REGISTRATION...

The guidelines issued by the home department have also restricted the gathering of revellers in the pandal to 10 people, while only five people have been allowed for immersion of the idol.state health minister Rajesh Tope said the state government has not received any instructions from the ministry of health and family welfare for registering beneficiaries of the vaccination in third phase. He said they expect the registration of comorbid people and citizens above 50 years of age to begin from March 1 and their vaccination in the third phase may begin accordingly.

Tope said the state government has been increasing the number of vaccination centres every week and it has reached 652 till Monday. “We have inoculated 468,293 health workers, of the 1,054,000 registered on COWIN app, and 41,453 frontline workers out of 547,000 registered till Monday. We have enough stock of two vaccines, the centres are well-equipped and the staff is well trained. Although the Centre has not informed us about enrolment for the third phase, we expect it to begin by March 1,” he said.

High number of cases, mortality rate in some of districts has become a cause for concern for state authorities as it was pointed out by the central review team, which visited these places over the weekend. Districts such as Nandurbar (10.68%), Satara (9.21%), Amravati (8.91%) have reported a high weekly positivity rate, against the state rate of 4.51%. Similarly, as many as 11 districts have clocked a high case fatality rate (CFR) of more than 3%, when the state’s rate stands at 2.52%. Ratnagiri (13.64%), Bhandara (7.69%) and Gadchiroli (7.32%) reported highest CFR, as per the health department figures as on February 4. In some districts, such as Parbhani (286), Ratnagiri (527) and Nandurbar (921), the weekly testing per million is too low.

“The districts with the high CFR have been directed to strictly follow the updated protocol of treatment. Death audit committees have been reactivated and the administrations have been directed to strictly follow the 3T principle (tracking, tracing and testing) to contain the spread of the virus. They have also been told to not lower their guard,” Tope said.

According to officials from the health department, the high rate of growth and mortality in these districts is owing to weak public health infrastructure. “These district administrations failed in proper management of ventilators and ICUS and also lagged in tracing and testing of patients. The clinical management cannot be upgraded in a few months when it’s poor for years in these districts. The state government should pay more attention for the upgradation, but at the same time the district administration should go for ample number of tests,” an officer said requesting anonymity.

While the state government has announced to relax the curbs on train timings for the general public, experts say the decision over it should be taken in gradual manner. “There is no rise in cases in MMR despite opening up the trains for all in staggered manner, but cases have not fallen like they do in Delhi. We have been recording 300-400 cases in Mumbai daily, while in Delhi they hover around 100. Corporations in MMR have been taking due care by continuing with aggressive testing and strict implementation of the protocol. More relaxations in the timings for rail commuters can be given in calibrated manner after two weeks,” said Dr Avinash Supe, head of the state-appointed deaths audit committee.

In another round of vaccination on Tuesday, 23,721 health care workers (HCWS) and frontline workers were inoculated at 515 centres across the state. Of them, 11,378 were frontline workers and 12,343 were HCWS. The total number of beneficiaries has touched 536,197, which include 481,607 HCWS and 54,590 frontline workers.

The turnout for the drive dropped to 45.76%, as at least 51,500 beneficiaries were targeted to be vaccinated on Tuesday. The turnout remained low as around 10 districts took a break from the drive. The highest number, 7,735 beneficiaries, were reported in Mumbai, followed by Thane (3,935)and Palghar (1,421). all time) — at least in the bowling department. And from 564 to 611 — Rishabh Pant in Chennai — Anderson, if it’s possible, only seems to be getting sharper. couldn’t make much progress.

“We tried to push in our men, but there isn’t enough working space inside. Also, as we go deeper, we are facing a barrage of slush and debris hurtling towards us,” said an army lieutenant colonel requesting not to be named.

Until Tuesday evening, there was no contact with the trapped men, which include engineers and labourers. According to a map with the authorities, the men are stranded at a point where the main tunnel is joined by a 240m long subsidiary tunnel.

“The rescue workers are thinking to drill the tunnel from outside and then get inside with the help of ropes rescue the trapped workers,” said Kumar.

Personnel rescued 12 people Sunday evening from the other end of the tunnel. They told authorities that a bulldozer and two multi-utility vehicles are trapped with the 35 men.

“We see that as good news. The vehicles could possibly have stopped slush from drowning the trapped men. They could also have served as a safe space for them,” said Rajiv Chhibber, an army major general.

As hope of the rescue dimmed and officers refused to give a time frame for the operation, clots of distraught relatives gathered at the site.

“I couldn’t bear the cold at night. I don’t know how my brother will survive inside. I am just hoping he has found a space inside one of the vehicles stranded inside,” said Sunil Pal, whose brother Amit Pal is trapped.

Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat inspected the 13 villages cut off by the floodwaters and said the government was air dropping relief packets for the 2,500 stranded people. “I would urge all the people to keep calm as government has all the required resources to tackle the situation,” he said.

A list of missing people released by the state government showed the maximum were workers at the two power plants, who hailed from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, West Bengal, Jharkhand and other states. The list also included 12 local villagers