YK MYK BIG DIFFERENCE WITH SOFT STANCE TAKEN TO ASSAM BJP MINISTER OPINION Rs. 3 KOLKATA THURSDAY, 8 APRIL, 2021 PG-12, YEAR—7, ISSUE—320 (RNI NO: WBENG / 2014 / 56803) WEATHER TODAY MAX 33 C MIN 27 C TAMANNAAH ON RETURNING POST COVID RECOVERY IN DEBUT SERIES "11TH HOUR" SCREEN & CINEMA Morning India Harsh Vardhan lashes out at Maharashtra govt Says it has dragged country's efforts against Covid-19 Sky will be clear. AT A GLANCE SANJEEV KUMAR TAKES OVER AS AAI CHAIRMAN NEW DELHI: Senior IAS officer Sanjeev Kumar on Wednesday took over as chairman of the Airports Authority of India. Prior to this, Kumar -- an IAS officer of the 1993 batch, Maharashtra cadre -was posted as State Commissioner - GST of the Government of Maharashtra As per a statement, Kumar has served in various ministries and departments of the Maharashtra government. He has also worked as the Joint CEO of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and has also been MD of Maharashtra Agro Industries Development Corporation. EC NOTICE TO MAMATA FOR ASKING VOTES ON COMMUNAL GROUNDS KOLKATA: The Election Commission on Wednesday issued a notice to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her remarks on April 3, where she appealed to the Muslim voters to not let their vote be split among different political parties contesting in the ongoing Assembly elections. The Commission has asked the Chief Minister to explain her stand within 48 hours after receiving the notice, failing which it shall "take a decision without further reference to you". According to a notice by EC, it received a complaint from a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation led by Minister . CORONA METER INDIA TOTAL CASES: 12,814,102 TOTAL DEATH: 166,269 WORLD TOTAL CASES: 133,197,043 TOTAL DEATH: 2,889,730 NEW DELHI : Noting that vaccination has to be prioritised so long as the supply of vaccines remains limited, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday accused the Maharashtra government of "misgovernance" in tackling COVID-19, saying that it has followed "utterly casual approach" and is putting the residents in danger "by letting people escape institutional quarantine mandate for the sake of their personal vasuli". In a statement, the Health Minister said he had seen statements made by public representatives in Maharashtra about the shortage of vaccines and asserted that it was nothing but "an attempt to divert attention from Maharashtra government's repeated failures to control the spread of pandemic". The minister said the "lackadaisical attitude of the state government has singularly bogged down the entire country's efforts to fight the virus" and the lack of efforts of the part of the state government "is now clearly visible and come to haunt us all". He accused the MVA government in Maharashtra of focusing its energies on "playing politics and spreading lies to create panic". "The inability of Maharashtra government to act responsibly is beyond comprehension. To spread panic among the people is to compound the folly further. Vaccine supplies are being monitored on a realtime basis, and state governments are being apprised regularly about it. Allegations of vaccine shortage are utterly baseless," he said. He also said there had been regular comments by leaders from Chhattisgarh that are intended to spread misinformation and panic on vaccination. The minister said by their actions, the leaders of Congress government in Chhattisgarh "have the dubious distinction of being perhaps the only government in the word to have incited vaccine hesitancy". "I would like to humbly state that it would be better if the state government focuses its energies on ramping up their health infrastructure rather than on petty politicking," he said.The minister said that in Punjab, the high case fatality rate needs to be improved by early identification of those needing hospitalization. Harsh Vardhan said that the performance of the Maharashtra government in terms of vaccinating healthcare workers and frontline workers is also not great. "It is shocking to see how the state Government is putting Maharashtrians in danger by letting people escape institutional quarantine mandate for the sake of their personal vasuli. Overall, as the state has lurched from one crisis to another, it seems as if the state leadership is happily sleeping at the wheels. " M a h a r a s h t r a Government needs to do a lot more to control the pandemic and the Central Government will help them in all possible ways. But focusing all their energies on playing politics and spreading lies to create a panic is not going to help the people of Maharashtra," he said. In his comprehensive statement, the minister said he had in recent days seen with growing dismay a number of irresponsible. I am Bengal tigress, will break but won't bend, says Mamata MI NEWS SERVICE COOCH BEHAR: Lashing out against the rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today termed herself "Bengal tigress", who will "not bend" in front of the BJP. Speaking at a public gathering in Cooch Behar, Banerjee said: "They (BJP) will bring goons from Assam. They will explode bombs and threaten people. Do not be afraid. They do not want our mothers and sisters to vote. Central forces are blocking our mothers and sisters from voting." She claimed that if the BJP comes to power in the State, they will build detention camps like in Assam. All India Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee with TMC candidate Aroop Biswas during an election meeting at Tollygunge Wireless Ground on Wednesday evening. "They have kept 14 lakh Bengalis in detention camps, who have no future. We are fighting for those poor people. They were not even voting, police made raids on them." "BJP cannot do anything to me with their money. I am a Bengal tigress, I break but I do not bend," she further remarked. Banerjee appealed to the people to vote for the Trinamool Congress if they did not want to see "Gujaratis capturing Bengal". She also raised slogans such as ''BJP hatao'' and ''BJP ke chai na'' (We do not want the BJP). "We will not let Gujaratis capture Bengal. Bengal will stay in Bengal, we will not let goons from Gujarat take over Bengal," she said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with students, teachers, and parents during 'Pariksha Pe Charcha 2021', via video conferencing, in New Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI Photo) Exam a perfect opportunity to tighten yourself up : PM NEW DELHI : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday interacted with students, teachers and parents during 'Pariksha Pe Charcha 2021' via video conferencing wherein he advised students not to give exams under any pressure in order to perform in a better way. "We have been living amid coronavirus for the past one year. I had to leave behind the urge to meet you all and come to you via a new format. To not meet you in person, to not experience your enthusiasm is a huge loss for me," PM Modi during the first virtual edition of 'Pariksha Pe Charcha'. He listened to questions from two students over how to tackle the pleasure of exams. The Prime Minister said, "Earlier parents used to be connected with children on many subjects and also were comfortable. Nowadays parents are involved with children for only their career, studies and celebrations." "If parents are more involved then they under- stand the interest, nature, tendency of the children and fill the shortcomings of the children," PM Modi advised. "We have one word for the exam - Kasautii. It means to tighten yourself, it is not that the exam is the last chance. Rather, the exam is a perfect opportunity to tighten yourself up to live a long life in a better way," the Prime Minister mentioned. "The problem is when we consider exam as the end of life's dreams, we make the question of life and death. Exams are an opportunity to create life, there is an opportunity to take it as it is.""If you have two hours to study then read every subject in the same manner. If it is a matter of studies then take the hard thing first, if your mind is fresh then try to take the hard thing first. If you solve a difficult problem, then the simple will become even simpler," the prime minister said while answering a question of a student of how to learn hard subjects. Amit Shah promises industrialisation in Singur Centre allows vaccination at workplace SAHIL PANDEY AND NISHANT KETU NEW DELHI : In order to increase the access of vaccines to people above 45 years of age, COVID-19 vaccination sessions will be organised at public and private workplaces having about 100 eligible and willing beneficiaries by tagging these workplaces with an existing vaccination centre, the union health ministry has informed. Such workplace vaccination centres may be launched across states and union territories from Sunday. "COVID-19 vaccination sessions may now be organised at workplaces (both public and private) which are having about 100 eligible and willing beneficiaries by tagging these workplaces with an existing COVID Vaccination Center (CVC). To support the states in this initiative, guidelines have been prepared and the same have conveyed by the Union Health Secretary to the states and AstraZeneca's UK vaccine trial on kids comes to a halt LONDON : A trial of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine on children in the UK has been paused even as the country's medicines regulator probes a possible link of the vaccine with rare blood clots in adults, the media reported. The trial, which started in February, is evaluating whether the vaccine generates a strong immune response in those aged between 6 and 17. While the trial has been paused, Professor Andrew Pollard from the University of Oxford ruled out safety concerns with the trial itself, the BBC reported on Wednesday. What the scientists are waiting for is more information, said the report. "Whilst there are no safety concerns in the paediatric clinical trial, we await additional information from the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) on its review of rare cases of thrombosis/thrombocytopaenia that have been reported in adults, before giving any further vaccinations in the trial," Pollard was quoted as saying by the BBC. The suspension of the trial of the vaccine comes after a European Medicines Agency (EMA) official, speaking in a personal capacity, said there could be a link between the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and very rare cases of blood clots in adults, although it remains unclear what the connection is and the possible causes are likewise still unknown. UTs. These guidelines will support the state and district program managers with the requisite information and guide them on organizing vaccination sessions at such workplaces (both public & private). Such workplace vaccination centres may be launched across states and UTs from April 11," the ministry has written to all states and UTs. States have been further advised to initiate due consultations with private or public sector employers and management to prepare for the launch of workplace vaccination. The central government, in constant consultation with state governments and UT administration, continues consistently make efforts to ensure that the vaccination drive is more pragmatic and also more acceptable and purposeful to the beneficiaries, as per the ministry statement. "The District Task Force (DTF) chaired by District Magistrate and Urban Task Force (UTF) chaired by Municipal Commissioner . Heart patients three times more likely to have diabetes: Study WASHINGTON : According to a new study, heart patients are three times more likely to have diabetes in comparison to the general population. The findings of the study were published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Nearly 30 per cent of patients with coronary artery disease have diabetes, according to the study. That compares to a diabetes prevalence of around 9 per cent in the general population. There was wide geographical variation, with 60 per cent of heart disease patients in Gulf countries having diabetes compared to 20 per cent in Europe. "Obesity and lack of exercise are common risk factors for both diabetes and heart disease and our results highlight the urgent need to improve nutrition and raise activity levels globally," said study author Dr Emmanuelle Vidal-Petiot of Bichat-Claude Bernard Hospital, Paris, France. Vidal-Petiot added, "Countries worst affected by diabetes are also at the epicentre of the obesity epidemic, which can be in part attributed to urbanisation and associated changes in physical activity and food intake." This was an analysis of the CLARIFY registry, which included 32,694 patients with chronic coronary syndromes from 45 countries in Europe, Asia, America, the Middle East, Australia, and Africa. Patients were enrolled from 2009 to 2010 and followed up yearly for five years. All adverse clinical outcomes measured in the study occurred more frequently among heart patients with diabetes compared to those without diabetes. When the researchers compared the likelihood of poor outcomes in those with diabetes compared to those without, they adjusted the analyses for multiple factors that could influence the relationship including age, sex, smoking status, body mass index, blood pressure, medications, and other conditions. After these adjustments, they found that among patients with stable coronary heart disease, those with diabetes had a 38 per cent higher rate of death during the fiveyear follow-up. They also had a 28 per cent higher risk of the combined outcome of heart attack, stroke, or death from a cardiovascular cause. Heart patients with diabetes had worse outcomes than those without diabetes regardless of geographic region and ethnicity. Dr Vidal-Petiot said, "Diabetes was linked with worse outcomes even in areas with the lowest prevalence. In Europe, for instance, diabetes was linked with a 29 per cent greater risk of the combined outcome of heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death. This indicates that management of these very high-risk patients with heart disease and diabetes should be improved. Each country needs to identify these patients and provide tailored educational and prevention programmes." She concluded, "The importance of healthy eating and living cannot be overemphasised. Everyone can lower their chances of developing diabetes with weight control and exercise, and early detection is needed so that blood sugar can be controlled. Those with heart disease and diabetes also need an active lifestyle and a good diet to protect their health. Avoiding smoking is crucial, as is controlling blood pressure and cholesterol. MI NEWS SERVICE Singur: Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a massive roadshow today in Singur, once a hot-spot of the antiland acquisition movement. He promised rapid industrialisation of the region if the BJP was voted to power in the ongoing elections. The symbolism of the Home Minister holding a roadshow in Singur, three days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a rally there and alleged the "obstructionist mindset" of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee deprived West Bengal of industries and jobs, was clear - the BJP wants to corner her over the State's dwindling industrial base and alleged job loss. Cheered by massive crowds, Amit Shah stood atop a decorated vehicle with BJP candidate for the Singur seat Rabindranath Bhattacharya, who recently joined the BJP after leaving the Trinamool, and waved at people standing by the roadside and on terraces and balconies. Speaking to reporters during the show, Amit Shah said Singur, which has been shunned by industry since the 2006 agitation, will be developed by the next BJP Government in the State. "We will develop the region by setting up industries and a ? 500 crore intervention fund has been announced for potatoes, for which the area is known, in our Sankalp Patra (manifesto)," he said. Amit Shah said, after winning the elections, the BJP Government will ensure that small, medium and large industries are set up in Singur, situated beside the National Highway connecting Kolkata and New Delhi. "We will pursue politics of development, dialogue and cooperation, instead of confrontation," he said. He said he welcomed Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee for invoking Hindu gods and goddesses, and for reciting the Chandi Path (hymns to Goddess Durga) at public meetings, but quipped that it was "too late for her". "The BJP will win Bengal elections with more than 200 seats," he said. The road show meandered through the roads of Singur town for nearly an hour from Dulepara More to Singur police station, as colourful posters, BJP flags and green and saffron balloons dotted the route. BJP supporters chanted “Jai Shri Ram” and slogans demanding industrialisation and jobs as the procession crawled through the streets. Donning a saffron-coloured turban, the 88-year-old Bhattacharya, a four-time Trinamool MLA from Singur before he left the party on being denied a ticket due to old age, waved at the crowd.