17112020-TT-01.qxd 11/16/2020 11:13 PM Page 1 13 chandigarh | gurugram | jalandhar | bathinda | vol.140 no.318 | 12 pages | ~5.00 | regd.no.chd/0006/2018-2020 established in 1881  haryana WINTER WILL SPUR COVID SPREAD: MURTHY WORLD /thetribunechd WHOLESALE INFLATION SOARED TO 8-MONTH HIGH IN OCT BUSINESS SUPPORT LOCAL ECONOMY, PM URGES PEOPLE BACK PAGE /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com tuesday, november 17,2020 Moderna Covid shots ‘94% effective’ in late-stage trials Heavy snowfall in J&K, Himachal ■ High-altitude areas in J&K, Himachal and Uttarakhand received heavy snowfall on Monday, forcing the closure of several highways US firm to produce 20 mn doses | Being tested on 30K volunteers Cambridge, November 16 Moderna, a US-based biotech firm, on Monday claimed that its experimental vaccine against Covid-19 appeared to be 94.5 per cent effective. A week ago, its competitor Pfizer Inc. announced its vaccine appeared similarly effective — news that puts both companies on track to seek permission within weeks for emergency use in the US. Dr Stephen Hoge, Moderna’s president, welcomed the “really important milestone” but said it was reassuring to have similar results from two different companies. “That should give us all hope that actually a vaccine is going to stop this pandemic and hopefully get us back to our lives,” Hoge said. “It won’t be Moderna alone that solves this problem. It is going to require many vaccines to meet the global demand,” he added. Covid cases topped 11 million in the US over the weekend — 1 million recorded in the last one week. The pan- UP man lynched for urinating in open; 3 detained Bahraich (UP), November 16 A 23-year-old man was beaten to death allegedly by four men in Bahraich district for relieving in public. The incident took place in Khairi Dikoli village late on Sunday following which three persons were detained. Superintendent of Police Vipin Mishra said Suhail was seriously injured and rushed to the district hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The deceased’s uncle, Chintaram, lodged a complaint on basis of which a case has been registered, Mishra said. — IANS Rename JNU, BJP leader demands NEW DELHI: Barely five days after PM Narendra Modi unveiled the statue of Swami Vivekananda on the JNU campus, BJP general gecretary CT Ravi on Monday demanded the Left-dominated central university be renamed after Swami Vivekananda. A new entrant in the BJP national office-bearers’ list, Ravi said, “It is Swami Vivekananda who stood for the “Idea of Bharat”. His philosophy and values signify the strength of Bharat.” — TNS IN BRIEF Notice to UP Govt over scribe’s arrest NEW DELHI: The SC has issued a notice to the UP Government on a plea by Kerala journalists’ union challenging the arrest of its member Siddique Kappan while on way to Hathras to cover the death of a Dalit gang-rape victim. TNS Plea seeks review of Shaheen verdict NEW DELHI: Two months after the SC ruled that roads and public spaces can’t be blocked indefinitely and protests should be held at designated places, a plea has been filed seeking review of the verdict. TNS HAS GENETIC CODE THAT TRAINS IMMUNE SYSTEM ■ Moderna’s candidate is new tech based on mRNA, a single-stranded molecule ■ The vaccine isn’t made with virus itself, meaning there’s no chance anyone could catch it from the shots COVID-19CASES INDIA COUNT 88,45,127 TOTAL RECOVERED DEATHS RECOVERED 82,49,579 FRESH FATALITIES 435 TOTAL DEATHS 1,30,070 WORLD 5,49,81,221 3,82,44,133 13,26,872 HARYANA GUV TESTS +VE ■ It contains genetic code that trains immune system to recognise the spiked protein on the surface of virus ■ The vaccine can remain sta- ble at a temperature of 2-8 degrees Celsius for 30 days PAST 3RD WAVE PEAK, SAYS DELHI MINISTER Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain on Monday ruled out reimposition of lockdown since the third wave of Covid-19 had peaked out in the city. He said the virus could not be contained through lockdown and people should protect themselves by wearing masks. demic has killed more than 1.3 million people worldwide, more than 2,45,000 of them in the US. If the Food and Drug Administration allows emergency use of Moderna or Pfizer’s vaccine, there will be limited and rationed supplies before the end of the year. Both require people to get two shots, several weeks apart. Moderna expects to have about 20 million doses earmarked for the US by the year end. Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech would have about 50 million doses globally. Moderna’s vaccine, co-developed by the US National Institutes of Health, is being studied in 30,000 volunteers who received either the real vaccination or a dummy shot. The study is continuing and Moderna acknowledged the protection rate might change as more Covid-19 infections are detected and added to the calculations. Also, it is too soon to know how long the protection lasts. — AP ■ Kufri and Narkanda in Shimla and Sangla in Kinnaur too turned white ■ An avalanche warning has been issued for parts of J&K ■ Parts of Punjab and Haryana received widespread rainfall, breaking a two-month-long dry spell Tourists in Gulmarg enjoy a sledge ride. PTI Clout shrunk, Nitish back as Bihar CM Vibha Sharma BJP’S TARKISHORE, RENU SWORN IN AS DY CMs Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 16 Nitish Kumar took charge of Bihar for a record seventh time today, but, as political observers said, with “somewhat diminished clout and strength”. Marking a big shift in its state political dynamics, the BJP which won 74 seats to , emerge as top scorer in the NDA, gave him two Deputy Chief Ministers, Tarkishore Prasad (Katihar MLA) and Nitish Kumar with Amit Shah MGB ALLIES SKIP EVENT, SAY MANDATE ‘HIJACKED’ CONG VS CONG: GEHLOT TARGETS SIBAL P12 Renu Devi Tarkishore Prasad 15-MEMBER CABINET BJP JD(U) HAM(S) VIP 7 6 1 1 SC:Won’tbartainted Crucial Malabar exercise from today netas, only Parl can Ph 2 India, US to field largest warships I Japan, Australia navies to join in Tribune News Service Tribune News Service NewDelhi, November 16 The Supreme Court on Monday refused to debar tainted politicians from contesting elections, saying that it was for Parliament to take a call on such issues. A Bench headed by Justice LN Rao also refused to declare as null and void the elections of MLAs and MPs chargesheeted for over a year for offences punishable with a minimum fiveyear imprisonment. “What you are saying is correct. But we cannot pass such orders. This is under the domain of Parliament,” the Bench told retired civil servant SN Shukla, who represented NGO Lok Prahari. The latter wanted the top court to debar politi- PIL had sought poll ban on politicians facing criminal charges cians against whom charges have been framed from fighting polls. Shukla submitted that such a law would never be passed by Parliament and criminals in legislatures had crossed the 33% mark. “We are afraid the relief claimed cannot be granted. We leave it to the petitioner to pursue any remedy available to have the directions issued by this court implemented,” the SC said, disposing of the plea. New Delhi, November 16 India and the United States will field their largest warships at the naval exercise – Malabar 2020 — starting in the Northern Arabian Sea on Tuesday. The 1,00,000-tonne USS Nimitz and 49,000tonne INS Vikramaditya — both sea-going aircraft carriers — will lead the exercise. The Japanese and Australian navies will join the exercise, the first such event for the four countries since 2007. Spread over four-days (November 17-20), this is the second phase of the exercise. The first phase was conducted in the Bay of Bengal from November 3-6. The mega exercise is taking place at a time when India and China are locked in an over sixmonth-long border standoff in In Pb, few opt for job of med specialist in govt hospitals Vishav Bharti Tribune News Service Chandigarh, November 16 Once much sought after, the job of medical specialists in the government sector now doesn’t appear to hold much attraction. Despite numerous assurances and walk-in interviews, 60 per cent of the recently advertised posts of specialist doctors are vacant. In July, the health department started recruitment of specialists for 142 posts in six fields, including internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, gynaecology, anaesthesia, general surgery and paediatrics. However, in the last four months, only 62 specialists have taken the offered job. Less than 50 doctors joined work, as stipulated, in the first week of August. Twenty of them wanted the joining date extended. The response to “internal medicine” speciality GOVERNMENT SERVICE NO MORE ATTRACTIVE 142 62 posts of specialists advertised by health department in July specialists took up the job in the last four months PROFESSIONALLY, LITTLE TO SATISFY SPECIALISTS ❝ In the past, surgeons have been posted at places where there is no infra for surgeries. Dr Pyare Lal Garg, EX-REGISTRAR, BFUHS has been particularly poor. Out of 40 posts of medicine specialist, just around 15 were filled. Experts feel that the main reason behind the cold response to walk-in interviews is the failure of the health department to satisfy specialists professionally and financially. “In the past, surgeons have been posted at places where there is no infrastructure to perform surgeries,” said Dr Pyare Lal Garg, health activist and former Registrar of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot. However, Principal Secretary, Health, Hussan Lal said the problem was mainly with clinical specialities such as internal medicine, pulmonary medicine and gynaecology, as specialists in these subjects get a better deal monetarily in the private sector. He said the government was trying to make the job of specialists in the government sector more attractive by offering them incentives and postings of their choice. THE INDIAN FLEET ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Vikramaditya, its fighter and helicopter air-wings Destroyers INS Kolkata and INS Chennai Stealth frigate INS Talwar Fleet support ship INS Deepak Indigenously built submarine INS Khanderi P8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft around Vikramaditya carrier battle group and Nimitz carrier strike group. The two carriers, along with other ships, submarines and aircraft of the participating navies, would be engaged in high-intensity operations over four days. These include cross-deck flying operations and advanced air defence exercises by MIG 29K fighters of Vikramaditya and F-18 fighters and E2C Hawkeye from Nimitz. Advanced surface and anti-submarine warfare exercises, seamanship evolutions and weapon firings will also be undertaken to further enhance inter-operability and synergy between the four navies. The exercise will be led by Rear Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet. Renu Devi (Bettiah MLA), in place of Sushil Modi. Nitish Kumar was sworn in at a ceremony attended by top BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda. The elevation of Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi is aimed at infusing freshness in Bihar leadership and sending a clear message of change to the cadre. “The BJP was portrayed as a party of upper castes and Prasad continued on page 10 Justice Lalit recuses from PILs against AP CM New Delhi, November 16 Justice UU Lalit of the Supreme Court on Monday recused himself from hearing PILs seeking action against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy for levelling “baseless” allegations against Justice NV Ramana who is to take over as the next CJI in April 2021. “I have difficulties. As a lawyer I had represented one of the parties. I will pass an order for it to be listed before a Bench without me,” Justice Lalit said after the matter came up for hearing before a Bench led by him. The petitions alleged that Reddy not only wrote a letter to Chief Justice of India SA Bobde levelling allegations against Justice Ramana, but also held a press conference in which false statements were made. — TNS eastern Ladakh that has majorly strained the ties between the two countries. China has been suspicious about the purpose of the Malabar exercise as it feels that the annual war game is an effort to contain its influence in the Indo-Pacific region.As per the Indian authorities, the second phase “will involve coordinated operations of increasing complexity between the navies of the four nations”. Joint operations will be centered BJP targets Cong over Gupkar pact 7 from Bihar die in Mandi mishap New Delhi, November 16 Ahead of the DDC elections in J&K, the BJP today launched a scathing attack on the Gupkar alliance alleging that its only agenda is to bring back Article 370. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra asked the Congress to make its stand clear over Article 370. “This alliance wants exactly what Pakistan and anti-India countries want,” he said. INSIDE Kullu, November 16 Seven labourers from Bihar were killed when the vehicle they were travelling in fell from the Gharat bridge into a rivulet in Mandi district on Sunday night. Mandi Superintendent of Police Shalini Agnihotri said six labourers died on the spot while the seventh succumbed to his injuries at the zonal hospital. The driver of the pickup, Vinod Kumar of The pickup that fell into a rivulet in Mandi. TRIBUNE PHOTO Nagrota Bagwan in Kangra, too was injured and has been undergoing treatment at the hospital. The police said the labourers arrived on a bus from Ludhiana and were to deboard at Gutkar near Mandi where the contractor who had engaged them lived. They, however, reached Mandi bus stand and the contractor sent the pickup to bring them back to Gutkar. — OC Nameplates for social equality to ‘molkis’ Sumedha Sharma Tribune News Service Gurugram, November 16 “I hardly remember what it was back home. I was bought as a bride and have lived here for 45 years. I am lucky to have what an average Haryanvi matriarch has, but today it feels I have got my home in the true sense. I am happy I will die as Reena, rather than a molki (bought-one),” says Winds of change for Haryana’s ‘bought brides’ The nameplate installed outside the house of “pardeshi bahu” Reena at Kharkadi village in Haryana. TRIBUNE PHOTO Reena (64), who is among the first bought brides in the state to get her nameplate installed outside her home. Like over 1.5 lakh other such women in the state, Reena was bought from West Bengal to be married to a man around 15 years older than her. Her husband treated her well, but this “pardeshi bahu” (foreigner bride) could never continued on page 10