- 4 months ago
Heavy overnight rains brought Kolkata to a standstill on Tuesday, submerging large parts of the city and disrupting traffic. The downpour claimed at least seven lives through separate electrocution incidents, highlighting the severe impact of the floods just days ahead of Durga Puja festivities.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00And at the top of this hour, we're getting some breaking news from down south.
00:04Big legal test for Karnataka caste census.
00:06The high court is all set to hear the anti-caste survey plea at 2.30 p.m. today.
00:11The Hindu caste groups have challenged the Karnataka government in the high court.
00:16Lingayat, Vokaliga, Brahmin groups have challenged the government.
00:21And the plea states that Congress, the whole caste survey is politically biased by the Congress government in Karnataka.
00:28And the Sidra Mayar government backs the caste count in the high court.
00:34So that's the update that is coming in as far as the Karnataka caste survey is concerned.
00:39My colleague Sagai is now joining us with more details on this.
00:43Sagai, it does not seem to be a smooth path for the caste survey in the state of Karnataka
00:48as there have been petitions challenging the same, calling it biased and also attacking the government in the state.
00:56Absolutely, the association which is affiliated to caste like Lingayat, Vira Shaiba Lingayat,
01:05as well as Vokaliga and other groups have lost the dose of Karnataka high court,
01:10demanding an extreme stay on this particular census, which has been done by Karnataka government.
01:15Remember, the Karnataka government calls the social economic survey, a social educational survey.
01:21And the government has also depended that the government has the right to go ahead and understand
01:25the kind of people that they have across the state, how is their social situation and how is their economic situation.
01:33And though many people call this as a caste census, the Karnataka government has downplayed calling it a social educational survey.
01:39And this particular hearing will happen around 2.30 and will decide the fate of this particular census which has been conducted across the state.
01:47So Sagai, the caste survey was to begin yesterday. Is it still underway or has it been stalled for the high court hearing?
01:56It is underway. It has been kick-started from yesterday and the survey has been done across the state.
02:01And there are a few technical glitches in many places because they are using technology like an app from the mobile to update the details.
02:11And there are a few places where there were technical glitches. However, it has started from yesterday.
02:17All right, Sagai, thank you for getting us those details. We'll keep coming back to you for more updates on the story.
02:21With that, we're now shifting focus. We're getting some more breaking news.
02:31And we're now getting some breaking news from Kolkata. Five electrocution deaths are being reported from Kolkata.
02:39Stagnant water leads to electrocution deaths. The death toll stands at five currently.
02:44Massive water logging on the streets of Kolkata due to heavy rains.
02:48And we're learning that five people have unfortunately lost their lives due to electrocution due to stagnant water on the streets of Kolkata
02:56which have led to these five deaths due to electrocution. A total of five deaths have been reported in Kolkata's city so far
03:04due to electrocution in stagnant water.
03:08My colleague Indrajit Kundu is now joining us with more details on the same.
03:12Indrajit, we're learning that five deaths are being reported due to electrocution due to stagnant water.
03:18Give us more details.
03:19Well, look, life has been completely thrown out of gear in Kolkata due to, you know, massive rainfall that has taken place overnight in the last 24 hours.
03:32There have been 250 millimeters of rain is what the med department tells us.
03:37And you can see behind me, we're in the central business district in the Maidan area.
03:41And hundreds of office goers are currently stranded.
03:43As you just mentioned, five people have lost their lives due to electrocution across parts of South Kolkata due to stagnant water.
03:54The Kolkata metro, which is the lifeline of the city on a busy Tuesday morning, has also been fruncated.
04:01The metro service currently is running between Dakshineshwar in the northern outskirts of the city till Maidan where I'm standing.
04:07I'm right outside the Maidan metro station and you can see behind me, hundreds of office goers are currently stranded.
04:14There are very few vehicles and public buses.
04:17People are in their two-leaders and I'll just show you the scene here.
04:24Some buses which are flying in water, they are completely full.
04:30There are police vehicles that we can see.
04:33Public buses are completely chocobrof.
04:35People are somehow trying, running to catch, you know, very few buses that are available.
04:40And office goers are trying to somehow make their way into these buses in order to reach their offices and respective locations.
04:49So people have been able to avail the metro services, the truncated metro services.
04:53But once they got off the metro here at the Maidan metro station, after which they are trying to figure out as to how they will be able to reach.
05:01The sky, of course, is overcast here.
05:04This is, of course, due to a low-pressure area that has now formed.
05:09This was the IMD, which had stated that there was a low-pressure area that was building up.
05:14Now it's situated off the coast of West Bengal and Odisha.
05:18Therefore, South Bengal, various districts of South Bengal, Kolkata and adjoining areas will be receiving, you know, heavy rainfall is what the Med Department tells us.
05:27There's an orange alert that has been given.
05:29But since it's a weekday, and that too, a week before Durga Puja, so preparations have been hampered massively.
05:37And office goers who are trying to reach office somehow, you can see, they are trying to make their way precariously through the water.
05:43The five people, as we've been reporting, have died due to electrocution.
05:47I will show you how people are trying to make their way to ankle-deep water here.
05:53This is a very busy cross-section.
05:56This is, of course, the Park Street Maidan area.
06:00Ahead of us is the Park Street flyover.
06:03And you can see, somehow people have managed to get this matadour, a tempo, and many office goers, even hanging from it, are trying to reach their respective destinations.
06:14So it's drizzling once again.
06:16So not a very conducive environment right now.
06:19So Kolkata is in a state of deluge this Tuesday morning.
06:24And this has also thrown, you know, operations of the Eastern Railway to an extent out of gear.
06:31Some Vande Bharat trains have been rescheduled.
06:34We are given to understand that there is some amount of water logging on the platforms of the Haurat Station.
06:38At the Kolkata Station, there have been some trains which have been rescheduled.
06:43So things will take time for things to come back to normalcy.
06:46If it doesn't rain, if the rain holds up, then the water will slowly drain out.
06:51In some parts, it has started draining out.
06:53But in other parts, there is still massive water logging and therefore causing massive inconvenience to people in the city.
07:00Right. Indrajit, also tell us about the worst affected areas in Kolkata.
07:04And what are the steps that are being taken by the authorities?
07:08Well, you know, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has, you know, is trying to pump out water.
07:13That's what they do all the time.
07:15And so pumps are installed in various locations to drain out the water.
07:19In some parts, electric supply would be disconnected as a precaution so that there is no more electrocution because this is what happens most often.
07:27But as you can see, you know, we had visuals of the Kolkata mayor at the control room trying to monitor the situation.
07:33But this is the situation on ground.
07:35I can see an ambulance making its way through, you know, the water.
07:39But there are so many people who are stranded, taking their umbrellas out and they're just trying to figure out a way to reach their office space and see how people are, you know, trying to get on to any vehicle that they can.
07:51Somehow cling on to it and hang and reach the location because it's once again started drizzling.
07:57And, you know, there is severe waterlogging in several parts that we can show you right now.
08:03This is, of course, the central business district in between Maidan Metro Station and XI Crossing.
08:09This is, of course, the office area.
08:11This is where most people disembark from the metro to reach out to their offices.
08:17And this place has been completely thrown out of gear.
08:19So, it will take a few hours for life to return to normalcy here in Kolkata.
08:24And that too, if the rain gods permit, if the rains fall.
08:28Back to you.
08:29All right, Indraji, do stay with us.
08:31We're also being joined by my colleague Anirban Roy from central Kolkata, getting us the latest from there.
08:38Anirban, how is the situation in central Kolkata?
08:42See, Anjali, the situation is right now so horrible.
08:45And you can see over there that the people are all struggling and the roads are already flooded.
08:53And it's a nearby area to Shialda Station where the train service is also being disrupted.
09:00And you can see the people over here.
09:03This is the colony of one of the Baud Bazaar Street.
09:07And it's a bazaar area and market area.
09:10And all the things have been disrupted, was already disrupted.
09:15And right now, these shops, those in the market area are all closed.
09:20Because due to heavy rainfall, this is the time of festivity.
09:24This is the time where the Durga Puja is being celebrated in all over Kolkata as well as in West Bengal.
09:31But in the verge of the start of Durga Puja, already the Kolkata is flooded.
09:38And right now, the people are all suffering over here because those people, those who are going to office, right now you can see that they are all struggling.
09:47They are not getting any kind of taxi or any kind of metro or anything.
09:52So they are all going to office via walking.
09:56And that is the situation right now in Kolkata.
09:59Already, Kolkata Mayor Srirad Hakim is assessing the situation from the control room.
10:04And as far as the sources, Mamata Banerjee, CM of West Bengal, has already directed the KMG as well as the police for the rescue.
10:12As already we have seen that five people have lost their life in this situation due to the electrocution.
10:18So right now, the Mamata Banerjee has already asked everyone to be cautious and to take necessary steps as needed.
10:27Over to you, Anirban.
10:29Right. Anirban, and what are the steps being taken over there by the authorities to pump out the water?
10:35See, to pump out the water, there is already being taken by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation as the various places.
10:43As I am right now standing in the central Kolkata, in north Kolkata and several parts of south Kolkata.
10:51I will not say several parts.
10:53Every part of Kolkata right now is underwater.
10:56And that's why the corporation has taken a measure to pump out the water to Ganga as well.
11:02And right now, they are clearing the situation, they are clearing the things, those where the people were struck and they are rescuing.
11:11They have started rescuing in like a war-like situation.
11:15And right now, because already the festivities are here, Durga Puja is here, and there is lots of traffic and all.
11:23So that's why in a war-like situation, they are working right now.
11:27All right. Anirban, do stay with us. We also have Indrajit Kundu from Kolkata.
11:33Indrajit, the scenes that we are witnessing in Kolkata, is this a result of lack of preparation?
11:39Well, look, this is, you know, what the Med Department is telling us, that this is a record rainfall that Kolkata hasn't witnessed in several years.
11:47And that too, in a very short span of time.
11:50So therefore, you know, 250, more than 250 mm of rainfall in past 24 hours will lead to some deluge in parts of Kolkata, is what the Med Department is telling us.
12:03This is a record rainfall in the city.
12:07And this has come on a weak day one.
12:10Secondly, just a week before Durga Puja.
12:13So, you know, there are traffic restrictions in several places.
12:16There are pandals.
12:17I'll show you the amount of water that I'm wading through in order to reach office.
12:24And this, of course, is a very, very prime area.
12:26This is the Excite Crossing.
12:30Here, the Excite Crossing, Shakespeare, Sarani.
12:33You can see the Tata Center there.
12:35So this is the office area.
12:36So most people who are flying on the street today, it's a weekday.
12:41They are trying to make their way to their offices.
12:44I'm in, you know, ankle-deep water right now.
12:46So this is the situation across the city.
12:49So people have been asked to maintain caution because there is a fear of electrocution due to live wires.
12:57Five people, as we've just reported, have lost their lives.
13:00There are very few vehicles which are flying on the street right now.
13:03One can only hope that the rain falls, but the prediction from the Med Department is that there is an orange alert.
13:10There will be rainfall all through the day today, especially in South and Gansipic, West Bengal.
13:15And therefore, people have been asked to stay indoors.
13:18Preparations for Durga Puja, of course, you know, there are thousands of Durga Puja organizers and pandals
13:24which are in the final phase of preparation.
13:29So that will be hampered very badly.
13:31In fact, last two days, we have seen from September 21st, Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee has begun inaugurating those Puja pandals.
13:39She also has schedules for inaugurating some Puja pandals today as well.
13:44But surely those will, you know, stay canceled.
13:47And as Anirban just said, the Chief Minister is monitoring the situation and have asked people to maintain caution.
13:53The mayor, of course, is monitoring the situation from the control room and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
13:58And pumps have been deployed to drain out the water.
14:02All right.
14:02That will only succeed when the rain holds.
14:05All right, Indrajit and Anirban, thank you for getting us all those details right from the ground.
14:10We'll keep coming back to you for more updates on this.
14:12So heavy rainfall lashed Kolkata and has thrown life out of gear ahead of Durga Puja.
14:18And four people have also died.
14:21In fact, five people have died due to electrocution in the city.
14:25Several places were inundated under knee-deep water and traffic paralyzed.
14:29Water entered many houses and residential complexes in the city as roads went underwater owing to the overnight rain.
14:36Now, in the wake of heavy overnight rainfall, significant waterlogging.
14:40Metro services has been halted in several areas.
14:43Waterlogging in key areas is leading to traffic snarls.
14:47Meanwhile, Weather Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rain in several districts in the southern part of West Bengal till September 27.
14:54You can see that the vehicles are flying, the corporation, the local corporation workers are working on war footing to open the manholes.
15:05But that also keeps security concerns in mind because in different areas, in order to let the water pass to the manholes,
15:13the manholes have been kept open.
15:15That also poses a great challenge.
15:16But overall, you can understand that outside the state secretary, which remains to be almost inundated at this moment,
15:23Mohanta Banerjee, the chief minister, would also be reaching the state secretary in a few hours from now.
15:28But ahead of that, this remains to be the situation of the state secretary.
15:32You can well imagine what the situation could be in other parts as well.
15:35I would like to go across.
15:36foreign
15:44foreign
15:52foreign
16:02This time, we are living in Central Kolkata.
16:06The area of the colony, we can show that the water is in the same place.
16:15There are so many houses here, everyone is in the same place.
16:19It is difficult for everyone to work.
16:22The people's lives are also in the same place.
16:26The people are living in this house.
16:32There are so many houses in this house.
16:36There are so many houses in this house.
16:41The people are sitting in the house.
16:45This is the area of Kolkata.
16:50This house is a house.
16:56The house is a house.
17:00This house is a house.
17:06I have to say that this house is from the bathroom, and every place is inside the water.
17:18This is the place that I see, that it is the place of Durga Puja.
17:25It is the place of Durga Puja, the place of Durga Puja.
17:36And we're getting some breaking news.
17:41BJP's Annamalai says he urged TTV to join the NDA.
17:45He also said that he hopes TTV will change his mind before the elections in the state.
17:51In fact, Annamalai goes on to say that there is no permanent friend or foe in politics.
17:55He also says that he will meet OPS.
17:58So that's the update that is coming in from Tamil Nadu,
18:01where BJP's Annamalai has said that he has urged TTV to join the NDA.
18:06And that he hopes that TTV will change his mind before the elections.
18:10Another important point that has been made by Annamalai is that he said that
18:14there is no permanent friend or foe in politics.
18:18And he also mentioned that he will be meeting OPS.
18:21My colleague Pramod Madhav is now joining us with more details on this.
18:24Pramod, significant development as far as Tamil Nadu politics is concerned.
18:28The NDA is evolving strategy.
18:30In fact, BJP's Annamalai has urged TTV to join the NDA.
18:34How do you think that TTV joining the NDA could benefit the alliance?
18:38Well, it surely is going to be a very big, you know, important way of trying to unify AIDMK
18:46or maybe the actual people who had been expelled from the party, bringing them back into NDA as well.
18:51Because on one side, earlier in 2019 elections and 2024, what we saw is that
18:55while EPA was controlling AIDMK as the general secretary,
18:58TTV, he had his own party.
19:00O Pani Sivlam was separate.
19:01But they were actually along with NDA.
19:03In fact, OPS also contested in that election.
19:06But right now, TTV has very clearly mentioned that he is not going to be in an alliance
19:09where EPS is the chief minister candidate.
19:12And this is at the moment when Annamalai has now transformed into a silent messenger.
19:17The day before yesterday, he met with TTV Dinagaran.
19:19And now he says that it was a political meet.
19:21But however, he has requested TTV Dinagaran once again to consider his issue.
19:24And Annamalai is also hopeful that before elections, TTV Dinagaran would actually have a change of mind.
19:31And the thing is that it definitely looks that for Annamalai,
19:34the parties, the expel power leaders from AIDMK, be it O Pani Sivlam or TTV Dinagaran,
19:39are very important to keep them within the NDA alliance.
19:43And it looks like Annamalai is separately working on it.
19:45While Naina Naghendran, the present BJP state president, has gone to Delhi.
19:49And he is going to initiate his campaign soon.
19:52Pramod, thank you for getting us all those details.
19:54And for that context.
20:02The political war of words in Tamil Nadu gets uglier.
20:06Amid infighting within the AIDMK, the party is trying to court actor Vijay and TVK before next year's assembly election.
20:13Now, DMK has now hit out at Vijay.
20:17Tamil Nadu minister R. Gandhi compared Vijay to a barking dog.
20:21He even called Vijay mentally unstable and that they keep blabbering.
20:26Remember, TVK, which will make its political debut at next year's assembly election in Tamil Nadu,
20:31has ruled out any alliance with the DMK, AIDMK or the BJP.
20:35Vijay has said while BJP is his ideological enemy, DMK is its only political enemy.
20:41Tamil Nadu speaker, on the other hand, has said that Vijay speaks at the rallies like he does in his films
20:46and should use the word honourable when he addresses Prime Minister, Home Minister or the Chief Minister.
20:52Former Tamil Nadu minister and AIA DMK leader Rajendra Balaji has called on Vijay to join hands with his party in the battle to defeat DMK.
21:00He has also said that a united opposition is key to removing the DMK-led government in the state.
21:06AIA DMK has also claimed that if the actor-turned-politician contests without its support in the elections,
21:12it won't even get the passing mark in the elections.
21:15It won't even get the passing mark in the elections.
21:42I have to talk to you.
21:44You're not allowed to talk to me.
21:46I'm not allowed to talk to you.
21:48I'm gonna talk to you.
21:50I'm gonna talk to you.
21:52That's correct.
21:54If you don't know what I'm going to do,
21:58I can't go.
22:00No.
22:02No.
22:04I'm gonna talk to you.
22:06I'm gonna talk to you.
22:08No.
22:09I dont know what I'm going to talk to you.
22:12No.
22:13There…
22:18I'll talk to you,
22:19I'll talk to you a minute.
22:21Alle…
22:23Guys…
22:24people are saying,
22:29film is so funny.
22:30These are theánhalle…
22:33our,
24:42And let's now listen into what TVK Chief Vijay had said on having no alliance with the BJP or the DMK.
25:46Well, it's too early to say but one thing is very clear.
25:48Vijay is actually bringing a mass crowd and like he has started to speak earlier.
25:51He has undergone through a lot of criticism claiming that a weakened politician and a politician
25:55who does not meet the people.
25:57But he is slowly trying to change the narrative.
25:59First he started like held his public conferences and then now he has started meeting the people
26:04every weekend and that too under criticism calling him as a weakened politician Vijay
26:07said that he is trying to do this all just to make sure that the public do not face any
26:11kind of hindrance.
26:12However, he also blamed DMK for causing hindrance and claiming that the DMK is not allowing him
26:18to meet the people.
26:19So that's where another criticism came over where even Kamal Hassan has now said that a
26:24large crowd might gather but it doesn't mean that it will convert into word.
26:29Probably he took kind of you know knowledge from his own experience.
26:32So it is yet we need to wait and watch how Vijay is going to pan out.
26:35But however, AIDMK very clearly mentions especially former minister from Rajendra Balaji AIDMK
26:41very clearly says that if Vijay decides to stand alone it is going to strengthen DMK.
26:46But if he wants to dethrone DMK he needs to come into the alliance of AIDMK.
26:52Alright Pramut, thank you for getting us those details.
26:55It remains to be seen if Vijay turns out to be the game changer in Tamil Nadu politics in
27:00the next elections.
27:01And we are now getting some breaking news.
27:11Big Andhra bid to poach business from Bengaluru.
27:14Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh appeals to tech industry.
27:18Nara Lokesh says Vizag friendlier and better for business.
27:22And this is the fresh Andhra Pradesh reach out to the tech giant BlackBuck.
27:26Now remember BlackBuck had cited Bengaluru traffic and potholes for the reason for relocating
27:32their office.
27:33And potholes gave a rough ride to the brand Bengaluru.
27:37And now in the latest there's a big Andhra Pradesh bid to poach business from Bengaluru.
27:43We are seeing that Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh has yet again appealed to the tech industry.
27:49Nara Lokesh has said that Vishaka Patnam is friendlier and better for business.
27:56And this is the fresh Andhra Pradesh reach out to tech giant BlackBuck.
28:00Now remember the BlackBuck had cited reasons like potholes and traffic jams for relocating their office
28:07on the Outer Ring Road in Bengaluru.
28:09And now we are seeing this bid to poach business from Bengaluru by Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh
28:17who has appealed to tech industry saying that Vizag is friendlier and better for business
28:22and that they should move their office from Bengaluru to Vizag.
28:25And now shifting focus politics over potholes peaks in Bengaluru.
28:34Day after India today reported series of pothole roads in the city.
28:38Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivagumar has attacked BJP and took a jibe at IT Industries.
28:43BJP will be staging a road roco protest starting tomorrow against potholes in the city.
28:49Now Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivagumar said that there were potholes on road right outside Prime Minister's
28:54residence in national capital and that BJP was only targeting Congress government in the state.
29:01In fact, DK Shivagumar also alleged that a conspiracy was being hatched by BJP against the Congress government in Karnataka.
29:07He also took a jibe at IT Industries saying that there were potholes across the country
29:12and that the IT Industries must ask centre to release more funds to the state.
29:17A goods rickshaw overturned after hitting a pothole in Bengaluru's Ashoknagar in early hours of September 19.
29:23And in another video highlighting potholes in the city, a Canadian vlogger's video went viral.
29:29His post on garbage filled footpath also went viral.
29:32Now remember, Karnataka Chief Minister Sidramaya has fixed a one month deadline for officials to fix all the potholes in the city.
29:39Karnataka Chief Minister sparrow on the pond and Pothole, A Berkawad Draisnagar Secure of Paranataka Chief Minister
29:49and the call in the city.
29:54The news is now expressed in the city of Karnataka.
29:58The news is now posted on the reds in Delhi.
30:01Yes, I will say that.
30:05So, I have 7 people in the country.
30:11I will say that.
30:14And that's how we are talking about it.
30:18We are talking about this.
30:24And my colleague Nagarjun is now joining us on this story.
30:46Nagarjun, after receiving a lot of backlash and criticism for the potholes in Bengaluru,
30:51the Deputy Chief Minister has drawn this bizarre parallel between the potholes in Bengaluru
30:56with the potholes on the roads in front of Prime Minister's residence in the national capital.
31:06In fact, 24 hours ago, the Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shukmar was on a tour in Delhi
31:12and he came back to Bangalore and addressed the media saying that
31:15I went in front of the Prime Minister's residence, there's potholes in Delhi as well
31:19and this is a systemic failure. This is not just Bangalore.
31:22And media is showcasing entirely on Bangalore like there's no potholes anywhere in the country.
31:27He, however, did accept that there are potholes in Bangalore,
31:30that thousands of potholes are being filled up every day by the corporation chiefs as well.
31:35But it is not fair for the media to target only Bangalore when potholes are right in front of the Prime Minister's residence
31:40is what D.K. Shukmar said. Quite bizarre defence from the Karnataka government
31:44that potholes are existing everywhere and it's a systematic failure is what the Deputy Chief Minister said.
31:50He also went on to perhaps blame the BJP saying, when BJP is blaming us,
31:55if they had done the good job two years back, the state and the city would not be in this situation
31:59is what the Deputy Chief Minister said.
32:02Alright, Nagarjan, thank you for those details and for that context.
32:05So, potholes are there across the country. Don't just target Karnataka is what the Deputy Chief Minister of the state has said.
32:11US President Donald Trump has linked the use of paracetamol during pregnancy to an increased risk of autism in children.
32:18He also questioned the timing and safety of childhood vaccinations,
32:22urging parents and pregnant women to avoid both.
32:25Now, these claims, however, contradict decades of established medical research
32:30that supports the safety of paracetamol during pregnancy and the effectiveness of the vaccines.
32:35In fact, Trump's remarks come amid growing concern over the spread of health misinformation.
32:40Health Secretary in the United States, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine critic,
32:46supported Trump's stance, stating that the administration would not dismiss the concerns of mothers
32:51who believe vaccines harm their children.
32:53In fact, he also cited that a significant number of such parents associate vaccines with autism,
32:59despite scientific consensus strongly rejecting any causal link.
33:03Now, medical experts have reiterated that both paracetamol and routine vaccines are considered safe
33:10when used as directed and caution against spreading unverified claims that may harm the public health.
33:16Meanwhile, the US FDA has announced to update labels on paracetamol after studies suggested
33:21a possible link between its use in pregnancy and a higher risk of neurodevelopmental issues in children.
33:28First, effective immediately, the FDA will be notifying physicians that the use of acetaminophen,
33:37well, let's see how we say that, acetaminophen, acetaminophen, is that okay?
33:46The FDA, which is basically commonly known as Tylenol during pregnancy, can be associated with a very increased risk of autism.
34:01So taking Tylenol is not good.
34:07All right, I'll say it, it's not good.
34:10So I think you shouldn't take it, and you shouldn't take it during the entire pregnancy.
34:14They may tell you that toward the end of the pregnancy, you shouldn't take it during the entire,
34:17and you shouldn't give the child a Tylenol every time he goes.
34:20He's born, he goes and has a shot.
34:24You shouldn't give a Tylenol to that child.
34:26By and large, paracetamol and acetaminophen is safe in pregnancy if it is used for a short duration of time in a calculated dose.
34:37The risk is much higher if it is in the first trimester and third trimester, that is early on and later on in pregnancy.
34:43But it is one amongst the safer drugs from the other known devils as far as fever medicine or anti-inflammatory is concerned.
34:51So I think rather than causing a scare, the U.S. agency should give a proper guideline.
34:58Even the studies which have been done, which has been quoted in the article, which has come out from U.S.,
35:05has shown a mix between autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit or hyperactive disorder.
35:12I think that this is something which is irrelevant at the moment.
35:15We do not have any clinical data.
35:17We do not have proper trial and analysis to comment something like this.
35:22It is a very serious allegation which you are putting.
35:26And I think that the medical team needs to verify and clear up their mindset before coming up with such bizarre ideas.
35:37I think that in an antinatal period, we have been using paracetamol and it is one of the safest drugs.
35:44And my colleagues Neha Mordani is now joining us with more details on this.
35:49Neha, with India's high dependence on paracetamol, is this claim by the United States president going to fuel panic among Indians?
35:57Well, it has the potential to enjoy and that's the worrying aspect.
36:01Now, because it is popularly used in India, we have Indian doctors also, you've heard, respond to it almost immediately saying that,
36:08yes, there are concerns regarding use of paracetamol during the first trimester of pregnancy,
36:15given that there could be potential side effects of any medication, any paracetamol.
36:19But it has to be taken with caution, with advice from the doctor.
36:23I mean, at the end of the day, if a pregnant woman has got fever and is unwell, that is going to impact the fetus as well, isn't it?
36:30So how do we really help the woman in question here?
36:33So it has to be taken under proper guidance, not over a long period of time.
36:37But to then single out one particular paracetamol that is by far in studies,
36:42and I'm talking not just about studies that have been done,
36:45but studies that have been peer-reviewed and also published, that shows that this particular paracetamol is safe.
36:52And then for the U.S. president to link it to problems of this kind is going to create panic.
36:59I'm expecting a statement from the Union Health Ministry as well,
37:02given that this medicine, Anjali, is used popularly in India as well.
37:06It's an over-the-counter medication.
37:08It's a paracetamol at the end of the day.
37:10So this is something that we have to wait and watch, whether the government says anything or not.
37:14But remember, what has the U.S. FDA said?
37:17It will be looking at the guidelines, but will be telling the physicians at the end of the day
37:22that use your own discretion for the parents who are choosing, for women, pregnant women to take it.
37:28Use your own discretion.
37:30The tone of the FDA is not alarmist.
37:33Far from what U.S. President Donald Trump has said.
37:36Remember, at the end of the day, many statements of these kinds have been made by the U.S. president.
37:41I mean, at the end of the day, the head secretary of the U.S. State Department also is somebody who's a known anti-vaxxer.
37:49He's an anti-vaccine, you know, activist.
37:52Donald Trump, during the peak of the pandemic, had also spoken about the fact that there would be, in fact, concerns regarding COVID.
38:00But it's got to do with 1% of the population.
38:0299% of the cases of COVID were harmless.
38:06Doctors get money if patients suffering from COVID dies.
38:10Also said, rather brushing down or brushing aside concerns regarding what turned out to be the pandemic.
38:17So, these are statements that have been made by the Mercurial leader in the past as well, Anjali.
38:21And that's essentially problematic.
38:24All right, Sneha.
38:24Thank you for getting us those details and for that context to what Donald Trump has said about paracetamol.
38:31We'll come back to you for more updates on this.
38:33As of now, we're shifting focus.
38:34We're getting some breaking news.
38:40And the Supreme Court raps Stalin government over Karuna Nidhi's statue's pledge.
38:48The Supreme Court says, don't use public money to construct statues.
38:52Why use public funds to glorify leaders?
38:55The Supreme Court has said, and I quote, why are you using public funds to glorify your former leaders?
39:00This is what the Supreme Court asked while slamming the Stalin government and against constructing statues to promote their leaders, to glorify their leaders.
39:11So, strong rap from the Supreme Court's side.
39:15The Supreme Court has rapped the Stalin government over the Karuna Nidhi's statue's pledge.
39:21And the Supreme Court has said that public money should not be used to construct statues.
39:26And, in fact, the APIC's court has also asked that why use public funds to glorify political leaders?
39:35My colleague Anisha Mathur is now joining us with more details on this.
39:39Anisha, strong rap from the Supreme Court's side to the Stalin government on the construction of statues.
39:46Asking why are public funds used to construct statues to glorify leaders?
39:50Well, yes, sir. This was a comment made by the Supreme Court while dismissing a plea by the Tamil Nadu government.
39:59Now, remember, this is a matter that was going on in the Madras High Court also earlier.
40:03The Tamil Nadu government wanted to give permission to use public funds and put up a statue of Karuna Nidhi at a public market,
40:13which was not allowed by the Madras High Court.
40:17Now, the Tamil Nadu government came to the Supreme Court against a High Court order saying that, you know,
40:24this is a market being made, this is a decoration being put up in the market and we should be allowed to put up the statue.
40:33The Supreme Court, however, refusing to allow this.
40:36They're saying that when you know it is not permitted to use public funds,
40:39why do you want to use public funds to glorify your leaders?
40:43Why do you want to use public funds to put up a statue?
40:46Clearly, the court is refusing to hear the Tamil Nadu government plea
40:51and saying public funds should not be used to glorify leaders in this manner.
40:56Back to you.
40:57All right, Anisha, thank you for all those details.
41:00So, Supreme Rap for the Stalin government over construction of Karuna Nidhi's statue.
41:05The Supreme Court has said that why use public funds to glorify your leaders by constructing statues?
Comments