Regional

Kolkata, March 7 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has claimed the death figure for children admitted to hospitals with Adenovirus-related symptoms to be 19, out of which six are confirmed cases of Adenovirus.

According to her, the remaining 13 mishaps were aided by comorbidities.

Rubbishing the looming alarm over Adenovirus in the state, the chief minister said that although the virus has affected one member of her family also, she had not publicised it. However, she did not divulge the details of her family member who has been affected by the virus.

However, unofficial figures have claimed the death figure for children admitted to hospitals with related symptoms to be 45 in the last ten days. As per the unofficial figures, till late Sunday afternoon, the figure was 40. In the interim period from Sunday afternoon till late Monday evening, five more child deaths with related symptoms have been reported, taking the figure to 45 in the last ten days. But, the administration has not confirmed this.

Sources said that most of the deaths have been reported from B.C. Roy Children's Hospital, the prime hospital in Kolkata with specialization in the paediatric treatment. Similar reports had come from the private hospitals as well. "Though all the death cases were not confirmed cases of Adenovirus, surely all these children were admitted with related flu-like symptoms like cold, fever, breathing problems and sore throat, among others," said an official from the state health department.

According to him, since so far there is approved medicine or any specific- line for treatment of Adenovirus, the factor is adding hitches for the process of treatment in such cases. The virus can spread through skin contact, by air through coughing and sneezing, and through an infected person's stools.

The state health department has already issued an advisory for doctors, especially paediatricians, to take special care of children being admitted with flu-like symptoms, especially those aged two years or below since they are most vulnerable to being affected by Adenovirus.

--IANS
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Kochi, March 7 (IANS) C.M. Raveendran, Additional Private Secretary to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, arrived at the Enforcement Directorate office here on Tuesday for questioning in the LIFE Mission bribery case.

Raveendran, one of the closest aides of the chief minister, was summoned earlier on February 27, but he expressed his inability citing his busy schedule owing to the Kerala Assembly session. Since the Assembly has a holiday on Tuesday, on account of a local temple festival in the state capital city, he was called today.

As soon as Raveendran's vehicle arrived at the ED office, the media rushed to him, but he just waved his hands and walked inside.

Former bureaucrat and Raveendran's colleague in the CM's office during 2016-21, M.Sivasankar is currently undergoing imprisonment in Kochi. He was arrested by the ED in the same case following allegations by the prime accused in the gold smuggling case and also in the LIFE Mission case- Swapna Suresh.

When the scam first came to light in 2020, Raveendran denied knowing Swapna and was let off after questioning by the ED. But after Sivasankar's arrest, intimate chat messages between Swapna and Raveendran surfaced last week bringing him under heavy attack from the netizens who also flayed the CPI(M) over its "hypocritical" stand.

And now with Raveendran appearing before the ED, all eyes are on the central agency's next move.

--IANS
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Hyderabad, March 7 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan have greeted people on the occasion of Holi.

The chief minister said in his message that "Holi welcomes innovative recommence of nature's cycle of time, indicating the beginning of beautiful spring season and having acquired novelty with green leaves".

KCR said that the Indian culture that heartily welcomes novelty into the lives of one and all with budding hopes, is simply beautiful and great.

The Chief Minister further said that in the context and background of Holi festival, in every village excitement and enthusiasm spirals with youth and teens playing and singing cheerfully in the bright moon light of nine nights the 'Navaratri' as well as with pats of applauders.

He also said that playing Holi in the midst of various colours like orange, red, blue etc., full of fun and pleasure, with no differences between a child or an old, depicts the feeling of human life itself is a grand celebration and also offers the philosophy of living as one with nature.

CM KCR suggested that the festival Holi has to be celebrated by the population leaving aside all sorts of differences if any and demonstrating love and affection, with natural colours like the Modugu (Reddish) flowers.

The CM said that the progressive development action plan taken up and being implemented in Telangana by the state government, has filled in the lives of Dalit, Bahujan and each and every one, the everlasting spring. The CM made it clear that the efforts will continue until novelty into the lives of one and all in the country is achieved.

Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said in her message that Holi is a colourful and vibrant festival which strengthens fraternity and togetherness amongst the people and signifies peace and prosperity in the society.

"Holi reinforces our trust and confidence in national integration through joyful celebration of sprinkling of colours," she said.

The festive spirit of Holi transcends all social barriers and beautifies the social fabric and symbolises the power of unity and fraternity, she added.

--IANS
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Jaipur, March 7 (IANS) Rajasthan Tourism will organise the 'Dhulandi' festival on Tuesday at Hotel Khasa Kothi. About 2000 tourists will participate in this festival, which is being organised entirely for foreign tourists.

According to Deputy Director of Tourism Department Upendra Singh Shekhawat, the festival is being organised after three years. The aim of this festival is to make the foreign tourists experience "Holi Ke Rang, Suraksha Ke Sang".

Shekhawat said that foreign tourists will be able to participate in the festival through tour and travel operators. The department will make available special 'gulal' to the tourists to play Holi. The department will also make arrangements for refreshments for dignitaries during the programme which will run from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Artists will perform Kalbeliya dance, Mayur dance, Kachhi Ghodi dance and Langa-Manganiyar during the festival. Tourists will also be able to experience the hospitality of Rajasthan Tourism amid the traditions of Holi festival and folk singing.

--IANS
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Jaipur, March 7 (IANS) After showing her strength during her birthday celebrations in Salasar Temple in Rajasthan, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Monday went to famous Govind Dev Temple here and sprinkled 'gulal' on devotees assembled there.

She was accompanied by her son MP Dushyant Singh and Jaipur MP Ramcharan Bohra.

She also paid obeisance at a Gurudwara located near the temple and "wished for the prosperity of the state". On the occasion, Raje said: "The colours of Holi conveys the blessings of God; and people from all walks of life bow down before God together in the same colour and love."

--IANS
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Kolkata, March 7 (IANS) A branch office of New York's renowned World Trade Center will be opened in Kolkata shortly, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday.

"A team of their representatives will be coming to Kolkata on March 21. They will sign a memorandum of understanding with the state government on this count. This will strengthen our ties with the international business communities in the coming days," she told the mediapersons.

She said "Kolkata acts as an important gateway to entire eastern India".

"That is why this city has been chosen as the principal city of eastern India. We too want Kolkata to be the principal corridor of industrial activities in the eastern part of the country," the Chief Minister said.

She also said that the process for identifying the land for setting up the branch office of the World Trade Center has already started.

"This is really a matter of pride for our city that it has got the preference over all other eastern Indian cities in the matter," the Chief Minister added.

--IANS
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New Delhi, March 6 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the National Consortium for Research, Development, and Therapeutics for Rare Diseases to meet and recommend funding of clinical trials for rare disease Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

The consortium, which must hold the meeting by March 26, is free to invite any other organisation or individual that it thinks necessary to be required for making the suggestions, which must be comprehensive in nature, a single-judge bench of Justice Pratibha M. Singh said.

The court further instructed the consortium to take into account the age of youngsters whose lives would be drastically shortened if treatment is not started, as well as any potential costs associated with providing the necessary medications.

The consortium can discuss any negotiations or agreements to be made with firms that already have approved medications for rare diseases in India, as well as the likelihood and viability of pursuing indigenous therapies in the trials that have already received approval, it added.

Justice Singh said the consortium will next present its suggestions to the court regarding funding for the clinical trials as well as how a previous court order is to be carried out.

The court was informed at the hearing that four individuals have been determined to be qualified for inclusion in the clinical trials, and that on March 9, they would undergo physical examinations and the other tests.

According to a doctor from AIIMS, the parents of the children would also be informed about the specifics of the studies, which might begin if they consent.

The doctor informed the court that "M/s Sarepta" is conducting a clinical trial here with a small number of patients, one of whom is the petitioner and the company has now requested permission from the authorities to enrol additional patients.

The judge requested that AIIMS submit a status report on the treatment of these children and stated that the other Centres for Excellence (CoE) could also be consulted at the consortium meeting to determine the estimated number of candidates who will need medications for the treatment of rare diseases across the nation.

Children with a number of uncommon disorders, including DMD and mucopolysaccharidosis II (MPS II), are the petitioners before the court and since the treatment for these ailments is quite expensive, they have requested directions to the Centre in order to receive continuous and free care.

On March 1, the HC pulled up the Centre, the AIIMS, and the petitioners' counsel for failing to notify the court of the start of clinical trials.

Expressing its displeasure, the court stated: "The court was 'kept in dark' by all the parties, including the petitioners, about an ongoing trial for DMD by Sarepta Therapeutics."

--IANS
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Jaipur, March 6 (IANS) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday conveyed his "best wishes" to the people on the occasion of Holi.

"Heartiest greetings and best wishes on the occasion of Holi. May the festival of colours bring joy and peace in your life. Happy Holi," the veteran Congress leader tweeted.

Rajasthan would celebrate Holi on Tuesday while Holika Dahan was performed on Monday.

--IANS
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Hyderabad, March 6 (IANS) Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Monday hit out at the state government for rewarding a legislator who 'insulted and humiliated' her.

Speaking at an event held at Raj Bhavan in connection with International Women's Day, the Governor targetted the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government headed by K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

She did not name anybody but it was apparent that she was referring to the appointment of Member of Legislative Council P. Kaushik Reddy as government whip in the Legislative Council.

"It's very disheartening. Even the woman holding the highest office has been ridiculed and humiliated. The highest office is insulted and humiliated and the person who humiliates the highest office is rewarded. That's the message they have given to the people of Telangana," she said.

"It's very very unfortunate. When a person throws stones on a woman, if we garland that person what message are we giving to the womanhood of Telangana," she asked.

"It's not me. I am with everyone. If a woman, if a girl child, if a person is suffering, I will be with them. When I am insulted so many women are with me. Thank you for that. Because you are all with me I am standing as a very strong person here," she told the participants.

Kaushik Reddy had made derogatory remarks against the governor for not giving assent to the bills sent to her for approval by the state government. He used foul language while commenting that the Governor was deliberately sitting on the bills.

On January 26, the video clip of Kaushik Reddy using the abusive word in Telugu went viral on social media.

He had made the remark amid a rift between the Governor and the state government over pending bills.

The differences between the BRS government and the governor had first cropped up in 2021 when she did not approve the Cabinet's recommendation to nominate Kaushik Reddy to the Legislative Council under the Governor's quota in social service category.

When the Governor delayed clearing the file, the BRS government sent Kaushik Reddy to the upper house under the Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) quota.

During her speech on Monday, the Governor also hit back at those trolling her. He told them to be decent and behave. "Don't keep pricking women. You don't know the strength of women," she said.

Tamilisai also took a dig at the state women ministers and officials who stayed away from the programme.

"When a celebration is planned, everyone should come together, that is our culture. We have to leave all differences and we should come together. Nowadays, that culture is vanishing. When an invitation is coming from one place, it is not seen in a transparent way. It's seen in a different way. They don't see the affections through the card, they see the possibility of defections which could happen," the governor said with a laugh.

She had been criticising the chief minister, ministers and others for not accepting her invitations for various programmes at Raj Bhavan on the occasion of festivals and other important occasions.

--IANS
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Bengaluru, March 6 (IANS) A shocking incident of a youth killing his older homosexual partner, over fears that their affair would become public, came to light in Bengaluru on Monday, police said.

The incident happened in the house of the deceased in the Metro Layout area in the limits of Chandra Layout Police station on February 28.

DCP, West Lakshman Nimbargi said that the deceased has been identified as Liyakath Ali Khan, 43, while the accused was identified as Ilyas, 26. Both were in a homosexual relationship for 2 years in the lockdown time.

"Liyakath was married to Shabana Khanum and had two kids out of wedlock. However, he wanted to marry again and got married to Muskaan on February 26, two days before his death," he said.

"The engagement of the accused Ilyas had been cancelled in the past and his parents were looking for a new bride for him.

"Since, he and Liyakath were in a homosexual relationship, Ilyas was worried about his future as he wanted to get married. He was also worried that his family might get to know about the homosexual relationship," the DCP said.

"On the day of the incident, the accused and deceased were engaged in a sexual act. During the course, they both had an argument about Ilyas' future and in fit of rage, Ilyas had hit Liyakath with a hammer and later stabbed him with scissors he had bought to give to Liyakath's second wife Muskaan."

The DCP also said that the reason for Ilyas' rage was that Liyakath was forcing himself on him and was not concerned about his future. The accused, who had suffered injuries during the incident, was discharged from hospital and produced before court on Monday.

--IANS
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