Month: April 2020

The Karnataka government announced some more relaxations for certain districts which have no or zero cases of coronavirus. The relaxations, which include opening of shops with 50% workforce, will come into effect from tomorrow. However, malls will continue to remain shut. In shops, employees will, however, have to wear masks and practice social distancing. Further, they will have to be transported to their place of work.   Other activities, which will be allowed in the ‘Green Zones’ include opening of industries in rural areas, manufacturing and other industrial establishments with…

Amid pandemic along with many other businesses, alcohol and weed supplies run dry across the country. Many people in desperation are trying different ways to score cannabis to get high. In one such similar incident, an unidentified drug smuggler sneaked some cannabis from the US to India, that too in a sleeping bag!   However, given the high levels of security these days, the Foreign Postal Office and Courier Terminal at Chennai noticed something suspicious after the bags emanated a strong ‘weedy’ smell.   On opening the sleeping bags, officials…

The Reserve Bank of India provided a Rs 50,000-crore shot in the arm to stressed mutual funds by unveiling a special liquidity facility for the sector, days after Franklin Templeton Mutual Fund decided to close six debt schemes.   In a statement, the central bank said heightened volatility in capital markets in reaction to Covid-19 has imposed liquidity strains on mutual funds (MFs), which have intensified in the wake of redemption pressures related to closure of some debt MFs and potential contagious effects therefrom.   The stress, however, is confined…

The government warned that use of plasma therapy against life threatening pandemic as a treatment can prove fatal, since no proof of it working is out yet. And, without following due procedure, it could lead to life-threatening complications.   Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will begin a study on the efficacy of plasma therapy this week involving 450 people, said a government source familiar with the developments. A few state governments have sought permission to conduct trials and experiments using the convalescent plasma therapy.    “The ICMR…

Digital freight forwarder Freightwalla, in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICCI), conducted their second online interactive session on Wednesday to discuss how businesses and logistics service providers can resume critical operations amidst partial relaxations by the government.   The interactive online session offered seminal value specially because of its esteemed guests that included keynote speaker N. Sivasailam, Special Secretary- Logistics, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, who addressed some significant concerns of importer, exporters, and logistics service providers. Panelists included key influencers and experts from a host of sectors…

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) has secured permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs to resume manufacturing operations as an essential defence service from Tuesday (April 28), but with curtailed staff and under strict safety guidelines. It has been cleared ‘on a par with defence’ to resume work as it provides essential services to keep the IAF operationally ready.   HAL halted work around a month back under a nationwide lockdown imposed to check the COVID-19 pandemic.   Among the first few to be picking up work again, the state-owned defence…

Health experts and the Government have been announcing since the day one to follow social distancing to curb coronavirus spread. But there are a few cases where this is not followed. Many times social distancing appears a failure. In a unique concept, the Thanneermukkom Gram Panchayat in Kerala has put umbrellas to use to further aid social distance.   Thanneermukkom Gram Panchayat made it mandatory for anyone stepping out in the public area to carry an umbrella for maintaining the social distance. Kerala Minister Thomas Isaac said that two opened…

After disastrously failed COVID-19 rapid test kits from Chinese companies- Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech and Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics, Indian government has asked the respective states to stop using the faulty kits and return them.   “It needs to be stressed that ICMR hasn’t made any payment whatsoever in respect to these supplies. Because of the due process followed, (not going for procurement with 100% advance amount), the government doesn’t stand to lose a single rupee,” the government said.   Last week, the ICMR had asked the state governments to halt using…