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Preliminary study shows DRDO developed 2-DG anti Wuhan virus drug is effective against all variants of Covid-19

By
The Commune
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There is good news in the fight against the Wuhan virus as a new study has claimed that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) developed the 2-DG drug is effective against all variants of Covid-19 and even reduces the multiplicity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, reports The Hindustan Times.

The preliminary study also showed that DRDO’s anti-Covid drug alleviates cells from infection-induced cytopathic effect (CPE) and cell death, according to its abstract reviewed by news agency ANI.

DRDO’s Covid-19 drug, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), was released at a crucial time by Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Dr Harsh Vardhan on May 17, wherein the central government claimed that the drug has the potential to reduce a patient’s average recovery time by two and a half days and oxygen demand by up to 40%.

That is why authorisation was given for emergency use by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on June 1 as an adjunct therapy for moderate to severe coronavirus patients.

The new study assessing the viability of DRDO’s anti-Covid drug was conducted by Abhishek Kumar, Dhiviya Vedagiri, Annat Narayan Bhatt, Yogesh Rai, and others. It has not been peer-reviewed yet, ANI noted.

DRDO’s anti-Covid drug according to the government will be priced at ₹900 per sachet in the market, and this drug is manufactured by the Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL).

However, the central government has said that it will also provide the drug at discounted prices to the central and state governments.

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6 watchdogs and 4 guards deployed by couple to guard world’s costliest mango day and night

By
The Commune
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The world’s most expensive mangoes are available in Madhya Pradesh. A kilo is sold for ₹2.70 lakh. The couple who owns them has appointed 6 dogs and 4 guards to protect the 7 mango trees in their garden. Heavy security has been arranged this year as the mangoes were stolen by thieves last year.

Sankalp Parihar hails from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. Sankalp and his wife Rani have been cultivating mango saplings in their garden, which has now been transformed into an orchard. Little did they know that one of the saplings belonged to Japan’s Miyazaki mangoes.

Known as one of the most expensive mangoes in the world, Japan’s Miyazaki mangoes are found to grow red in colour, and sell for much higher prices than gold and silver jewelry. The price of this Miyazaki mango went up to ₹2.7 lakh per kg last year. To protect their mangoes from thieves they have 4 guards and 6 dogs guarding their orchard 24 hours a day. Sankalp says security personnel have been appointed this time as thieves stole the fruit last year.

Speaking about this to reporters, Sankalp said, “last year, thieves broke into our garden and stole an expensive Japanese Miyazaki mango. The mango is rarely grown in India and its price is high in the international market.”

Explaining as to how he chanced upon these rare mangoes, he said, “I met a man on the train in Chennai and he gave me two rare Japanese mango saplings. I have been calling these mangoes ‘Tamini’, after the person who gave me the saplings, since I wasn’t aware of its actual name. Some thieves who knew about the value of this mango stole it last year and this year, we have hired people for security. We have no plans to sell these mangoes. We are going to grow more trees using the seeds. ”

Miyazaki mangoes from Japan are called ‘sun eggs’ and each mango sells for up to ₹21,000. They are the most expensive in the world, and sell for ₹2.70 lakh per kg in the international market.

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PM launches ‘Customized Crash Course programme for Covid 19 Frontline workers’

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The Commune
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The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched ‘Customized Crash Course programme for Covid 19 Frontline workers’ today via video conferencing. The training programme would be conducted in 111 training centres spread over 26 states. About one lakh frontline workers will be trained in this initiative. The Union Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, and many other Union Ministers, Ministers from States, experts and other stakeholders were also present on the occasion.

Addressing the event, the Prime Minister said that this launch is an important next step in the fight against Corona. The Prime Minister cautioned that the virus is present and possibility of mutation is also  there. The second wave of the pandemic illustrated the kind of challenges that the virus may present to us. The Country needs to stay prepared to meet the challenges and training more than one lakh frontline warriors is a step in that direction, said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister reminded us that the pandemic has tested the strength of every country, institution, society, family and person of the world. At the same time, this alerted us to expand our capabilities as science, government, society, institution or individuals. India took up this challenge and status of PPE kits, testing and other medical infrastructure related to covid care and treatment bears testimony to the efforts. Shri Modi pointed out that far-flung hospitals are being provided with ventilators and oxygen concentrators. More than 1500 oxygen plants are being established at war footing. Amidst all these efforts, skilled manpower is critical. For this and to support the current force of corona warriors one lakh youth is being trained. This training should be over in two-three months, said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister informed that the top experts of the country have designed these six courses, launched today, as per demands of the states and union territories . The training will be imparted to Covid warriors in six customised job roles namely Home Care Support, Basic Care Support, Advanced Care Support, Emergency Care Support, Sample Collection Support, and Medical Equipment Support. This will include fresh skilling as well as upskilling of those who have some training in this type of work. This campaign will give fresh energy to the health sector frontline force and will also provide job opportunities to our youth.

The Prime Minister said that the Corona period has proved how important the mantra of skill, re-skill and up-skill. The Prime Minister said the Skill India Mission was started separately for the first time in the country, a Skill Development Ministry was created and the Prime Minister’s Skill Development Centers were opened across the country. Today Skill India Mission is helping millions of this country’s youth every year in providing training according to the needs of the day. Since last year the Ministry of Skill Development has trained lakhs of health workers across the country, even amidst the pandemic.

The Prime Minister said given the size of our population, it is necessary to keep increasing the number of doctors, nurses and paramedics in the health sector. Work has been done with a focused approach over the last 7 years to start new AIIMS, new medical colleges and new nursing colleges. Similarly, reforms are being encouraged in medical education and related institutions. The seriousness and the pace at which the work on preparing the health professionals is going on now is unprecedented.

The Prime Minister said that health professionals like ASHA workers, ANM, Anganwadi and health workers deployed in the dispensaries in the villages are one of the strong pillars of our health sector and are often left out of the discussion. They are playing an important role in preventing infection to support the world’s largest vaccination campaign. The Prime Minister lauded these health workers for their work during all the adversities for the safety of each and every countryman. He said their role is huge in preventing the spread of infection in villages in remote areas and in hilly and tribal areas.

The Prime Minister said many guidelines have been issued related to the campaign which is to start from 21st June. People below 45 years of age will get the same treatment for vaccination as for people above 45 years of age from June 21st. The Union Government is committed to give free vaccines to every citizen while following corona protocol.

The Prime Minister wished the trainees and said he believed that their new skills will be used in saving the lives of the countrymen.

Published from PIB

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POWERGRID’s consolidated Profit After Tax crosses ₹ 12,000 crore

By
The Commune
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Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) , a Maharatna CPSU under Ministry of Power has posted total Income of ₹ 40,824 crore and Profit After Tax of ₹12,036 crore on consolidated basis for the financial year ended March 31, 2021, registering a growth of 6 % and 9% respectively over corresponding amounts for FY 2019-20.  On a standalone basis, the Company achieved total Income of ₹ 40,527 crore  and Profit After Tax (PAT) of ₹ 11,936 crore  registering a growth of 6% and 10% respectively over the previous financial year.

For the fourth quarter (Jan-March, 2021), the Total Income and Profit After Tax on consolidated basis are ₹ 10,816 crore and ₹ 3,526 crore respectively, while on standalone basis, the Total Income and Profit After Tax are ₹ 10,705 crore and ₹3,516 crore respectively.

During the financial year FY 2020-21, the Company incurred a Capital Expenditure of ₹ 11,284 crore and capitalized assets worth ₹ 21,467 crore (excluding FERV) on consolidated basis. POWERGRID’s Gross Fixed Assets on a consolidated basis stood at ₹ 2,41,498 crore as on March 31, 2021 as against ₹ 2,27,543 crore as on March 31, 2020.

With the use of state-of-the-art maintenance techniques, automation and digitization, POWERGRID maintained average transmission system availability of 99.76% for FY 2020-21.

For the first time, the POWERGRID Board has recommended issuance of common shares of the Company as bonus shares in the ratio of 1:3 to its shareholders.

The Company has proposed a final dividend of 30% (₹ 3 per share on a face value of ₹ 10/- each) in addition to first and second interim dividends aggregating to  90% (₹ 9 per share on a face value of ₹ 10/- each) already paid for the financial year 2020-21.  The total dividend for the year thus amounts to ₹12 per share compared to ₹10 per share paid for the previous year.

In FY 2020-21, major transmission elements commissioned include Bipole-I of ±800 kV Raigarh – Pugalur HVDC system enhancing total Inter-Regional Power transfer capacity by 3,000 MW between Southern Region and Western Region, and state-of-the-art VSC technology based ±320 kV Monopole-II(1000MW) of Pugalur (Tamilnadu)-Thrissur(Kerala) HVDC system.

During the year, POWERGRID acquired the balance (74%) stake  in Jaypee Powergrid Limited and assets of Srinagar- Leh Transmission System were transferred to POWERGRID by the Government of India.

POWERGRID has been successful bidder in all the five TBCB (ISTS) projects with aggregate annual levelized tariff of ₹ 515.84 crore in FY 2020-21.

Central Transmission Utility of India Limited, a 100% owned subsidiary of POWERGRID has been designated as the CTU w.e.f 01.04.2021. This subsidiary will be subsequently made a separate Government owned company.

At the end of FY 2021, the total transmission assets of POWERGRID and its subsidiaries stood at 1,69,829 ckm of transmission lines and 4,37,223 MVA of transformation capacity registering y-o-y growth of 4% and 7% respectively.

Published from PIB

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Indian Coast Guard rescues all 16 crew of sinking MV Mangalam near Revdanda port of Maharashtra

By
The Commune
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Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescued all 16 crew of sinking MV Mangalam near Revdanda port of Maharashtra on June 17, 2021. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Mumbai had received information from Indian flagged MV Mangalam that the vessel was partially sinking with 16 crew onboard around three kms from Revdanda Port.

The MRCC team initiated a rescue operation with ICG Ship Subhadra Kumari Chauhan pressed into action. Two ICG Chetak helicopters were also deployed from Indian Coast Guard Air Station, Daman. Braving gusting monsoon winds, ICG carried out a swift sea-air coordinated operation and saved 16 lives.

The rescued crew was taken to Revdanda and administered first aid. All crew are safe and healthy.

Published from PIB

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Indian Coast Guard on alert as oil spill reported from Haldia-bound Portuguese flag Container ship

By
The Commune
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Indian Coast Guard (ICG) received information from Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo in late hours of June 16, 2021 about a mid-sea oil spill about 450 kms South East of Chennai. On further investigation, it was revealed that a Portuguese flag Container ship MV Devon, on passage from Colombo to Haldia, West Bengal, developed an underwater crack in the fuel tank containing about 120 KL of Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil

The crack resulted in spillage of about 10 KL of oil into the sea before preventive action was taken and remaining oil in tank was transferred to another tank by the ship’s crew. The vessel is carrying 10,795 tonnes of general cargo in 382 containers and manned by 17 crew. The ship is continuing its voyage to Haldia and likely to reach on June 18, 2021.

The ICG is in continuous contact with MV Devon and the master has reported that the vessel is stable. ICG Pollution response team at Chennai has been alerted and kept on standby. In addition, ICG ships & aircraft deployed at sea are also put on alert in pollution response configuration.

Published from PIB

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China’s PLA recruit Tibetan youths to man border posts and gather intel against India

By
The Commune
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As the majority of Han Chinese struggle with the high altitudes of Tibet and Eastern Ladakh, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has now started to recruit local, unemployed youth in Tibet to form a “volunteer militia” in areas across the border from the Yadong county, located opposite Sikkim, intelligence reports have suggested.

The Indian military and intelligence agencies are as of now keeping an eye on this new development.

India’s border with China is 3,488-km long and it runs from Ladakh at one end to Arunachal Pradesh. This drive to get the locals is clearly to fill its gaps when it comes to high altitude warfare. 

As per reports, the PLA is recruiting unemployed youths who will be sent to police and PLA centres for training and subsequent employment once the indoctrination is completed.

President Xi Jinping in 2013 had said, “To govern the country well we must first govern the frontiers well, and to govern the frontiers well we must first ensure stability in Tibet,”.

Once these locals are complete their training they could be deployed as reinforcements for the regular Chinese army units to keep a watch on border residents at the LAC and gather intelligence.

China is also trying to create a force modeled like the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Special Frontier Force (SFF) with men recruited from Tibet Autonomous Region and create a Special Tibetan Army Unit.

Lt Gen. S.L. Narasimhan (Retd), who is a member of the National Security Advisory Board, said “Firstly, the border areas are well held in that sector by troops on our side, so it is not easy for anyone to come across and gain access to our side. In a few areas, where the troops may not be manning right up to the LAC, the terrain is so rugged that it would not help in any kind of intel gathering,”.

“In the 1954 agreement on trade with Tibet, it was mentioned that the Tibetan Autonomous Region is a part of China. So, if China is recruiting Tibetan youth in the area, it is their decision. We have to maintain a constant watch along the LAC,” he said.

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‘Dalit Christians’ urge new nuncio to appoint dalit prelates in Tamil Nadu, threaten legal action against discrimination

By
The Commune
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Following up on their protests against the appointment of a non-Dalit bishop in Salem, Tamil Nadu’s Dalit Catholics have asked India’s new papal nuncio to nominate Dalit prelates to fill vacancies in the state, threatening legal action if caste discrimination persists.

Mary John, President of the Dalit Christian Liberation Movement, said, “The demand for Dalit-origin bishops in the state has intensified after the recent appointment of a non-Dalit bishop in Salem by the Vatican.”

Mary John has written to new nuncio Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli on behalf of several Dalit Christian organizations requesting him to consider appointing a Dalit archbishop in the Pondicherry-Cuddalore Archdiocese and Dalit bishops in the dioceses of Kuzhithurai, Sivagangai, Tiruchirappalli, and Vellore.

In his letter, he said, “We appeal to appoint a Dalit archbishop and Dalit bishops immediately in the existing vacancies to restore confidence in Dalit Catholics to prevent their imminent uprising in Tamil Nadu as well in other states of India.”

He also called for a revision of India’s traditional method for choosing bishops, archbishops, and cardinals to ensure that Dalit Catholics are properly represented.

He stated that the DCLM has been addressing this matter with the Indian Catholic hierarchy and nuncios for the past three decades through various letters and appeals.

The letter warned that Dalit Christians are prepared to take legal action because India’s constitution abolished untouchability and caste discrimination against Dalits.

(with inputs from UCAnews)

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Modi tops global leaders approval rating, surpasses Biden, Macron, Trudeau

By
The Commune
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modi CERAWeek award

Prime Minister emerged as the leader with the highest approval rating of 66% among the world leaders according to a recent survey conducted by American data intelligence firm ‘Morning Consult’.

PM Modi is ahead of leaders of 13 countries including US, UK, Russia, Australia, Canada, Brazil, France, and Germany.

With a disapproval rating of only 28 per cent, Modi is second from last as per Morning Consult Global Leader Approval Rating Tracker last updated on June 17.

The survey was conducted with a sample size of 2,126 adults in India.  The firm which collects data through its political intelligence unit had shown that the Modi government had commanded an approval rating of 82% when the government abrogated Article 370 in August 2019. 

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Andhra’s island village makes record with zero COVID cases

By
The Commune
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In both the waves of the corona, the island villagers of Irukkam and Vadakodi have been observed to have made a record of zero COVID cases. This comes as a surprise to the rest of the country as they still grapple with the virus. In Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, there are two villages, Irukkam and Vadakodi, on the island southwest of the Satish Dhawan Space Center, an ISRO-controlled rocket launch site.

Located in the middle of Pazhaverkadu, the island covers an area of ​​11,659 acres in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The island is home to 2,500 people from 700 families. Despite being an island in Andhra Pradesh, their mother tongue is Tamil. The majority of people of Vadakodi depend on fishing and the rest of the people depend on agriculture. It is customary for them to go to Aarambakkam and Sunnambukulam in Tamil Nadu by a two-hour boat ride for basic necessities.

Since Irukkam Island is a sandy area, there are no vehicles including bikes and cars. So, the people there walk wherever they go into the island. Their diet consists mostly of seafood.

In light of all of this, it is still a matter of shock that those on the island were not affected by the corona infection. Beyond that, it is a fact that during the pandemic, the island remained an island that was unreachable by the COVID virus. During the coronavirus outbreak, no outsiders entered the island. Neither did the people living on the island go out. It is this barrier that has saved them from the coronavirus infection.

Some of the islanders live in the Aarambakkam and Sunnambumedu area. These people sent necessities by means of boats to those on the island, ensuring that they never left the island.  Katroth Revathi, the Government Medical Officer for Irukkam Island expressed her shock towards the same, and said, “to date, we have conducted a corona test on 150 people to find out if there is an infection among the population living in and around the North. Not a single person was infected.”

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TheCommune
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