THE HIMALAYAN MAIL JAMMU TUESDAY MAY 18, 2021 NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL 7 'Tauktae' now 'very severe' cyclonic Top Indian virologist quits govt panel after criticising Centre storm, to reach Gujarat by evening over Covid handling NEW DELHI, MAY 17: Biotechnology that over- this month that INSACOG, A top Indian virologist has sees INSACOG, did not im- the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Ge- Heavy showers, strong winds in Mumbai; IMD upgrades rain forecast resigned from a forum of mediately respond to a re- netics Consortium, warned MUMBAI, MAY 17: "#TauktaeCyclone Today scientific advisers set up by quest for comment. Health government officials in Gusty winds and heavy morning at 0700 hrs Mum- the government to detect Minister Harsh Vardhan early March of a new and showers lashed Mumbai and bai much much windy now, variants of the coronavirus, also did not immediately re- more contagious variant of its neighbouring areas on Overcast Sky, now mod rains he told Reuters on Sunday, spond to a text message the coronavirus taking hold Monday as the "very severe and can pickup soon. No wa- weeks after questioning the seeking comment. in the country. The variant, cyclonic storm" Tauktae ter logging so far...," Hosa- authorities' handling of the Another INSACOG mem- B.1.617, is one of the rea- headed towards Gujarat, up- likar tweeted. pandemic. ber said he was not aware of sons India is currently bat- rooting trees and disrupting The IMD earlier forecast Shahid Jameel, chair of any direct disagreements tling the world's worst local train services in the me- moderate to intense spells of the scientific advisory between Jameel and the surge in COVID-19 cases. tropolis, officials said. rain with gusty winds reach- group of the forum known government. Asked why the govern- The IMD has warned of ing 90-100 kmph are likely as INSACOG, declined to A top government scien- ment did not respond more extremely heavy rain and to occur at isolated places in give a reason for his resig- tist who is part of the forum forcefully to the findings, wind speed upto 120 kmph Raigad, Palghar, Mumbai, nation. said, on the condition of for example by restricting over the next few hours, the Thane and Ratnagiri dis- "I am not obliged to give anonymity, that he did not large gatherings, Jameel Brihanmumbai Municipal tricts. According to civic offi- a reason," he said in a text think the departure of had told Reuters that he Corporation (BMC) said in cials, around 34 incidents of message, adding that he Jameel would hamper IN- was concerned that author- the afternoon. tree fall were reported in quit on Friday. SACOG's monitoring of ities were not paying Currently, several parts of Mumbai since Sunday, but Renu Swarup, the secre- virus variants. enough attention to the evi- Mumbai and neighbouring there no report of any injury tary of the Department of Reuters reported earlier dence as they set policy. areas are witnessing heavy to anyone. downpour coupled with The civic-run Brihan- strong winds. mumbai Electric Supply and Portals of Kedarnath open; first "The IMD has upgraded Transport (BEST) undertak- the warning to extremely Local trains services of the Terminus (CSMT) were not confirm it. ing has deployed officers of heavy rainfall in Mumbai for Central Railway were dis- blown away in the morning, As a precautionary mea- its transport and power puja held on behalf of PM Modi next few hours," BMC's rupted between suburban he said. sure, the monorail services in wings at various locations, spokesperson Tanaji Kamble Ghatkopar and Vikhroli for The area was cordoned off the city were suspended for including control rooms for DEHRADUN, MAY 17: said. about half-an-hour as a tree and the railway staff imme- the day, the Mumbai Metro- disaster management. The portals of Kedarnath The Bandra-Worli sea-link fell on an overhead wire diately attended to it, he said. politan Region Development On Sunday, the IMD is- opened on Monday after a was closed for traffic in view while a train was heading to- Despite the civic body's Authority (MMRDA) said. sued an orange alert for six-month winter break with of the strong winds and peo- wards neighbouring Thane, claims of drains having been This was a "prompt deci- Mumbai, predicting heavy to the first puja being held by ple were asked to take alter- a railway spokesperson said. cleaned as part of prepared- sion" taken for the safety of very heavy rains at isolated priests on behalf of Prime nate routes, another senior Services on the harbour ness for the upcoming mon- commuters, the MMRDA places with strong winds on Minister Narendra Modi, of- official of the BMC said. line, that provides rail con- soon season, there was wa- said. Earlier in the morning, Monday. ficials said. The Colaba area in south nectivity to Navi Mumbai, ter-logging in several KS Hosalilar, head SID, Cli- According to civic officials, Only a select few people at- Mumbai recorded a wind were also affected after a low-lying areas of the city. mate Research & Services, the National Disaster Re- tended the temple's opening speed of 102 km per hour vinyl banner fell on an over- The Mumbai police IMD Pune in a tweet said, sponse Force (NDRF) and ceremony in view of the sec- around 11 am, the highest for head wire between Chunab- tweeted about water-logging "#TauktaeCyclone. Ex- the Indian Navy were on ond wave of COVID-19 pan- the day so far, IMD Mum- hatti and Guru Tej Bahadur in six low-lying areas, includ- tremely Severe Cyclonic alert as Cyclone Tauktae in- demic. It is for the second bai's senior director Shub- stations around 11.45 am. ing the Hindmata junction, Storm now. tensified to a very severe cy- consecutive year that COVID mony. with eleven quintals of flow- hangi Bhute said. The banner was removed Andheri subway and Malad Mumbai 160 km Veraval clonic storm and was passing has cast a shadow on the pil- Expressing happiness at ers on the occasion, the Dev- Between 8.30 am and 11 after about half-an-hour and Subway, crucial for the east- Guj 290 km Take care close to Mumbai. grimage to the temple which the opening of the temple, asthan Board officials said. am, the IMD's Colaba obser- train services were resumed, west connectivity. ...North Konkan, Mah coast Six flood rescue teams of has been kept out of bounds Uttarakhand Chief Minister COVID norms like wear- vatory (representative of he said. A citizen in a Twitter post and Guj." the Mumbai fire brigade for pilgrims in view of rising Tirath Singh Rawat prayed ing of masks and social dis- south Mumbai) recorded Due to the strong wind, claimed a temporary pandal In another tweet, he said were deployed at chowpat- coronavirus cases. for the welfare and good tancing were strictly followed 79.4 mm rainfall, while the some plastic sheets covering erected for vaccination in Mumbai was quite windy ties and five temporary shel- A Chardham Dev- health of the people. by those attending the event, Santacruz observatory (rep- the roof of the common pas- Dahisar was partially dam- and asked citizens to take ters each were kept ready in asthanam Board official said The yatra to the temple is he said. resentative of suburbs) senger area between the sub- aged due to the heavy rain care and keep a tab on up- 24 civic wards of the city to the first puja was held by temporarily suspended for While Yamunotri and recorded 44.5 mm rain, she urban and main lines at the and high velocity winds. dates from the India Meteo- shift citizens there if re- priests on behalf of the prime the sake of people's safety, Gangotri temples were said. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj However, civic officials did rological Department (IMD). quired, they said. minister as the gates of the Rawat said, asking people to opened on May 14 and May famous Himalayan temple have virtual "darshan" of 15 respectively, Badrinath Mamata arrives at CBI were opened at 5 am. Baba Kedar and perform will open on Tuesday for the India drops plasma therapy from A limited number of tem- puja at home. priests to perform regular ple priests, including Rawal Tourism Minister Satpal prayers. office after arrest of Bengal Bhim Shankar Ling and Maharaj said Chardham Ya- However, no pilgrims will Covid-19 management guidelines Chief Priest Bagesh Ling, and tra will be started soon after be allowed to visit any of NEW DELHI, MAY 17: days of the onset of symp- of more virulent strains de- ministers, MLA in Narada case officials of the administra- the coronavirus pandemic these temples till further or- The government on Monday toms and if there is availabil- veloping due to irrational use KOLKATA, MAY 17: West Bengal Chief Minister Ma- tion and Devasthanam subsides. ders in view of the COVID revised the clinical guidance ity of a high titre donor of plasma therapy which can mata Banerjee on Monday arrived at the CBI office here, after Board attended the cere- The temple was decorated surge. for Covid-19 treatment, plasma. fuel the pandemic, according two of her ministers and a TMC MLA were arrested in the dropping the off-label use of The decision to remove it to the letter signed by vacci- Narada sting operation case. convalescent plasma as it from the guidelines comes in nologist Gagandeep Kang, Banerjee reached the Nizam Palace at 10.50 am. Haridwar private hospital 'hides' 65 COVID was found not beneficial in the backdrop of some clini- surgeon Pramesh C S and On Monday morning, Bengal ministers Firhad Hakim and reducing the progression to cians and scientists writing others. Subrata Mukherjee, TMC legislator Madan Mitra and former patients' deaths from authorities, probe on severe disease or death. to Principal Scientific Ad- “We are writing to you as minister Sovan Chatterjee were arrested by the central probe DEHRADUN, MAY 17: hid the figure from the State pathi said on Monday. The development came viser K VijayRaghavan cau- concerned clinicians, public agency. A private hospital in Harid- COVID Control Room here, With many attributing the following a meeting of the tioning against the “irra- health professionals and sci- The chief minister had reportedly gone to Hakim's resi- war allegedly withheld infor- officials said. sudden rise in COVID-19 ICMR-National Task Force tional and non-scientific use” entists from India about the dence in Chetla before making her way to the CBI office. mation about deaths of 65 When the hospital man- mortality figures in Uttarak- for Covid-19 last week of convalescent plasma for irrational and non- scientific COVID-19 patients from the agement was threatened hand in recent weeks to pri- wherein all members were in Covid-19 in the country. use of convalescent plasma Barge with 273 on board adrift near health authorities for over a with action it disclosed the vate hospitals not updating favour of removing the use of In the letter, which was for Covid-19 in the country. fortnight in violation of the truth, state COVID Control their death tallies daily, convalescent plasma from also marked to ICMR chief “This has stemmed from oil rigs, Navy sends rescue team norms, officials said on Mon- Room officials said. Health Secretary Amit Negi the guidelines citing its inef- Balram Bhargava and AIIMS guidelines issued by govern- day. However, the hospital wrote a letter to all hospitals fectiveness and inappropri- Director Randeep Guleria, NEW DELHI, MAY 17: A massive rescue operation has ment agencies, and we re- been launched at the Arabian Sea after a ‘barge’—an engineer- Cabinet Minister and state management offered ex- asking them to regularly pro- ate use in several cases. public health professionals quest your urgent interven- government spokesman cuses like shortage of staff for vide figures to the state con- An Indian Council of Med- alleged that the current ing ship—working near the off-shore oil rigs of ‘Bombay High’ tion to address the issue was adrift. Subodh Uniyal said the mat- not being able to provide the trol room or face action. ical Research (ICMR) official guidelines on plasma ther- which can prevent harass- ter is being probed and ap- information on time, they Death summary of said the task force “revised” apy are not based on existing There are 273 personnel on board the ship which is unable to ment of Covid-19 patients, control itself. A free-floating barge in the ongoing cyclonic propriate legal action will be said. Hospitals across the COVID-19 patients should the Clinical Guidance for evidence and pointed out their families, their clinicians taken against those respon- state are supposed to inform be sent to the state control Management of Adult Covid- some very early evidence winds can be of risk to other ships and also to the oil–installa- and Covid-19 survivors,” said sible for the negligence. the COVID Control Room room daily by the hospitals 19 Patients and “dropped that indicates a possible as- tions which are nearly 70 km southwest of Mumbai. the letter. Sixty-five COVID-19 pa- within 24 hours about the or else tough action will be convalescent plasma (off la- sociation between emer- Indian Navy spokesperson in New Delhi Commander Vivek “The current research evi- tients died at Baba Barfani death of patients suffering taken against the guilty un- bel)”. gence of variants with “lower Madhwal confirmed that a request for assistance has come dence unanimously indi- from Barge 'P305' adrift off Heera Oil Fields in the Bombay Hospital between April 25 from the infection, Chief Op- der the Epidemic Act, he said The previous guidelines susceptibility to neutralising and May 12 but the facility erating Officer Abhishek Tri- in the letter. recommended off-label use antibodies in immunosup- cates that there is no benefit High area. “It has 273 personnel onboard, INS Kochi has of plasma therapy at the pressed” people given offered by convalescent sailed out from Mumbai with a despatch for search and rescue stage of early moderate dis- plasma therapy. plasma for treatment of (SAR) assistance. INS Talwar is also preparing to sail out,” ease, that is, within seven This raises the possibility Covid-19. Commander Madhwal added. Over 2 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses available with states: Centre Israeli air strikes hit Gaza as fighting enters second week NEW DELHI, MAY 17 : More than two crore COVID-19 vaccine doses are still avail- the two previous nights. much, but Jerusalem deserves all the "All parties need to deescalate ten- A Palestinian sponge factory in sacrifices." There were no new re- sions - the violence must end immedi- able with the states and Union territories, northern Gaza was hit in a morning ports of casualties on either side of ately", U.S. Secretary of State Antony while nearly three lakh doses are in the air strike and firefighters battled to the border. The Gaza Health Ministry Blinken wrote on Twitter, injecting pipeline and will be received by them within quell the blaze, which sent plumes of puts the death toll since the hostili- more urgency into Washington's the next three days, the Union health min- smoke into the air. ties flared at 197, including 58 chil- calls for calm after speaking with istry said on Monday. After rockets were fired from Gaza dren and 34 women. Ten people have Egypt's foreign minister. The Centre has so far provided over 20 at the Israeli cities of Beersheba and been killed in Israel, including two At a U.N. Security Council meeting crore (20,76,10,230) vaccine doses to the Ashkelon, Israeli jets bombed what children, Israeli authorities say. on Sunday, the United States said it states and Union territories for free. Of this, the military said were 15 km (nine Hamas began its rocket assault last had made clear to Israel, the Pales- the total consumption, calculated on the basis miles) of underground tunnels used Monday after weeks of tensions over tinians and others that it was ready of average figures, up to May 16, including GAZA/TEL AVIV, MAY 17: Is- tion and supply of the vaccines. by Hamas. It also struck nine resi- a court case to evict several Palestinian to offer support "should the parties wastage, is 18,71,13,705 doses (according to rael bombed what it said were under- Vaccination is an integral pillar of the com- ground tunnels used by Hamas and dences belonging to high-ranking families in East Jerusalem, and in re- seek a ceasefire". data available at 8 am on Monday), it added. Hamas commanders, it said. taliation for Israeli police clashes with Prime Minister Benjamin Ne- "More than two crore COVID-19 vaccine prehensive strategy of the government for the Palestinian militants fired rocket bar- containment and management of the pan- rages at Israeli cities as fighting With the sounds of Israeli bom- Palestinians near the city's al-Aqsa tanyahu said Israel's campaign in doses (2,04,96,525) are still available with bardment continuing throughout the Mosque, Islam's third holiest site, Gaza was continuing at "full force", the states and UTs to be administered," the demic, along with "Test, Track, Treat" and spilled into a second week on Mon- COVID-appropriate behaviour, the ministry day and international calls for a morning, Gaza residents rushed to during the Muslim holy month of Ra- and that deterrence had to be ministry said. said. ceasefire mounted. bakeries and drugstores to stock up madan. achieved to prevent future conflict Furthermore, 2,94,660 vaccine doses are The implementation of the Liberalised and After a night of heavy Israeli on bread and other essentials. World concern had already deep- with Hamas. in the pipeline and will be received by the Accelerated Phase 3 Strategy of COVID-19 airstrikes on areas across the Islamist "My children couldn't sleep all ened after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza "We are acting now, for as long as states within the next three days, it said. Vaccination has started from May 1. Under Hamas-run enclave, Israel's military night even after the wave of intensive that destroyed several homes on necessary, to restore calm and quiet to As part of the nationwide vaccination drive the Strategy, every month, 50 per cent of the said Gaza militants had fired about bombing stopped," said Umm Sunday and which Palestinian health you, Israel's citizens. It will take against the viral disease, the Government of 60 rockets towards Israeli cities Naeem, 50, a mother of five, as she officials said killed 42 people, includ- time," Netanyahu said in a televised India has been supporting the states by pro- vaccine doses cleared by the Central Drugs overnight, down from 120 and 200 shopped for bread in Gaza City. ing 10 children, and persistent rocket address after his security Cabinet met viding them vaccine doses for free, in addi- Laboratory (CDL) of any manufacturer "What is happening to us is too attacks on Israeli towns. on Sunday. tion to several efforts to ramp up the produc- would be procured by the government.