Author: LokMarg

Hyderabad-based pharma company Bharat Biotech has sought permission from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to conduct trials of Covaxin as COVID-19 vaccine booster dose in the 2-18 age group, sources said.
The company has applied for permission a week ago. It has already conducted trials in the age group of 2-18 for two doses of Covaxin.

Recently, Bharat Biotech has also received an Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) approval for 6-12 years old children for two doses.

Bharat Biotech has also applied for the EUA for the 2-5 years old but Subject Expert Committee (SEC) has asked for more data.

Bharat Biotech is the first company in India who had applied for permission from DCGI to conduct trials of a booster dose in the 2-18 age group.

Currently, the Covaxin is under the national COVID vaccination programme for the above 15-18 age group for two doses and above 18 years old for a precaution dose.

The trials for Bharat Biotech’s intranasal booster on a heterologous group are under trial, according to the sources data collection process is over for the age group above 18 years. (ANI)

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that culprits involved in riots will not be spared while the government will ensure that no incidents of violence take place in the state.

Speaking to the media, Gehlot said, “To ensure no violence takes place in the state, action will be taken against the culprit. No one has the right to take law and order in their hands.”
He also slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for “bulldozing” houses of the poor and alleged that it is the “homework” from the party’s high command to defame the Congress-led state government.

“They (BJP) bulldoze the houses of the poor. Their high command has instructed them to defame our government and to create instability. Those who have become Chief Minister candidate…there’s competition (among them), and have been given homework, which is why they are stretching everything.”

Notably, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked for a detailed report from the Rajasthan government over communal tension in the state’s Jodhpur region, sources said on Wednesday.

As per the sources, the Ministry is also “watching the situation closely” and getting inputs from the state’s administrative and police authorities.

Tension gripped Gehlot’s hometown Jodhpur hours before Eid on Tuesday, prompting the authorities to suspend mobile internet services and impose a curfew in 10 police station areas of the city.

There was agitation over putting up religious flags on the Jalori gate circle in Jodhpur, which led to stone-pelting in which five policemen were injured.

The state Chief Minister has appealed to people to maintain peace and harmony.

Following the incident, Jodhpur Police issued orders imposing a curfew till May 4 midnight besides suspending mobile internet services to check the spread of rumours.

The situation was brought under control in the early hours of Tuesday with heavy deployment of police but tension escalated again in the morning after prayers at an Eidgah. Shops, vehicles and houses were pelted with stones near the Jalori gate area.

Members of the minority community were installing Eid flags and they put up a flag on a roundabout alongside the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa. This led to a confrontation as members of the other community alleged that a saffron flag, which they had put up there ahead of Parshuram Jayanti, had gone missing.

The issue snowballed into stone-pelting and clashes, officials said.

The police rushed to the spot to control the situation during which five policemen were injured, the police said.

The police had to lob tear gas shells to disperse the mob. Mobile internet services were suspended in the area to check the spread of rumours, the officials said. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the second India-Nordic summit in Denmark, before departing for Paris to meet the newly re-elected President Emmanuel Macron on the final day of his 3-day Europe visit on Wednesday.

The second India-Nordic summit will see the participation of the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Norway, and will follow up from the first summit that took place in Stockholm, Sweden in 2018.
“The Summit will focus on subjects like post-pandemic economic recovery, climate change, innovation and technology, renewable energy, the evolving global security scenario and India-Nordic cooperation in the Arctic region,” PM Modi had said in his departure statement before embarking on the three-day visit on Sunday.

“On the side-lines of the Summit, I will also meet the leaders of the other four Nordic countries and review the progress in India’s bilateral relations with them,” PM Modi had said.

Following the summit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to make a brief stopover in Paris for a meeting with Emmanuel Macron, the newly re-elected President of France.

During his ongoing visit, PM Modi has held bilateral engagements with the leadership of Germany and Denmark, as well as addressed Indian diaspora events in both Berlin and Copenhagen.

PM Modi also held interactions with the business leaders in both Germany and Denmark during the course of his visit.

PM Modi arrived in Berlin on Monday where he held bilateral discussions with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, before participating in the sixth India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations.

The Prime Minister said the Inter-Governmental Consultations were productive.

A total of nine agreements were signed between India and Germany, including a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) on Green and Sustainable Development Partnership under which Germany agreed to make an advance commitment of 10 billion euros of new and additional developmental assistance to India until 2030.

The Indian Prime Minister also addressed the Indian community in Berlin where he talked about the achievements of his government, especially in the area of integrating technology with governance.

On the second day of his visit, the Indian Prime Minister arrived in Copenhagen, holding talks with his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen and discussing bilateral issues including trade between the two countries and cooperation on environmental action.

The two leaders also held delegation-level talks in Copenhagen to review progress in the Green Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

PM Modi and his counterpart also discussed Ukraine, with the former reiterating India’s stand of early cessation of hostilities and a diplomatic resolution of the ongoing conflict.

The two leaders went on to address a joint press conference, where a number of agreements were formally signed between the two countries including a Declaration of Intent (DoI) on Migration and Mobility, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of skill development, Vocational Education and Entrepreneurship and the launch of energy policy dialogue at ministerial level between the two countries.

A total of nine agreements were exchanged between the two countries.

In the evening, PM Modi also addressed the members of the Indian diaspora in Copenhagen with the Danish PM also accompanying him.

More than 1000 members of the Indian community in Denmark consisting of students, researchers, professionals and business persons, participated in the event according to an MEA statement.

PM Modi also attended a dinner hosted by the Queen of the Kingdom of Denmark, Margrethe II at the Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen which was the last item on the agenda of PM Modi on the second day of his visit. (ANI)

Lok Sabha MP from Amravati Navneet Rana and MLA Ravi Rana on Wednesday got bail by the Mumbai sessions court with several conditions in the Hanuman Chalisa row.

MP Navneet Rana and her husband Ravi Rana, who is an independent MLA, were arrested on April 23 from their Mumbai residence after declaring that they would recite the Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s home in Bandra.
Earlier today, Navneet Rana who was arrested on charges of sedition and promoting enmity was shifted from the Byculla Jail to the JJ Hospital for her spondylosis treatment.

Rana’s lawyer provided details of her health and wrote a letter to the Superintendent of Byculla Jail on Monday stating that the BJP leader has spondylosis which is increasing due to continuously sitting and lying on the floor in jail.

He said that Rana needs to undergo a CT scan so that the doctors can understand the seriousness of her condition, adding that the jail authorities denied permission for the same.

“Navneet Rana has a problem of spondylosis which is increasing due to continuously sitting and lying on the floor in jail. In view of this, she was taken to JJ Hospital on 27 April. The doctor of JJ Hospital has specifically written that it is mandatory to do a CT scan of Rana so that they can understand how serious the problem of spondylosis is, but the concerned authorities did not allow for the same. Until this does not happen, it is difficult to decide what medicine or treatment should be given to Rana,” the lawyer said.

The two were booked in two FIRs lodged on charges of sedition, promoting enmity, and assaulting a public servant to prevent discharge of duty. (ANI)

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked for a detailed report from the Rajasthan government over communal tension in the state’s Jodhpur region, sources said on Wednesday.

As per the sources, the Ministry is also “watching the situation closely” and getting inputs from the state’s administrative and police authorities.
Tension gripped Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s hometown Jodhpur hours before Eid on Tuesday, prompting the authorities to suspend mobile internet services and impose a curfew in 10 police station areas of the city.

There was agitation over putting up religious flags on the Jalori gate circle in Jodhpur, which led to stone-pelting in which five policemen were injured.

The state Chief Minister has appealed to people to maintain peace and harmony.

Following the incident, Jodhpur Police issued orders imposing a curfew till May 4 midnight besides suspending mobile internet services to check the spread of rumours.

The situation was brought under control in the early hours of Tuesday with heavy deployment of police but tension escalated again in the morning after prayers at an Eidgah. Shops, vehicles and houses were pelted with stones near the Jalori gate area.

Members of the minority community were installing Eid flags and they put up a flag on a roundabout alongside the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa. This led to a confrontation as members of the other community alleged that a saffron flag, which they had put up there ahead of Parshuram Jayanti, had gone missing.

The issue snowballed into stone-pelting and clashes, officials said.

The police rushed to the spot to control the situation during which five policemen were injured, the police said.

The police had to lob tear gas shells to disperse the mob. Mobile internet services were suspended in the area to check the spread of rumours, the officials said. (ANI)

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) began the first phase of the demolition drive on Wednesday.

The first phase of the drive will continue till May 13. The demolition drive will cover several parts of South Delhi. The drive on Wednesday started from Karni Singh Shooting Range area in Tughlakabad.
Police staff is required to carry out the drive, said SDMC Mayor Mukesh Suryan.

During the anti-encroachment drives, the deployment of the police force is necessary for maintaining the law and order situation in the area, he added.

Suryan said that the people of Delhi support this drive.

“South MCD will start the first phase of the demolition drive from May 4 to May 13 in several parts of south Delhi. Letters have been written to the south and southeast Deputy Commissioners of Police in this regard,” Rajpal Singh, Standing Committee chairman central zone told ANI.

As per the demolition drive plan, it will be carried out in and around Mehrauli Badarpur Road and Karni Singh Shooting Range today. On May 5, encroachments from Kalindi Kunj main road and Kalindi Kunj Park to Jamia Nagar Police Station will be removed. On May 6, the demolition drive will be taken up in Srinivaspuri Private Colony to Okhla Railway Station Gandhi Camp.

Thereafter, following a gap of two days, the demolition drive will take place from Shaheen Bagh G Block to Jasola and Jasola Nale to Kalindi Kunj Park. On May 10, the demolition drive will be carried out from New Friends Colony to Buddh Dharm Mandir and in and around Gurudwara Road. On May 11, it will extend to Lodhi Colony, Meherchand Market in and around Sai Mandir, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, on May 12, Dhinsen Marg, Iskcon Temple Marg in and around areas. On May 13, encroachments will be demolished at the Khadda colony.

“For demolishing unauthorised encroachments, instances of road grabbing, there is no requirement of notice,” Rajpal Singh said.

Earlier, SDMC Mayor Mukesh Suryan had disclosed that a month-long plan was sent to the police for the anti-encroachment drive in different parts of the national capital.

Other than Shaheen Bagh and Okhla, Suryan said that they have identified many wards for conducting the anti-encroachment drive in its area, including the Vishnu Garden in Tilak Nagar West Zone, Madanpur Khadar, Jasola Vihar, Sarita Vihar, and Sangam Vihar.

The SDMC earlier ran an anti-encroachment drive at Gandhi Market in Nazafgarh’s Sagarpur where people had encroached on the drain. The civic body claimed that illegal Bangladeshis had encroached the government land and were running factories.

He had said that the administration will get these lands vacated and dedicate them to the public. (ANI)

More than 50 persons have been arrested in the Jodhpur violence, said Rajasthan Minister Rajendra Singh Yadav on Tuesday.

“The kind of incident that took place on Parshuram Jayanti, Akha Teej and Eid is shameful. We inspected the spots wherever the incident occurred and wherever the motorcycles were set ablaze. Patience is needed. There is no time for blame game now,” said the Minister.

“More than 50 people have been arrested. If some negligence by the administration is found, strict action will be taken,” added Yadav.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot held a high-level meeting on Tuesday over the violence in Jodhpur.

Clashes broke out at the Jalori gate circle in Jodhpur, the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s home district, following Eid prayers. Police resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse the mob.

This followed the tense atmosphere which prevailed here on Monday after stone-pelting between two groups over objections raised over the raising of a flag at Balmukand Bissa at the Jalori Gate intersection circle.

After stone-pelting started, police tried to control the situation and disperse the crowd. Following the incidents, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot appealed to the people to maintain peace in the area.

“I want to appeal to people to maintain peace. I’ve also instructed police to deal strictly with anti-social elements. Everyone should understand that we’ve to maintain brotherhood,” Gehlot told ANI.

Jodhpur district administration also suspended all mobile internet services in Jodhpur district, as a precautionary measure.

According to an order issued by Jodhpur Divisional Commissioner Himanshu Gupta, all internet services have been suspended in Jodhpur beginning from 1 am till further notice. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, in the Bhairahawa district of Nepal on Buddha Jayanti, sources said here.

The visit of PM Modi to Nepal comes less than a month after his Nepali counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba visited India. “Prime Minister Modi will be coming to Nepal on May 16 on Buddha Jayanti but this time Lumbini only. Preparations are already underway,” a source told ANI.

Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is expected to be present at Lumbini during PM Modi’s visit.

“Only visit to Lumbini is on the agenda. There won’t be bilateral talks or other engagements. The visit will be for less than a day,” the source said.

According to an official aware of the visit, PM Modi will be take part in a lamp-lighting ceremony at the Maya Devi Temple which also is the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.

PM Modi will fly to Kushinagar International Airport from Delhi and then take a chopper to Lumbini.

This would be PM Modi’s first visit to Nepal after his re-election in 2019. He had visited Nepal four times during his previous tenure.

During the last visit to Nepal in May 2018, PM Modi had toured Janakpur and Muktinath, religious and cultural sites in Nepal.

The Maya Devi temple is UNESCO World Heritage Site. Archaeological excavations have revealed that the structural ruins belong to the different phases of the temple’s construction and restoration over the centuries. Emperor Asoka built a platform using the burnt bricks to safeguard the Marker Stone and the Nativity Tree under which Prince Siddhartha was born.

The Maya Devi Temple was re-discovered in 1896 by General Khadga Shamsher and Dr. Anton Fuhrer. Keshar Shumsher excavated the mound of early Maya Devi Temple and reconstructed it in 1939. The present-day Maya Devi Temple was rebuilt in 2003 by Lumbini Development Trust.

The structural ruins inside Maya Devi Temple are from 6th century BC to 15th century AD. It consists of 15 box chambers arranged in 5 rows in east-west and 3 rows in a north-south direction as well as a circumambulatory path surrounded by an outer wall.

The archaeological excavation undertaken by the Department of Archaeology, Lumbini Development Trust and Durham University (UK) during 2010-2013 AD uncovered a timber shrine dating back to the 6th century BC. During the excavation a pre-Mauryan brick structure, each brick measuring 49x36x7 cm in size and 20kg in weight from underneath the present visible layers of ruins was also uncovered. (ANI)

Water supply in the areas of North Delhi, North West Delhi, West Delhi and parts of South Delhi including Delhi Cantt and the command area of Deer Park will be affected till tomorrow evening.

“Due to excessive and unusual floating and filter clogging algae material resulting in choking of filter beds, the treatment process has slowed down at Haiderpur WTP. The production is expected to become normal by tomorrow evening,” tweeted Delhi Jal Board.

“Delhi Jal Board is endeavouring to rationalize the water supply, however, water will be available at low pressure till the situation improves. Residents are advised to store a sufficient quantity of water in advance as per requirement. Water tanker will be available on requirements,” added the Delhi Jal Board.

“Areas affected: North Delhi, North West Delhi, West Delhi and Part of South Delhi including Delhi Cantt and the command area of Deer Park,” stated Delhi Jal board. (ANI)