Chennai Rates Diesel/l Rs.77.72 Gold (24k) Rs.4859/gm Petrol/l Rs 83.63 Silver Rs.53.20/gm CHENNAI Tuesday 30-6-2020 VOL. 25 No.348 PAGES 4 ` 4.00  NATIONAL DAILY FOR THE PEOPLE Intense lockdown in Chennai, Madurai continue till July 5 TN extends lockdown till July 31 with relaxations Allows reopening of places of worship in rural areas Chennai, June 30: The Tamil Nadu government on Monday announced extension of general lockdown in the state till July 31. Intense lockdown in Greater Chennai Police limits, including parts of Chengalpet, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts, would continue till July 5, since the present lockdown had helped contain the spread, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said. In a press release, Chief Minister Edapadi Palaniswami said, “ It will continue in Madurai Corporation limits too till July 5. On all the four Sundays in July, intense lockdown out the support of the public. Wearing mask has been mandatory for people while stepping out,” the chief minister said. Places of worship The state government also decided to reopen places of worship in rural areas, except in containment zones, from July 1. It will also be allowed in total lockdown areas of Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpet and Madurai districts from July 6. Public worship will be allowed in temples, mosques and temples that earn annual income of less than Rs 10,000 and not large places of worship. Relaxations The following activities will be allowed in all areas across the state except in areas under the jurisdiction of the Greater Chennai Police and except containment and in all rural areas of Kancheepuram, Chengalpet, Tiruvallur and Madurai from July 6. Reopening of places of worship in the rural areas except containment zones in the state. Public worship will be allowed in temples, mosques and temples that earn annual income of less than Rs 10,000. All industries are permitted to operate with Contd on page 4 said, “On request farmers to release water from Krishnagiri Pochampalli Barur lake for irrigation. Water will be released from the lake -- through east and west main canals -- for 135 days from July 2 till November 13. will be in force across Tamil Nadu and only health care services, including pharmacies and hospitals, will be functional. Transport Bus transport, both private and public, will be suspended within the districts between July 1 and 15. “E-pass is required to and from other states and other districts. The passes distributed in the intense lockdown areas until June 30 could be used for the extended period till July 5.” “Though the state government enforces lockdown and imposes restrictions, the virus spread cannot be prevented with- Around 2397.42 acres of agricultural land in Barur, Keezhkuppam, P u l i y u r, K o t t a p a t t i , Pendarahalli, Thathampatti, Jingalthirampatti, Arasampatti and Viruppampatti will benefit from it. CM orders release of water from Barur for irrigation Chennai, June 30: Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami ordered the public works department (PWD) to release water from the Barur Big Lake for irrigation. In a statement issued today, Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami jan had been appointed to take control of the Sathankulam police station. “He will provide all necessary documents and records requisite by the magistrate”, said a senior revenue official. The decision was taken after the trio made disparaging remarks against the Kovilpatti Judicial Magistrate Barathidasan and prevented him from proceeding the inquiry. ALSO READ | ‘You cannot do anything’: Cop’s disparaging comments to judicial magis- trate shocks Sathankulam custody death victims’ family Registrar of High Court was told on Monday, that the Sathankulam policemen were taking video of the magisterial proceedings in the very presence of the Kumar and Prathaban. The policemen were not giving records of the station to the magistrate and a constable Maharajan went a step ahead to disparaging remark in Tamil that he could not do anything against him. The Madurai Bench on Monday had also observed that unless the two police officers and other cops are transferred, it will be difficult for free and fair investigation and inquiry. The court moved criminal contempt motion against the police officers under section 15(1) r/w section 2C of the contempt of courts act, 1973 against the three and subsequently directed court registrar (Judicial) to register a suo-motu criminal contempt case in the Sathankulam incident. The court also pulled Thoothu- Spares savings to offer free sanitary kits A working woman’s service initiative in COVID-19 M Rafi Ahmed Like a hand willing to help others, a 29 year woman from Srinagar in Kashmir valley spared her savings to offer free sanitary kits to women. Meet Irfana Zargar, working on a consolidated pay in the public grievances cell at Srinagar Municipal Corporation, who cares about personal hygiene volunteered to provide healthcare items to women-folk more particularly during their periods. Aptly naming it as ‘Eva Safety Door’, Irfana, a resident of Nowshera neighbourhood, one of the oldest residential area in Kashmir valley told an online news portal that the kit contains sanitary pads, panties, antispasmodics, hand washes, sanitizers etc kept at rest rooms is strategic locations. And she has visioned to make it available at all the women restrooms across Srinagar. This healthcare initiative comes at a time when the nation is under lockdown and getting essential healthcare needs for women during their periods is a problem as most of the time the shops are closed in the already strife-torn Kashmir. Noteworthy to mention that Irfana had constructed a restroom exclusively for women in Srinagar and plans to similar ones in the future. “My inspiration is my dad Ghulam Hassan Zargar (deceased), who craved for helping others and he derived happiness on that count. Similarly, he wanted me to to step into his shoes in helping others that too at a crisis,” Irfana is reported saying to an online news portal. This initiative during COVID-19 crisis is a must for women-folk keeping in view of the health and hygiene. And the idea was conceived as a contribution to commeorate International Women’s Day. Not just this, Irfana in a step further wanted to create awareness about menstruation which is a health issue to womenfolk. Since working in a municipal corporation, she felt that more significance must be given for health which is a wealth. Interestingly, Irfana has some ambitious plans to serve the needy through her service initiatives. TN PMG(CCR)/WPP no 676/18-20 PM Modi to address the nation today New Delhi, June 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation on Tuesday evening. His address comes against the backdrop of a bitter standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh where 20 Indian army personnel were killed in clashes on June 15 in Galwan Valley. Also, the country will be entering “unlock 2” from July 1 for which guidelines were issued by the Union Home Ministry on Monday night, further easing the restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus lockdown. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 4 PM today,” the Prime Minister’’s Office tweeted on Monday night. This would be the prime minister’’s sixth address to the nation since the outbreak of the pandemic. Modi had last addressed the nation on May 12 when he had announced a Rs 20-lakh-crore financial package to boost the economy recovering from coronavirus-induced lockdown. In his monthly “Mann ki Baat” address on Sunday, the prime minister had asserted that India has given a befitting reply to those who cast an evil eye on its territory in Ladakh. On COVID-19, he had urged the people to be more vigilant in the unlock phase and take necessary precautions, stressing that not doing so will put at risk their lives and those of others. In his recent interaction with the chief ministers, he had urged them to think about phase 2 of unlocking to boost the economy hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide lockdown. the coronavirus disease. India’s tally of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) mounted to 566,840 and death toll stood at 16,893 on Tuesday, a day after the Centre issued guidelines for Unlock 2, Union health ministry data showed. There were 18,522 new infections and 418 fatalities in the last 24 hours, according to the Covid-19 dashboard of the health ministry. The number of Covid-19 patients cured of the respiratory disease continued to be more than active cases as 13,099 people were sent home between Monday and Tuesday morning. There were 334,821 discharges pushing the recovery rate to 59%. According to the health ministry, there are 215,125 active cases of the coronavirus disease. India records 18,522 new Covid-19 cases, 418 deaths in 24 hours; tally over 5.66 lakh New Delhi, Jun 30: The number of Covid-19 patients cured of the respiratory disease continued to be more than active cases as 13,099 people were sent home between Monday and Tuesday morning. There were 334,821 discharges pushing the recovery rate to 59%. According to the health ministry, there are 215,125 active cases of DCGI approves India’s first COVID-19 vaccine for human clinical trials New Delhi, June 30: The country’’s ‘’first’’ indigenous COVID-19 Sathankulam deaths: ADSP DSP transferred , for intimidating JM; abusive cop suspended Tuticorin, June 30: After being pulled by Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, Thoothukudi SP Arun Balagopalan transferred Additional Superintendent of Police D Kumar and DSP C Prathapan while ordered the suspension of police constable Maharajan. The district administration had appointed a Tahsildar in order to bring the police station under the control of revenue, abiding by the High Court directions. Social Security Scheme Tahsildar Chendur Ra-  Regd. No.TN/.CC (S) DN/134/18-20 RNI Regd.No. 62432/1995 kudi SP and Tirunelveli Range DIG and ordered to accompany the Additional Advocate General on Tuesday.As the court had viewed the incidents seriously, SP Arun Balagopalan ordered the transfer of police officers Kumar and Prathaban, who are placed under waiting list, while suspending police constable Maharajan pending inquiry. The development comes after Madurai Bench of Madras High Court slammed the trio of hindering the magisterial probe into the custodial deaths of Jeyaraj and Beniks. v a c c i n e C O VA X I N, d e v e l o p e d b y c i t ybased Bharat Biotech in collaboration with ICMR and NIV, has got the nod for human clinical trials from the Drug Controller General of India, the company said on Monday. The Phase I and Phase II clinical trials of the vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, approved after pre-clinical studies demonstrated safety and immune response, would start across the country next month. The collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV) was instrumental in the development of the vaccine, the company said in a release. The indigenous and inactivated vaccine has been developed at Bharat Biotechs BSL-3 (BioSafety Level 3) high containment facility located in the Genome Valley here, a release said. The Drug Controller General of India CDSCO (The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare granted permission to initiate Phase I & II Human clinical trials after the company submitted results generated from pre-clinical studies, demonstrating safety and immune response. Human clinical trials are scheduled to start across India in July 2020, the release said. Chairman and Managing Director of the company Dr. Krishna Ella said: We are proud to announce COVAXIN, Indias first indigenous vaccine against COVID-19. The collaboration with ICMR and NIV was instrumental in the development of this vaccine. “The proactive support and guidance from CDSCO has enabled approvals to this project. Our R&D and Manufacturing teams worked tirelessly to deploy our proprietary technologies towards this platform,” he said. Expedited through the national regulatory protocols, the company accelerated its objective in completing the comprehensive preclinical studies. Results from these studies have been promising and show extensive safety and effective immune responses, the released added. stock exchange in Karachi, Qureshi alleged that the clues of strike are leading towards sleeper cells activated by India. “India rejects the absurd comments of the Foreign Minister of Pakistan on the terrorist attack in Karachi. Pakistan cannot shift the blame on India for its domestic problems. Unlike Pakistan, India has no hesitation in condemning terrorism anywhere in the world, including in Karachi,” Srivastava said. “Foreign Minister Qureshi may wish to reflect on this, as also his own government’s position, including his prime minister’s description of the global terrorist as a martyr,” the Spokesperson said. Four heavily armed militants, believed to be from a banned Baloch terror group, on Monday made a brazen attempt to take over the Pakistan Stock Exchange building here, killing four security guards and a police officer before being shot dead by security forces. The militants, who arrived in a car around 10 a.m., opened indiscriminate fire and lobbed grenades at the main gate of the multistorey building situated in the city’s high-security commercial hub as they tried to storm it. Armed with automatic machine guns, grenades and explosives, they tried to enter into the compound leading to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) building through a parking lot but security forces foiled their attack within the compound itself, Deputy Superintendent of Police (South) Jamil Ahmed said. “The militants lobbed hand grenades and opened fire initially at the compound entrance to force themselves into the compound but one of them was killed immediately and that pushed them back, he said. Director General Rangers Sindh MajorGeneral Omer Ahmed Bokhari, addressing a press conference in Karachi, said the attackers intended to not only enter the building but also carry out violence and hold people hostage. “Every terrorist was armed with weapons that included AK-47s, hand grenades, rocket launchers. They were also carrying food and water, he said. India rubbishes Pak claim on terror attack New Delhi, June 30: India on Monday hit out at Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi for his “absurd comments” linking India to the terror attack on the Pakistan stock exchange building in Karachi. In a strongly-worded response, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said unlike Pakistan, India has no hesitation in condemning terrorism anywhere in the world including in Karachi. He also reminded Qureshi how the Pakistan Prime Minister described a global terrorist as a “martyr”, a reference to Imran Khan’s remarks in Pakistan Parliament calling slain Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden a ‘shaheed’. Hours after gunmen attacked the Pakistani