News Analysis India

Tag: Pinarayi Vijayan

  • Pinarayi Vijayan, KK Shailaja to attend from India as global meet on vaccine internationalism begins on June 18

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  A four-day summit by Progressive International for Covid-19 vaccine internationalism begins on Friday. It aims at ending “the pandemic as quickly as possible by securing vaccines for all”. The summit will bring together Global South governments, politicians, healthcare workers and vaccine manufacturers from over 20 countries, following criticism of the G7’s plan by the United Nations aid chief Mark Lowcock as “not serious” and lacking “necessary urgency.”

    From India, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with former health minister of the state, KK Shailaja, representatives of ASHA workers  and vaccine maker Virchow Laboratories, which has a presence in over 100 countries, are participating in the summit. Vijayan is expected to tell the summit that public manufacturing capacity in the state, which has been hailed for its handling of the pandemic, stands ready to produce vaccines if it receives necessary transfers of technology.

    With only 6.2% of the world population fully vaccinated and at the current rate, low-income countries waiting 57 years to be fully vaccinated the summit’s participants have pledged to seek speeding up of production, distribution, and delivery of vaccines. Participants are also likely to consider concrete proposals to pool technology, invoke patent waivers and invest in rapid production.

    Representatives from the governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela and the Kenyan county of Kisumu are set to be joined by four vaccine manufacturers. These include Fiocruz, the Brazilian manufacturer leading the nation’s vaccination drive, Virchow Laboratories, Biolyse, a Canadian firm seeking voluntary or compulsory licensing agreements, and BioFarmaCuba, Cuba’s state manufacturer.

    Senior political leaders from around the world, including former leader of the UK Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn, former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, leader of the Colombian opposition Gustavo Petro and representatives from healthcare unions from the US, Brazil and India will take part in the meet.The governments meeting at the summit will discuss a number of proposals which will include platform for sharing ongoing progress with candidates, trial protocols and data setting the stage for real transparency and allowing local manufacturers to produce the critical doses.

    Sharing manufacturing capacity and investing in public industry, equipping factories to produce the vaccines required for domestic and Global South needs are on the discussion agenda. Summit coordinator and Progressive International cabinet member Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla said before the opening of the meet: “We have the capacity to end this pandemic, producing and distributing vaccines for all.”

  • Progressive International for Covid-19 vaccine internationalism begins on Friday

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  A four-day summit by Progressive International for Covid-19 vaccine internationalism begins on Friday. It aims at ending “the pandemic as quickly as possible by securing vaccines for all”. The summit will bring together Global South governments, politicians, healthcare workers and vaccine manufacturers from over 20 countries, following criticism of the G7’s plan by the United Nations aid chief Mark Lowcock as “not serious” and lacking “necessary urgency.”

    From India, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with former health minister of the state, KK Shailaja, representatives of ASHA workers  and vaccine maker Virchow Laboratories, which has a presence in over 100 countries, are participating in the summit. Vijayan is expected to tell the summit that public manufacturing capacity in the state, which has been hailed for its handling of the pandemic, stands ready to produce vaccines if it receives necessary transfers of technology.

    With only 6.2% of the world population fully vaccinated and at the current rate, low-income countries waiting 57 years to be fully vaccinated the summit’s participants have pledged to seek speeding up of production, distribution, and delivery of vaccines. Participants are also likely to consider concrete proposals to pool technology, invoke patent waivers and invest in rapid production.

    Representatives from the governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela and the Kenyan county of Kisumu are set to be joined by four vaccine manufacturers. These include Fiocruz, the Brazilian manufacturer leading the nation’s vaccination drive, Virchow Laboratories, Biolyse, a Canadian firm seeking voluntary or compulsory licensing agreements, and BioFarmaCuba, Cuba’s state manufacturer.

    Senior political leaders from around the world, including former leader of the UK Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn, former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, leader of the Colombian opposition Gustavo Petro and representatives from healthcare unions from the US, Brazil and India will take part in the meet.The governments meeting at the summit will discuss a number of proposals which will include platform for sharing ongoing progress with candidates, trial protocols and data setting the stage for real transparency and allowing local manufacturers to produce the critical doses.

    Sharing manufacturing capacity and investing in public industry, equipping factories to produce the vaccines required for domestic and Global South needs are on the discussion agenda. Summit coordinator and Progressive International cabinet member Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla said before the opening of the meet: “We have the capacity to end this pandemic, producing and distributing vaccines for all.”

  • Lockdown in Kerala to continue till Covid situation improves: CM Pinarayi Vijayan

    By Express News Service
    THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday indicated that the ongoing lockdown will continue till the spread of Covid is contained.  

    The aim of the government was to bring the Test Positivity Rate (TPR) below 10% as early as possible, the CM said.

    “Since the number of people who have not contracted the disease is high in Kerala compared to other places, it is very important to bring down the prevalence of the virus. This is why a decision was taken to extend the lockdown. If the prevalence of the virus is not brought down, the spread of the disease will rise further,” Pinarayi said.

    ALSO READ |  It’s time for at least a phased unlock in Kerala

    The Chief Minister said the average TPR of the past three days has narrowly come down to 13,9%. However, the number of new cases has increased in Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Ernakulam, Kannur, and Kasaragod and TPR in these districts is coming down only at a slow pace.

    Pinarayi said the state was able to bring down the number of fatalities due to the effective implementation of the lockdown and the people’s cooperation towards the restrictions. However, the Covid situation does not offer any relief, he added.

    The Chief Minister added that the Covid test certificate will not be mandatory during travel for those who have taken two doses of the Covid vaccine, provided they do not show any symptoms of the viral disease.

    Pinarayi also urged the people to cooperate with the total lockdown to be implemented in the state over the weekend.

  • Pinarayi Vijayan backs Naveen Patnaik’s suggestion of central procurement of Covid vaccines

    By PTI
    BHUBANESWAR: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has agreed to his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik’s suggestions that COVID vaccines should be procured by the Centre from abroad and the states should be given the flexibility to manage the inoculation procedure.

    “…We are in complete agreement that the Centre should procure a preventive vaccine against COVID-19 and the administration of vaccination be left to be managed effectively by the states,” Vijayan wrote to Patnaik on Thursday.

    “Looking forward to fruitful cooperation in the efforts to meet the unprecedented challenge posed by the pandemic,” he added.

    Vijayan said this while responding to Patnaik’s June 2 letter to all the chief ministers where he had sought unity among states on an ideal procurement policy.

    He had also advised states to shun competition over procuring vaccines from manufacturers.

    Patnaik had proposed a central procurement system and subsequent distribution among states for vaccination.

    He had also said that there should be a consensus regarding the procurement of vaccines and states should not fight against each other.

    “The only way to protect our people against future COVID-19 waves and provide them with a hope of survival is vaccination. Countries that have focused on vaccination programs have seen a remarkable improvement in their coronavirus situation.

    We have to provide this healing touch to our people,” Patnaik wrote in the letter that he shared on Twitter, tagging all the chief ministers.

    “But this cannot be a battle among the states to compete against each other to procure vaccines,” Patnaik had stated in his letter to all the CMs.

    Vijayan had on May 29 written a letter to all non-BJP chief ministers including Patnaik seeking a united effort to press the Centre to procure vaccine and ensure universal vaccination.

    “Wrote to 11 CMs in the spirit of Cooperative Federalism. Quite unfortunate that the Centre absolves itself of its duty to procure vaccines, ensure free universal vaccination.

    United effort to jointly pursue our genuine demand is the need of the hour, so that Centre acts immediately,” Vijayan had tweeted.

  • Amid COVID, Kerala government to conduct medical audit of black fungus infection

    By PTI
    THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government on Saturday decided to conduct a medical audit of black fungus after reports emerged about the presence of the fungal disease in the state over the last one week.

    The decision was taken as some states have started notifying black fungus, found in patients recovering from coronavirus, as an epidemic.

    “A medical audit will be conducted on black fungus. The availability of medicine will be ensured. Medicines that do not have side effects are recommended to be given to the patients even if they are expensive”, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told a press conference here.

    He said many unscientific and frightening messages related to black fungus or mucormycosis are being spread in the state.

    “There is no basis for such concerns. There is no need for any panic”, he said.

    The government had recently said that 15 black fungus cases were reported in the state.

    Vijayan said mucormycosis is not a newly found disease in the country and added that since it was being reported in serious diabetic patients infected with COVID-19, a treatment protocol has been determined for such categories of people.

    The Chief Minister expressed concern over the increasing number of deaths due to COVID-19 and said the severity of the disease and the fatalities were increasing after the second wave has reached its peak.

    “This is a crucial time for hospitals and strong safety measures are required to deal with this phase. Our primary duty now is to save lives and whatever is possible will be done to ensure this”, Vijayan said.

    Kerala on Saturday logged 28,514 new COVID-19 cases and 176 deaths, taking the tally to 22.92 lakh and the toll to 7,170, The single day count of deaths is the highest in the state so far “The increasing number of deaths is a matter of concern. The severity of the disease and deaths are increasing after the second wave of COVID has reached its peak,” he said.

    The CM said the second wave has taught the state some new lessons.

    “While there is a strong possibility of a third wave, the government will immediately initiate strong measures to evaluate these experiences in detail and prepare for a better defence.

    The stringent vigilance of the people helped us contain the second wave and we should continue it in a similar manner for some more time”, he said.

    Vijayan said restrictions will be tightened in Malappuram district, which has the highest number of cases and where the test positivity rate is still high.

    “An action plan will be implemented for the district. On Monday and Tuesday, 75,000 sample tests will be conducted More police officers have been deployed in the district to ensure effective implementation of the existing regulations under the triple lockdown. Police have been directed to take all legal action against those violating the regulations”, he said.

    Meanwhile, officials in Kochi said that an oxygen express, loaded at Rourkela in Odisha for Kerala with seven containers, carrying 128.66 metric tonnes of Liquid Medical Oxygen, arrived in the city on Saturday.

    With this the total oxygen delivered for Kerala was 246.56 MT, they said.

    The Chief Minister also announced that there would be no SSLC IT practical examination.

    “The SSLC, Higher Secondary and Vocational Higher Secondary valuation will be held from June 1 to 19 and the SSLC valuation from June 7 to 25. Higher Secondary and Vocational Higher Secondary practical examinations will be held from June 21 to July 7. Teachers who go for valuation will be vaccinated and it will be completed before the valuation starts”, he said.

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  • Exit polls 2021: West Bengal too close to call, DMK has cruising victory, LDF to enjoy second turn

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: Chances of Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress retaining power in West Bengal appeared too close to call, while Assam is likely to give the BJP another shot at power, if exit poll projections on Thursday are anything to go by.

    In Tamil Nadu, exit polls predicted a crushing victory for the MK Stalin-led DMK, while the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF appeared comfortably ahead in the race to retain power in Kerala. As for Puducherry, exit polls put it in the BJP’s pocket.

    ABP News CVoter predicted the Trinamool getting between 152-164 seats, while BJP could get between 109- 121 in West Bengal. The Left alliance, including the Congress, is expected to get between 14-25. On the contrary, the Republic- CNX polls gave the BJP a slight edge by projecting 138-148 seats for the party in the 294-seat Assembly and 128-138 to the Trinamool.

    The eight-phase polls in West Bengal ended on Thursday evening. As for Assam, the BJP-led NDA is likely to beat antiincumbency to retain power. The India Today-Axis My India exit poll gave 75-85 of Assam’s 126 seats to the NDA.

    The Congress’s grand alliance is likely to win 40-50 seats, it predicted. In Tamil Nadu, the exit polls predict a landslide for the Opposition DMK alliance, giving it a staggering 165 of the 234 seats that went to polls.

    The AIADMK, which had the BJP as its ally, could end up end up with 66 seats. As for Kerala, the LDF is all set to retain power with the poll of polls predicting 84 to LDF, 54 to UDF and 2 to the BJP. If the India Today- Axis exit poll is to be believed, the LDF is expected to win around 104-120 seats, UDF 20-36, BJP 0-2 and others 0-2.

  • SC defers hearing in SNC Lavalin corruption case to April 6

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred the hearing of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) appeal challenging the acquittal of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan along with two others in the alleged multi-crore SNC-Lavalin scam to April 6.

    A bench of the apex court headed by Justice Uday Umesh Lalit adjourned the matter to April 6.

    According to the prosecution, Vijayan is accused of allegedly hatching a criminal conspiracy while he was serving as the Electricity Minister of Kerala from May 1996 to October 1998.

    Vijayan and other senior executives of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB)–former Power Department secretary K Mohanachandran and former joint secretary A Francis–were accused of allegedly awarding the contract for renovation and modernisation of few hydroelectric projects to a Canada-based company SNC-Lavalin at exorbitant rates, “thereby illegally causing a loss of around Rs 350 crores to the state”, the prosecution said.

    CBI had moved the top court after the Kerala High Court upheld the trial court order giving a clean chit to the Chief Minister due to lack of evidence against him. 

  • Sabarimala temple reopens COVID-negative proof required for entry

    Around seven months after it was closed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the doors of Sabarimala temple were thrown open for devotees from Friday, albeit with certain restrictions.

    Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has made it mandatory to carry a COVID-19 negative certificate while visiting the temple, while only 250 people are being allowed for darshan (visit) per day.

    Adhering to the COVID-19 guidelines, devotees have started thronging the temple.

    As per the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), only 250 people will be allowed on a single day and booking will be done on a first-come-first-serve basis. A queue portal for the booking has been opened for the public.

    Devotees will ascend and descend through Swami Ayyappan Road, while special marks have been drawn for devotees at Sannidhanam, in accordance with the COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.

    “There will be no accommodation for devotees at Sabarimala. In addition to the regular poojas, Udayasthamana and Padi poojas, however, will be held,” the TDB said.