Lockdown in Delhi continue with more relaxations

The lockdown in Delhi will continue with more relaxations from Monday. The national capital has been under Covid lockdown since April. As the number of cases started dipping Delhi Government had began the unlock process last week. As per the new guidelines, Private offices will be allowed to function with 50 per cent of the staff between 9 A.M. to 5 P.M.  Group 'A' staff of government offices will be allowed to function with 100 per cent and Group 'B' with 50 percent staff.Those working in essential services like healthcare, police, prisons, civil defence, fire and emergency services will be allowed to work without any restrictions. Delhi government has said that the restrictions will be further relaxed if the Covid-19 situation continues to remain under control. As per new relaxations, Delhi Metro services begin operations with 50 per cent seating capacity.All Malls, Markets and Market complexes, except Weekly Markets will open between 10 A.M. to 8 P.M. on odd-even basis. All stand alone shops, neighbourhood shops and shops in residential complexes will be permitted to open on all days without any distinction of essential and non-essential goods and services.Delivery of all type of goods through e-commerce will be allowed on production of valid identity card issued by the employer and company.

-Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin today visited the zoo on the outskirts of Chennai where several Asiatic lions are affected by Covid-19 infection. A nine-year old lioness called Neela in the Arignar Anna Zoological Park succumbed to the disease last Monday.The zoo officials have sent the swab samples of three more lions and four tigers to the Indian Veterinary Research institute at Izatnagar in Bareilly, which is the designated research lab for diagnosing the infection among the animals in zoos.The reports about the viral infection among the big cats in Tamil Nadu’s biggest zoo near Chennai surprised many animal lovers and researchers alike. Similar reports have earlier been reported in Hyderabad, Jaipur and Ettawa and several other places worldwide. Several affected animals are reportedly showing signs of considerable improvement in their health. Man-animal contact has been minimised to the possible extent. Measures have been taken for the vaccination of all the staff in the zoo.

-Legendary actor Dilip Kumar has been admitted to non-Covid P.D. Hinduja Hospital in suburban Khar in Mumbai. A tweet on his official Twitter handle said that he has been hospitalized for routine tests and investigations.The tweet said that the actor has had episodes of breathlessness. A team of healthcare workers led by Dr. Nitin Gokhale is attending to him. Meanwhile, NCP leader Sharad Pawar visited Dilip Kumar at the hospital. In a tweet,  Pawar said he visited Dilip Kumar to check on his health. Pawar was accompanied by Dilip Kumar's wife Saira Banu.The NCP leader has wished speedy recovery to the legendary actor.

-Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma reviewed the functioning of the Power Department and its three companies in Guwahati on Sunday. The Chief Minister directed to create a proper database with the names and phone numbers of 63 lakh consumers to set up an improved billing system to cut down losses.Directing the department to prepare a plan for turning the companies into profit making entities, the Chief Minister instructed to immediately set up 500 distribution transformers in the profit making centres of Assam Power Distribution Company Limited.Dr. Sarma also asked for efficient management of all other revenue earning sources of APDCL.Instruction was given to put up power meters in a visible place in all commercial establishments in the next 15 days so that everyone can see them.

-The Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) of Bangladesh has approved the second Chinese COVID 19 vaccine ‘CoronaVac’ manufactured by the Sinovac company.The World Health Organisation (WHO) has already approved the Sinovac corona vaccine on June 1.Earlier, emergency use authorisation was granted to another Chinese vaccine Sinopharm, Russian Sputnik V, Oxford-AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines. India also gifted close to 3 million doses of the vaccine to Bangladesh.

-The death toll from one of the deadliest militant attacks in West African country, Burkina Faso has risen to 132 after armed assailants laid siege overnight to a village in the jihadist-plagued northeast of the country. In a statement the Burkina Faso government said that the attackers struck during the night on Friday, killing residents of the village of Solhan in Yagha province, bordering Niger.They also burned homes and the market.The United Nations said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was outraged by the attack, whose victims included seven children.In March, attackers killed 137 people in coordinated raids on villages in southwestern Niger.