YK MYK WEATHER TODAY MAX 26 C MIN 11 C LANDLESS, MARGINAL, SMALL FARMERS ARE BACKBONE OF THE PROTEST OPINION Sky will be partly cloudy. Rs. 3 KOLKATA SUNDAY, 3 JAN, 2021 PG-12, YEAR—7, ISSUE—227 (RNI NO: WBENG / 2014 / 56803) ISL 7: EAST BENGAL, ODISHA FC LOOK TO RETURN TO WINNING WAYS SPORTS Morning India COVID-19 VACCINATION Dry run in India’s 125 districts, 285 sites A s India gears up to launch the world's largest immunisation drive, almost all states and Union Territory (UT) governments, including the national capital, on Saturday conducted a dry run at 285 session sites spread across 125 districts to the assess ability and readiness of authorities to administer Covid-19 shots to hundreds of millions of people, including many in remote corners of the country. Ahead of the actual vaccination drive, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) conducted the nationwide mock drill at 285 session sites to test the end-toend planned operations and the mechanism that has been set up to ensure smooth conduct of the Covid-19 vaccination. This dry run of the vaccination drive spread across 125 districts covers all states and UTs having adequate representation of urban and rural districts along with hard-toreach areas, said an MoHF statement. On the Centre's directive, Delhi, Punjab and Haryana along with Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Gujarat were among many states and UTs who conducted a dry run and mock drills for Covid-19 vaccination earlier in the day, aimed at testing the laid out mechanisms for the vaccination roll-out in the health system. The Centre had directed earlier to conduct a dry run by all TOTAL CASES: 1,03,10,778 state and UTs on January 2 TOTAL DEATH: 149,305 to test the linkages between planning and TOTAL CASES: 84,472,687 implementaTOTAL DEATH: 1,837,442 tion, and to identify the challenges. As per the guidelines issued by the MoHFW, all states selected their particular areas and districts to hold the dry run exercise at various government medical college, hospitals, medical centres and the community health centres. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and World Health Organization (WHO) supported the drive, officials said. In the drive, the medical officer in-charge identified several beneficiaries (healthcare workers). The states and UTs have been asked to ensure that the data of beneficiaries is uploaded on Co-WIN, an online platform for monitoring the delivery of the vaccine. Similar exercise for the distribution and administration of Covid-19 vaccine was conducted in various states and UTs separately on different occasions in December. While visiting two mock vaccination sites to review the dry run drill for administering the Covid-19 vaccine, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday said that one crore healthcare workers and two crore frontline workers would be given free vaccine in the first phase of the inoculation drive. He first visited the GTB Hospital in Shahdara and later an Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) in Daryaganj. Expressing his satisfaction at the preparations at the GTB Hospital, the Minister said: MORE ON PG 5, 7 Glitch-free vaccination drill carried out in State CORONA METER RAJ KUMAR INDIA WORLD A dry run or mock drill is being done for Covid-19 vaccine at an urban community health centre, in Ajmer on Saturday. After 'Covishield', expert panel okays Bharat Biotech's 'Covaxin' for emergency use NEW DELHI: The Subject Expert Committee of Central Drug Standard Control Organization on Saturday recommended Bharat Biotech's 'Covaxin' for emergency use in India. The final decision on its approval will, however, be taken by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). The committee of experts assessing Coronavirus vaccines had called Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech for a meeting in the afternoon today, a day after the firm was asked to present more data to get a nod, a top source said on Saturday. On Friday, the Subject Expert Committee of the Central Drug Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had held that the data provided by Bharat Biotech for its Coronavirus vaccine is not sufficient for grant of emergency use approval and asked for more information. The expert committee, tasked with vetting Covid-19 vaccine proposals, had convened a meeting to take a call on emergency use authorisation sought by the Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech for their respec- 3 CRORE CORONA WARRIORS TO GET VACCINE FOR FREE: HARSH NEW DELHI: As India gears up to launch the world's largest immunisation drive, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday said that one crore healthcare workers and two crore frontline workers would be given free vaccine in the first phase of the inoculation drive. "In the first phase of vaccination, free vaccine will be provided across the nation to most prioritised beneficiaries that include one crore healthcare and 2 crore frontline workers," Vardhan said in a tweet. He, however, added, that the details of how the remaining 27 crore priority beneficiaries will be vaccinated till July is getting finalised. The central government plans to vaccinate nearly 30 crore persons in the first phase of the immunisation drive. The vaccine will be administered to one crore healthcare workers, along with 2 crore frontline and essential workers, and 27 crore elderly, mostly above the age of 50 with comorbidities. The comment is significant, given the fact that India has recorded the second highest numbers of corona infections after the United States. Ganguly risk-free and talking, to be monitored for next 24 hours: Doctor KOLKATA : BCCI president Sourav Ganguly will be monitored for 24 hours and he is completely conscious after undergoing angioplasty, confirmed Dr. Aftab Khan of Woodlands Hospital, Kolkata on Saturday. "Sourav Ganguly has undergone angioplasty. He is stable now. He will be monitored for 24 hours. He is completely conscious. There are two blockages in his heart for which he will be treated. As of now he is stable, we will have a meeting on Monday and then we will decide what needs to be done further, priority is to let him settle down after heart attack. He is risk-free and he is talking as well," Dr. Aftab told reporters. Ganguly had complained of chest pain while working out in the gym and as a result, he was rushed to the hospital. Earlier on Saturday, speaking to ANI, sources close to the BCCI president said that Ganguly complained of pain in the chest and was rushed to the hospital. "Dada (Sourav) complained of chest pain and was rushed to the hospital. He might need to undergo angioplasty. He is out of danger," the source had said. Our bearded and mota Bhai do not understand the pain of farmers: Firhad Hakim West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addressing the media after visiting BCCI President Sourav Ganguly who admitted following chest pain in City Hospital in Kolkata. Sachin Tendulkar wishes Sourav Ganguly a speedy recovery NEW DELHI : Sachin Tendulkar has wished former India opening partner Sourav Ganguly a speedy recovery after the BCCI president underwent angioplasty. "Just got to know about your ailment Sourav. Hope each passing day brings you closer to a full and speedy recovery! Get well soon," Tendulkar tweeted. Ganguly will be monitored for 24 hours and he is completely conscious after undergoing angioplasty, confirmed Dr Aftab Khan of Woodlands Hospital, Kolkata on Saturday. tive vaccine candidates. Notably, the panel recommended emergency licensure for the Serum Institute of India-manufactured 'Covishield'. It become the first vaccine to secure recommendation for emergency use in India. The nod of the DCGI is, however, awaited on the recommendation. The Pune-based Serum Institute has partnered with Oxford-AstraZeneca for conducting clinical trials and manufacturing 'Covishield' while Bharat Biotech has collaborated with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for 'Covaxin'. America's Pfizer was the first one to apply for the accelerated approval on December 4, followed by the Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech on December 6 and 7, respectively. The Central government plans to vaccinate nearly 30 crore people in the first phase of drive. It will be offered to one crore healthcare workers, along with 2 crore frontline and essential workers and 27 crore elderly above the age of 50 years most of whom have co-morbidities . RANCHI: The dry run for covid-19 vaccination was conducted at 13 places in six districts across the state successfully on Saturday. As many as 325 beneficiaries participated in the dry run among which nurse SaresaMinz was the first beneficiary on which the dry run was conducted. Nodal officer of the Covid19 vaccination programme, Dr Ajit Prasad, confirmed the rehearsal saying '25 beneficiaries were called at each of 13 centres across the state. During the rehearsal, attention was paid to each and every aspect right from the supply of vaccine to exit of beneficiaries after completing the process of vaccination under the supervision of experts." In Ranchi, where there were three centres, Deputy Commissioner Chhavi Ranjan, was present for monitoring. Apart from Ranchi, the dry run was conducted in East Singhbhum, Chatra, Palamu, Simdega, and Pakur. In East Singhbhum district, 50 health department workers were subjected to the dry-run for the Covid vaccines at the Sadar Hospital in Khasmahal in Jamshedpur and at the Ghatsila sub-divisional hospital on Saturday morning. Meanwhile, it was a flawless dry run for Covid vaccination in the Medinirai Medical College and Hospital, Daltonganj today. One more dry run for Covid vaccination was held at the sub-divisional hospital Chhaterpur, around 48 kilometers away from Daltonganj. Sources said the entire team of the health officials like civil surgeon Palamu John F Kennedy and district reproductive child health officer Anil Kr Singh was present at the vaccination site here. The decision for the dry run was taken at a high-level meeting of the Union Health Ministry on Thursday. The dry run will be conducted by all the State and UT governments on 2nd January 2021 (Saturday). The ministry has proposed that the dry run be conducted in all state capitals in at least three session sites. Before the dry run, on Friday, civil surgeons and medical officers of all the five districts were imparted training by the officials of the health department. As reports of the dry run became public, children expressed their pleasure. "Very soon we will be able to go to our school as steps for the beginning of Covid-19 vaccination have started," said Mangla Gauri, a class IV student of D.A.V.Kapildev, Kadru. Gautam Kumar, a class VI student of St Xavier's School, echoed the same. "Once the real vaccination starts, we will be able to know when we will be vaccinated and be able to go to our school," he said. Health workers and volunteers take part in a dry run for COVID 19 vaccination at Salt Lake City in Kolkata on Saturday . Prabir Bhattacharya KOLKATA: Amid the ongoing farmers' agitation in Delhi, West Bengal Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim has strongly slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Without naming them, they have said in gestures that our bearded (Narendra Modi) and Mota Bhai (Amit Shah) are not understanding the pain of the farmers. On Saturday, on the occasion of the 23rd foundation day of the Trinamool Congress, Firhad Hakim, who attended the 13th mega blood donation camp organized under the leadership of Samaj Sevi Asgar Hussain, said that donating blood gives life to a person. Human blood is useful only for humans. There is no blood of any particular religion in the blood bank, nor is the name of religion written on the forehead of any human being.Protecting human life is our biggest religion. Taking a dig at the BJP and the Sangh Parivar, President of Kolkata Municipal Corporation's Administrative Board, Firhad Hakim said that nowadays some people are defaming Lord Ram's name. I object to the one who defames Ram's name, not Ram's name. He said that those who are trying to divide the country with the name of Ram, I want to tell those people that they should also follow the ideals of Ram. Do not distribute the country by raising the name of Ram. He said that the bearded and fat brother is not understanding the pain of our farmer. For more than a month, our Annadata farmers have been agitating in the cold winter. The farmers are dying, but they are not listen- ing to the voice of the heart of the farmer brothers. These people are only engaged in benefiting Adani and Ambani. Firhad Hakim claimed that the BJP would never come to power in Bengal, for the third time a Trinamool Congress government would be formed in Bengal under Mamata Banerjee. In the blood donation camp, former MLA Ram Pyare Ram, member of the administrative ward of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, social worker Ghulam Ashraf, director of Fonex group, Akhilesh Singh, president of Uva Trinamool Congress of Ward 79, social worker Manoj Tiwari, Khurram Zaman Warsi, Binod Tiwari, Alisa Khan etc. Were also present.