Labs challenge slashing of RT-PCR test charge
The Hindu
‘New rates will impact on quality of tests’
A group of private diagnostic laboratories in the State on Monday approached the Kerala High Court against the order of the State government reducing the charge for RT-PCR tests from ₹1,700 to ₹500. In their petition, the laboratory owners said that as per the present norms and quality standards, the average cost for conducting an RT-PCR test came to ₹1,500. The revision of the charges would detrimentally affect the quality of the tests.The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.