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Midday meal had pesticide

July 18, 2013

Masrakh (Chapra), Jul 18: A day after the midday meal tragedy in Chapra, the Bihar government claimed that the death of children at Dharmasati primary school, was not due to food-poisoning. Rather, the food had traces of organic phosphorous, a form of pesticide.midday_meal_copy

This was confirmed by Bihar Education Minister P K Sahi on Wednesday. He, however, could not say whether the adulteration was a deliberate act.

“Investigation is on. We will soon find out who actually carried out such a criminal activity,” said Sahi.

Meanwhile, the toll rose from 11 to 22. Thirty-one more children were shifted in a critical condition from Chapra to Patna Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday morning.

“As of now, we have information of the death of 22 children,” sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Masrakh Kundan Kumar told Deccan Herald on Wednesday.

The police have lodged an FIR against school headmistress Meena Kumari. She has been charged under Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 328 (poisoning) and 120B (criminal conspiracy). She and her colleague are absconding.

Sahi said they suspected poisoning due to organic phosphorous as traces of insecticide were found in the food.

Doctors attending the affected children have reportedly told him that “atropine was working positively on patients which showed that some kind of poisoning had taken place.” The food samples are, however, analysed by the Forensic Science Laboratory.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal observed bandh in Saran on Wednesday to protest against the tragedy.

Another report from Gaya said one child died at Atari after consuming Vitamin A.

Madhubani incident

In a similar incident, reports from Madhubani said 50 children of a government school took ill on Wednesday after they were served food at Navtolia Middle School, Bisfi, about 22 km from Madhubani. The students alleged that the meal had a dead lizard in it.

Around 50 students complained of stomach ache and began vomitting after eating the midday meal. They were then rushed to Bisfi health centre, its medical officer in charge A K Prabhat told reporters. “All the students are out of danger,” he said.

Except for seven children, the rest have been discharged from the health centre, he said.

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Agencies
July 2,2020

Lucknow, Jul 2: Senior BJP leader Uma Bharti Thursday appeared in person before a special court here conducting trial in the 1992 Babri mosque demolition case.      

The special CBI court is currently recording the statements of 32 accused under CrPC section 313 (court's power to examine the accused), a stage in the trial that follows the examination of prosecution witnesses.

The 61-year-old saffron clad BJP leader is the 19th accused to depose before the court in the over 27-year-old case. Thirteen other alleged accused, including former deputy prime minister LK Advani and senior BJP leaders MM Joshi and Kalyan Singh are yet to be examined at this stage. Their lawyers have indicated to the CBI court that they prefer to appear through video conferencing. 

The mosque in Ayodhya was demolished in December 1992 by 'kar sevaks' who claimed that an ancient Ram temple had stood on the same site. The CBI court is conducting day-to-day hearings to complete the trial by August 31, as directed by the Supreme Court.

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Agencies
July 13,2020

New Delhi, Jul 13: The Land & Development Office, which comes under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, has sent a notice to news agency PTI, demanding it to cough up more than Rs 84 crore as penalty. The notice dated July 7 says that the penalty has been imposed due to "breaches" at its office in Delhi.

The notice that sought Rs 84,48,23,281 argues that "the less will be pleased to regularise the breaches in the premises temporarily up to 14.07.2020 and withdraw the right of re-entry of the premises subject to the following conditions being fulfilled by you within 30 days from the date of issue of this letter."

The notice also stipulates that the news agency needs to give an undertaking on non-judicial stamp paper stating that it will pay the difference of "misuse/damage charges" if the land rates are revised with effect from 01.04.2016 by the government and will also remove the "breaches" by 14.07.2020 or get them regularised by paying charges.

The notice also warns that further action to execute the deed has to be subject to complete payment and putting the premise to use according to the masterplan.

The Land & Development Office so warned that an additional 10 per cent interest may need to be coughed out by PTI if it fails to furnish the concerned amount within the stipulated time period.

Additionally, if the news agency fails to comply with the terms within the said period, the concession will be withdrawn. In other words, they will have to pay the penalty up to the actual date of payment then and will also be subject to actions.

This stern notice for alleged violations by PTI comes closely on the heels of national broadcaster Prasar Bharati locking horns with PTI over its reportage that it called "anti national".

Prasar Bharti had recently sent a letter threatening to end its "relationship" with PTI after it carried an interview of Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong, where he blamed India for the India-China violent standoff that saw 20 Indian bravehearts getting martyred.

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Agencies
August 2,2020

New Delhi, Aug 2: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday issued fresh guidelines for international passengers coming to India amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The new guidelines will be implemented from 12:01 am on August 8.

The ministry has also asked all passengers to submit a self-declaration form online at least 72 hours before travel.

"All travellers should submit self-declaration form on the on the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72hours before the scheduled travel," the guidelines said.

It also said that those coming to India must give an undertaking that they would undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days as prescribed by the government. "They should also give an undertaking on the portal that they would undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days i.e. 7 days paid institutional quarantine at their own cost, followed by 7 days isolation at home with self-monitoring of health," it added.

Giving exemptions in some cases, the guidelines mentioned, "Only for compelling reasons/cases of human distress such as pregnancy, death in the family. Serious illness and parent (s) with children of 10 years or below, home quarantine may be permitted for 14 days."

"If they wish to seek such exemption, they shall apply to the online portal at least 72 hours before boarding. The decision taken by the government as communicated on the online portal will be final," it said further.

The guidelines further said that travellers could request for exemption from institutional quarantine by submitting a negative RT-PCR test report on arrival.

"This test should have been conducted within 96 hours prior to undertaking the journey. The test report should be uploaded on the portal for consideration," it added.

Passengers have also been asked to download the Aarogya Setu app on their mobile phones.

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