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<ul><li>Maharashtra recorded a five fold increase in the value of seizures during the Assembly election this year as compared to 2014. </li><li>Drugs, money and liquor used to woo voters also skyrocketed in Haryana — growing to thrice the size. </li><li>While money was the favoured medium of exchange in Maharashtra, liquor was the preferred good of trade in Haryana. </li></ul> It’s not uncommon to hear of drugs, money and liquor exchanging hands ahead of elections in India. The Election Commission of India (ECI) deploys surveillance teams, on ground officers and observers to keep vigilant around the days of the elections. This time around, good worth ₹156.9 crore were seized in Maharashtra — a five-fold increase over the last 2014 Assembly election where the total value of seizures was pegged at ₹30 crore. The situation wasn’t much better in Haryana with the ECI stating that items worth ₹24.17 crore was confiscated during the election phase — thrice triple the amount from the 2014 Assembly election where the seizures were valued at ₹8.1 crore. The increase in political parties using such incentives to lure voters mimics the 2019 Lok Sabha election where the horde of drugs, cash and liquor amounted to a massive ₹345 crore. It also means that it’s getting more expensive for them to fight the elections — even if it’s under the table. In Maharashtra, most of the illegal exchange was in cash valued at ₹60.69 crore, followed by ₹33.4 crore in liquor and ₹19.5 crore in drugs. On the other hand, in Haryana, liquor was the favoured choice of exchange with bottles worth ₹11.08 crore seized, followed by ₹9.1 crore in cash and ₹3.94 in drugs. These activities are prohibited under the Representation of Peoples Act.

Drugs, money and liquor — seizures grow five-fold in Maharashtra and triple in Haryana during the Assembly election

Union Finance Minister <keyword id="129243" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="Orion">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> on Monday asked enforcement agencies to up their vigil and go after big smugglers involved in drug trafficking and sending 'mountains' of illegal drugs into the country. Sitharaman said cocaine and other psychotropic drugs have started coming into <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> and the agencies need to figure out if the country is becoming a consuming country. She made the remarks while addressing the 65th Founding Day of the <keyword id="58154" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="directorate-of-revenue-intelligence" source="Orion">Directorate of Revenue Intelligence</keyword> here in the national capital on Monday. "DRI should make sure that smugglers are not smarter than you. Each one of these (smuggling) cases, at the earliest point of time, must come to the conclusion," said Sitharaman. She said arrest and prosecute the smugglers and the DRI must ensure that big handlers of such smuggling activities must face the law of the land. "There is a need to work hard and catch that sending a mountain of drugs. Need to greater access to a bilateral agreement with foreign countries as technology has enabled us to do things which earlier was not possible," Sitharaman remarked. The finance minister also made a suggestion to the DRI. She said that DRI, CBIC and Revenue department may start a two-day-long meet to see global cooperation. "Start a workshop with the cooperation of Intelligence agencies for better cooperation, get actionable intelligence to crack the smugglers," she said. Further, the finance minister said that India has got the Presidency of G-20 and the country must take this opportunity to organise a global meet where organisations like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) should be called to see what kind of work they do and how that can help us to prevent smuggling. Separately, a comparative year-wise trend of NDPS seizures showed that there has been a sharp increase in the number of seizures of the items in India. In 2021-22, seizures of cocaine increased 3,479 per cent from 8.667 kg to 310.21 kg, an annual report produced by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence said on Monday. In 2019-20, the seizure was 1.108 kg. For methamphetamine and heroin, the seizure increased by 1,281 per cent and 1,588 per cent to 884.69 kg and 3,410.71 kg, respectively, the report showed. Further, for ganja, data showed DRI made a maximum number of seizures of ganja in <keyword id="6355554" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="madhya-pradesh" source="Orion">Madhya Pradesh</keyword>, Tripura, <keyword id="6357713" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="uttar-pradesh" source="Orion">Uttar Pradesh</keyword>, Assam, and Maharashtra. DRI arrested about 131 persons during the financial year 2021-22 for offences committed under the NDPS Act, 1985, the report said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/women-unemployed-rural-poor-lag-due-to-digital-divide-says-oxfam-india-report/articleshow/96000462.cms">Women, unemployed, rural poor lag due to digital divide, says Oxfam India Report</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/e-commerce-platform-carousell-lays-off-110-employees-to-reduce-costs/articleshow/95997109.cms">E-commerce platform Carousell lays off 110 employees to reduce costs</a>

Go after big smugglers sending 'mountains' of illegal drugs into the country: FM to enforcement agencies

<ul><li>In some states, the central government expresses concern over rising Covid-19 positivity rates and H3N2 influenza cases.</li><li>Maharashtra records a spike in Covid-19 cases and deaths, along with several other states.</li><li>Health experts clarify that the H3N2 influenza outbreak in India is normal but more aggressive and long-lasting than usual.</li></ul>The centre government expressed concern about a gradual increase in Covid-19 positivity rates in some states, coinciding with a rise in cases of the seasonal influenza subtype H3N2. According to the <keyword id="83655" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="union-health-ministry" source="Orion">Union Health Ministry</keyword>'s report on Tuesday, 402 new coronavirus cases were increased in India, while the number of active cases rose to 3,903. The ministry's data, updated at 8 am, also indicated two fresh deaths from the virus, with one each reported in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh. The overall death toll due to Covid-19 in the country now stands at 5,30,784. The health department has reported that Maharashtra recorded 155 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, more than double the number of cases detected the previous day, bringing the total totality to 81,38,653. Two patients also succumbed to the infection in the state. Maharashtra, Kerala, Delhi, Telangana, and Gujarat are among the states that have reported more coronavirus cases than others. Despite the country's overall Covid-19 test positivity rate remaining at 0.5%, there has been a rise in the positivity rate in some districts and states. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Is H3N2 influenza another Covid-19?" comment="subhead" text="Is H3N2 influenza another Covid-19?">Is H3N2 influenza another Covid-19?</cmsannotation> At the same time, cases of H3N2 influenza continue to rise in the country, there are concerns that it could be mistaken for Covid-19. However, doctors and health experts clarified that this outbreak is normal. They have explained that the Covid-induced lockdowns over the past two years have led to no influenza exposure to children. Doctors have noted that the influenza surge in India is more aggressive and long-lasting than usual, with symptoms such as cough and congestion lasting up to three weeks, as opposed to the typical five to seven days for seasonal fever and cough. At least three deaths related to H3N2 have been reported in India this season. H3N2 has been responsible for some of the worst flu seasons in recent times, characterized by longer and more severe illnesses resulting in increased hospitalizations and deaths. Of the last five severe influenza seasons, H3N2 has been the cause of three, including the current outbreak in India. According to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project, India has recorded nearly 600 influenza cases, with 451 classified as H3N2. Haryana, Karnataka, and Gujarat have reported associated deaths, including an 82-year-old with comorbidities and a 52-year-old with liver cancer. As per Indian Council of Medical Research (<keyword id="6364396" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="icmr" source="Orion">ICMR</keyword>) data, 6% of hospitalized patients exhibited clinical signs of pneumonia and seizures, while 7% developed severe diseases requiring Intensive Care Unit attention, and 10% needed supplemental oxygen. Details on the most recent death recorded in Gujarat on March 14, 2023, are yet to be disclosed. To combat the situation, the Centre requested all states and union territories to adhere to operational guidelines for the integrated surveillance of respiratory pathogens that present as cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) or severe acute respiratory infection (SARI). Additionally, the centre requested that states take stock of their hospital preparedness, including the availability of drugs and medical oxygen, and assess vaccination coverage against Covid-19 and influenza. (With agency inputs)

Rise in Covid-19 and H3N2 cases raise concern in India, Centre urges heightened vigilance

New Delhi, May 8 () The free inter-state movement of trucks and other essential goods carrying vehicles during the lockdown period is being misused by criminals to traffick drugs in the country, the NCB said on Friday after it busted some rackets.The federal agency, over the last two weeks, seized 60 kg of opium, a total of 61,638 psychotropic tablets, 840 bottles of codeine based cough syrup and 574 kgs of 'ganja' (cannabis) after conducting operations across the country. "It is worrying to note that drug traffickers are using the free inter-state movement of essential commodity vehicles during the lockdown period to aid the trafficking efforts," Narcotics Control Bureau's Deputy Director (operations) K P S Malhotra said. The agency has increased vigil across all state borders in view of these new developments, he added. The country is in the third phase of the lockdown, that began on March 25, to cut the chain of coronavirus infection. The sleuths of the anti-narcotics agency intercepted a Maharashtra registered truck on the intervening night of May 4-5 in Kodapura area of Surat (Gujarat) and recovered 574 kgs of cannabis that was allegedly concealed under a load of potatoes. "The consignment had its origin in Odisha and was sourced to Surat. The trafficking network is spread across the states of Gujarat, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra," Malhotra said. In a similar seizure, an NCB team seized 60 kgs of opium from a Haryana registered truck from the Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh on April 28. The narcotics was recovered from "under the driver's seat," the officer said. Initial investigation reveals that the opium was sourced from near Chouparan in Jharkhand and was destined to Haryana, another senior official of the agency said. B Singh, the driver and the owner of the truck, has been arrested. It is uncommon for opium to be sourced from Jharkhand and all efforts are being made to trace the source of the seized drug, he added. In an another case, the agency seized 61,368 psychotropic tablets and 840 bottles of codeine based cough syrup from the Patan district of Gujarat on April 26. A person, J Kumar Patel, was arrested by the agency under the provision of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS). These drugs cannot be sold by any medical store without a valid medical prescription from a registered medical practitioner, Malhotra said. Such drugs, he added, usually reach the illegal market by way of diversion from illicit drug manufacturers, wholesalers or retail chemists. NES RHL

Trucks carrying essential goods during lockdown being used to traffick drugs: NCB

(Eds: Combining related stories) New Delhi, Apr 24 () Nationwide cases of confirmed coronavirus infections rose on Friday by over 1,750 -- the maximum for a day -- to nearly 23,500 with several states including Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat detecting new patients, even as the government said the outbreak is under control and the tally could have reached one lakh by now without a nationwide lockdown. Government officials also credited a robust surveillance network and various containment measures for the spread being "under control", along with the lockdown, which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi a month ago on March 24 in an address to the nation. Addressing village panchayat heads and members through video conferencing, Modi on Friday said the coronavirus pandemic has taught the country "to be self-reliant and self-sufficient" and not look for solutions abroad, as he stressed that every village, district and state should be able to provide for its basic needs. He also applauded rural India for its simple and motivating mantra of "Do Gaz Ki Doori" to popularise social distancing. Separately, several medical experts said the prevailing restrictions have been crucial in preventing a situation similar to the US or Europe, but cautioned that a "bigger challenge" awaits the country when it gradually move towards exiting the nationwide lockdown. Some scientists also warned that the trajectory of COVID-19 cases could have plateaued and might even fall for some weeks after the lockdown is lifted but India is likely to see a second wave in late July or August with a surge in the number of cases during the monsoon. "It looks apparent that the trajectory of daily new cases has reached a plateau and eventually it will take a downward fall, maybe for some weeks or even months," Samit Bhattacharya, associate professor at the Department of Mathematics, Shiv Nadar University, told . Rajesh Sundaresan, professor at Bengaluru's Indian Institute of Science (IISc), said, "Once we return to normal activity levels, there is a chance that infection may begin to rise again. China is seeing this to some extent post easing of some restrictions on travel." According to a tally of figures announced by various states and union territories, the number of confirmed cases has reached 23,577 with at least 743 deaths, while nearly 5,000 patients have recovered and have been discharged. In its 5 PM update, the Union Health Ministry put the nationwide tally of confirmed cases at 23,452 -- showing an increase of 1,752 since Thursday -- along with 723 deaths. The previous highest single-day increase was of 1,540 cases on April 20. According to the ministry, the number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 17,915 as 4,813 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, which translates into a recovery rate of 20.52 per cent. The total number of cases include 77 foreign nationals. Since Thursday evening, at least 37 deaths have been reported, of which 14 fatalities are from Maharashtra, nine from Gujarat, three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh,Tamil Nadu and Telengana and one from Karnataka, ministry data stated. Overall, Maharashtra alone has reported 283 deaths, followed by 112 from Gujarat, 83 from Madhya Pradesh and 50 in Delhi. A four-month-old baby girl became the youngest victim of COVID-19 in Kerala on Friday. She was admitted to the Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode on April 21 with history of fever, cough, breathing difficulties and seizure after being treated at two other hospitals. The new cases of confirmed infections included seven police personnel, including four women, in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The state on Friday announced a complete shutdown beginning Sunday in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai and some other places, disallowing even grocery shops and fully curtailing the public movement. The Union Home Ministry, in the meantime, flagged that the COVID-19 situation is especially serious in some major or emerging hotspot areas including Ahmedabad, Surat, Hyderabad and Chennai. It also said that violations of lockdown measures reported in some parts of the country pose a serious health hazard to public and may lead to the spread of COVID-19. The Centre has sent 10 central teams for spot assessment of the COVID-19 hotspot districts across the country, including five new ones -- Ahmedabad and Surat in Gujarat, Thane in Maharashtra, Hyderabad in Telangana and Chennai in Tamil Nadu. Earlier, similar teams were sent for Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra, Indore in Madhya Pradesh and Jaipur in Rajasthan, besides two teams for West Bengal. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh separately directed the country's top military brass to ensure that India's adversaries do not get any opportunity to push their "evil design" by taking advantage of the country's focus on fighting the coronavirus pandemic, officials said. Reviewing India's military preparedness at a high-level meeting, Singh also asked the armed forces to avoid wasteful expenditure and make sure judicious utilisation of funds considering the downturn in the economy triggered by the pandemic. Officials at the government's daily press briefing on the COVID-19 situation, however, sounded confident that the fight against the deadly virus outbreak was progressing well and the nationwide lockdown announced by Modi was a timely step. Niti Ayog member V K Paul said the lockdown has been effective in slowing the rate at which COVID-19 cases is doubling in India, and it now stands at 10 days, as against three days on March 21. Paul, who is also heading one of the empowered groups set up to deal with the COVID-19 crisis, said the curve has begun to flatten. "Had we not taken the decision of clamping the nationwide lockdown, we would have had around 1 lakh COVID-19 cases by now, as per a reasonable estimate. Now, the outbreak is under control," he said. Officials, however, said these projections are based on the growth pattern at a particular time. Director of National Centre for Disease Control S K Singh that surveillance has been the country's primary weapon in the fight against novel coronavirus. "We started our surveillance mechanism even before the first case was reported in India. This played an important role in helping us contain the spread of the infection," Singh said. He said around 9.45 lakh suspected coronavirus cases are under the surveillance network at present and upon detection of symptoms of the infection, samples are taken from these people for testing. Singh said the surveillance network has been set up at district level as well, so that household survey, quarantine and isolation are done as part of cluster containment plan. Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry Lav Agarwal said in the last 28 days, as many as 15 districts have had no new case, while there are 80 districts in the country that have not reported any new coronavirus case in the last 14 day. In Delhi, where more than 800 people have recovered so far including at least 723 in six days till Thursday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the plasma therapy trial conducted on four patients here has yielded "very encouraging" initial results, giving a ray of hope to seriously-ill coronavirus patients. Karnataka is also likely to start the Convalescent Plasma Therapy (CPT) for COVID-19 patients, who are critical, from Saturday, state's medical education minister K Sudhakar said. PLB ASG SAR JTR NAB ABS ACB MPB ASK BUN KSU VGN BJ VJVJ

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Drugs, money and liquor — seizures grow five-fold in Maharashtra and triple in Haryana during the Assembly election

Prabhjote Gill

Go after big smugglers sending 'mountains' of illegal drugs into the country: FM to enforcement agencies

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Rise in Covid-19 and H3N2 cases raise concern in India, Centre urges heightened vigilance

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Trucks carrying essential goods during lockdown being used to traffick drugs: NCB

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Confirmed COVID-19 cases up by a record; Govt says outbreak under control

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