/ & !"# $%& !"#! '*+,%-'.)/ 001 !025 0234 /$"1 6.8 6 . -9913 82 . 4 -82-2537 .-- 2-2 2-.-3 49-. 3- 3- 3 - 4-3 . 1-3139.-1 42-. 99 9- 3- 53-2-6 7-5-- % % $%&'() ''() '*+ ,-./&%-## 0# 1 !23 ! ! " # of adequate and uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen is an nvoking Disaster *. "( " important pre-requisite for New Delhi: The Centre has rime Minister Narendra IManagement Act, the Centre managing moderate and severe asked all its employees to get PModi on Thursday held a on Thursday directed States to cases of Covid-19 and with the themselves vaccinated so as to high-level official meeting and ensure uninterrupted produc- increasing cases, the medical effectively contain the spread of ordered the adequate supply of tion and supply of medical oxy- oxygen supply will need to keep Covid-19, a Personnel Ministry oxygen to all States. Modi can- gen and its transport along pace with the requirements of order issued on Thursday said. celled his poll rallies in Bengal inter-State borders and said the the States and Union It said the Government has to remain here to attend three District Magistrate and Territories. been monitoring the situation urgent meetings on Friday in Superintendent of Police of “Therefore, to ensure the very closely, and it has been view of an alarming Covid-19 the district concerned will be uninterrupted supply of med- decided to vaccinate all the cit- situation in the country, aggra- held responsible if there is any ical oxygen across the country izens who have attained the age vated by oxygen and medicine violation of its order. for the management of Covid- of 18 years and above. crunch across the country. The directive under the 19 patients, in the exercise of On Friday, the PM will stringent Disaster Management powers conferred under the undertake three-key meetings Act 2005 was issued by Union section of the DM Act, the — a high-level Covid review the prevailing Covid-19 situa- the Prime Minister that an Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla in undersigned, in the capacity as meeting, a meeting with Chief tion. “Tomorrow, will be chair- elaborate exercise was being the wake of reports that some ical oxygen to other States pandemic and demand for it. chairperson, National Ministers of worst-affected ing high-level meetings to conducted in coordination with States blocked supply of med- amid sudden spike in Covid Bhalla said the availability Continued on Page 11 States, and one with oxygen review the prevailing Covid-19 the States to identify their Dubai: The UAE has banned manufacturers. situation. Due to that, I would demand for oxygen and ensure travel from India for 10 days For his part, Home not be going to West Bengal,” adequate supply accordingly. from Sunday due to the wors- Minister Amit Shah too cut he said. He was briefed on how ( ening Covid-19 situation in the short his Bengal poll cam- Instead, he is to address oxygen supply to States is country. The travel ban will paign, cancelling two of his people of Bengal virtually on steadily increasing, according come into effect from 11.59 pm three meetings to return to Friday evening. to the PMO. & - on Saturday, April 24, and is Delhi for a Covid meeting. India is witnessing an Officials said in the last few subject to review after 10 days, The PM, during the day, unprecedented surge in Covid- days, availability of Liquid the Gulf News reported. was briefed on how oxygen 19 cases which is putting enor- Medical Oxygen has been A Bench headed by Chief approached the High Courts to Passengers who have transited supply to States is “steadily mous pressure on the country’s increased by about 3,300 MT/ Justice SA Bobde, which took show cause why uniform !!! through India in the last 14 increasing”, according to the already burdened health-care day with contributions from aking note of the “grim” sit- suo motu cognisance on the orders be not passed by this days will also not be permitted Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). infrastructure. private and public steel plants, Tuation created by the mas- issue of distribution of essen- court in relation to: a) supply to board from any other point “Against the present Oxygen demand, accord- industries, oxygen manufac- sive surge in Covid cases and tial supplies and services, said of oxygen; b) supply of essen- ! to the UAE, the report said. demand from 20 States of 6,785 ing to officials, has risen by 55 turers as well as through pro- deaths, the Supreme Court on prima facie it is of the view that tial drugs; c) method and man- MT/day of Liquid Medical to 60 per cent in the outbreak hibition of supply of oxygen for Thursday said it expects the the distribution must be done ner of vaccination and d) dec- " Oxygen, Government of India of the second wave of coron- non-essential industries. Centre to come out with a in an “even handed manner” laration of lockdown,” said the has from April 21 allocated avirus pandemic. Officers informed the “national plan” to deal with according to the advice of Bench. ! 6,822 MT/ day to these States,” In the meeting, the Prime Prime Minister that they are proper distribution of oxygen health authorities. The bench also comprised # said a PMO statement. Minister spoke about the need working together with the and essential drugs. “In these circumstances, Justices L Nageswara Rao and With a flurry of meetings to work rapidly on multiple States to operationalise the Observing that oxygen is we direct that notices be issued S Ravindra Bhat. Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh lined up, Modi cancelled his aspects which included sanctioned PSA oxygen plants an “essential part” of treat- to the Union Government, the The top court said it is of " ! Government on Thursday decid- four poll rallies in Bengal “increasing production of oxy- as soon as possible. ment, the SC said it seems that State Governments /Union the opinion that the Centre ed to bear the expenses of Covid- scheduled for April 23. gen, increasing the speed of dis- Modi directed the officials a certain amount of “panic” has Territories and the parties, should respond, including on !! 19 vaccine for those aged In a tweet, Modi said he tribution & using innovative to ensure that oxygen supply to been generated due to which who appeared to have Continued on Page 11 between 18 and 44 years . will not be going to poll-bound ways to provide oxygen support various States happen in a people have approached several West Bengal on Friday due to to health facilities”. smooth, unhindered manner. high courts seeking reliefs relat- high-level meetings to review Senior officials informed Continued on Page 11 ed to the prevailing situation. )*(R 34,379 new cases, **" 195 deaths in UP $#" and expressed helplessness in being forced to shift he second strain of coro- patients to other hospitals Tnavirus continued to play due to this reason. PI(M) general secretary havoc with 195 people dying Chief Minister Yogi CSitaram Yechury’s son in the last 24 hours and Adityanath, however, Ashish died of Covid-19 at a 34,379 fresh cases were appointed nodal officers in Gurugram hospital on reported from across the each hospital to monitor the Thursday morning after a two- state. It was another highest availability of oxygen. A gov- week battle with the pandem- single-day spike in Covid ernment spokesman said that he Uttar Pradesh govern- ic. The death of the journalist cases. against 34,379 fresh cases, Tment on Thursday decid- who would have celebrated his The large-scale infections 16,514 people were dis- ed to do away with the CMO 35th birthday on June 9 was have led to paucity of beds, charged from various hospi- referral system, allowing pri- announced by Yechury. oxygen and life-saving drugs tals and there are 2.59 lakh vate hospitals to admit Covid “It is with great sadness in hospitals, triggering panic active cases. Lucknow record- patients without waiting for it. that I have to inform that I lost among people. The situation ed 5,239 fresh cases and 19 In the new order, the state- my elder son Ashish Yechury to accentuated with relatives deaths, but 6,207 patients run hospitals have also been Covid-19 this morning. I want being asked to take their were discharged. Varanasi asked to give 30 per cent of to thank all those who gave us patients from private hospi- recorded 1813 fresh cases the beds to patients without hope and who treated him — tals due to shortage of oxy- and 10 deaths while Prayagraj referral. However, the doctors, nurses, frontline health gen. The administration of recorded 2,013 cases and 18 remaining beds will be allot- workers, sanitation workers many hospital administra- deaths, followed by Kanpur ted as per the directions of the and innumerable others who tions wrote to CMOs of where 1,516 new cases were Integrated Control and stood by us,” Yechury wrote on respective districts that they detected along with 18 Command Centre. twitter. were running out of oxygen deaths. Details on Page 3 Continued on Page 11 ! ! "# " " $%&' ( to 250 per dose will cease to exist. exist and private hospitals will All vaccination (through s the vaccination against procure shots directly from Government of India vaccina- ACovid-19 for those above vaccine manufacturers. tion centres and other than the 18 years will begin across the However, according to the Government of India channel) country from May 1, the reg- Liberalised Pricing and will be part of the National istration to book appointments Accelerated National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme, will will begin from April 28.