The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that nobody was on the roads as of 11 am today, and that people have been moved to shelters. The court was hearing a petition regarding the providing shelter to migrant labourers in the country during the 21-day lockdown after thousands of them have tried to go home, many on foot. The court asked the government to ensure that there is enough food, water, beds and supplies for people in the shelters.
The Centre on Monday extended the validity period of transport documents related to the Motor Vehicles Act and the Central Motor Vehicles Rules from its original expiry date of February 1 to June 30 amid the lockdown. This includes fitness tests, drivers licence and permits.
The Telangana government on Monday announced that six people who had attended a religious congregation in Nizamuddin area of New Delhi have died of the coronavirus. The government said two had died while undergoing treatment at Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad, one each in Apollo Hospital and Global Hospital. Two other deaths were reported from Nizamabad and Gadwal.
Here’s what made the news today:
Singer Kanika Kapoor tests positive for coronavirus for fifth time
Bollywood singer Kanika Kapoor has tested positive for the coronavirus for the fifth time. Police had earlier booked the singer for not following quarantine norms and for attending events where she met several politicians. She was found to have contracted the infection this month after returning from London.
Covid-19: Residents of Karnataka district flout social distancing rules as curbs eased for 9 hours
Residents of Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district flocked to shops and supermarkets to buy household supplies in open defiance of social distancing guidelines during a nine-hour relaxation of lockdown curbs, PTI reported. The district administration eased the lockdown restrictions between 6 am and 3 pm for people to buy essential commodities, however, locals were reportedly thronging the stores from early morning.
Covid-19: Over 6 lakh poor getting shelter support at 21,000 relief camps, says Centre
State governments have set up over 21,000 relief camps to give shelter to more than 6 lakh people during the ongoing countrywide lockdown, the Centre said on Tuesday amid criticism for migrant workers returning from cities to their hometowns in various parts of the country.
Covid-19: Sweet shops in Bengal allowed to open for four hours a day amid lockdown
Sweet shops in West Bengal will be allowed to remain open for four hours a day amid the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, the state government said on Monday. Across India, only shops selling essentials like food and medicines are being allowed to operate.
Coronavirus lockdown: Maharashtra, Telangana CMs and government officials to take huge salary cuts
The Maharashtra government on Tuesday announced significant salary cuts for all its political representatives and employees for the month of March amid fears of an economic collapse after a countrywide lockdown was imposed to contain the novel coronavirus. Deputy chief minister and state Finance Minister Ajit Pawar made the announcement after holding a meeting with the government employees’ unions, Hindustan Times reported.
Coronavirus: 93-year-old man and his 88-year-old wife recover from infection in Kerala
A 93-year old man in Kerala and his 88-year-old wife have recovered from Covid-19, the deadly disease caused by the novel coronavirus, the government said on Tuesday. The couple had contracted the infection from their son, who had returned from Italy.
Coronavirus: ‘No migrant workers on roads as of 11 am,’ Centre tells Supreme Court
The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that there are no migrant workers on the roads “as of 11 am on March 31” and they have all been taken to the nearest available shelter, Bar and Bench reported. The court was hearing petitions seeking relief for thousands of labourers who have been attempting to return home after being left without work during the 21-day lockdown because of the novel coronavirus.
Covid-19 lockdown: Chhattisgarh CM says country in dire need of second economic assistance package
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday said the country is in dire need of a second economic assistance package for those who were excluded from the ambit of the package announced on March 26. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced an economic package to help the poor tide over the impact of the countrywide lockdown to contain the novel coronavirus.
Coronavirus: Over 17,000 ambulance workers in UP threaten to stop work over lack of safety gear
The association of ambulance employees in Uttar Pradesh have threatened to stop work from Tuesday afternoon over unavailability of proper protective gear for the front-line workers to tackle the coronavirus spread in the state, NDTV reported. The employees also claimed that they have not been paid since January and demanded that money be released immediately for them to carry out the work.
Coronavirus lockdown: Delhi to increase number of food distribution centres from 500 to 2,500
The Delhi government on Tuesday announced that the number of food distribution centres set up in the national Capital will be increased from 500 to 2,500 to ensure social distancing amid the countrywide lockdown to contain the novel coronavirus. The decision was made at a high-level meeting between Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Lieutenant General Anil Baijal and other senior officials held via video conferencing to discuss the coronavirus situation and the three-day religious event in Nizamuddin.
Covid-19 lockdown: Centre extends validity of driving licence, permits from February 1 to June 30
The Centre on Monday extended the validity period of transport documents such as the driving licence, permits and registrations from its original expiry date of February 1 to June 30, in view of the three-week countrywide lockdown to contain the coronavirus, PTI reported.
Covid-19: Vijay Mallya asks monetary aid from Centre, claims he is paying salaries despite lockdown
Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya on Tuesday sought financial assistance from the government as crisis enveloped the economy after a countrywide lockdown put a lid on all business activities. He claimed that he has been paying salaries to his employees even though his companies have ceased all operations. The lockdown was imposed nationwide for a three-week period from March 25 to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
Coronavirus: Karnataka government asks people under home quarantine to send selfies every hour
People under home quarantine in Karnataka for the novel coronavirus have been asked to send selfies to the government every hour, NDTV reported on Tuesday. Violation of the order will lead to these individuals being shifted to government-run mass quarantine facilities, a state minister had said on Monday.
Coronavirus: Mumbai civic body revokes its order on cremation practices of patients
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in Mumbai on Monday withdrew its order, saying bodies of all coronavirus patients can only be cremated irrespective of their religion, hours after issuing it, PTI reported. Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik announced on Monday evening on Twitter that the order has been revoked.
Covid-19 lockdown: Telangana government announces salary cuts for all state officials
The Telangana government on Monday night announced massive salary cuts as high as 75% for all its executives, political representatives and employees as the country’s economy suffers a whiplash amid the three-week countrywide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus, NDTV reported. The decision was taken at a high-level review meeting held earlier at Pragathi Bhavan to take stock of the financial position of the state at the time of the pandemic.
Covid-19: Pandemic to hit growth in Asia and China, push 11 million into poverty, says World Bank
The World Bank on Monday warned that the coronavirus pandemic is expected to sharply slow growth in developing economies in East Asia and the Pacific as well as China, reported AFP. The bank added that the disease will drive millions into poverty.
The coronavirus is causing “an unprecedented global shock, which could bring growth to a halt and could increase poverty across the region,” said Aaditya Mattoo, World Bank chief economist for East Asia and the Pacific.
Coronavirus: India sees sharpest spike in cases, crosses 1,200 mark with 32 deaths
India reported its sharpest spike in the number of the coronavirus cases on Monday as 227 people tested positive in 24 hours, taking the country’s total to 1,251 with 32 deaths. Kerala has the highest number of positive cases at 202, followed by Maharashtra at 198. Delhi recorded 87 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 82 positive cases were reported from Uttar Pradesh.
The country began its seventh day in lockdown on Tuesday.
Coronavirus: Six who attended religious event in Delhi’s Nizamuddin die in Telangana
The Telangana government on Monday announced that six people who had attended a religious congregation in Nizamuddin area of New Delhi have died of the coronavirus.
A statement issued by the Chief Minister Office said the victims had attended the three-day religious congregation and contracted Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The government said two had died while undergoing treatment at Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad, one each in Apollo Hospital and Global Hospital. Two other deaths were reported from Nizamabad and Gadwal.
Noida: DM transferred amid rising Covid-19 cases, video shows Adityanath rebuking officials
The district magistrate of Gautam Buddha Nagar in Uttar Pradesh was on Monday transferred after Chief Minister Adityanath visited Noida to assess the coronavirus situation, reported PTI. Gautam Buddha Nagar district has reported 38 coronavirus cases in the state – the highest.
Covid-19 lockdown: Kerala HC seeks Centre’s reply on police excesses, says ‘laws can’t stay silent’
The Kerala High Court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of reports of police brutality against those breaking the lockdown norms, and said it cannot allow fundamental rights of citizens to be infringed, reported LiveLaw. The lockdown has been in place since March 25 to curb the spread of the coronavirus in India.
Gujarat: Police fire tear gas on migrant workers for defying coronavirus lockdown, over 90 arrested
Over 90 migrant labourers have been arrested in Gujarat’s Surat city for defying a three-week lockdown that has left thousands of poor Indians without livelihood and shelter, PTI reported on Monday. The lockdown has been in place since March 25 to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Nearly 500 labourers gathered in large numbers on the roads late on Sunday in Ganesh Nagar and Tirupati Nagar localities of the city to demand transportation arrangements to go to their hometowns.
‘Totally opaque’: Shashi Tharoor raises questions about PM-CARES fund, asks Modi to explain
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday questioned the creation of a public charitable trust for accepting donations to the new “PM-CARES fund”, and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi owes an explanation for the decision. Tharoor was reacting to a Twitter post that noted that a huge amount of money was lying unused in the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.
Covid-19: Man who flew on Vistara flight to Goa last week tests positive, all passengers get notice
The Goa government on Monday directed all those who flew on a Vistara flight from Mumbai last week to report to their closest health centre after a passenger tested positive for the coronavirus. The man had travelled from New York to Mumbai and then to Goa on March 22, and tested positive on March 29.
Goa has five cases of Covid-19, the highly contagious disease caused by the coronavirus that has killed 29 patients in India so far.
Covid-19: Air India staff say they got substandard protective gear on rescue flights, reports NDTV
Air India pilots have urged the Centre to provide them better medical care when they go abroad to evacuate stranded Indians amid the Covid-19 pandemic, NDTV reported on Monday. Pilots and crew got substandard protective gear during the rescue flights, they told Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in a letter.