Govt ready to talk to farmers about the new farm laws
New Delhi: India’s Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Wednesday that the Government has still left its door open for discussions with the farmers regarding the three new farm laws.
Recalling the previous talks held with farmers agitating against central farm laws,Mr Tomar said:
“The Government of India is committed to double farmers’ income and work towards agriculture’s welfare. Discussions have been held many times, if they have a point to raise even now, we are ready to discuss.”
This comes as farmer leader Rakesh Tikait announced the plans for marching to the Parliament
with 40 lakh tractors in order to intensify pressure on the central government to withdraw the three farm laws.
Speaking at a farmers’ rally in Sikar in Rajasthan, Mr Tikait said, “Our next call will be for a march to Parliament. We will tell them before marching. This time it will not be just 4 lakh tractors but 40 lakh tractors will go there if farm laws are not taken back.” Mr Tikait also demanded that a new law should be enacted ensuring minimum support price for farmers. The Agriculture Minister highlighted that over 10 crore farmers have been benefitted from the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme.
People travelling to Australia from New Zealand faced increased restrictions from yesterday after the discovery of new coronavirus cases in Auckland.
The quarantine-free travel bubble between New Zealand and Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales has had restrictions imposed on it previously as outbreaks emerge and new cases are being traced. Overnight, the three states reclassified Auckland as a hotspot and anyone who arrived from yesterday would no longer be free to skip quarantine.
Instead they would be required to spend two weeks in hotel isolation and some may even decide to fly straight back, health officials said. Three new cases of community transmission linked to an Auckland high school emerged on Wednesday, with New Zealand authorities urgently tracing contacts in the hope of preventing a larger outbreak.
Victoria halts free movement
Victoria’s Department of Health said overnight that any flights from Auckland will be regarded as “red zone” arrivals from this morning. Anyone on those planes will be forced to enter hotel quarantine for 14 days.
Anyone who arrived in Melbourne from Auckland on Tuesday was asked to get a COVID-19 test immediately and quarantine until they receive a negative result.
“The Department of Health is in the process of contacting impacted travellers and will provide them with advice about where to get tested,” the department said.
NSW classifies Auckland a hotspot
NSW Health earlier issued an alert for anyone who had arrived from New Zealand since last Saturday on quarantine-free flights. The department is checking if travellers have been to any new venues of concern attended by an infectious person in Auckland.
Anyone who has arrived since Saturday is being asked to get tested and isolate until they get a negative result, or for 14 days if they attended one of the venues. A notice is now in effect specifying Auckland as a hotspot.
This requires people arriving in NSW from New Zealand who have been in Auckland, including the airport, to enter hotel quarantine for 14 days. Alternatively, they may choose to depart Australia. The hotspot identification begins today. “NSW Health continues to monitor the situation and will adjust these requirements as new information emerges,” the department said in a statement.
Queensland closes border to NZ
Queensland has declared all of New Zealand a hotspot and anyone arriving from 6pm on Wednesday is required to complete hotel quarantine.
“Unfortunately, over the past few days New Zealand has been recording some new positive cases, which is why we are closing the border from 6pm,” Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said.
“Anyone who is permitted to travel to Queensland from New Zealand will be required to quarantine on arrival.
“Acting with an abundance of caution has kept Queenslanders safe and that’s exactly the path we will continue to take.”
Anyone who arrived since February 21 must get tested and isolate