The Observer An IIJNM publication
Odisha's educational book stores face financial crunch after the imposition of a total lockdown | P 4
Vol 20, Issue 20
Thursday, May 13, 2021
They fear being stuck, unable to return to work By Mahitha Owk
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The United States of America is one of the countries to impose a travel ban. The Biden administration, on April 30, announced restrictions on travel from India. | Courtesy: KPN rather prefer staying here.” But Harish is worried about getting stuck and not being able to go back to Australia again. The US is another country to have imposed a travel ban. The Biden administration, on April
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Forging industry falls short of oxygen as its supply is diverted towards medical requirements | P 5
Travel ban begins to bite Indian citizens who are living abroad ndians living abroad as temporary residents are afraid of returning to India fearing they will be stuck owing to the Covid-19 restrictions imposed across the world. “It has been two years since I saw my parents. I don’t know when I will be able to see them,” Nikitha Mendu, an Indian citizen who is studying in Australia, informed The Observer. Australia is one of the countries that have imposed strict travel restrictions. Australian Prme Minister Scott Morrison has even threatened Australian citizens stuck in India with jail terms and fines if they return to Australia. Harish Reddy, a temporary resident in Australia, said: “Some of my friends, in a hurry, went back to India, and now Australia is not letting them come back. They have no jobs in India. I would
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30, announced restrictions on travel from India to prevent the mutated Covid-19 virus variants from entering the country. The United States’ decision has scared many Indian citizens who are living in the US.
Mahesh Kumar, who is in the US on an H-1B visa, shared: “I can’t afford to get stuck in India and lose my job. I have been following the news and it’s terrifying. My parents tested Covid positive. I wanted to go and see them, but could not.” The major problem for Indian citizens is that they do not have the option to go back to the countries where their livelihood is. Uttishtha Prasanna, who lives in the UK with her family, said she conceived during the time of Covid and has given birth to a baby. “Who doesn’t want to celebrate these moments with their families, but what other option do I have now?” She said she is struggling to take care of the baby. Although she wants to go back home, the UK has added India to its red list of countries and suspended all flights coming from India. Covid-19 has economically impacted countries and individuals. The prospect of going to India and leaving their work is scaring people. Listening to the stories of people who have been stuck in India is adding to their fears. Continued on page 2
News Briefs Aus players may head home on Sunday
Australian players, media, and coaches who are currently in the Maldives after the suspension of the of the Indian Premier League may head back home on Sunday. The ACA and BCCI are awaiting confirmation from the Australian government that the players and others be allowed home.
Europe to extend curbs on travel from India
The European Commission has called on the EU member states to further restrict travel from India on a temporary basis to limit the spread of the B.1.617.2 variant, first detected in India.
As Hamas hits Israel, violence toll reaches 72
Amidst rising unrest between Israel and Palestine, the toll in Gaza has reached 65 and seven in Israel as Hamas launched a new barrage of air strikes. Heavy bombardment on the Gaza Strip continues, killing Hamas commander Bassem Issa along with some other senior members.
Positivity rate in Delhi dips after three weeks
The Covid positivity rate in Delhi has gone down to 14 per cent from 35 per cent 3 weeks ago, Delhi’s deputy CM Sisodia said on Thursday. The capital reported 10,400 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours.
GoAir’s name change baffles watchers People with symptoms skip By Abhisek Dutta
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oAir, an Indian airline run by the Wadia Group, has changed its brand name to Go First in a move that has puzzled aviation industry watchers. Kaushik Khona, CEO of GoAir, informed The Observer: “We will come up with a press release with detailed information for th change by the end of the day.” On May 13, newspapers carried an advertisement that said “GoAir is now Go First. The airline where you come first.” The advertisement displayed Go First’s brand new logo. Tarun Shukla, aviation and defence editor of The Economic Times, tweeted a photo of the advertisement and wrote: “New branding, new livery, at GoAir.” Harish Bijoor, a brand strategist, believes GoAir was a good name, and there was no need to
change the airline’s branding. “In aviation, ‘first’ holds the connotation of ‘first-class travel’, which might be attempted to exploit. But very simply I don’t believe the airline needed to change from GoAir to Go First,” Bijoor informed The Observer. Industry watchers say this is not the right time to change the brand name of an airline. Pratham Y, an aviation analyst, tweeted: “But isn’t rebranding an added expense when you are trying to reduce your costs
and expenditure in ULCCs (Ultra Low-Cost Carriers) model.” Some frequent travellers welcomed the move, while others said they are not satisfied with the service GoAir provides. Pulkit Sinha, a frequent air traveller, tweeted: “…GoAir keeps on changing flight schedule. I booked a direct flight by paying extra and then without informing they change my flight to an indirect one.” Since a Janata Curfew was imposed in March 2020, the aviation industry is running in losses. Owing to the second wave of Covid-19, the airline business has further plummeted. According to a Business Standard report, GoAir incurred a net loss of Rs 1,346 crore in FY20. A low-cost carrier GoAir became the fifth largest Indian airline in the year 2017. abhisek.d@iijnm.org
Covid test to avoid cost
By Mahitha Owk Hyderabad: Many people with Covid-19 symptoms do not get themselves tested, saying they are sure it is Covid. They isolate themselves and take generic medicines. Doctors say that this may not be a wise thing to do. “I know it was Covid. My children and I had all the symptoms. We decided to not get tested as it would be a waste of money,” Parimila Medasani, a homemaker, informed The Observer. They have since recovered. After Sonali Sudhakar and her family showed Covid-19 symptoms, they isolated and treated themselves. “My cousin, a doctor, recommended we not get tested as we were showing Covid-19 symptoms. He guided us through the
recovery process,” Sudhakar said. A test at home costs Rs 1,200; it is Rs 800 if a person goes to a private testing centre. Most people prefer testing at home. Raghavendra Rao, a daily wage worker, said: “We are a family of six. I showed Covid-19 symptoms. After a while, all my family members did, but only I got tested. Why do I have to waste so much money when I am sure about it?” The family took Covid-19 medicines and have recovered now. Dr B.R. Lavanya, a physician, said it is not possible that all symptoms in a person indicate Covid-19; it could be some other health condition that should not be ignored. “People may mistake Covid symptoms for typhoid.” She advises people should get the RT-PCR test done. mahitha.o@iijnm.org
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The Observer Thursday, May 13, 2021
Untrained medicos afraid of Covid duty Seek supervision when they are posted in wards
We received a notice through our college which suggested the entire batch work in the telemedicine service from this week. - Dipanjan Koley, an MBBS student
By Abhisek Dutta Bankura (West Bengal): Finalyear medical and nursing students are not confident about serving in Covid-19 wards as they lack hands-on experience. They want supervision of seniors during duty hours and workshops to be held before they can go ahead and work in the wards. A final-year MBBS student of the Calcutta Medical College (CMC) informed The Observer: “MBBS is more about identifying the disease than its treatment. We have least experience in treating patients; we might end up doing more harm than good.” On May 3, the Centre said final-year MBBS students, along with students of BSc Nursing and general nursing and midwifery (GNM), can be deployed to attend to Covid patients to tackle the shortage of medical staff. They will be paid an incentive, and get priority in regular government recruitment on the completion of required 100 days of duty. According to an Anandabazar Patrika report, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has said 10,000 hospital beds will be added soon to tackle the Covid-19 surge in the state. She wants to
We have least experience in treating patients; we might end up doing more harm than good. - A final year MBBS student
Apart from Covid wards, the West Bengal government has begun deploying final-year medical students of some colleges for its telemedicine service.| Manisha Samanta deploy final-year medical and nursing students after getting a nod from medical experts. Final-year GNM students of the Calcutta Nursing Training Institute (CNTI) have been verbally asked to be prepared to serve in Covid wards. Tapasi Basu Mullick, principal of CNTI, said: “We had to send details of the final-year students to the West Bengal Nursing Council fol-
Avoid travel during pandemic: Experts to Indians living abroad
Continued from page 1 ayathri Mallaku completed her education in Australia. Just before the Covid-19 first wave began in India, in March 2020, she came to India and is stuck here. “There is no way I can go back anytime soon. It’s all confusing. I am unable to make any decisions. I am just waiting for the pandemic to end and return to Australia.” An official from the Ministry of External Affairs who did not identify himself on the phone informed The Observer: “We are operating flights under the Vande Bharat Mission. People who are willing to come to India can come via these flights.” Experts have advised people
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not to travel amid the pandemic unless there is an emergency. Pradeep Enagala, a principal consultant at Global Degree Counsellors, informed The Observer: “Tickets are expensive and countries have tightened their immigration policies. It is not advisable to travel until the pandemic comes to a standstill.” It is uncertain as to how long the travel restrictions imposed by countries will continue and when the pandemic will come to an end. It is not just the decision of India alone that will impact its citizens stuck in India, but also decisions of other countries that have imposed travel restrictions to and from India. mahitha.o@iijnm.org
lowing an order from the ministry of health and family welfare. Though they did not clearly mention any reason, still we are preparing our students mentally for the worst-case scenario.” A final-year student of CNTI said: “We have very little practical exposure. We were at home for the entire year attending online classes. How can we handle the pressure of a Covid-19 ward?”
A final-year GNM student from the RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences said: “We know that we have to treat Covid-19 patients either today or tomorrow, but for that we need proper supervision as all of us lack experience.” Medical infrastructure in West Bengal is poor and many doctors and nurses have tested positive. “In such a condition, I don’t think
17 crore vaccinated in phase 3 so far By Nidhi Kajaria
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he cumulative number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has exceeded 17.72 crore as on May 13 under phase 3 of the nationwide vaccination drive, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The Government of India has been clearing and apportioning global aid to several states and Union territories. A total of 17.72 crore vaccine doses have been administered through 25 lakh sessions, as per a provisional report till 7am on Thursday. Ten states, including Karnataka, account for 67 per cent of the total cumulative vaccination doses given so far in the country. A total of 1.09 crore vaccination doses have been given in Karnataka so far. Over 4.3 lakh beneficiaries of the 18-44 age group received their first vaccine dose in the past 24 hours and cumulatively over 35 lakh across 30 States/UTs since the start of phase 3 of the vaccination drive. Dr Pankaj Bharti, a public health expert in Bengaluru, informed The Observer: “Vaccination is the only solution that is left for the state to break the
seniors will get time to supervise the juniors. It might lead us paying a heavy cost,” said a final-year MBBS student of CMC. The West Bengal government has begun deploying final-year medical students of some colleges for its telemedicine service. It will pay no incentive. Dipanjan Koley, an MBBS student of Nil Ratan Sarkar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, said: “We got a notice through our college which suggested the entire batch work in the telemedicine service department from this week.” The batch of 250 students has been divided into groups of 25. Each group is asked to serve for a week. Thereafter, the same order will be repeated. The Observer reported on May 4 that the Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors condemned the Central Government’s decision to deploy final-year medical students in Covid wards. They accused the government of making doctors scapegoats for the collapse of health institutes. abhisek.d@iijnm.org
Quiz 1. What is the slang name for New York City, used by the local residents of the area? 2. Which famous American pop band was originally called ‘Kara’s Flowers’? 3. Where is the lowest natural place on planet Earth, and how deep is it? 4. Until 1923, what was the Turkish city of Istanbul called? 5. Which ancient empire used no written language as a mode of communication? Answers on page 5
Ten states account for 67% of the total cumulative vaccination doses given so far. | Courtesy: Unsplash chain of spread of this virus.” Karnataka has vaccinated 74,996 people in the 18-44 age group with the first dose. People in this age group of 18-44 are struggling to get their first jab. The Karnataka government has stopped vaccination for them citing a shortage of doses. Karnataka, with 5.92 lakh active cases, has the highest number of Covid cases, leaving Maharashtra behind. “There’s no movement in the state of Krnataka after 10 am. Still, the positive cases aren’t going down,” Dr Bharti added. nidhi.k@iijnm.org
Words of the day Veracity: Conformity with truth or fact Importunate: Troublesomely urgent Shrive: To administer the sacrament of reconciliation Paean: A joyous song or hymn of praise Frugal: Characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resource Archipelago: An expanse of water with scattered islands Lacerate: To cut someone’s flesh deeply or roughly Umbrage: The feeling of being offended or resentful
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As govt & RWA fail, residents step in Deliver meals, medical aid to Covid patients By Dhruv Raghav New Delhi: As the government and the residents’ welfare association (RWA) have failed to assist Covid-19 patients of a DDA apartment complex, the residents have stepped in to help their neighbours. Residents of Gomti Apartments, Kalkaji, have started stocking oxygen cylinders, beds, sanitisers, gloves and personal protective kits to build a Covid care centre within the apartment complex. The citizen group calls itself Gomti Knights. Aman Dhar, a resident of the apartment complex, and his mother Payal are credited with starting the initiative. “The crisis deepened its roots on the 20th of last month. My phone was constantly buzzing with texts and calls for help. With the help of a childhood friend who is into the gas business, I had started providing oxygen cylinders. We purchased 200 cylinders at double the price and started providing free oxygen,” said Dhar, admin of Gomti Knights. “I had to enter Covid-positive (people’s) homes to set up oxygen cylinders and concentrators for patients because their family members had no idea how to fix medical grade cylinders and (control) the flow of oxygen.” The group also started deliver-
The security personnel have been disinfecting the complex on the directive of Gomti Knights. This was done after the municipality’s sanitation drive failed | Courtesy: Aman Dhar ing meals to homes that have Covid patients. It follows a procedure to monitor the health of patients. As soon as the group comes to know of a new patient, he/she and their family are added to a WhatsApp group. They keep in touch with them on the messaging app and share potential leads to Covid resources. “There were at least 60 houses infected, with all family mebers, including children, in a block of 100 houses. My mom and my grandmother started cooking for
senior citizens and people under home quarantine,” Dhar said. Richa Nautiyal, whose husband recently recovered from Covid, said they were not part of the group earlier but are now more than willing to extend their support. “My husband was hospitalized last month. When he was admitted, there was no crisis, but now it is bad. When we came back, I was added to the group, which extended a helping hand,” Nautiyal said. Dhar shared: “We made a back-
end team of mostly people infected with Covid who were in home isolation. They gave us verified leads and managed patient data and medical records. The numbers were growing so rapidly that we needed help. We connected with gurdwaras. They helped us with oxygen distribution and refilling. Our team calls a family member of the patient to get updates and to help them with treatment.” A list of doctors and nearby pharmacists has been circulated on the WhatsApp group. The doctors, available in shifts, and can be consulted on the phone. The pharmacists can be contacted for delivery of medicines. “When the situation is difficult and your government is not in the front, we citizens have to step in to help. We have worked out plans to provide medical assistance. Whenever someone tests positive, we get to work and try to provide as much help as possible, like finding out available beds, delivering oxygen cylinders and medicines to houses,” said Dr R.P. Tiwari, a resident. Gomti Knights has also been collecting donations. “We have collected over Rs 1 lakh,” Dr Tiwari added. The group has also been updating the expenditure to ensure the donations do not get swindled. The RWA has not been cooperative. It has shown little inte rest in helping the group. When asked for space to store oxygen cylinders and other Covid supplies, the RWA refused, the residents claimed. Dr Tiwari said the RWA had
AAP government issues norms for kids housed in Child Care Institutes By Dhruv Raghav New Delhi: Given the rising cases of Covid in the national capital, the Delhi government on Thursday issued new guidelines for Child Care Institutions (CCIs) to protect the children from contracting the virus. According to the press release,the CCIs have to teach children how to keep their hands clean, practise washing of hands before and after having a meal and strict supervision maintained to ensure this. As the CCIs provide residential facilities to the children, it is imperative for them to enforce strict guidelines. CCIs are home for destitute children who have been forced to live on streets. It further stated how to maintain basic hygiene,. “Children to be taught to cover their nose and mouth with a bent elbow or tissue.” Used tissues should be disposed of immediately.” The guidelines also specified dos and don’ts which are to be taught to children: cover your nose and mouth, do not touch your face with unwashed hands,
The guidelines says children should be taught to cover their nose and mouth with a bent elbow or tissue. | Courtesy: Just Dial do not spit, do not hug or kiss, or shake hands while greeting.
The superintendents have been asked to ‘strictly adhere’ to the
protocol. If any child is suffering from a cough or cold, the officerin-charge of a CCI has to contact a doctor immediately, and isolate the child. If a child tests posit- ive, the superintendent should contact the nearest Covid Care centre. Anjela Singh, superintendent of several CCIs for girls in Delhi, said: “I am happy the Delhi government is taking cognisance of things and with which we are able to help these children. We already have the receptions in place as part of a rule. On top of this, we are providing special meals to children and immunity boosters. We are taking all steps necessary to take care of the children.” The capital has 26 government and 75 NGO-operated CCIs. India’s top virologist, Dr. V. Ravi, senior professor at Nimhans, told The Times of India that the imminent third wave of Covid infections is likely to affect children severely. Recently, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government announced a task force to assess infection in children during the third wave. dhruv.r@iijnm.org
failed to provide PPE kits and sanitiser to security per sonnel. “We are providing sanitiser and PPE kits.” The security personnel have been disinfecting the complex on the directive of Gomti Knights. This was done after the municipality’s sanitation drive failed due to a lack of disinfectant. Contrary to what the residents said, the RWA claimed it is taking all necessary steps to safeguard its personnel and the residents. “We have barred the entry of all unauthorized personnel, including maids, cleaners and drivers. We have restricted access to the society by keeping only two gates open,” P.C. Gautam, general secretary of the RWA said. The guards have been provided sanitiser and thermal guns but no PPE kits “because it is not necessary”. Dhar said: “The RWA only recently started cooperating, after they received multiple calls from people personally, but there was a time when we had no help.” On Gomti Knights, Gautam said: “Although, we’ve been kept out of the group, we have done our part. We have provided support. They use our vehicle to deliver food to houses. The fund Gomti Knight has created is separate from the RWA’s and is voluntary. We can’t spend the RWA’s money on this.” Covid cases seem to be declining in the capital, but the city is still reporting about 300 deaths daily. Although decreasing, the positivity rate is still at an alarming 14%. dhruv.r@iijnm.org
Citizen’s Voice China, US in blame game over terror China got a good opportunity to hit back at US by holding Joe Biden’s announcement for the complete withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan responsible for the rise in Taliban attacks. China, afraid of terror reaching its border, is worried that the US withdrawal might put its much controlled peace at risk. Tarab Zaidi
Israel trying to prove itself guilt-free
With no concern for human lives, Israel continues to launch attacks on the Gaza Strip. Justifying its act by calling it retaliation, Israel is not only displacing Palestinians from their own land, but also trying to prove itself guilt-free internationally. Tarab Zaidi
Odisha man shows the way during testing times
In a village in Odisha, Ranjan Sahu, who lost his job in the pandemic, opened a garment factory with his own savings. The factory supports 70 families in his village. This is inspiring in these dire times. People should stand beside each in such times. Pooja Rajkumari
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Odisha’s edu bookstores in a spot Very few people visit them from 6am to noon By Ashutosh Acharya Rourkerla: Stores selling educational books are facing a huge financial crisis due to a lockdown imposed in Odisha. Many shopkeepers prefer to close their establishments owing to low footfalls; most owners are concerned about safety. The Odisha government announced a complete lockdown from May 5 to 19 to curb the rising number of Covid-19 cases. During this period, the shops selling essential items, including ration shops, can be opened from 6am to noon. Pintu Kumar, owner of Narayani Book World, Rourkela, said: “Even if the government has allowed us to open shops for two to three hours, we are not opening, nor are we delivering books online right now. Schools and colleges are going online, and exams have been postponed. Students now prefer to study from PDFs and e-books rather than coming to the shop and risking their health.” Union education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, in a tweet on May 4, announced the post-
In April, 2020, in response to a letter by an advocacy group US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, the Ministry of Home Affairs had included educational books as essential items and allowed the sales of educational books during the lockdown. | Courtesy: OdishaBytes ponement of the May session of JEE (Mains) on May 4 due to the second wave of the pandemic. Earlier, the medical entrance test NEET for both undergrads and post-graduates had been postponed. SuryamaniMuduli, from All in One bookstore, Bhubaneswar, said: “Sales are down by 70 per cent as schools are closed, and children study from notes that the teachers provide them with.
Even if the shop stays open from 6am to 12, there are very few footfalls due to the pandemic. As we don’t deliver books online, we can do nothing but wait for things to open up again.” Bijay Jaiswal, the manager of Book Life, Uditnagar, said: “How much sales can we have in only four hours? Hardly four to five customers visit the shop every day, if that can be called sale. Most customers coming here are
the local people. Everyone is scared due to the second wave of the pandemic, which is more dangerous than the first one. The future of bookstores is uncertain.” In April, 2020, in response to a letter by an advocacy group USIndia Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), the Ministry of Home Affairs had included educational books as essential items and allowed the sales of educational books during the lockdown.
Amit Khatua, a third-year medical student, said: “It’s getting really difficult to procure course books during a lockdown. Many people also find it hard to cope up with online books and PDFs. It is difficult to find obscure books online, and hence, we are forced to order them from online. The main issue with ordering obscure books from online is that most of them courier us the books, for which they add high delivery charges. We ultimately suffer by paying such high prices.” Rupesh Kumar Pasayat, a third-year engineering students, prefers to read PDF versions of book to ordering them online or visiting bookstores. “It is risky to go to bookstore under such circumstances. Even ordering from online shopping sites is not safe as we do not know whether the delivery boy has tested negative or not.” But they are forced to order some books. The Department of Higher Education, Odisha, instructed all colleges and universities to go into the online mode from April 19. Schools in the state have started their new academic year online. Most students have shifted to either ordering books online or getting e-book versions. Most of the bookstores in the state do not have an option for online delivery and shopping, adding to their losses. ashutosh.a@iijnm.org
Covaxin trials on 2-18 Ventilators sent to Punjab hospital are not faulty, claims Centre age group get nod By Ashutosh Acharya
By Mahitha Owk
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he Drugs Controller General of India has granted permission to Bharat Biotech to conduct clinical trials of Covaxin on children in the 2-18 age group, according to an official release. Bharat Biotech had submitted the proposal of conducting trials on children earlier this year. An expert committee that looked into the matter asked Bharat Biotech in February to submit a revised clinical trial protocol. These will be the first vaccine trials to be conducted on children in India. Rakesh P Kanyadi, director at Anglo-French Drugs and Industries Ltd, told The Observer: “Even the UNICEF said that the second wave can impact children. As much as it is important to vac-
cinate the elderly, vaccinating the younger population is also important and this is a step towards it.” As part of the trial, the vac cine will be given to 525 healthy volunteers in two doses. There will be a 28-day gap between the two doses. “We need to also look at genome sequencing. There isn’t enough research happening. Genome sequencing also helps in fighting the pandemic,” Kanyadi said. The US gave the green signal this week for a Pfizer vaccine to be used in the age group 12 to 15. Canada too has approved the Pfizer vaccine for children as young as 12. Experts say rising Corona virus cases in India are worrisome, and vaccinating all is one of the best solutions to control the pandemic. mahitha.o@iijnm.org
New Delhi: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday rubbished reports that ventilators supplied to Faridkot’s GGS Medical College Hospital (GGSMCH) were faulty. On May 12, Dr Raj Bahadur, professional advisor to Punjab’s Covid Response and Procurement Committee, had said that 90 per cent of the ventilators received by Punjab under the PM CARES fund were faulty. On May 11, AAP MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan tweeted a picture of many ventilators lying unused in GGSMCH, saying that those ventilators were procured under the PM CARES fund and requested Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh to put them to use. Dr Bahadur, who is also vicechancellor of Baba Farid University of Medical Sciences, which oversees other medical colleges, admitted that the situation was same in medical colleges in Patiala and Amritsar. “Doctors can’t take a chance” and hence, the ventilators were unused. Media reports on May 12 claimed that 71 out of the 80 AGVA-made ventilators received by GGSMCH were faulty. The Centre called these reports unfounded. A statement said: “88 Ventilators have been supplied by
Eighty-eight ventilators have been supplied by Bharat Electronics Limited and five by AGVA. After successful installation and commissioning, these ventilators were provided with Final Acceptance Certificate by the hospital authorities. | Courtesy: Kultar Singh Sandhwan Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and five by AGVA. After successful installation and commissioning, these ventilators were provided with Final Acceptance Certificate by the hospital authorities.” The statement also said that BEL had informed that the bulk of ventilators at GGSMCH are not faulty and said that their engineers had visited the college multiple times to carry out ‘minor repairs’, and have also conducted ‘repeated demonstrations’ for the staff.
The statement also mentioned that there were problems in GGSMCH’s infrastructure including non-availability of oxygen in central gas pipelines. It said major consumables required for the proper functioning of ventilators are not being maintained properly, “without which performance of CV200 ventilators is not guaranteed”. The Centre also said BEL will provide technical support to Punjab in meeting the requirements of ventilators. ashutosh.a@iijnm.org
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Gujarat cuts O2, forging sector groans ‘Industrial oxy not fit for medical use’
By Nishita M. Agath Rajkot: Gujarat’s forging industry has shut down their operations as the state government has restricted the supply of oxygen for industrial purposes. Harsh Tilva, the owner of Shree Ram Forge, informed The Observer: “Operations at our factory have come to a grinding halt as government has restricted oxygen supply. I recently established a subsidiary firm…. However, due to lack of supply, I am neither able to resume operations at my firm nor am I able to start operations at the new one. The restrictions have affected the profit margin by around 45 per cent.” “We are managing orders from the excess stock maintained. However, if this situation prevails for a long term, we might run out of stock,” he added. Prakash Dattani, another manufacturer, said: “The Gujarat government hasn’t imposed a lockdown. But we are facing a lockdown-like situation for the past one month. We aren’t concerned about profits, but we can’t even expect the usual earnings during this time. Our earnings have reduced by 90 per cent in
The oxygen used in most industries is not of the same purity level as that used for medical purposes. Medical oxygen has around 99 per cent purity. Industrial oxygen is not appropriate for medical use. – Hitesh Gorasia, owner, Giriraj Industrial Gases
‘We’re on verge of liquidation’
Industries have been forced to shut down as the oxygen is diverted for medical requirements | Harsh Tilva the past two years. We are on the verge of liquidation.” Amid the fear of lockdown, migrant workers are returning home as the state sees an increase in the number of cases Mohammad M, a labourer, said: “As the factories are closed, we have sought permission from the owners to migrate to our homes. A few have already left in fear of another lockdown. The situa-
tion was a bit normal and the business was recovering. But the newly imposed restrictions pose a threat to our survival everyday. We might again experience a salary cut or even get no salaries for the employess if a lockdown is imposed.” Left with insufficient stock, manufacturers are unable to fulfill and meet the demands put out by the their customers.
Our earnings have reduced by 90% in the past two years. We are on the verge of liquidation. — Prakash Dattani, who runs a forging industry Rakesh Soni, a customer said: “Since all the oxygen industries have put their operations on a halt, we don’t have much demand. Our demand for steel bearings has reduced to an am ount of around 45 per cent.” Praful Morari, another customer, shared: “The demand is reduced. But the manufacturers are still unable to provide us according to our requirement. Earlier, I
As pandemic rages, more & more people choose to get online medical consultations Non-metro cities seen embracing telehealth facility
By Nidhi Kajaria
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ne year since the pandemic, telehealth continues to see a steep rise in the number of people consulting online for several diseases. There has been an 1,800 per cent rise in online consultations in the metro cities of the country between March 2020 and April 2021 Dr Mukti Prakash, a senior resident doctor in internal medicine at the Banaras Hindu University Trauma Centre, said: “As there has been a lot more pressure on the hospitals during the second wave of covid, online consultations have proved to be a blessing in disguise during the pandemic.” In the three-month period ended May 2020, five crore people had accessed telemedicine on Practo, a healthcare platform, as reported earlier in The Observer. That number has increased by 200 per cent since then. As reported earlier, Apollo Medicines recorded a million people who had applied for teleconsultation during the period March 2020 to May 2020. According to an article in the Financial Express, healthcare platforms like Apollo Telehealth have seen a jump of 1,149 per cent since the
Telehealth has seen a surge of 1800% over the period of one year starting March 2020. | Credit: Nidhi Kajaria outbreak of the pandemic. Non-metro cities, which earlier accounted for 44 per cent of the total online consultation, recorded a 932 per cent increase in the number of online consultations, while such consultations grew by 410 per cent in metro cities during the second wave. The Observer spoke with more than 20 people and found that most of them prefer online consultation to visiting doctors. “I find consulting a doctor online more convenient. This way I stay flexible with my work schedule and have no tension of going to a clinic,” said Diksha Agrawal, a resident of Bengaluru. Women are seeking online consultation on mental health and nutrition for one's wellness. “More women in non-metro
cities opted for online consultations in 2020 – growing at an average rate of 550 per cent, compared with 400 per cent recorded among women in metro cities. This means that even as the majority (65 per cent) of the total online consultations done by women in 2020 were from metro cities,” states a report by Practo. Practo has launched online consultation in 15 languages to break down the language barrier in patient-doctor communications. According to a Practo press release dated April 7, 25 per cent of all online consultations on Practo were conducted in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and Kannada. Around 67 per cent of all vernacular consultations were from individuals living in non-metro cities. The scope of online consultation
has not just been confined to Covid-related issues but to several other diseases, such as cancer. According to a recent report of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), there has been a 16 per cent increase in the number of people getting cancer cases in the past two years, with nearly 14 lakh new cancer cases recorded in the year 2020. There has been a surge in the number of consultations for cancer-related issues. India recorded a 333 per cent increase in online consultations with oncologists between January and December, of the year 2020, as recorded in Practo’s latest insights report. Men accounted for 74 per cent of all cancer-related online consultations. Young people (21-30 years) accounted for 35 per cent of all online oncology consultations. A joint report by the Telemedicine Society of India and Practo says physical appointments have gone down by 32 per cent. According to a market analysis report published in February 2021 by Grand View Research, the size of the global telemedicine market, estimated at US$55.9 billion in 2020, is expected to expand at a compounded annual growth rate of 22.4 per cent between the year 2021 and 2028. Online consultation has been launched for animals as well. Practo has launched an online service to help pets. nidhi.k@iijnm.org
used to buy bearings from the same place. Now I have to purchase them from different manufacturers as one cannot fulfill my needs and demands for bearing.” Owing to a difference in purity levels of industrial oxygen, unsuitable for medical use, the suppliers are facing a financial crisis. Hitesh Gorasia, owner of Giriraj Industrial Gases, said: “Although the government has asked us to divert the oxygen just for medical purposes, our business is affected by around 90 per cent. The oxygen used in most industries is not of the same purity level as that used for medical purposes that can be use on patients. Medical oxygen has around 99 per cent purity. Industrial oxygen is not appropriate for medical use. Also, due to lack of raw materials provided by the government, we cannot deal with those gases. Moreover, the number of Covid19 positive cases in Rajkot have been declining. As a result of this, the demand for oxygen has also seen a steady decline.“Now that the cases are reducing, the government should provide at least 10-15 per cent of the oxygen that the industries demand so that the businesses do not suffer any further financial losses,” Gorasia informed. nishita.a@iijnm.org
Quiz answers 1.Gotham 2.Maroon 5 3.The Mariana Trench, 11,034m 4.Constantinople 5. Incan
Owners profits fall; workers fear pay cut
Across the city Book Writing & Publishing Masterclass -Passion2Published May 15, 8:30 – 10:30 pm Online - Anywhere w/Fast Wifi and Sound Comedy Knockout May16,2:30 am At The Urban Gully Virtual / Online Kids Photography Workshop- Bangalore May 17, 5:00 pm At The Outback Experience Speed Reading Class Bangalore May 18, 11:30 pm Ansible Training & Certification Bangalore May 22, 10:30 am – 5:30 pm
Team Observer Editor: Upasana Banerjee Copy Editors: Upasana B., Abhishek S., Padmini D., Queeneerich K., Page Editors: Upasana B., Abhishek S., Padmini D., Queeneerich K., Nishant K., Photo Editor: Abhishek S. Reporters: Nishita Agath., Mahita Owk., Abhisek Dutta., Dhruv Ragha., Ashutosh A., Nidhi Kajaria
6
The Observer Thursday, May 13, 2021
DANCE Popular, but not pristine
SUPPLEMENT
The trend of fusing Kathak with other forms is causing the dance to lose its sheen, writes Shreya Asopa he tinkling sound of
guru, Aparna Bhat. She believes
ances, says it takes dedication
ghungroos, belts laced
that fusion may be trendy, but it
and years of practice to learn
with tiny metallic bells
lacks the magical touch of pure
Kathak. Being influenced is not
Kathak.
enough to hone one’s skills.
T
wrapped around the ankles; the rhythmic footwork and hand ges-
Kathak art is becoming popu-
“Youngsters have a short atten-
tures making mudras to the beats
lar, she says, but its perception as
tion span. They would not even
of the tabla; and the movement of
a part of a dance combo has led to
dream of taking Kathak as a ca-
eyes depicting navrasas — to-
a decline in its purity.
reer opportunity, so we need to
gether
these
sketch
stories
through Kathak. The word Kathak is derived
Kathak made its mark in cin-
adopt new teaching techniques
ema in the 1950s. From Vyjayan-
without losing the essence of the
timala
classical form.
performing
eccentric
from the Hindi word ‘katha’,
circles in Phoolon ki Sej (1964), to
.Radhika said ,The facial ex-
meaning story. The idea of the
Rekha in Umrao Jaan (1981) per-
pressions. “I miss the lights, the
dance is to communicate stories
forming it on a ghazal, to Deepika
people. I miss performing on the
through expressions and padanth
Padukone performing gracefully
stage. For me, kathak is a lan-
to the tune of Mohe Rang do Laal
guage to communicate my emo-
in Bajirao Mastani (2015), the
tions.” reform this abhinaya on
dance form has come a long way
the stage.”not only the Indian di-
(poetic verses)., dates back to leg-
It takes years for one to achieve the perfection and grace towith which one can do justice to the art form Credit: Tejashree Sarode
ends from Indian mythology. People in north India performed the
explains the transformation of
dance to depict the life of Lord
the dance form from storytelling
tag when dancers perform it Rad-
in the movies. The performances,
aspora but also people across the
Krishna. It was later incorpo-
in the Bhakti period to a courte-
hika Sarode, who completed her
used for the commercial success
globe. requires Kathakars who
rated as an Indo-Islamic dance
san dance in the Mughal era. .
visharad from Akhil Bhartiya
of films, soon influenced budding
can tag along with taal and re-
dancers.
store its tradition and grace
during Mughal rule.
on social media is used as a hash-
Today, Kathak has merged with
Gandharva Mahavidyalaya has
Kathak: The Dance of Story-
different dancing styles. The term
learned Kathak for the past 20
Radhika Sarode, who has given
tellers, a book by Rachna Ramya,
widely known as “fusion trends”
years under the guidance of her
more than 200 stage perform-
throughout. shreya.a@iijnm.org
Korean wave hits India Home time during the pandemic has led young Indians to consume K-pop in a big way, writes Swati Saraswat hen we hear the word
Korean government made its
They are not afraid to weep, hug
K-pop we begin imag-
popularity a priority. During
or be nice to each other, unlike
ining doll-like faces,
1997, when a huge financial crisis
the macho image men try to
W
perfect skin, fabulous outfits,
hit South Korea, President, Kim
carry. In South Korea, even men
catchy music and world-class
Dae-Jung decided to invest in
don’t shy away from putting on
choreographies.
promoting the country’s culture.
makeup which is very rare to find
fashion and K-food.
anywhere else,” she says.
Korean
pop
music, commonly known as Kpop, has seen a rise in popularity
“I heard the song The Eve by a
The youth are enthusiastically
around the globe over the past
popular South Korean boy band
consuming K-pop content from
few years specially in India.
EXO. I instantly fell in love with
bands like Wonder Girls, Psy,
The hallyu movement started
the music. I spent the whole night
Super Junior and Girls Genera-
worldwide way back in 1992.
googling it. By the next morning,
tion to Exo, BlackPink, BTS ..A
However, India was the last coun-
I was proudly calling myself an
try to be hit by the wave in 2012
EXOL,” she says.
K-Wave is sweeping over the K-Pop wave in India has given hope to many youngsters during the pandemic | Credit: Debora Fischer
country, comprising everything
when South Korean musician
She found K-pop at a time
Psy’s upbeat song Gangnam Style
when she was dealing with a low
through my depression. Just lis-
way back in 2017. She first heard
beauty to language. The pan-
went viral in the country.
phase in her life. Korean music
tening to their songs kept me
song Blood, Sweat and Tears by
demic year solidified K-pop’s sta-
was nothing short of therapy for
going,” she confessed.
BTS, since then, she has admired
tus in India.when youngsters
Hallyu — the Korean wave — is a term widely used to refer to
her during that time. “I was going
the growing popularity of Korean
through a really bad phase work-
from films to serials, music to art,
While Shalini is enjoying her newfound
love
for
K-pop,
every aspect of the ‘K-world’. “One thing that got my atten-
culture and entertainment. K-pop
wise and to add to it came the
Anahita, a 19-year-old architec-
tion is the kind of bromance we
became a rage because the South
lockdown. EXO helped me tide
ture student, entered the fandom
get to see between the male idols.
consumed it and find solace in it culture and entertainment. This popularity will rise now swati.s@iijnm.org