News Analysis India

Tag: Bihar COVID deaths

  • CPI-ML survey finds over 6,000 unreported Covid deaths in Bihar, submits findings to Speaker

    Express News Service
    PATNA: The CPI-ML (Liberation) has claimed to have traced out 6,420 unreported deaths with symptoms of COVID-19 from across 1,693 villages in 9 Bihar districts and another 780 deaths without symptoms in a survey by its party cadres.

    The CPI-ML (Liberation) alleged that the state government in Bihar has been showing eaths due to Covid-19 during the second phase 20 times lesser than the actual numbers. After submitting a copy of survey- finding to the speaker of Bihar Legislative Assembly on Thursday, state general secretary of CPI-ML Kunal released the provisional unreported death figures from Covid -19 to the media.

    “The state government is under reporting the Covid death toll at least by 20 times. This is absolute injustice to the families, who have lost their members. We have carried out a thorough survey across 1,693 villages in 9 districts and come out with a provisional figure”, Kunal claimed.

    कोविड पर चर्चा से भाग रही और सदन में ऑक्सीजन के बारे में झूठ बोल रही सरकार को आज सदन में माले विधायकों ने घेरा।9 जिलों के 1693 गांवों के सर्वे में दर्ज 7200 मौत की अंतरिम सूची अध्यक्ष को सौंपी गई और सबों के परिजनों को 4 लाख मुआवजा की मांग की गई। pic.twitter.com/ptqIHnrEuo
    — Kunal/SC Chaudhary (@ShyamKnl) July 29, 2021

    As per the official data, 9,639 deaths have happened due to the pandemic in Bihar till date. If the CPI-ML tally is added in the official figure, the death toll will rise well above 16,000-mark.

    Kunal further added that 6,420 deaths with symptoms of Covid-19 were collected from Bhojpur, Patna (Rural), Rohtas, Siwan, Darbhanga, West Champaran, Arwal, Kaimur and Aurangabad.

    “The highest number of 1,978 deaths with symptoms of Covid-19 have been found from Bhojpur’s 132 panchayats followed by 1048 from Patna Rural’s 122 Panchayats, 1043 from Siwan’s 80 Panchayats, 696 from Arwal’s 66 Panchayats and others”, he added.

    Quoting details, he said that the dependents of only 126 out of 6420, who had died with symptoms akin to Covid-19, have applied for compensation of Rs 4 lakh from the state government.

    “Data collection on the unreported cases of Covid-19 deaths is still going on across 29 districts of state. We will soon after the collection of data on deaths will share the total finding from all districts “, Kunal claimed, adding that the majority of them with symptoms died without being tested.

    The data on deaths with symptoms of Covid were collected by the party from April 1, 2021 to May 31. The villages covered by the surveying members of CPI ML constitute 3.75 percent of the total 45,103 villages of Bihar.

    “We think the actual death tally after proper collection of unreported cases may go up to not less than 2 lakh”, he said. “Our findings expose the lies being continuously told by the government on Covid deaths. If the government and all of us are not serious about this, then how will we be able to deal with the challenges of the possible third wave?  We want to tell the government that instead of hiding the data, it should start accepting the truth”, Kunal said.  

  • Number of Covid deaths in Bihar could be more than official figures: CPI-ML survey  

    Express News Service
    PATNA: A CPI-ML team, after travelling across10 districts in Bihar, has said that the actual number of  Covid deaths in the state could be 10-20 times more than the official government figures.

    The team, comprising of  CPI-ML politburo member and AIPWA secretary Kavita Krishnan, editor of CPI-ML contemporary Lok-Yudh Santosh Sahar and members of Central Social Media Group, including Arun Kumar. conducted random visits across 10 districts including Bhojpur.

    As per state government, more than 9,625 Covid-deaths were reported in the state during the first and the second waves of pandemic but the CPI-ML teams’ findings estimate the Covid death figures to be around 1 lakh.

    Kavita Krishnan said that deaths with symptoms akin to Covid-19 in bulk have gone unreported in interiors of districts in the state. She said: “In fact, compilations of deaths and other documentations are in progress but there is no denying the fact that if unreported deaths are added, the toll of Covid would be 10 to 20 times higher than the official figures”.

    The teams stated the visit from Pawana village in Bhojpur district on July 7 and travelled across Bhojpur, Rohtas, Arwal, Paliganj, Chakia and Sheikhpura in Patna, Siwan, Darbhanga, Jehanabad, Arwal and other districts.

    Giving an example, Krishnan said that government had reported zero death from Pasora village in Bhojpur district but when she along with other members randomly enquired in the village, they found about 18 unreported deaths with symptoms akin to Covid.

    She said that details of findings with the figures of deaths after compilations would be submitted the Patna High Court and the media soon.

    Kunal, secretary of Bihar unit of CPI-ML, said that the teams took stock of the deaths due to coronavirus in these villages since last April and also interacted with the relatives, dependents and villagers of the deceased and recorded their statements.

    Citing a finding, Kunal said that very few people with symptoms akin to Covid were able to reach the hospitals and succumbed on way to the hospitals. “Many people didn’t go government hospitals due to the poor condition of the hospitals, acute shortage of oxygen or other treatment facilities, the fear of quarantine and fear of not getting the bodies of relatives after deaths due Covid”, Kunal said.

    The team also found that an year since the Covid outbreak, there are still many misconceptions among the people.  The information regarding wearing masks, washing hands and protection has not reached the bottom level at all.  

    “Hesitancy for vaccination still runs high in rural areas because of deficit of trust of the people in theModi-Nitish government.  However, it was also found that this fear has steadily subsided and people want to take the Covid vaccine”, Kavita Krishnan said.

  • RJD to collect data on unreported Covid deaths in Bihar

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Bihar’s principal opposition party Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has decided to play the role of a whistle-blower on the unreported cases of Covid-19 deaths in the state.

    At a meeting held in Patna on Tuesday, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav called upon all the active workers of his party to collect data on deaths and sick people from every district, block and panchayat across the state and report them to the party headquarters. As per a rough estimate, there are more than 2 lakh active RJD workers in Bihar.

    Tejashwi Yadav also accused the Nitish Kumar government of gaining accolades with the help of fake statistics on vaccination and deaths and defrauding people. He accused the government of hiding data on deaths and presenting unbelievable figures on vaccination.

    As Yadav asked people of the state and his party cadre to keep a close watch on the government’s work during the Covid-19 pandemic, he also urged them to get vaccinated ahead of a possible third wave.

    RJD has been running ‘Lalu Kitchens’ in districts aimed at providing free food to poor people.

    Ahead of the meeting, BJP and the JD (U) attacked Tejashwi Yadav for not getting vaccinated yet. The opposition leader had earlier declared that he would get the jab only after 70 percent of the state’s population is vaccinated.

    BJP state spokesperson Dr. Ram Sagar Singh said that Tejashwi Yadav probably has an apprehension that his sexual ability will be affected after taking the vaccine. “He should trust the scientists of the country and abroad. Research has proved that the vaccine has no side-effects,” Singh said.

    He should first take the vaccine and motivate the workers, the BJP spokesperson said.

    When asked about Singh’s comment, Tejashwi Yadav said that the filthy statement exposed the mentality of BJP. “What can be expected from people of indecent mentality? We take his abusive language as a blessing,” he responded.

    Tejashwi Yadav also alleged that not a single operation for black fungus was being done at Nalanda Medical College & Hospital or Patna Medical College & Hospital.

    “There is also a shortage of black fungus medicines and a lack of coordination in the NDA alliance,” Tejashwi Yadav said.

  • Centre asks Bihar to share details on reconciled data of 3971 new deaths due to COVID-19

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: The Union government has asked Bihar to share the date and district wise details of the COVID-19 deaths, two days after it reconciled data and reported 3,971 new deaths within a day due to the infection disease.

    The Centre also said that states have been advised repeatedly through multiple mediums and through deployment of Central teams for recording of deaths in accordance with the laid down guidelines.

    The government also emphasised that as early as May last year, to avoid inconsistency or confusion in the number of deaths being reported, ICMR had issued “Guidance for appropriate recording of COVID-19 related deaths in India” for correct recording of all deaths by states as per ICD-10 codes recommended by WHO for mortality coding.

    The Union Health Ministry has regularly emphasized the need for a robust reporting mechanism for monitoring district wise cases and deaths on a daily basis, the government said in a statement. It clarified that while the government reported a total of 6148 COVID-19 deaths on June 10, this spike in deaths was on account of 3971 deaths reported by Bihar due to data reconciliation. 

    “In the instant case, the Union government has written to the state of Bihar to provide a detailed date and district wise break-up of the reconciled number of deaths to the Union health ministry,” the statement added.

  • Jal Shakti Minister terms floating corpses incident in Ganga as ‘unfortunate’

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday termed the incident of corpses found floating in Ganga river in Bihar as “unfortunate” and asked concerned states to take immediate cognizance.

    “The incident of corpses found floating in Ganga in Buxar region of Bihar is unfortunate. This is definitely a matter of investigation. The Modi government is committed to the cleanliness ‘mother’ Ganga. This incident is unexpected. The concerned states should take immediate cognizance in this regard,” Shekhawat tweeted.

    Around a dozen of corpses were spotted in the Ganga river in Bihar’s Buxar on Monday.

    “10 to 12 corpses that were seen in Ganga came floating from a distance. It seems these corpses were floating for the last five to seven days. We do not have a tradition of immersing bodies in rivers. We are making arrangements to cremate these corpses,” said KK Upadhyay, Buxar Sub Divisional Officer (SDO).

    Upadhyay said it is a matter of investigation to ascertain if these corpses come from Varanasi, Allahabad, or any other place.

  • Patna man turns messiah, has cremated over 130 coronavirus victims since last April

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Forty-nine-year-old Mukesh Hissariya has been receiving endless calls. With COVID-19 pandemic striking us hard, this Patna-based businessman-turned social activist has come as a messiah for the poor. Since April 2020 till this year, Hissariya has helped with the final rites of 130 coronavirus victims and 15 others. Among these, he also helped create 35 such bodies in instances where the family members of the victim did not turn up for the funeral in the fear of contracting the deadly virus. 

    He is known to act swiftly in cases where family members refuse to perform the final rites of the coronavirus victims. 

    On April 30, Mukesh sent an ambulance he has hired to transport the bodies of a retired armyman and his wife that were lying in a morgue of Danapur for two days as their only son was also battling with COVID-19 at hospital.

    The Patna resident receives almost 20 calls on a daily basis seeking his help in arranging cremations of those who have succumbed to Covid. “When nobody shows up for cremating these bodies, we make sure that the final rites are done in the right manner,” he says.

    “I have made arrangements to transport over 135 bodies of coronavirus victims and 15 others since last April for their final rites at Bansghat and Gulabighat in Patna.”

    Hissariya has deputed Ram Pravesh at Bansghat and Bhim Kumar at Gulabighat. These two make all the arrangements for the cremations in the presence of the family members. They make sure that workers transport the bodies from ambulances and placed on the pyres before being consigned to the flames. The duo also helps family members get one last glimpse of their loved ones. 

    If this humane gesture weren’t enough, there is more. with the second wave claiming more lives, Hissariya has also started arranging free food for the attendants of Covid victims who have to wait for long hours for their turn.

    He is also known to organise mass wedding functions with the help of the business community in Patna, and has recently formed a virtual blood bank with over 20,000 volunteers. “Service to humanity is service to mankind and when the humanity is in danger due to the pandemic, everyone should come ahead to fight it out together,” he said.

    Hissariya’s kindness has also made news in the Bollywood when he was invited on the sets of Kaun Banega Crorepati where he met with veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan.

  • COVID-19: Sharp rise in deaths among Bihar’s journalists, teachers and bureaucrats

    Express News Service
    PATNA: April has seen a dramatic rise in the number of COVID deaths among Bihar’s police personnel, doctors, teachers, professors, bureaucrats, journalists, and public employees. 

    According to official sources, as many as 13 police personnel, 75 school teachers and professors, 14 doctors, 3 journalists, and half a dozen officers of both the Indian Administrative Services and the Bihar Administrative Services (BAS) have lost their lives to the deadly virus.

    More than 202 police personnel have tested positive this month. What’s concerning is that about 90% of them were administered both doses of the COVID vaccine. Around 600 healthcare professionals, including doctors and paramedic staff, have tested positive. Fourteen of them have died, and almost all of them had taken the second dose of the vaccine.

    Many senior IAS officers Vijay Ranjan (Director of Panchayat Raj), Ravi Shanker Chaudhary  (Additional secretary in health department ) and Pankaj Kumar Singh-(Director of Industries Department) were among those who died. More civil servants have tested positive and are under quarantine

    As per the data, 60 teachers and 15 professors have died. In the Nalanda district, the District Education Officer (DEO) and 15 teachers died in the last two weeks. Alarmed over the deaths, the Nalanda teachers union has written a letter to the Human Rights Commission seeking its intervention to get the schools closed.