CENTRE TO SC: TRUST US, NO NEED FOR COURT TO INTERFERE IN VACCINE POLICY

The Centre on Sunday told the Supreme Court that its vaccination policy had been framed to ensure equitable distribution, with the limited availability of vaccines. The policy was “just, equitable, non-discriminatory and based upon an intelligible differentiating factor between the two age groups (45 plus and those below)”, it said.

The “policy thus, conforms to mandate of Article 14 and Article 21 of the Constitution of India and is made after several rounds of consultation and discussion with experts, State Government and vaccine manufacturers…”, the Centre said in its affidavit filed before the top court.

The policy requires “no interference by this Hon’ble Court as while dealing with a pandemic of this magnitude, the Executive does have a room for free play in larger public interest”, it said.

On April 30, the Supreme Court had called for “revisiting” the Centre’s “revised” Covid-19 vaccine procurement “policy”, saying “the manner in which the current policy has been framed would prima facie result in a detriment to the right to public health, which is an integral element of Article 21 of the Constitution.”

Under the Liberalized and Accelerated National Covid-19 Vaccination Strategy which came into force on May 1, vaccine manufacturers would supply 50 per cent of their monthly Central Drug Laboratory (CDL)-released doses to the Centre, and would supply the remaining 50 per cent doses to “other than Government of India channel”, i.e., state governments, private hospitals, and hospitals of industrial establishments.

The court had flagged that manufacturers were charging two different prices from the Centre and states.

On pricing, the Centre’s affidavit says that although states procure the vaccines, the Centre has, by conducting informal consultations with the vaccine manufacturers, ensured that the price is uniform for all states. It adds that the distribution of vaccines among the states is also based on equitable and rational criteria to eliminate and possibility of differences in the bargaining power of a state having a detrimental impact on residents of other states.

“The Central Government by nature of its large vaccination programme, places large purchase orders for vaccines as opposed to the State Governments and/or Private Hospitals and therefore, this reality has some reflection in the prices negotiated”, the affidavit says.

The price factor “will not have any impact on the ultimate beneficiary namely, the eligible person getting the vaccine, since all State Governments have already declared their policy decision that each State will be administering vaccine to its residents, free of cost”, the Centre has said.

The government submitted that both the manufacturers “have taken financial risk in developing and manufacturing these vaccines and it is prudent to take decisions on pricing through negotiations in a transparent consultative process keeping statutory provisions as a last resort under the present circumstances”.

The affidavit also referred to the “possibility of vaccine pricing decision in India having an inevitable impact on the country’s efforts bringing in more global vaccine manufacturers in to the country”.

KEY COVID NUMBERS

Current Active Cases Countrywide: 37,41,368

New Cases in last 24 hours: 3,66,417

Recovered in last 24 hours: 3,53,768

Increase in Active cases in last 24 hours: 8,901

No. of deaths in last 24 hours (Total Covid Deaths so far): 3,748 (2,46,146)

Daily Tests: 18,65,428

Daily Positivity Rate (Proportion of Positives among total Tested): 21.9%

Most Affected States:

(S. No. / State / No. of Active Cases / New Cases in last 24 Hrs / Deaths in Last 24 Hrs)

1          Maharashtra     6,15,783           /           48,401  /           572

2          Karnataka                     5,64,485           /           47,930  /           490

3          Kerala              4,23,512           /           35,801  /           68

4          Uttar Pradesh   2,33,981           /           23,175  /           294

5          Rajasthan                     2,00,189           /           17,921  /           159

6          Andhra Pradesh            1,90,632           /           22,164  /           92

7          Tamil Nadu       1,44,547           /           28,897  /           236

8          Gujarat             1,39,614           /           11,084  /           121

9          Chhattisgarh     1,26,547           /           9,120    /           189

10        West Bengal     1,26,027           /           19,441  /           124

11        Haryana                       1,16,867           /           13,548  /           151

12        Bihar                1,10,804           /           11,259  /           67

13        Madhya Pradesh           1,08,913           /           11,051  /           86

14        Delhi                86,232  /           13,336  /           273

15        Odisha             84,746  /           10,635  /           19

16        Punjab              74,343  /           8,436    /           191

17        Uttarakhand      74,114  /           5,890    /           180

18        Telangana                    65,757  /           4,976    /           35

19        Jharkhand        58,807  /           4,169    /           97

20        JnK                  49,248  /           5,190    /           54

21        Assam              36,005  /           3,299    /           48

22        Himachal Pradesh         32,469  /           3,093    /           55

23        Goa                  31,875  /           2,633    /           67

24        Puducherry       14,034  /           1,633    /           26

25        Chandigarh       8,511    /           895       /           10

26        Manipur                        4,280    /           579       /           15

27        Meghalaya        2,899    /           418       /           18

28        Nagaland                      2,809    /           237       /           3

GOVT GROUP IDENTIFIES OXYGEN SUPPLY ISSUES, SETS DEADLINES

With the delivery of medical oxygen having almost doubled to 8,900 metric tonnes (MT) on May 8 from around 4,800 MT on April 15, the government’s Empowered Group has set tight internal deadlines for a range of tasks — from training oxygen tanker drivers to setting up dedicated PSA oxygen plants, and acquiring technical and logistic equipment including oxygen concentrators, cylinders, cryogenic tankers, and zeolites.

“The government will spare no effort in reaching oxygen to all patients who need it,” Transport Secretary Giridhar Aramane, who heads the Empowered Group-2, said. “We will work with state governments, experts, doctors, and manufacturers to ensure that all available oxygen is supplied to hospitals. We are trying to maximise supply to hospitals,” he said.

Aramane identified three big challenges in ensuring oxygen supply.

“All the plants are functioning at peak capacity. We have put together a separate electricity team. Director/joint secretary-level officers and Power Ministry officials are monitoring each of these plants to ensure there is no tripping or breakdown…that is one issue we are taking care of,” he said.

“The second issue was driver fatigue. We are taking care of that by training relief drivers.

“The third issue is of the progression of the disease itself. We must be very cautious. We must put in all our efforts to ensure that the spread does not happen,” Aramane said.

DURING IMRAN’S VISIT TO SAUDI, RIYADH SAYS WILL WORK TO IMPROVE INDIA-PAK TIES

Saudi Arabia has emphasised the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve their outstanding matters, including the Kashmir issue.

Pakistan Foreign Office on Saturday night released a joint statement agreed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia after Prime Minister Imran Khan held high-level talks with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

Khan was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia from May 7-9. “The two sides emphasised the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries, especially Jammu and Kashmir, to ensure peace and stability in the region,” according to the joint statement.

The Crown Prince “welcomed the recent understanding reached between the military authorities of Pakistan and India regarding ceasefire at the LoC, which is based on a 2003 understanding between Pakistan and India”.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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CHINESE SCIENTISTS DISCUSSED WEAPONISING CORONAVIRUSES IN 2015: REPORT

A document written by Chinese scientists and health officials before the pandemic in 2015 states that SARS coronaviruses were a "new era of genetic weapons" that could be "artificially manipulated into an emerging human disease virus, then weaponised and unleashed, reported Weekend Australian.

The paper titled The Unnatural Origin of SARS and New Species of Man-Made Viruses as Genetic Bioweapons suggested that World War Three would be fought with biological weapons. The document revealed that Chinese military scientists were discussing the weaponisation of SARS coronaviruses five years before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Peter Jennings, the executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), told news.com.au that the document is as close to a "smoking gun" as we've got.

"It begins to firm up the possibility that what we have here is the accidental release of a pathogen for military use," Jennings added. He also said that the document may explain why China has been so reluctant for outside investigations into the origins of Covid-19. "If this was a case of transmission from a wet market it would be in China's interest to co-operate ... we've had the opposite of that."

Robert Potter, a cyber security specialist who analyses leaked Chinese government documents, was asked by The Australian to verify the paper. He says the document definitely isn't fake, reported news.com.au. "We reached a high confidence conclusion that it was genuine ... It's not fake but it's up to someone else to interpret how serious it is," Potter said.

CHINA UNDER FIRE AFTER ROCKET DEBRIS LANDS IN INDIAN OCEAN

The American space agency NASA on Sunday slammed China for failing to meet “responsible standards” regarding its space debris, hours after remnants of the country’s largest and an out-of-control rocket disintegrated over the Indian Ocean near the Maldives.

The debris from China’s Long March 5B rocket re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere at 10.24 am Beijing time and fell into an open sea area at 72.47 degrees east longitude and 2.65 degrees north latitude, China’s Manned Space Engineering Office said.

Reacting to China’s space programme, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said: “It is clear that China is failing to meet responsible standards regarding their space debris. Spacefaring nations must minimise the risks to people and property on Earth and maximise transparency regarding such operations.” “It is critical that China and all spacefaring nations and commercial entities act responsibly and transparently in space to ensure the safety, stability, security, and long-term sustainability of outer space activities,” said Nelson, former Florida senator and astronaut who was picked for the role in March.

The rocket launched the first module of China’s new Tianhe space station into Earth’s orbit on April 29. Around 100 feet tall and weighing about 22 metric tonnes, the rocket stage is one of the largest objects to ever re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere on an uncontrolled trajectory. Its re-entry had prompted international concern about where it might land.

THE REST

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HIMANTA BISWA SARMA TO BE NEXT ASSAM CM, SWEARING IN LIKELY ON MONDAY

North East Democratic Alliance convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma is all set to become Assam's next chief minister after being elected unanimously as the leader of the BJP Legislature Party and subsequently as the NDA Legislature Party on Sunday, central observer and Union Agricultural Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said.

Ending speculations on who would occupy the top post as both Sarma and outgoing chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal were contenders, the powerful NEDA convenor was elected as the legislature party leader, a week after the ruling alliance won the assembly elections with a clear majority for the second successive term.

Earlier in the day, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal tendered his resignation to Governor Jagadish Mukhi who as is tradition, asked him to continue till the formation of the next government.

LOCKDOWN IN DELHI EXTENDED TILL MAY 17

Announcing the lockdown extension, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said although COVID-19 cases and positivity rate have come down in the last few days, any leniency would squander the gains achieved so far in the current wave of the pandemic.

Marriages will be held at home or in courts with not more than 20 people, according to an order issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority.

"There will be a complete prohibition on marriage ceremonies at public places, banquet halls, hotels and similar places during the period," it said.

Service providers or owners of hotels, banquets, marriage halls, sound system, DJ, catering will have to return the advance payments for marriages during the lockdown, the order said.

Authorities including local administration, police, civic bodies and Mandis will be responsible for ensuring COVID-19-appropriate behaviour at inter-state bus terminals, railway stations, wholesale vegetable and fruit markets and shops providing essential goods, it said.

The services of Delhi Metro will also be suspended during the lockdown, said the order. The Metro trains were so far operating with 50 per cent seating capacity and ban on standing commuters.

The lockdown scheduled to end at 5 am on Monday will now be extended up to May 17 morning, stated the DDMA order.

PANIC IN AMU AS 18 PROFESSORS DIE OF COVID IN 20 DAYS

Shadaab Khan, a 58-year-old doctor and head of the medicine department. Shakil Ahmed Samdani, 59, Dean at the Faculty of Law. Khalid Bin Yusuf, 60, noted Sanskrit scholar and the first Indian Muslim to earn a PhD in the Rigveda. These are just three of over a dozen professors the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has lost to Covid-19 in the last 20 days.

The spate of fatalities has led to panic and gloom at the university, with the administration scrambling to control the situation.

“We have lost several of our very senior faculty members, the situation is very alarming here,” said Shafey Kidwai, professor of mass communication and in-charge of the Public Relations Office at AMU. We have lost 18 serving teachers in the last 20 days, and it is a matter of huge concern for the university.”

There are fears on the campus about the possibility of a more virulent strain of the virus wreaking havoc at AMU.

LABOUR MINISTER COMPLAINS ABOUT COVID SITUATION IN BAREILLY, WRITES TO CM YOGI

Union minister Santosh Gangwar has complained to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath about COVID-19 management in Bareilly, saying officials don’t take calls and government health centres send back patients for ‘referrals’ from the district hospital.

In a letter to the chief minister of the BJP-run state, the Union Labour minister has also complained about the “big shortage” of empty oxygen cylinders and the high prices of medical equipment in his Lok Sabha constituency.

The letter was handed over to Adityanath during his visit to Bareilly on Saturday.

NIRMALA RULES OUT GST WAIVER ON COVID VAX

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday virtually ruled out exempting Covid vaccines, medicines and oxygen concentrators from GST, saying this will make the life-saving items costlier for consumers as manufacturers will not be able to offset the taxes paid on the inputs.

Currently, domestic supplies and commercial imports of vaccines attract a 5 per cent GST while Covid drugs and oxygen concentrators attract a 12 per cent levy. “If full GST exemption is given, vaccine manufacturers will not be able to offset their input taxes and pass these on to the end consumer by increasing prices,” she tweeted

RUSSIA'S SPUTNIK V JABS SET TO MAKE INDIA DEBUT AT PRIVATE HOSPITALS

The journey of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine in India is likely to begin from private hospitals across several cities this month as a large consignment is expected by the third week.

According to private hospitals, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL) is in advanced stages of discussions with many of them and is drawing up a list of hospitals that would receive the first doses (40-50 million ) of Sputnik V for administering to citizens.

Discussions with the Centre, too, are on for the Sputnik V procurement, which is expected to get a fillip as Indian manufacturing sites start production around August-September. The Indian sites can together make over 850 million doses of the vaccine for both Indian consumption and overseas markets.

KERALA POET'S FACEBOOK ACCOUNT 'SUSPENDED' FOR POSTING SATIRE CLIP ON BJP POLL DEFEAT

Noted poet K Satchidanandan has alleged that he was restrained by Facebook from liking, commenting and sharing posts for 24-hours after he tried to upload online a satire video on the BJP's defeat in the recently concluded Kerala assembly polls.

The poet told media that he has also been barred from live appearance on the social media platform for 30 days.

Satchidanandan, former secretary of Kendra Sahitya Akademi, said when he attempted to post the video mocking the BJP's electoral defeat, he had received a message from Facebook alleging violation of its community standard.

He claimed that the video, widely shared on various other social media platforms, was not an abusive one. Citing his experience, the poet alleged that the critics of the rightwing are under their watch.

Justifying Facebook's action, the BJP state unit on Sunday said there was a limit for everything and no one should be allowed to violate the community standards of the social media platforms.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and CPI(M) leader T M Thomas Isaac criticised Facebook for its action against Satchidanandan.

TATA SONS STAKE IN LISTED GROUP COMPANIES CROSSES RS 10 TRILLION

Tata Sons, the holding company of Tata Group, continues to make gains from the rally in key firms in the conglomerate.

The market value of Tata Sons’ direct stake in group listed companies crossed Rs 10 trillion for the first time last week.

On Friday, Tata Sons’ direct stake in 14 listed group companies had a market value of Rs 10.45 trillion, up 86 per cent from Rs 5.62 trillion at the end of March 2020. While the group crown jewel, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), continues to dominate Tata Sons’ portfolio, the market value of non-TCS investment crossed Rs 2 trillion for the first time, thanks to a rally in Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Consumer, Tata Communications, and Tata Power, among others. (See the adjoining chart.)

These 14 listed Tata Group companies had a combined market capitalisation of Rs 17.9 trillion on Friday, up 94 per cent from Rs 9.2 trillion at the end of March last year.

TELECOM COMPANIES AT ODDS OVER THE CONTROVERSIAL INDIAN 5G STANDARD

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has directed the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) to make a presentation detailing the pros and cons of the controversial Indian 5G standard, also known as 5Gi, which the government has been pushing for. The move comes after serious differences emerged among telcos with regard to the technology's efficacy and implementation.

Airtel, for instance, has opposed 5Gi. It wants only the global standard of 3GPP to be implemented, arguing that the Indian standard will only increase the costs of network and mobile devices, and seriously impact inter-operability between networks based on two different technologies.

Rival Reliance Jio, though, says it will back any indigenous technology as long as it does not compromise the quality of the network and increase costs.

Trai has also directed the COAI to give an assessment on the acceptability of the Indian standard by telcos as well as original equipment manufacturers.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The events of life are mainly small events - they only seem large when we are close to them. - Mark Twain