The Lockdown to Contain the Coronavirus Outbreak Has Disrupted Supply Chains
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JOURNALISM OF COURAGE SINCE 1932 The lockdown to contain the coronavirus outbreak has disrupted supply chains. One crucial chain is delivery of information and insight — news and analysis that is fair and accurate and reliably reported from across a nation in quarantine. A voice you can trust amid the clanging of alarm bells. Vajiram & Ravi and The Indian Express are proud to deliver the electronic version of this morning’s edition of The Indian Express to your Inbox. You may follow The Indian Express’s news and analysis through the day on indianexpress.com DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020, NEW DELHI, LATE CITY, 14 PAGES SINCE 1932 `6.00 (`8 PATNA &RAIPUR, `12 SRINAGAR) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM FOUR DAYS TO END OF LOCKDOWN ConsiderablerelaxationsMay4onward,says Centre,clearsreturnhomeofstrandedmigrants Curbs to be eased in manydistricts; no movement Mumbai’s Wockhardt Hospital has been sealed. Express from containment zones, hotspots Covid fight:Govt DEEPTIMANTIWARY NEWDELHI,APRIL29 systeminfront, IN AN indicationofits plansaf- terMay 3when the current phase of the lockdown ends, the private hospitals CentreonWednesday said there will be “considerable relax- ations” in manydistricts. The Union Home Ministry do the distancing also issuedguidelines formove- ment of strandedmigrant labourers, students, and tourists themselves. who want to return home. PRABHARAGHAVAN, From being sealedinthe Sources, however, saidthis will TABASSUM early stages aftertheir staff notapplytothose in hotspots or BARNAGARWALA& tested positive,likeWockhardt containment zones. ABANTIKAGHOSH in Mumbai or the private hospi- In astatement, the Ministry NEWDELHI,MUMBAI,APRIL29 talinBhilwara, to refusing to ad- said, “New guidelines to fight At acremation ground in LucknowonWednesday, ashes await immersion in holyrivers. Vishal Srivastav mit patients, from suspending COVID-19will come intoeffect OF THE thousands of COVID-19 services to playing safe, private from 4th May, which shallgive patients admitted in hospitals hospitals aren’t pulling their sub- considerable relaxations to around the country, justaround stantive weight. manydistricts. Details regarding 800are critical, requiring either That’s notall. this shall be communicated in Punjab extends curfew by 2wks, Warningsignsemerge in oxygen support,ventilatorsor Nationwide, private hospitals coming days.” treatmentinICUs (Intensive Care employ four out of everyfive Curbs areexpected to be Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar Units). Private hos- doctors, but the re- easedindistrictswherecases are joinsBengal in lifting some curbs pitals, whichac- frainfromseveral tapering. The HealthMinistry count fortwo- PRIVATE cities and towns has identified129 of the coun- dress, Punjab Chief Minister AMITABHSINHA& EXPLAINED thirds of hospital AND amid the pan- try’s 736districts as hotspots.On KANCHANVASDEV& CORONACOUNT AmarinderSingh said: “The de- KAUNAINSHERIFFM bedsinIndia, and demic is that they April 15,atthe end of the first ATRIMITRA cisiononfurther course of action PUNE,NEWDELHI,APRIL29 almost80per cent ISOLATED arelocking them- lockdown, 177districts had been CHANDIGARH,KOLKATA,APR29 willbetaken aftertwo weeks, of availableventila- selvesdowneven 31,787 1,008 AN EXPRESSSERIES notifiedashotspots. CASES DEATHS dependingonthe situation. The WHILE MAHARASHTRA and tors, arehandling when it comes to The order allowing inter- SETTING Apossible post-May3 onlysolution is social distancing. Gujarat have been attractingat- lessthan10percent PART I providingnon- statemovementofthose template, Punjab on Wednesday 7,797 RECOVERED If it is under control aftertwo tention forthe rapid rise in cases of this critical load. Covid healthcare. strandedcomes almostaweek became thefirststate to an- weeks, we will take acall.” of novelcoronavirus infection, This is justone symptomofa From Patna to Mumbai,pri- afterstatessuchasUttar Pradesh nounce atwo-week extension of 7,70,764 samples have been Singh asked peopletomain- states in theeasthave, forthe largertrend over the lastthree vate hospitals citemanyreasons and Madhya Pradesh began lockdown (until May17), butsaid tested as on April 29 tain disciplineand underlined firsttime now, startedtoshow months: the Rs 2.4-lakh-crore to explain their near absence: transporting their migrant restrictions will beeasedfor four that if theystepout, theymust signs that theycouldemerge as private health caresector has lockdownrestrictions, lackofin- labour and studentsstuckin hours daily,from7amto11am, in non-containment zones from wear masks, ensuresocial dis- potential danger zones as well. largely been relegated to the ternal protocols to handlethe other states. Wednesday’s order in non-containmentzones with May4—includingmovementof tancing and return to their The latestanalysis of com- sidelines, watching the public pandemic, fear of infection to said,“Due to lockdown, migrant effect from Thursday.Italso de- private taxis and buses in green homes by 11 am. “Ifwehave puter modelling results by scien- health care system —govern- their owndoctors and nursing workers, pilgrims, tourists,stu- cidedtoallow opening of shops zones, within adistrict, with a givenrelaxation, thatdoesnot tistsofthe Chennai-basedInsti- ment hospitals, doctors, nurses staff, unwillingness to risk the dentsand other persons are and industries in theseareas. limited number of passengers. mean youcan call your friends tuteofMathematical Sciences and paramedics —battle the business from non-Covid strandedatdifferent places. They Similarly,WestBengal Chief Both stategovernmentsun- home. Social distancing has to be (IMSc) showthatthough West Covid pandemic. CONTINUEDONPAGE2 would be allowedtomove.” MinisterMamataBanerjee said derlinedthat the local adminis- ensured,” he said. Bengal, Bihar,and Jharkhandstill Behind this areasetofcir- Incidentally, at avideo-con- experts anddoctors areofthe tration would take the final call Punjab has reported377 hadacombinedcaseload of less REVISITINGCURVE cumstances thatrangefromthe ference meeting with Prime opinion that the restrictions on easing curbs. COVID-19 cases and 19 deaths so than1,200onApril29,thesethree TOREADLOCKDOWN natureofgovernment policy on NEXT: WHAT’S HOLDING MinisterNarendraModion should continue till May-end, Announcing his govern- far. While four districts —Patiala, states had the highestrate PAGE 10 managing the pandemic to de- BACK PRIVATE HOSPITALS IN CONTINUEDONPAGE2 but announcedsome relaxations ment’s decision in atelevised ad- CONTINUEDONPAGE2 CONTINUEDONPAGE2 cisions takenbythe hospitals THE WAR AGAINST COVID? Labour shortage is Railways readies movement plan, Running out Minorityinstitution rights some states push for specialtrains of time to not above law or absolute: making Punjab and enter House, be scaledupto1,000,withade- tancing. The Railways’detailed SC rules on CMC-NEET Haryana farmers AVISHEKGDASTIDAR, tailedprotocol. protocol also had aparagraph Uddhav dials tions by the Christian Medical ABHISHEKANGAD& While therehas been no in- stating that states falling in the ANANTHAKRISHNANG College, Vellore, and others, the DEEPMUKHERJEE dication that passenger train routes should allowthe move- PM for help NEWDELHI,APRIL29 benchofJustices ArunMishra, switch from paddy NEWDELHI,RANCHI,JAIPUR, services will resume before May ment, screening, controlledem- VineetSaran and MRShah or- APRIL29 3, the Railwayscarriedout an in- barking etc,” asenior govern- STATINGTHATrightsofreligious dered that NEET will be the only ternal exercise and communi- ment official said. or linguistic minorities to admin- exam foradmission to the WHILE THECentrehas allowed cated the plan to toplevels in the Accordingtosources,byde- VISHWASWAGHMODE& isteraninstitution under Article courses and institutions cannot ANJUAGNIHOTRICHABA movement of migrant workers government. cidingonbuses instead of trains, LIZMATHEW 30 of the Constitution “arenot be allowed to conduct their own &HARISHDAMODARAN in buses, severalstateshavede- Accordingtothe plan, each the government has strategically MUMBAI,NEWDELHI,APRIL29 above the lawand other separateexams over and above JALANDHAR,NEWDELHI, mandedspecial trains,underlin- non-AC train will carry 1,000 restricted the number of people Constitutional provisions”, the NEET. APRIL29 ing the sheer numbers of those people per trip —about half the who can be transported. WITH THE Maharashtra Supreme Courtruled “Weare of the opinionthat stranded. Accordingtosources, usual number —toensure ade- “It is just to allowanoption Governor sittingonthe state Wednesdaythat the National rightsunder Articles 19 (1) (g) COVID-19has openedawindow the MinistryofRailways has also quatesocial distancing. of relief forthe strandedwant- Cabinet’s recommendation that Eligibilitycum Entrance Test and 30 read with Articles 25, 26 of opportunity to wean away draftedaplan to operate 400 “Eachbus typicallycarries25 ing to travel to their home states, UddhavThackeray be nomi- (NEET) foradmission to gradu- and 29 (1) of the Constitution of farmers in Punjab and Haryana special trains per day, whichcan people afterfollowing social dis- CONTINUEDONPAGE2 nated to the Legislative Council, ateand post-graduatemedical Indiadonot come in the wayof from growing rice to less water- the Chief MinisterdialledPrime and dental courses is “regula- securing transparency and guzzling cropssuchascotton Sowing cotton in afieldin MinisterNarendraModion tory”innatureand in “national recognition of meritsinthe