IRCTC kitchens.Railways is fully prepared toprovide food to the needy duringthe lock down period. Startingwith distribution of food to overfive thousand needy persons on28th of last month, Railways hasdistributed over eight lakh 50thousand cooked meals till date.Proper social distancing is beingensured during preparation anddistribution of meals.

monitoring the production,movement and availability offertilizers and is in regular touchwith State Governments. Referring to Karnataka, theMinister said, there is no shortageof seeds, fertilizers and pesticides

Govt making all efforts to ensureadequate supply of fertilizers: Minister

in the State. He said, the Ministryis working in close coordinationwith the Karnataka Government onthis matter. Shri Gowda said, asof now, the State has stock of 7.3lakh tons against monthlyrequirement of 2.57 lakh tons.

New Delhi, Apr 9 Chemicals andFertilizers Minister ShriD V Sadananda Gowdahas said thatgovernment is makingall efforts to ensure anadequate supply offertilizers for theupcoming Kharifseason. In a tweet,Shri Gowda said, as ofnow, availabilityposition is comfortable.He said, Department ofFertilizers is closely

FridayApril 10, 2020 3

Stop Global WarmingProtect future generations from theharmful effects of global warming byreducing emissions from power plants,cars, factories and other sources

Shipping : 245555Women : 1091Children : 1098Coast Guard (Search & Rescue) : 1554District Control Room : 1070 / 238881Ambulance : 102

Police Control room : 100Fire Service : 101Coastal Security : 1093PBMC Control Room : 245798State control Room: 1077/234287Extn : 328 / 231179

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National/InternationalNews

New Delhi, Apr 9 Fossil teeth yield oldest geneticmaterial from extinct humanspecies Scientists have extractedfrom dental enamel the oldesthuman genetic material everobtained, helping clarify the pivotalplace in the human evolutionarylineage of a mysterious extinctspecies called Homo antecessorknown from Spanish cave fossils.The researchers said they obtainedgenetic material from an 800,000-year-old Homo antecessor molarunearthed near the village ofAtapuerca in northern Spain andfrom a 1.77 million-year-old molarof another extinct human speciescalled Homo erectus found nearthe town of Dmanisi in Georgia.They retrieved the ancient proteins

Fossil teeth yield oldest genetic materialfrom extinct human species

from fossilized teeth using amethod called palaeoproteomicsthat can find genetic material infossils too old to contain DNAbecause of its chemicaldegradation over time. "Proteinsequences are determined by theDNA sequence of our genomes,and therefore these ancient proteinsequences provide someevolutionary information. We havepreviously shown we are able toextract ancient proteins even from2 million year old animal fossils,"University of Copenhagenmolecular anthropologist FridoWelker, lead author of the researchpublished in the journal Nature,said on Monday.Until now, the oldest genetic materialfrom an extinct human species was

dated to about 420,000 years ago.The Homo antecessor geneticmaterial was especially illuminating,the researchers said, after comparingit to more recent genetic data fromour species and extinct humanspecies. It showed Homo antecessorwas closely related to the lastcommon ancestor of the evolutionarylineage that led to Homo sapiens andtwo extinct cousins: the Neanderthalsand the lesser-known Denisovans."It confirms that Homo antecessormay be at the base of an emergingnew humanity, probablyappearing around a million yearsago in Southwest Asia,particularly in the LevantineCorridor (in the Middle East),"said paleoanthropologist andstudy co-author José-MaríaBermúdez de Castro of theNational Center for Research onHuman Evolution in Burgos,Spain. "That region was animportant refuge for biodiversityduring the ice ages," he added,helping foster the appearance ofnew species.The analyzed tooth was found in2003 and belonged to a maleindividual. While many aspects ofHomo antecessor remain unclear,researchers previously ci tedevidence suggesting the speciesengaged in cannibalism.

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 9 Giving a major boost to thebattle against Covid-19, scientistsin Kerala had developed newequipment ensuring bettertreatment and safety of the healthworkers. The Scientists in SreeChitra Tirunal Institute of MedicalSciences and Technology,Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala haddeveloped few new equipment forthe treatments of COVID-19. Oneof the main inventions is theAcrylosorb, the equipment tocollect body fluids of patients anddispose it safely. Under the system,suction canisters which are spill-proof and that can be sealed afteruse, is used to collect liquidrespiratory secretions frompatients. The merit of AcryloSorb

Kerala scientists develop newequipment to ensure better treatment,

safety of health workersis that there is no risk of re-contamination as the waste isabsorbed by the equipment itselfand also it can handle more liquidwaste at times.Another major innovation is theisolation pod that restricts COVID-19 patients from having contactwith others. It is a special modulethat can be used to shift theCOVID-19 patient safely from oneplace to another. A sterilized tendcover is attached with a pod thatprevents any kind of contact a lightbed is also arranged on the isolationpod. Bubble helmet is the thirdequipment which will berevolutionary in the treatmentCOVID-19. Bubble helmet is analternative option for the traditional

oxygen masks. Bubble helmetcompletely covers the head of thepatient will be connected througha special collar on it. This devicewill help the patient to overcomebreathing problems and avoid usingventilator facility.The automaticdisinfection gateway is anotherequipment developed that isdesigned for the decontaminationof people, one at a time. It iscompletely controlled electronicallyas the sensors mounted in thechamber detects the entry of aperson and starts the hydrogenperoxide mist generation process.Meanwhile, the hospital authoritiessaid that they will hand over thetechnology to companies forfree without any restrictions on the patent.

NGOs permitted to buy food grainsdirectly from FCI for Relief operations

New Delhi, Apr 9 NGOs and CharitableOrganizations are playingimportant role in providingcooked food to thousands ofpoor and needy people during thistime of nationwide lockdown. Toensure uninterrupted supply offoodgrain to these organizationGovernment has directed FCI toprovide Wheat and Rice to suchorganizations at the Open MarketSale Scheme (OMSS) rateswithout going through the e-auction process. Hitherto onlystate governments and registeredbulk users like Roller Flour Millswere allowed to buy stock fromFCI under OMSS rates. Theseorganizations can purchase 1 to10 MT at a time from FCI at thepredetermined reserve prices.FCI has network of more than2000 godowns in the countryand such large network ofgodowns will ensure smoothsupply of food grains to theseorganisations in this hour ofcrisis. It will help relief campsin their philanthropic work offeeding poor and migrantworkers in the country. Thedetails of lifting of foodgrain bysuch institut ions would beintimated to the concerned DMs

to ensure that the foodgrain areutilised for the intended purpose.Maintaining the quick pace oftransportation of foodgrainstocks across the country, FCIhas moved 2.2 Million tonnesfrom the surplus states since thebeginning of lockdown. It hasalready handed over about 1Million Tonnes of foodgrain tothe state governments for freedistribution under the PMGKAYscheme.FCI has also delivered about 3.2Million Tonnes of Foodgrains tostate governments to meet therequirements under regular NFSAallocation since 24.03.2020. Thestock position of foodgrains inevery state/UT in the country isbeing closely monitored andensured that sufficient stocks aremade available at all places. As on

07.04.2020, FCI is having 54.42Million Metric Tonnes (MMT)foodgrains (30.62 MMT Rice and23.80 MMT Wheat). Whileensuring supply of adequatefoodgrains for PDS and othergovernment schemes, FCI isensuring that supplies in openmarkets are also maintained at ahealthy level to avoid any priceshocks. It is regularly providingrice under OMSS directly to stategovernments and wheat to flourMills based on therecommendations of respectiveDM/DC to stabilize supply andprices. So far 1.45 LMT Wheatand 1.33 LMT rice has beenallotted. Every possible effort isbeing made to maintain stable andregular supply of foodgrains inthe country during the lockdownperiod.

New Delhi, Apr 9 India and US today discussedways to further enhance theircooperation to counter and controlthe COVID-19 pandemic. ForeignSecretary Shri Harsh VardhanShringla had a telephonicconversation with U.S. DeputySecretary of State, Mr Stephen E.Biegun where they exchangedviews on the current COVID 19pandemic situation and associatedchallenges. They also discussed how tocontrol the pandemic includingthrough the development of noveltherapies and prophylactics againstCOVID-19 and ensuring

India, US discuss ways to furtherenhance their cooperation to control

COVID-19 pandemic

availability of essential medicines,diagnostic and medical equipment,and sharing of best practices andinformation.Earlier, Prime Minister ShriNarendra Modi and US President

Mr Donald Trump had telephonicconversation over the issue.External Affairs Minister Dr. SJaishankar and US Secretary ofState Mr Pompeo also spoke overphone to discuss the issue.

Pune, Apr 9 Scientists from the Savitribai PhulePune University have been workingon solutions to the corona virusepidemic. Last month, Dr.Bhalchandra Pujari and Dr. Snehal

Scientists develop mathematical modelto predict spread of coronavirus

Shekatkar of Centre for Modelling& Simulation (CMS) - developed amathematical model to predict thespread of the disease by investigatingtransport links between cities. Theyfound that it was necessary to shut

down the transport network foreffective measures. Moreover they arefocusing on long term modellingframework that can predict the spreadof any future epidemic other thanCovid-19.

Air Canada to rehire 16,500 employeeslaid off due to pandemic

Canada, Apr 9 Air Canada has said that it willrehire around 16,500 employees,who were laid off because of theCoronavirus pandemic. The stephas been taken under agovernment relief package forbusinesses. Prime Minister, Mr.Justin Trudeau has extended thebenefits of the governmentprogram to companies thatsuffered a drop of more than 15percent in their revenues inMarch, against 30 percentpreviously. The Canadiangovernment stepped in April 1

with the emergency wage subsidyplan designed to help employerskeep their workers or bring backones that were laid off because

of the pandemic. Canada hasreported more than 19,000 casesof Coronavirus, and 456 deathsso far.

People should never shake handsagain: Anthony Fauci

Washington, Apr 9 US' top infectious diseaseexpert Anthony Fauci has said thatPeople should never shake handsagain, underlining that the practisewould not only prevent the spreadof the novel coronavirus but alsodecrease instances of influenzadramatically in the world. Fauci,who is the Director of the NationalInstitute of Allergy and InfectiousDiseases and a lead member of theWhite House Task Force onCoronavirus said that washinghands should be a must in people'sdaily routine.He further added that it would notonly be good to preventcoronavirus disease but probablywould decrease instances ofinfluenza dramatically. Because as

a matter of fact, that isone of the major waysyou can transmit arespiratory-borne illness.Responding to a questionon the possible measuresto be taken to contain thespread of the virus, hesaid, One of them isabsolute compulsivehand-washing. The otheris you don't ever shakeanybody's hands.In therecent weeks, PresidentDonald Trump too hasbeen talking about doingaway with the handshake, which is a partand parcel of theAmerican culture.Globally, 88,538 people have died due to coronavirusand nearly 1.5 million people have been infected.

Dhaka, Apr 9 Dhaka court on Wednesdayissued death warrant againstAbdul Majed, the convictedfugitive killer of Bangladesh'sfounder President SheikhMujibur Rahman in 1975. AbdulMajed was arrested on Tuesdayby the Counter Terrorism andTransnational Crime (CTTC)unit of Bangladesh from Mirpurarea in Dhaka. Abdul Majed isamong the 12 former armypersonnel who were awarded

Dhaka court issues death warrantagainst captured Mujib killer

dea th sentence in1998. It was laterconf irmed by theHigh Court in 2009.Five of theconvicted a rmypersonnel werehanged in 2010while one died. Sixof the convictedarmy personnel havebeen absconding.Abdul Majed is oneof them.