My precise view

The Covid-19 pandemic interrupted contraceptive access for an estimated over 25 million couples in India, said a report by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

The government on Friday proposed to cap surge pricing charged by cab aggregators like Ola and Uber at 1.5 times of the base fare. The development assumes significance in the backdrop of a long-pending demand of citizens to cap the pricing of ride-hailing services.

A Covid vaccine could soon become a reality. The world is now gearing up for a rollout and working on developing infrastructure that serves the purpose to inoculate 7.5 billion people spread across seven continents. Anticipated to be the largest and fastest operation ever undertaken of vaccine production, procurement, and distribution, the momentous task requires proper strategy and a mechanism to save lives. While several countries lack this experience, India holds a distinction in the channelisation of a vaccine to its population, reminding the world about its success story of polio and tuberculosis.

The CBI on Saturday started a massive search operation at 40 locations across three states including the premises of some alleged coal smugglers. The searches which are primarily spread across West Bengal pertain to a new case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the official said.

Locals in Madurai witnessed toxic foam on parts of the Vaigai river and the Sellur pond on Saturday due to excessive water pollution. The foam was a result of mixing the waste water in ponds and rivers with the rain water. Fire department officials were called to spray water along a channel of the Vaigai river, over a bridge in the Sellur area. Heavy rains had lashed Madurai Friday night following which the water levels in the pond and the river rose. 

Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel on Saturday gave assent to an ordinance against forcible or "dishonest" religious conversions, an official said. The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020 has been promulgated with the approval of the Governor, the official said.

Three persons were charred to death when their four-wheeler caught fire after hitting a dumper in Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh early on Saturday, a police official said. The accident took place at Bhauransa on Bhopal-Indore highway, about 14 kms from the district  headquarters, he said.