monDAY french tech helps bring down cost 18 january, 2021 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard twitter.com/TheMornStandard POLLS in bengal LEFT FRONT, CONG begin talks First round ends without any result as Front rejects Cong’s demand of 130 seats A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS Page 8 Day 1 Andhra Pradesh 2.07 lakh 17,072 02 Tamil Nadu Karnataka Arunachal Pradesh Kerala were vaccinated at 3,006 sites Day 2 people were vaccinated across 553 sites Manipur 1 1 14 64 serious AEFIs released from hospital 165 553 l New Delhi 308 Total sessions Second day of vaccination 03 01 hospitalised under observation 2.2L jabs, 447 adverse events by end of Day-2 vaccination E x p r e ss N e ws S e r v i c e @ New Delhi The second day of Covid-19 vaccination saw over 17,000 people getting their first shot across six states. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 17,072 people were vaccinated across Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, and Tamil Nadu. By Sunday evening, 2,24,301 people had been inoculated, of whom 447 reported adverse events following immunisation but only three required hospitalisation, the ministry’s Additional Secretary Manohar Agnani said. Most of the adverse effects reported so far are minor like fever, headache, and nausea. While two Delhi patients have been discharged, one person is under observation at AIIMS-Rishikesh. Agnani said a meeting was held with all states and UTs on Today being Sunday, only six states conducted vaccination drive and in 553 sessions a total of 17,072 beneficiaries were vaccinated Manohar Agnani, Additional Secretary (Health) Sunday to review the progress of the drive, identify bottlenecks, and plan corrective actions. Saturday’s was “the highest day-one vaccination number (2,07,229) in the world. The figures are higher than the US, UK, and France”, the additional secretary said at a press briefing. Most states have also put out a clear weekly schedule for Covid vaccine delivery so as not to disrupt their routine health services. Barring Andamans (three days) and Andhra (six days), a majority of the states, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Telangana, opted for a four-day schedule. Around 50 percent of intended beneficiaries have taken the jab in Delhi, Assam and Andhra Pradesh, officials said expressing the hope that the vaccination drive will pick up soon. Under the nationwide mega vaccination drive launched on Saturday, a total of 4,319 (53 per cent) health workers against a target of 8,117 were administered the vaccines at 81 centres across the national capital. “Many things had to be put in place and the system is evolving but we are sure it will gather momentum in the next five to ten days,” National Health Mission Director of the state S Lakshmanan told a news agency . “Many of the beneficiaries did not turn up while many others, whose names were not on the list for the first day, came to the selected sites.” P7 l J8.00 l PAGES 12 The national capital has reported one “severe” and 51 “minor” cases of Adverse Events Following Immunisations (AEFIs), said Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Sunday . The patient with “severe” complications was admitted to the AIIMS and is stable now, he said. A total of 4,319 healthcare workers — 53.3 per cent of those registered — were vaccinated on the first day of the nationwide vaccination rollout. According to officials, a security guard at AIIMS had developed an allergic reaction after receiving the vaccine. He was kept under observation of doctors. “His current status is not known,” Jain said, adding that the other 51 did not require hospitalisation and were discharged after observation for a short period. Later, the Health ministry said the person admitted to AIIMS-Delhi was released. Talking about the low turnout among those registered to get the vaccine, Jain said some people did not turn up for the vaccination at the last moment. He noted that a similar trend was observed across the country with around 50 per cent of those registered getting the jabs on the first day “Some . people decided not to turn up at the last moment. The vaccination is completely voluntary We cannot ask an. yone to compulsorily take the shot even if the person has registered for it.” Jain added that the number of vaccination centres will be increased from 81 to 175. The government decided to omit vaccination centres of MCDs due to the ongoing strike, he said. “The number of vaccination sites will be increased from 81 to 175. Thereafter, it will be increased to 1,000.” THE Gabbatoir holds a unique place in Australia’s intimidating sporting theatre. It’s where visiting cricketing teams are thrashed. India seemed to be going down this path as they were reduced to 186/6 early on Sunday morning. They had Shardul Thakur, in his second Test, and Washington Sundar, a debutant, in the middle. The story took a turn. It was production exceeds consumption With this plant having a capacity of 452 KWh, the total installed capacity of the world’s only fully-solar powered airport reaches 40 MW, helping it produce around 1.6 lakh units a day against daily consumption of 1.3 lakh units. Farm laws will increase income of tillers: Shah e x p r e ss n e ws s e r v i c e @ New Delhi All eyes will be on the Supreme Court on Monday when it will hear the Centre’s plea seeking an injunction against the farmers’ tractor march or any protest which seeks to disrupt the Republic Day parade while the SC-appointed panel on the new farm laws will hold its first meeting on January 19, the same day the Centre and farmers are scheduled to hold the 10th round of talks. “We are meeting on January 19 at the Pusa campus. Only members will meet to decide the future course of action,” Anil Ghanwat, president of Shetkari Sanghatana (Maharashtra), said. “One of the four members has backed out of the committee. If the apex court does not appoint a new member, the existing members will continue,” he added. Bhupinder Singh Mann, national president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Mann), had recused himself in the wake of allegations that the committee members were ‘progovernment’. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India S A Bobde may also take up on Monday the matter of Mann’s recusal from the four-member committee set up to resolve the impasse. Ghanwat said the committee has received the terms of reference and will begin its work from January 21. Parmod Kumar Joshi, Director for South Asia, International Food Policy Research Instit u t e, a n d A s h o k G u l at i , agricultural economist and exchairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, are the other two members. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday asserted that the three farm laws enacted recently would enable farmers to increase their income manifold, as they will be able to sell their produce anywhere in the country to anyone for the highest price ‘Govt can’t cow down farmers with NIA’ Farmers drive a tractor at Ghazipur border in Delhi on Sunday | Parveen negi Punjab minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa slammed the Centre for the NIA’s notices to the farm leaders and those supporting them. “The farmer who feeds the nation with blood, sweat and toil cannot be cowed down by empty threats,” said the Congress leader. ‘Peaceful tractor rally on track, no plan to disrupt R-Day event in Delhi’ H A RPREE T BA J WA & ENS @ Chandigarh/New Delhi The protesting farmer unions on Sunday announced to hold a ‘peaceful’ tractor parade in Delhi and other states on January 26 even as the Centre appealed to them to shun their “stubborn” stand on repeal of farm laws. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, at its meeting at the Singhu border, decided that ‘Kisan Tractor Parade’ will be carried out at an approximately 47-km stretch on the Outer Ring Road in Delhi, but there will be no disruption of the Republic Day celebrations. Similar tractor parades will also be held in state capitals. Each vehicle participating in the march will bear a Tricolour and a flag of the respective farmer union, but no political party flag will be allowed. The farmers have urged the Delhi and the Haryana Police not to stop their parade. The announcement came even as the Centre made it clear once again that it was ready to consider all other options “seriously and with an open heart”, except the demand for repealing the laws. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar asked the farmer unions to discuss the laws clause by clause at the next meeting and inform what amendments they wanted. “Now that the Supreme Court has stayed the implementation of these laws, there is no question of being stubborn.” Tomar asserted that the government had agreed to address their apprehensions regarding mandis and traders’ registration and to discuss laws on stubble burning and electricity , but the unions still refused to budge from their demand. “When the government enacts a law, it’s for the whole country . Most farmers, scholars, scientists and people working in the agriculture sector agree with these laws,” he added. P7 Migration: U’khand poll list proves love for hills is just for a season VINEE T U PA D H YAY @ Dehradun FRESH Start A worker sanitises a school premises to prepare for opening of classes for 10th & 12th students today | Parveen negi | P4 E x p r e ss r e a d I&B Min notice to Amazon Prime New Delhi: Taking cognizance of complaints that Hindu gods and goddesses have been ridiculed in web series ‘Tandav’, the I&B Ministry on Sunday sought an explanation from streaming platform Amazon Prime Video. BJP MP Manoj Kotak had said that he wrote to the Ministry seeking a ban for ridiculing deities. ‘Rethink move to ban poultry’ New Delhi: The Centre has requested states to rethink their decisions to impose ban on sale of poultry and poultry products. The ministry said consumers should not pay heed to baseless rumours that are unscientific and often lead to confusion. So far, bird flu has been confirmed in 11 states, including Delhi. Unlikely heroes spearhead Team India’s fighback in Gabba a day of the two greenhorns — Chennai-bred Washington and a small-town man Thakur schooled in the Mumbai system. Their 123-run partnership was enriched by cuts, hooks and textbook drives. It was one of the best lower-order jailbreaks in recent times, a partnership that will occupy a special place in years to come. What made it even more special was the fact these two were reserve players. They were not One of the biggest floating solar plants began generation of power for Cochin airport on Sunday Court appointed panel to hold first meet on Tuesday when Centre, farmer sit for 10th round talks IN D IA - A U S T O U R Swa r o o p Swa m i n atha n @ Chennai Kochi airport’s floating solar plant commissioned SC to hear plea on tractor rally today 51 minor complications in capital, more centres for inoculation: Jain e x p r e ss n e ws s e r v i c e @ New Delhi French technology helped bring down the cost of installation on a par with the groundmounted one for the first time in the country. This is a major boost to the CIAL’s aim of becoming the second-largest power producer in the state after Kerala State Electricity Board. A 12 MW plant is being completed at Payyannur, Kannur supposed to be in Australia. Like many of his peers and heroes of Mumbai, Thakur’s cricketing journey began on Mumbai locals. From Palghar to Borivali and back, his day would begin beforesunrise and end long after the sunset. His coach Dinesh Lad fondly remembers him for his attitude. In 2018, the 29-year-old took a local train back home after returning from an India tour because it is the fastest way to reach home. “When you are made to earn everything in life, you don’t throw away anything. Today he fought hard in the middle but that is his trait.” Like Thakur, Washington too was not supposed to be playing the Test. In Chennai, he is labelled as a T20 specialist. The 21-year-old started his career as a batsman and has opened innings for India Under-19 too. A shy person, he prefers to be confined to his hotel room. On Sunday, however, he did not walk alone. He and Thakur took India to a respectable 336. Inputs from Venkata Krishna B|p11 The fresh voter list of Uttarakhand shows a drastic decline in the adult population in hill areas, sparking concerns over migration that could lead to further neglect of these remote districts and villages. The number of voters in the plain areas, on the other hand, has increased. At least 12 hill constituencies out of the total 70 Assembly segments in the state have now less than 90,000 voters. Analysts say if the trend continues, political importance of the hill areas will weaken which may prompt further negligence resulting in more migration. “Decline in number of voters can further shift power balance in favour of the plains and lead to further neglect of the hills. Efforts are needed to check the migration from the hills,” Padma Shri awardee activist Shekhar Pathak said, The EC’s list shows 78.15 lakh voters in Uttarakhand. In the hills, Purola in Uttarkashi has 71,341 voters, followed by Ranikhet (78,000), Tehri (80,000), Dhanolti (81,000), Lansdowne (82,000), Pratap Nagar (82,000), Devprayag (82,000), Gangotri (83,000), Someshwar (85,000), Kedarnath (87,000), Narendra Nagar (87,000), Chaubattakhal (89,000) and Almora (89,000). Blaming political parties for RELIEF RUSH OF EMOTIONS FOR stressed HEALTH WORKERS the migration, Almora-based activist P C Tiwari said, “Parties have reaped political dividends but ignored the concerns of the hills. The people need to oppose their agenda to destroy the Himalayas.” Demanding area-based delimitation of constituencies instead of population-based, Rohit Joshi, anti-dam activist, said, “The basis of the demand for a separate Uttarakhand state was the negligence of the hill areas due to their geographical location. But due to the population-based delimitation of the constituencies, the representation of the plain areas is increasing.” Claiming that migration is an old issue, BJP’s Devendra Bhasin said the government is making every effort to check it. Indira Hridayesh of the Congress however, alleged the government had failed on every front. HCWs recall how there was a pent up pressure through the last nine months of pandemic. While some are relieved after Covid shots, others are keeping their fingers crossed | P5