JOURNALISM OF COURAGE SINCE 1932

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JOURNALISM OF COURAGE TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2020, NEW DELHI, LATE CITY, 16 PAGES SINCE 1932 `6.00 (`8 PATNA &RAIPUR, `12 SRINAGAR) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM DOMESTIC FLIGHTS START AFTER TWO MONTHS More troopsto 532flightstakeoffonDay1:Non-metrossee Uttarakhand highestdemand,Delhi-Patnamostbookings after Chinese 39,231passengers flewonMonday, suggests bulk of the demand BUSINESSASUSUAL comprises thosegoing to visit numbers settoincrease, says Puri their homes or travelling for LACbuild-up BY UNNY health-related procedures. “Fromnodomestic passen- PRANAVMUKUL INSIDE gerflightstill yesterdayto532 UAVsurveillance stepped up in NEWDELHI,MAY25 flights&39,231passengers to- SCLETSAIRINDIAFLY day, action has returnedto Ladakh, mountain troopsinducted TWOMONTHS aftertheywere WITHOUTMIDDLE Indian skies. With Andhra grounded, 532 domestic flights SEATSEMPTYTILL Pradesh settoresume opera- numbers in the opposite sector,” crisscrossedthe Indian skies JUNE6 PAGE 7 tions from tomorrow&West SUSHANTSINGH& asenior officer said. Monday—the firstday of Bengalfrom28May,these num- MANAMANSINGHCHINNA In eastern Ladakh, sources resumption of air services. bers areall settoincrease fur- NEWDELHI,CHANDIGARH, said, the Army has startedin- Demand fornon-metro forthe travel period between ther,” Civil Aviation Minister MAY25 ducting morecrews to operate routes is significantlyhigher May25and May31, according to Hardeep Singh Puri said in a UAVs forenhancedsurveillance than metroroutes, withthe informationsourcedfromonline tweet. AS FIELD-LEVEL talkstolower of the area. Extensive physical Delhi-Patna routewitnessing travel agencies. The booking pat- At the IGI AirportinNew Delhi on Monday. Tashi Tobgyal The Delhi-Patna routeis tensions along the Line of Actual patrolling of the area is very dif- the highestnumber of bookings tern is reflective of atrend which CONTINUEDONPAGE2 Control in Ladakhremain incon- ficult since“therough terrain clusive,the Indian Army has in- takestoo muchtime, toomany creasedits presence in troops,” sources said, but UAVs Uttarakhand following reports can provide regular updates on of aChinesetroop build-upinan anyChinese movement along area on their sideofthe LAC. the LACinLadakh. Target 2lakh tests And in eastern Ladakh, which Fresh induction of troops, is partofthe western sector,the sources said, has takenplace in Armyhas inducted additional Ladakh to strengthen Indian po- daily, pvtlab share troops and has enhancedround- sitions and createreserves. the-clocksurveillance of the LAC Some of the specialisttroops, throughUAVs. sources said, have been moved remainsunder 20% Sources told The Indian from outside the theatre while Express that theArmyhas also other troops have been made increasedits presence along the availablefrom“loop”battalions. Private labs complain of hidden cost, boundary with China in Loop battalions refertoinfantry Uttarakhand —partofthe mid- unitskeptinanareapending lowvolumes;6,977 fresh cases dle sector —following reports their final induction or de-induc- thatChinese troops have been tion from posts in high altitude deployed in increasednumbers areas suchasSiachen. ABANTIKAGHOSH INSIDE in the Guldong sector. An official said reinforce- NEWDELHI,MAY25 The Chinese build-up, mentshavealreadybeen pro- WORLDHEALTH sources said,was reportedto videdtocertainposts in Ladakh HAVINGMORE than trebled ORGANISATIONPUTS have takenplaceoverthe last whichare considered “critical” dailytesting over amonth, India HCQTRIALSONHOLD fewdays,following whichthe in case of sudden Chinese moves is nowgearinguptorampitto2 PAGE 9 Armyreinforced abrigade lo- in the area.This, the official said, lakh aday.While the dailyaver- cated in the area with additional is based“on terrain, current agehas crossed1lakhtests,pri- units. Chinese deployment and our vate laboratories, who fought Incidentally, the 178private “Deployment ahead of Harsil strategic vulnerabilities” —a long and hardtobeallowedto laboratories in the countrymake has been strengtheneddue to re- pointer to the area around the test,havecontributed to less up 29 per cent of the total test- ports of Chinesebeefing up their CONTINUEDONPAGE2 than 20% of the total samples inginfrastructure. Thereare 431 tested daily. This despitethe fact government laboratories where that theymakeupalmost30% of Covid testing is currentlytaking PRAYFROM HOME the laboratoryinfrastructure. place. Older childrenfirst, An analysis of testingrecords “India is currentlytesting Members of an Old Delhi familyoffer Eid prayers onthe rooftopoftheirhome on Monday. The Jama Masjid in the between April 16 and May23re- about 1.1lakh samples in aday background has been closedsince the beginning of the lockdown. Praveen Khanna veals that while testsingovern- and has the capacity to test about staggeredschedule: ment labs went up by almost 1.4lakh samples per day, which 270per cent from 23,932 to is being raisedto2lakh samples 88,947,for privatelabsthe figure per day...Moststateshavebeen Centre works on rose more sharply,justunder working with National In Delhi, theshare of private Covid beds four times, from 4408 to 21450. Tuberculosis Elimination But as shareoftests,onApril Program (NTEP) to deploy back-to-school norms 16,private labs did alittle over 15 TrueNAT machines forCOVID-19 occupied is double that in govt hospitals per cent of the total 28,340 tests testing…Nostate has significant done thatday.And on May23, backlog of samples to be tested. were occupied, he said. RITIKACHOPRA thatfigure wasjust19% of the to- More labsare being setupand ASTHASAXENA “Weissuedanorder on Nurse’s death: Colleagues NEWDELHI,MAY25 tal1,10,397 tests. CONTINUEDONPAGE2 NEWDELHI,MAY25 Sundayasking117 nursing homes/private hospitals to ear- say had to wear used PPEs OLDER children of Classes 9, 10, MORE THAN 75% of beds ear- mark20% beds fortreatment of 11,and 12 areexpected to be markedfor Covid-19 patients in Covid-19patients,” the chief backinschools firstastheyare Olderkidscan TRACKING INDIA’S COVID CURVE the capital’s 10 private hospitals ministersaid. This wasexpected SOMYALAKHANI better able to complywith areoccupied,Chief Minister to add 2,000 bedsatprivate fa- NEWDELHI,MAY25 rules on masksand social dis- followrules LOCKDOWN DAY CASES: RECOVERED:57,720 |DEATHS:4,021 Arvind Kejriwal said on Monday. cilities. tancing, The Indian Express has TESTS:30,33,591 | DOUBLINGRATE:13.37** This is in starkcontrastwith “Atpresent, we have 4,500 ADAY aftera46-year-oldnurse AmbikaPK learned. IT IS easier to get 62 1,38,845 government hospitals, where bedsinprivate andgovernment at aprivate hospital in Delhi suc- diedon The HRD Ministryiswork- secondaryschool onlyalittleover38% of these hospitals in Delhi and around cumbed to Covid-19,her col- May24 ing with the National Council of (Class 9-12) children to designated bedsare occupied. 2,500are still available forpa- leagues have alleged that the Educational Research and followsocial distancing Of the677 bedsfor Covid pa- tients,” he said. hospital made nurses “reuse Training (NCERT) on devising norms and face-cover tientsinprivate hospitals, 509 Until Mondayafternoon, the personal protectiveequipment Ambika PK,anurse at Kalra basic guidelines forreopening rules.Blendedlearning were occupied on Monday, capital had reported14,053 (PPE), including gloves and Hospital, diedatDelhi's of schools, wheneveritis could split aclass into Kejriwal said. In government cases of coronavirus infection, masks”. Safdarjung Hospital, whereshe greenlighted by the Home twobatches with hospitals,1,478 outof3,829 beds CONTINUEDONPAGE2 On Sundayafternoon, CONTINUEDONPAGE2 Ministry. eachathomeonalter- KEYSTATES TOTAL SURGEIN 7-DAYAVG. DOUBLING According to ministryoffi- natedays.Atleastsix TOWATCH CASES 24HRS GROWTH* RATE** cials, studentsinClasses 1to5, feet between twostu- ■ Maharashtra 50,231 3,041 6.16% 11.69 WORLD in the 6to10years agegroup ,are dentswill ensuresocial Lockdown effect: Bail pleas of those unlikelytogobacktoclassrooms distancing. ■ Gujarat 14,063 394 3.07% 23.45 forthe next three months. ■ Delhi 14,053 635 4.90% 14.69 booked under sedition, UAPA stuck These guidelines arenot ■ Tamil Nadu 16,277 765 5.45% 13.20 meanttobeprescriptive but will cer on the condition of ■ Bihar 2,574 180 10.45% 6.89 indicatewhat school lifecould anonymity. the stringent Unlawful Activities February20, to that of three look likeinthe near future. The seating arrangement in 208 4.60% ■ West Bengal 3,667 15.66 APURVAVISHWANATH Prevention Act(UAPA)are stuck. Kashmiri engineering students However, even forsenior stu- aclassroom will have to follow *Compounded Daily Growth Rate over last 7days**Calculated over7-day growth NEWDELHI,MAY25 Apatternhas been emerging who were arrested in Hubli, dents, reopening will be stag- social distancing, whichmeans CONCERN CAUTION A GLIMMER in almostall thesedition cases Karnataka, on February15, from gered. "All studentsofall senior twostudentswill ideallysit six KERALA: More CHHATTISGARH: GUJARAT: Growth WITH COURTS across the coun- slapped by the government dur- 19 peopleinAzamgarharrested classes will notbecalledto- feet apart. This means thatatone than150 new cases Comparatively low rate slowing down tryhearing only“urgent cases” ing the protests againstthe on February5toaUAPAcase JAPAN LIFTS gether.Theywillarrivein time, the entirestudent strength in 3days. Such a numbers; surge in 1 continuously,cases through video-conferencing in CitizenshipAmendment Act againstAssam activistAkhil batches over afew days so that of one class or section will notbe surge hasn’t been week. Less than 5 likely to be overtaken viewofthe Covid-19pandemic, (CAA) and the proposedNational Gogoi, who wasarrestedon EMERGENCY, ENDS the school administration has able to attend class together. seen in along time. days doubling time. by Delhi in aday. anumber of bail pleas in cases RegisterofCitizens. From the December 12 —courtshavenot RESTRICTIONS time to brief them on the new Each class will have to be divided Based on daily databyCentre, ICMR, state governments involving serious chargessuchas case against19-year-old Amulya prioritisedthese cases as PAGE 13 seating arrangement and new intobatches of about 15 to 20 seditionand under provisions of Leona who wasarrestedon CONTINUEDONPAGE2 rulesofschool life," said an offi- CONTINUEDONPAGE2

THE EDITORIAL PAGE PAGE 1 THELADAKH ANCHOR Notahouseholdname, yetone of thegreatest Olympians WARNING BY PSTOBDAN BalbirSingh Senior, the grandold Balbir had adifficult initiation Jalandhar,whereBennett pre- closefriends, Ali Shah Dara (a PAGE 6 intohockey. He grew up in Moga, sented him withtwo options: be gold medallistatthe 1936 man of hockey, passes away at 96 detesting the police who had jailedorplayhockey. Olympics) and Muhammad jailed his father multiple times. It waseasy to understand why Shah Rukh to helpPunjabde- decorated athlete ever. The same police force, as fate Bennett wasdesperatetosign up fend their title in Bombay. MIHIRVASAVDA He passedawayinMohali would have it, would shapehis Balbir.Hewasn’t agreat dribbler, By the time theyreturned GUYANA NEWDELHI,MAY25 Mondayafter alengthy stay in hockey career. at leastnot in the same league as home, however, things had hospital. He was96. The storygoesthat in 1945, DhyanChand, but he had other takenaturn forthe worse. Riots WHENEVER HE wasasked to Aglobally-recognisedfigure, the then Punjab Inspector qualities. He wasateam player, were on, homes were burning narrate his journeytogreatness, whose contribution wasac- General of Police,John Bennettt, had anatural tendency to pass the andBalbir,being apoliceman, Balbir Singh Senior could never knowledgedbythe International wassomesmerisedbyBalbir’s ball around and scoregoals. wasonthe streets, controlling vi- find the right words. “It can’t be Olympic Committee (IOC) in playthathecommandedhis of- The following year,in1946, olence. Daraand ShahRukh had explained,” he oftenrepeated.“It 2012,the soft-spoken, modest- ficers to recruithim. To avoid Balbir ledPunjab to their firstna- movedtoPakistan. can onlybeexperienced.” to-a-fault legend wasnamed them, the young hockeyplayer tional championship title in 14 Balbir,Daraand Shah Rukh Agoal-scoringmachine from among the world’s 16 greatest BALBIR SINGH fledtoDelhi and instead joined years, forging aformidable part- metatthe London Olympics, the days whenhockey was icons, across all sports,who took the Central Public Works nership with inside-right representing different countries. playedongrass, Balbir wonthree the Olympicmovement to lofty SENIOR With his medals at home. Department team. MaqboolHashmat.Then, Even without his usual allies, Olympic golds —1948, 1952 and heightsinthe last100 years. 1924-2020 Express file Days later,Balbir washand- months before Partition, Balbir Balbir remainedunstoppable. 1956 —and wasIndia’s most- Son of afreedom fighter, cuffedand brought backto combinedwith his other two CONTINUEDONPAGE2

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Nurse’s death hospitals in Delhi areforcedto In Assam, aNational gold. work without protective Investigation Agency judgeis Even afterhis playing days wasadmitted on May21. She is equipment even now... It is also 532 flights takeoff on Day1:Non-metros hearing acase of sedition were over,Balbirwouldn’tstop. the firstnurse to have diedof requestedtotakeurgent meas- againstactivistAkhil Gogoi for He became the coach-cum- the virus in Delhi. ures to ensurethathospitals his role in the anti-CAA manager-cum-campdirector TheIndianExpress spoketo aretaking all mandatorymeas- protests.Arrestedonof the national team, as he lent 10 nursing staffatthe hospital ures to ensuresafetyofhealth see highest demand, Delhi-Patna most December 12,Gogoi wasre- his Midas touchonce again in as well as Ambika’s son, and all workers." leasedonbailonMarch 23 af- 1975 when India wonthe of them spokeabout PPEs be- Whenasked about the let- highestdemand,Delhi-Patna 80 flightswerecancelled. other disruptions.” Paytm witnessedflight terthe NIA failedtofile a WorldCup –the country’s only ing reusedduring duty. ters sent by the parliamentari- mostbookings followedby At Mumbai airport, 47 IndiGo said it flewabout search volume on itsportal chargesheetwithin thestipu- one so far. Asenior nurse at Kalra ans, the Delhi government did sectors suchasDelhi- flights were operated catering 20,000passengersonMonday. jumptoaround 200per cent of lated 90 days.However, Gogoi All his life, Balbir remained Hospital claimed, "While the notrespond. Bagdogra, Mumbai-Varanasi, to atotal of 4,852 passengers, Online travel agency Paytm itsaverage dailysearch vol- wasimmediatelyarrestedin a‘secular nationalist’. Notfor doctorsweregiven fresh PPE, Aseniorgovernment offi- Bengaluru-Patna, Delhi- whichinclude 3,752 passen- Travel said due to three consec- ume. Justoverthe weekend, another casefiledinDecember him the favouritism or region- the nurses were askedtoreuse cial, however, said on condition Srinagar,etc. gers at departures and 1,100at utive lockdowns, severaltrav- the agency saw85lakh related to the anti-CAA alism that wouldgoontobe- PPE. If we raisedobjections, we of anonymity, "Ifafrontline Prior to the grounding of arrivals. ellers had to stay backincities searches forflights. protests.Hehas also been come the biggestbane of were told that since this is not healthcareworker, be it in a flightsannouncedbythe gov- The firstflight to take-off suchasDelhi,Mumbai and Budget carrier SpiceJetsaid chargedunder UAPA. Indian hockey.Heinitiated the adesignated Covid-19hospital, private hospital or govern- ernmentwitheffect from from Delhi wasIndiGo’s serv- Bengaluru, and were nowfly- sectors it operated on the first Under the UAPA,aperson idea of acommon prayer room, we areatlittle risk,and can ment,contractsCovid on the March 25, around 2,700 do- ice to Pune, whichdepartedat ing backtonon-metro cities in- dayincludedNew Delhi- can be detainedfor up to 90 whereplayers from all reli- reuse PPE." job and dies, compensation mestic flightsoperatedinthe 5am. Those who took the first cluding Patna, Jaipur,Lucknow, Bengaluru, NewDelhi-Pune, days without bail and thede- gions prayed together.Hedid TheIndianExpress spoketo will be giventothe familyfor countryonanormal day. flight out of the capital in- Ahmedabad, Varanasi, NewDelhi-Chennai, New tention can be extendedfor up away with the pre-matchwar the owner of the hospital, Dr R sure. Once we receive details Accordingtothe standardop- cludedparamilitaryand army Guwahati, among others. Delhi-Mumbai, NewDelhi- to 180daysatthe requestofthe cryof‘Jo bole so nihaal’and re- NKalra, who deniedthe allega- regarding her case, we will pro- erating procedures issuedby personnel, studentsand mi- “Thereisapent-up de- Guwahati, Ahmedabad- New prosecutor. placeditwith ‘Jo bole so hai, tions and said that adequate ceedaccordingly." the MinistryofCivil Aviation, grants. mand fornon-metrodestina- Delhi, New Delhi–Patna, While hearings in these Bharat Matakijai’. PPE and hand sanitisers were Asenior nurse at Kalra onlyathirdofthose flights can In astatement, IndiGo said, tionsfrommetro cities. Eager Mumbai–Bengaluru, cases aredelayedinthe wake On the morning of the being providedtoall employ- Hospital said manyofthem operatenow. “IndiGo plans on flying more flyers arebooking tickets to go Chennai–Bengaluru, of the COVID-19pandemic, WorldCup final in 1975, ees. "I have notreceivedasin- had decidednot to go to the However, curtailment of than 200dailyflights until May backhome. This has ledtoa Varanasi–Jaipur, newsedition cases continueto against Pakistan once again,he glecomplaint from anystaffer. hospital till adequatesafety the truncated schedule follow- 31,2020…IndiGo operations jumpinsearches and ticket Bengaluru–Pune, be filedand arrestsmade, es- accompaniedhis team’s cen- If thereisasingle discrepancy, arrangementsweremade. ing requests by stategovern- ransmoothlyand as of today bookings on our platform. Delhi–Srinagar, peciallyinDelhi in connection tral defender Aslam Sher Khan Iwill investigateand take strict “Todayit's Ambika, tomorrow mentsled to cancellationof afternoon, 85% of our flights While thereisasurge in de- Udaipur–Ahmedabad, with the riots in February. to Kuala Lumpur’s Royal action," said Dr Kalra. The it can be me. Ihavenot re- severalflightsatairports have reachedtheir final desti- mand,wethink it will taper Jammu–Srinagar, On May2,the Delhi Police Mosque to offerprayers. Indian Express also spoke to portedtoworksince Ambika's throughout the country. At nation within 30 minutes of down with time,” said Chennai–Madurai, Special Cell filedanFIR against “Behind us wasthe Pakistani nurses in-charge SWilson and death. Our neighbours aren't Delhi Airport,the country’s scheduledarrival time. There Abhishek Rajan, Senior Vice Hyderabad–Jharsuguda and Delhi Minorities Commission team,” Balbir recalledinanin- AnitaSoni, who also denied the happyabout havinganurse largest aerodrome, morethan were no major delays or any President, Paytm Travel. Hyderabad-Surat. chairman Zafarul Islam Khan terview. “They said, ‘jo hum allegations. "PPE, gloves and next door,” she said. on sedition chargesafter an al- maangne gaye thhe, aapne pehle sanitisers areavailable in bulk," Allegingthat for"fortwo legedly divisive tweet.The hi maang liya’(what we wanted said Soni. months, discardedPPEs were Delhi Police also booked stu- to ask for, youhavealready Asenior nurse, who said being rotatedamong nurses”, Target 2lakh tests daily, private lab dent leaders of Jamia Millia asked forit).” she wasclose to Ambika, al- she said, “Some of us stopped Islamia University forsedition It wasthis good-natured leged that on her lastday at wearing PPE,” she alleged. and under UAPA in connection humour,modesty,and ability KalraHospital aweek ago, Amale nurse also said he share remains under 20 per cent withthe Delhiriots.Thosear- to take everyone along that Ambika got intoanargument had quarantinedhimself at rested include 27-year-old made Balbir the glue that held with the nursing in-charge home, and refusedtoshowup SafooraZargar, who is preg- the fractious worldofIndian about "notgetting fresh PPE at work.Another nurse said her additional machinesare de- practisethe highestlevelsof nant. hockeytogether. He never and masks”. Another senior parents"pleadedwith her to ployedinstateslikeUP, Bihar, STATUSREPORT infection-control protocols, Lastmonth,onApril 6, the turnedcynical –not even dur- nurse who worked in the ICU skip work aftertheyread about West Bengalaswell as rest of thereisstillalot of stigma as- Punjab Police booked Simranjit ing the darkest hours of Indian 120000 with Ambika confirmedthis. Ambika's death”. the country to meetthe pos- TotalTests sociated with Covid testing so Singh, aresidentofhockey. Nordid he ever turn Ambika's friend and col- Another senior nurse at sible higher requirement,” the we aretrying to do home col- Dharampura, forsedition over bitter –not even when the league claimedthat she was KalraHospital said adoctor in government said in astate- 100000 lections and drive-throughs. aFacebook postinwhich he al- Sports Authority of India lost working until May18, when the ICU had recentlyobjected ment Monday. DailyPublic This itself requires invest- leged lackofventilatorsfor his Melbourne Olympics she did amorning shiftand re- to nurses being made to reuse The decision to allowpri- 80000 Lab Tests mentsinACtransportvehi- Covid-19patientsinLudhiana. blazer, 36 medals includingthe fusedtodothe nightshift as PPE. "The doctor said he won't vate labs to test wastaken cles, manpowerand PPEs Singh wasalso chargedunder 1958 TokyoAsian Games silver, she wasfeelingsick. "Atnight, allowusin, and tore the dis- even as ICMR DG and 60000 whichare absorbed by the the DisasterManagementAct, and over100rare photographs; she had fever,abad throat and cardedPPE. He said it wasn't Secretary, Department of lab." Epidemic Diseases Act, and for the memorabilia he had do- body ache, so we advisedher to safefor us or thestaff or pa- health research Dr Balram 40000 Manyprivate lab owners disobedience of orders by a nated foramuseumthat was rest.OnMay 19,too, shewas tients. So, we have been wear- Bhargava setthe catamong DailyPrivate Lab Tests red-flagged high costofma- public servant, all of which neverset up. sick, and on May21, she had ing the OT gown instead. the pigeons with his “appeal” 20000 chines, apprehensionover carry ajail term of notmore He maynot be ahousehold difficulty breathing, so shewas Instead of N95 masks, we have to private labs to test forfree. losing clientele because of the than twoyears. name likeDhyan Chandoroth- takentoSafdarjung Hospital," been givenwashable cloth Thematter went to thecourt 0 Covid stigma and lowvol- In Assam,Aminul Islam, an ers from that era, but Balbirwill ay ay ay

said the nurse. masks," said the senior nurse. whichhobbled private test- Apr Apr Apr Apr Apr umes because of the cost MLAofthe AIUDF,was arrested remain the ultimategrand old May May May May May 1M 7M 4M 16 19 22 25

She diedonthe afternoon ing until it wasfinally re- 28 whichtheysay does not on April 7onchargesofsedi- man of Indian hockey,bothin 13 16 19 10 of May24. Pvt Covid beds solvedbyallowing them to 22 covertheir expenses. tion over an audio clip where terms of statureand the Ambika livedinDelhi with and 276deaths. Therewere charge.Amaximum charge of Meanwhile Covid cases in he purportedly criticisedsend- warmth he effused. her 16-year-old daughter, 7,006activecases in the city, Rs 4500per test wasfixed by stretching their limits to do labsand Government labs is the countryonce again ing membersofthe Tablighi And perhaps this is whyhe while her husband is in while 6,771 people had recov- the government. Covid collections. Private labs comparingapples and oranges. touchedadailyhigh at 6,977 Jamaat to quarantine facilities. alwaysappeared alittle per- Malaysia, and son in Kerala.She ered. Asked aboutthe lowshare, have amajor limitation of spe- To sustain the business, routine on Monday. Thetotal number plexedwhen asked to talk had been working at Kalra “Of the total3,829 bedsin Arjun Dang, CEO, Dr Dang's cialisedand very expensive lab work is essential, which nowstands at 138845 and Balbir Singh about his journeytogreatness. Hospitalfor over 10 years and government hospitals, 3,164 Lab, told The IndianExpress:"I equipment, trainedmanpower nowisfar belownormal (only deaths at 4021. The recovery One can see it in therare, It wasnever asimple onefor wasdeployedinthe hospital’s have oxygen support. We are think all private labs are and space.Comparing private about 18-20%). Although we rate is 41.57%. grainyfootage on the Olympic him to explain. It had, like he neonatal wing, but wasre- focusing moreonoxygenbeds Channel: Balbir galloping on a oftenrepeated,tobeexperi- centlyasked to work in the ICU. as severe patients have respi- wetWembleypitch,braving enced. Ambika's son Akhil, 22, who ratory troubleand it is impor- own. We have issuedashow- come in, once during the day the High Court with libertyto down forthe delay. the light drizzle, during the flew to Delhi from Kerala on tant to maintain oxygen levels. cause notice to the hospital. It and aftertheyleave."Since en- move thesessions courtagain. At the next hearing, on April gold medal matchagainst–to Chinesebuild-up Mondayevening, told The We have 250 ventilators in gov- is the responsibility of the hos- tryand exit of different batches Since thenationwide lock- 28, the case waslistedbeforea use Balbir’swords –‘India’sold Galwan valleywhere the Indian Express, "My mother's ernment hospitals, of which pital to provide an ambulance will also be staggered,there down beganmorethan two newjudge, who adjournedthe masters’ Great Britain, three Chinese have massed troops on condition deteriorated so rap- only11are being usedasof and ensurethe patient is ad- will be enough timeinbe- months ago, courts arehearing case to April 30 because the pe- days before India’s first their side of the LAC. idly… Icouldn't understand now. Thereare 72 ventilators in mitted to aCovid-designated tween twobatches forschool only“urgent” cases, with titioner’s lawyer wasnot audi- Independence Day. India’s key “strategic asset” howtoget heresooner.Overa private hospitals and 15 areoc- hospital,” he said. authorities to clean classrooms lawyers supposedtomakea ble during the videoconferenc- It wasamatchsteepedin in the area is the 255-km week ago, she mentionedthat cupied,” the CM said. and surfaces," said an officer. case forurgency. The district ing. At the next hearing, the symbolism and the big-game Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg the hospitalwas making her The Delhi government is Older children Countries across the world court judgewas notimpressed case wasadjournedtoMay 5, playerthat he was, Balbir Oldie (DSDBO) road whichwas reuse PPE and charging money also preparing GTBhospital to studentseach, said officers fa- have adopteddifferent appo- with Leone’s lawyer R when the special prosecutor scored the firsttwo goals in completedlastyear.Itprovides formasks.Igot agitated and treat Covid-19patients. Atotal miliar with the draftNCERT raches to reopening schools. In Prasanna’s letter that said, “The objected to granting of bail. India’s 4-0 win againstadefen- access to Daulat Beg Oldie told her to just stay at home, 1,500bedswith oxygen sup- guidelines. Europe, whereschools re- petitioner is a19-yeargirland The case is yettobegiven a sive British team. Forajust- wherethe IAF re-activatedan but she didn't listentome. She portare being readiedatthe Eachbatchofaclasswould openedinDenmarkfirston (it) is amatter of her lifeand final hearing since certain tech- born nation, still reeling in the AdvancedLanding Ground continuedworking, and now hospital, Kejriwal said. be calledonalternatedays. April 15,manycountries liberty.” nical deficiencies in the appli- aftermath of the Partition, the (ALG) in 2008. The construc- she is dead." “The situation is under con- "Schools will followablended startedbycalling their Althoughthereisnodefi- cation have notbeenrectified. gold wasahealer and source of tion of this strategic road began On Monday, Anto Antony, trol and thereisnoreason to form of learninginwhichthe youngeststudents back. This nitelistofcases that qualify as The courthas nowpermitted pride. in 2001,and an earlier align- MP from Kerala's worry. Thecases were ex- batchthat is notmeant to go to decision wasbasedonavail- “urgent”, courts have oftenpri- both sides to rectify the defi- As achild, Balbir couldn’t ment calledthe China Study Pathanamthitta, where pected to rise with relaxations school on oneday will be given able scientific evidence that the oritisedcases thatpose irre- ciencies online since theyare quiteunderstand his father’s Group (CSG) trackhad to be Ambika hailedfrom, wroteto in the lockdown. We need to taskstocomplete tasksat COVID19incidence among versible loss of lifeand liberty. unable to travel to thecourt. obsession with the countryand abandonedbecause parts of Prime MinisterNarendraModi worryifthe recovery rate is go- home," said asecond officer. children is lowcompared to Cases of death penalty,bail and “It is mostunfortunatethat national flag. “(That day) Ire- the road were getting washed and DelhiCMArvind Kejriwal ing down and morepeople are All studentswill have to adults, but older children re- eviction arealso givenurgent these cases aredeniedahear- alisedit’s reallyimportant. away. on thenurse’s death. succumbing to the disease. But mandatorilywearmasksin portmorecases. hearings. ing while newcases of sedition National anthem, sounding The realignedroad wasin- In the letter to the PM, in Delhi, the number of active class. Initially, schoolcanteens In the case of the Kashmiri arebeing filedwith urgency,” sweet, nationalflaggradually augurated by Defence Minister Antony"requestedfor release cases is equal to thenumberof will notfunctionand pupils Bail pleas studentswho were arrested on said Bengaluru-basedadvocate going up. Iwas also feeling I Rajnath Singh lastOctober who of insurancecover of Rs 50 lakh people who have recovered. will be asked to bring their “urgent” and thus, their bail sedition chargesfor allegedly BTVenkatesh, who is repre- wasgoing up,” he once said. threw open a1400-feet bridge to Ambika's family” and al- “Secondly, we needtolook lunch. Children will be encour- pleas have gone unheard. raising pro-Pakistanslogans, senting the three studentsand As achild, Balbir couldn’t on the Shyokriver,officially leged,“Privatehospitals arenot at the health infrastructureand aged to eat their lunchinthe On April 12,inresponseto the three -- Talib Majeed, Basit who has appeared in many quiteunderstand his father’s calledColonel Chewang providing anykindofprotec- monitor the riseinthe number classroom during recess. Leone’s plea seeking bail, a Asif Sofiand Amir Mohiuddin other sedition cases. obsession with the countryand Rinchen Setu. The bridgeis tive material, including N95 of severe cases. The cases Morning assemblywillalso Bengaluru courtofficial wrote Wahi -- were deniedbail by a In the Azamgarhcase, 19 national flag. sandwichedbetween the masks, to staffemployedin shouldnot turn serious and be prohibited forthe firstfew in an email, “Sir,extremeur- district courtonMarch 9, after people, who were accused of “(That day) Irealisedit’s re- Karakoram and ChangChenmo their hospitals." come to asituation whereour months. Therewill be hand gency notmade out.” whichtheyapproachedthe sedition in the wake of anti- allyimportant. National an- ranges, and lies to thenorth of In the letter to Kejriwal, hospital system collapses,” he sanitisation stations at differ- Leone wasarrestedbythe Karnataka High Court. CAAprotests, continue to be in them, soundingsweet,national the confluenceofGalwan and Antonyrequestedfor release of said. ent locations on school cam- Bengaluru Police under Section At the firsthearing on April jail with their bail pleas re- flag graduallygoing up. Iwas Shyokrivers. Galwan valleyis compensation of Rs 1crore to The CM also warnedhospi- pus. Also, parentswill notbeal- 124ofthe IPC (sedition) for 16,asingle-judgebenchsaid a jected by adistrict courtin also feeling Iwas going up,” he closesttothe road from the Ambika's family, andsaid that tals of serious action if they lowedinside the school raising “PakistanZindabad” case of sedition cannotbe March.Travelrestrictions due once said. LAC. "her untimelydeath raises sev- turnedawayCovid-19patients. campus and will have to drop slogansatarallytoprotest made out. “Prima facie the to the lockdown meant they Balbir would experience Meanwhile, another meet- eral questions regarding safety Citing the example of apri- offchildren at the gate.There againstCAA. complaint does notdisclose were unable to move the that feeling twice again: at the ing washeld on Sundayatthe of thenurses working in hospi- vate hospital, whichrefuseda will be different entryand exit Afterthe sessions courtdid anymaterial whichcould be Allahabad High Court till last 1952 Helsinki Olympics, where field levelbetween sector com- tals". patient with respiratoryissues pointsfor children entering nothear her bailplea in April, considered as an ingredient week.The case is yettobe he scored five of India’s six manders of both the Indian and RajyaSabha MP KKRagesh anddid nothelp in arranging a and leaving the campus to en- Leone had movedthe constitutingthe offence…,” listedthere. goals in the final againstthe Chinesearmies, but thetalks toowrote to Kejriwal: "She is bed afterhetestedpositive, surethereisnocrowding at Karnataka High Court but her Justice GNarender said while “Wehad written aletterto Netherlands (a recordthat still remained inconclusive, sources the firstnurse in India who lost Kejriwal said: “The hospital did one point. case did notget adetailedhear- granting aweek to the special the chief justice when the lock- stands), and again at said. It wastheir sixth meeting herlifedue to Covid-19... There notevenarrange an ambulance Classrooms andfrequently ing. On Monday, afterspending prosecutor,who appealedfor down wasannouncedbut we Melbourne 1956, whenhewas afterChinese soldiers moved arereportsthat nurses and forthe patient who tested pos- touchedsurfaces will have to three months in jail, Leone time to getcase files from the have nowmovedbail,” their the captain of the side that de- intoIndian territoryatmulti- healthcareworkers in several itive.The patient wasleftonhis be sanitisedbeforechildren withdrew her bail plea from district court, blaming the lock- lawyer Talha Rashid said. feated Pakistan 1-0 to win the ple locations.

New Delhi WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 3 THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,MAY26,2020 THE OUTBREAK THE CITY AtAIRPORIGITRESUMESairport,FLIGHT OPS, WITHtalesMASKS ANDofPPEshomecomingaftermonths

SUKRITABARUAH& Many left in the AMILBHATNAGAR NEWDELHI,MAY25

AFTER Agap of twomonths, do- lurch as 82 flights mestic passenger operations re- sumedinalimited wayatDelhi Airport, with over 125departures are cancelled and 118arrivalsthrough the course of aday. Terminal 3ofthe airport looked very different from the SUKRITABARUAH ATIGIAIRPORT always bustling transit space NEWDELHI,MAY25 whichhad been closed in March, with the plan to makeathirdof EVEN AS hundredsofpeople 118 125 pre-lockdown flightsopera- movedinand out of Delhi Arrival Departure tional. through the airporton itsfirstday While allpassengers were of operations, many were leftdis- wearing masksand gloves, many appointed aftermultipleflights 82 cancellations had face screens while some were cancelledfollowing late were even wearing full PPE suits. communications between states ■ All asymptomatic Anew addition to thedeparture and the Centre. travellers told to gateswereseveral small stands As manyas82flights—depar- monitor health for selling hand sanitisers forRs52, tures and arrivals —werecan- 14 days masksfor Rs 12 and Rs 14,gloves celledatDelhiairportonMonday. ■ Those showing forRs35and PPEsuits forRs640 While the plan wastoinitially symptoms to be and Rs 830. makeathirdofthe pre-lockdown isolated and takenin With the firstday of domestic flightsoperational, some states CATS ambulancesto operations coinciding with Eid- requestedthe Centretocurtail the SafdarjungHospital ul-Fitr,passengers includedthose number,leadingto cancellations. wheretheir condition who were happy at the thought Passengers at IGI Airport, Monday.Domestic flights areoperating from Terminal 3. Tashi Tobgyal Flightstoand from Mumbai, will be assessed of being reunitedwith their fam- West Bengal and Telangana were ilies before theend of theday. among those cancelled. “There areconcerns about anyearly job opportunities. Vikrant Rahi, aDSP with but Idon’t see the situationget- ability.Private cabs including StrandedinChennai since the Whilesomepassengerswere “OnlywhenItriedtocheckin, flying butmywifeneeds to join “There arealot of people like Chhattisgarhpolice, had madean ting better anytimesoon, and Meru, Mogaand aprepaid taxi lockdown, he is headingto notifiedlastnightabout cancel- Iwas told that the flight has been her newjob at our hometown me who lost work during the ever longer journeytothe airport. both of them will be safer there stand were theonlyavailable op- Rampur in UP. lations, giving them time to make cancelled. Ihad notyet received soon and Igot theopportunity to lockdown and arehunting. I He had flown in on amorning than here,” he said. tions forthose looking to make “I work in aprivate company alternatebookings, others found anycancellation messagefrom be with my parentsonthe wanted to take the firstflight to flight from Raipur to take his wife Formanyatthe arrivals, Delhi their wayout of the airport. Acab and have been trying to come out onlyatthe airport. the airline,” he said. evening of Eid,” said Mohammad Bengaluru, wheremybrother and one-year-old daughter back wasnot the final destination. In towardsAgra, forinstance, cost home since March.The first Tapan Sen (42) had arrived at Some, meanwhile,got ames- Faisal,adoctorwho worksin lives, andstart an earlylookout to Chhattisgarhonanevening fact, alarge part of thosewho anywherebetween Rs 5,000- month, Isurvivedonmysavings, NewDelhi at 5amafter an sageregarding cancellation on Delhi, waiting foraflight to forjobsbecausecompanieswill flight. landedhailedfromUttar 8,000 —with onlytwo passen- butsoonmoneybeganto runout. overnight train from Jammu, Sunday. “I wassupposedtofly to Varanasi. have to start openings sometime “My wifeteachesinaschool Pradesh,and they made up the gers allowedatatime. Ibookedthisplaneticket twodays wherehehad gone forworkbe- Bhopal in the evening. Idecided Alex(29) had losthis job as an again and Iwant to beamong the in Delhi. I’vecome to pickthem bulk of passengers waiting in The price wastoo steep for agoand nowIhavetolookfor a fore the lockdown and had been to contact the airlines afterI IT in-charge in an education in- firsttograbthem,” he said. He up becauseshe said that she queues at private cab booths. some. bus since thereisnot enough stuckfor two months. He had a couldn’t checkinonline and was stituteduringlockdown.Hesaid had come to the airport from his needs help with our daughter.It Several passengers triedlook- Twenty-year-oldMunish moneyfor aprivate cab. Iamre- late morning flight to Bagdogra told thatthe flight wascancelled,” he is nowlooking to shiftbaseto hometown, Bareilly, afterhaving is abit stressful to travel witha ing forcabsonOla and Uber apps Khan stood outside the arrival lievedthatIhavemade it so far; I in West Bengal, wherehis fam- said Rajesh Kumar,who wasfly- Bengaluru in the hope of seizing paid Rs 7,000 foracab. child amid the coronavirus fears but complainedoflackofavail- gate with twobags of luggage. hope to be home soon,”hesaid. ilylives. ing forpersonal reasons. 58-yr-oldsanitation AMBIKA DIEDONSUNDAY AFTERNOON Delhi Metro prepares to supervisoratAIIMS Family wonders how to break beginops at 24-48 hr notice dies of coronavirus news of nursedeath to daughter cerAlice Raju recalledhow the SOURAVROYBARMAN “The condition of the other SOMYALAKHANI Ambika PK(46) died twowomen worked as medical NEWDELHI,MAY25 ASTHASAXENA four healthcareworkers is sta- NEWDELHI,MAY25 due to Covid-related staffatahospital in Yemen in the NEWDELHI,MAY25 ble. Theyare admitted in the mid 2000sbeforecoming to THE DELHI MetroRail ward,” said asenior doctor from AS SOON as Akhil(22) landed in complications at Delhi. “She wasambitious, and Corporation (DMRC), whichhas A58-YEAR-OLD sanitation su- the JPN trauma centre. Delhi from Kerala on Monday SafdarjungHospital easilyadjustedinany depart- soundedoff itsstaff that services pervisor at AIIMS, who had Kuldeep Dhigan, general sec- evening, he rushed to see his 15- ment,” said Raju. maybegin on ashort notice of tested positive forCovid-19, died retary,AIIMS SC/STEmployees' year-oldsisterBhagyamol,whois Akhil said he hasn't been able “24-48hours”, has decidedto on Sundayevening. Thisisthe WelfareAssociation, said the su- alone and in quarantine at home at Safdarjung Hospital. He told to speak to his father alot as he deployfullmanpoweracross its second deathreportedfromthe pervisor had developedfever in West Delhi’s Rajouri Garden. The Indian Express,“She told me “breaksdown” and is gutted that networkfromTuesdayand be- medical instituteinthe past few and mild respiratorydiscomfort “As soon as Isaw her,she ‘don’t worry, Iamgoing to the he is unable to return to Delhi gin preparations to run “double days.Lastweek,amess worker following whichhegot himself startedcrying and asked how ICU... Come here’. She couldn’t from Malaysia anytime soon. headway on all lines”. Double postedinthe RPCcanteen re- examinedatAIIMS. our mother is. Istood afar,held sayanything moreasshe was Akhil will stay at an uncle's headway implies thatthe fre- portedlysuccumbed to the virus. “As he had no symptoms backmytearsand told hershe is havingtrouble breathing.” house three blocks away from quency of trains will be high. HeeraLal wasapermanent then, he wasnot tested for in the ICU,she will getbetterand As Ambika battledthe virus, his sister. TheIndian Express haslearnt DMRCchief Dr ManguSingh duringaninspection lastweek. employeeofAIIMS and was Covid-19. He underwent routine Iwill take them back to Kerala... her teenagedaughter wasput He wasreceivedatthe Delhi that the Metroplans to deploy postedinthe OPD. Confirming bloodtests,was counselled and Ihad to lie,” said Akhil. under home quarantine in their airportbymembersofthe customer facilitation agentsat his death, Dr DKSharma, med- briefed about precautions to be On Sundayafternoon, their one-room rented house in United Nurses Association, who the station gatesfor thermal haps.TVMsare likelytobedis- pacity will be limited,with ‘do ical superintendentofthe hos- takenand sent home,” he said. mother Ambika PK(46) died Rajouri Garden. Taking careof also held acitywide one-minute scanning of commuters. Token abledsothat tokens andcash are notoccupy’ stickers pastedon pital, told The IndianExpress: Aresident of Noida’sKhora duetoCovid-related complica- her is oneofAmbika’s friends silence forAmbika across hospi- vending machines (TVMs) are notaccepted. Overall, cash trans- everyalternateseat. Those “Oursanitation inspectorhas Colony, he hadbeen working tions at Safdarjung Hospital. She and colleague, who said, “I go to tals on Monday. likelytobedisabledtodiscour- actions arelikelytobephasedout standing will be expected to passedawayand he wasCovid- with AIIMS forthe last33years. worked as anurseatKalra the house and drop offeach It wasinJanuary that the agecash transactions, exceptin entirely forthe time being, except maintain adistance of at leasta 19 positive.Hewas admitted to According to sources, he com- Hospital in West Delhi’sKirti meal, and tell her thatevery- family wastogetherinDelhi as "unavoidable circumstances". in unavoidable circumstances metreamong themselves. the trauma centre.”Lal hadbeen plainedoffever on May15. Nagarfor over adecade, and thing will be okay. Poor child theyrang in theNew Year.“If As the firststeptowards re- suchaspaying fines. Staffers have The SOP also underlines that put on ventilator support. His son Prahlad Singh said: livedinDelhi with her daughter. doesn’tknowher mother is no therewas no virusand lock- suming services, DMRChas de- been told that servicesare likely “onlyasymptomatic passengers At the trauma centre, four “My father then took leave fora Her husband Sanil Kumar works more, and it doesn’t help that she down, she would have visited cidedtodeploy full manpower, to begin on ashort notice of 24- shall be allowedtoentersta- moreCovid positive healthcare fewdays but his condition wors- and livesinMalaysia, whileAkhil is allalone inside. Icall her every Kerala with my sister... Idon’t including station controllers and 48 hours,” said sources. tions”. It adds that QR code- workers of theinstituteare un- enedonMay 19 andwetookhim is pursuing acareer in the fewhours and she onlywantsto knowhow things changed so housekeeping staff, from Metro, likeflight services basedtickets be linked with the dergoing treatment.Sofar,156 to the AIIMS emergency depart- Malayalam film industry and knowhow her mother is.” rapidly, Idon’t knowwhattotell Tuesday, sources said. Cleaning whichresumedonMonday, was AarogyaSetuapp to ensureonly healthcareworkers –two faculty ment. He wasimmediatelyad- livesinKerala. Ambika’s colleagues at Kalra my sisterand when to tell her of stations has also started. underthe list of restricted activi- “safepassengers” gain entryinto members,four resident doctors, mitted.The next day, he was The lasttimeAkhil spoketo Hospital remember her as apo- that our mother is dead. Inever Customer relations staffers ties across India under the latest stations once the restrictions on 16 nurses, and other stafffromthe shiftedtothe trauma centreafter his mother,she wasbeing liteand hardworking woman imagined aday likethis would have also been asked to show up lockdownguidelinesof theMHA. services arelifted. Metroopera- institute—havetestedpositive. he testedpositive forthe disease.” wheeledintothe Covid-19ICU who lovedsinging.Nursingoffi- come,” said Akhil. forbriefings on the newStandard The Centre has, however, already tors have also been directed to Operating Procedure(SOP) that shared with Metrooperators makeuse of “AarogyaSetuApp will govern services,asreported acrossthecountrytheSOPfollow- mandatory” forall passengers. by The Indian Express on May15. ing whichserviceswillresume. When contacted, aDMRCof- Days after openingborder with No e-pass needed “Frequency of trains across Under the SOP,the trains will ficial said the decision to deploy thelines on thefirstday of re- stop forupto30secondsmore all staffers is aimedtoensuring sumption of services will be at than usual at stationstoensure preparedness. "However, there Delhi, Ghaziabad seals it again to travel to airport the maximum possible extent... social distancing among passen- arenodirections so farfromthe It will be done forchecking out gers boarding or alighting. government on resuming oper- the operational readiness per- Inside the trains, seating ca- ations," the official said. EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE from Gurgaon NOIDA,MAY25 purpose private cab operators WITH Asharp rise in cases over SAKSHIDAYAL suchasUber/Ola and other taxi the last12days–91cases –the GURGAON,MAY25 services areallowedtooperate,” Ghaziabad administration once stated the order by District again sealedits borders with THE GURGAON District MagistrateAmitKhatri.The order Delhi on Monday afternoon. MagistrateonMondaydirected further states that passengers According to officials, major- that people travelling from have to book cabs “onlyfor the ity of newcases were linked to Gurgaon to the airport or train above destination”. those travelling backand forth station, or vice versa, will notre- In Faridabad, similarly,Deputy betweenDelhi and Ghaziabad. quireamovement pass to cross Commissioner Yashpal Yadav As of Monday, Ghaziabad has the border as long as theyhave clarified, “If people arelooking to 238 cases —the sixth highestin confirmedair or train e-tickets in commutefromFaridabadtothe Uttar Pradesh —with 189recov- their name. airport or viceversa,ticketswill eries and twodeaths. In the order,the DM has be morethan enough”. “In consultation with the The administration cited asharp spikeinCovid cases in the stated, “Whereas the Both Gurgaon and Faridabad Chief Medical Officer and his past10days.Doctors, nurses will notrequirepasses. Archive Government of India has decided had sealedtheir borders earlier team, it has been decidedtoseal to startthe operations of domes- this month, claiming that alarge borders withDelhi... Persons in- tic airlines from 25.02.2020 and number of the coronavirus cases volvedinessential services will Lockdown 4.0 issuedonMay 22, The Ghaziabad administra- trains from01.06.2020 onwards emerging in their districtswere notface issues,” said Ajay the Ghaziabad administration tion has also urgedthe Delhi and forthis reason, the online linked to Delhi. Shankar Pandey, District had said one can travel from government to maintainthe ticket booking forthe same has Gurgaon has recorded284 Magistrate(Ghaziabad). Delhi to Ghaziabad (exceptthose 33%working rule foroffices also started.” coronaviruscases so far, includ- Earlier,the UP government in containment zones) without since thousands of Class IV em- “...passengers who have acon- ing 13 people who testedpositive had barredthose travelling from restrictions. ployees travel from the district firmed air/train e-ticket in their on Monday. Twopeople have Delhi’s containment zones to Under the neworder,doc- to Delhi. Government employ- name shall be allowedtotravel succumbedto the infection so far. Ghaziabad and had giventhe ad- tors, nurses, paramedical staff ees will be issuedtravelpasses from theairport/railway station Faridabad, meanwhile, has ministration freedom to frame and ambulances will notrequire by their department whichwill to their home/destination and recorded211 cases so far, with detailedguidelines. passesand willhavetopresent be checkedatthe border,the vice versa. Theywillnot require twomorepeople testingpositive Accordingly,inguidelines for their ID cards at the border. order said. anymovement pass forit. Forthis on Monday.

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54TH INDEPENDENCEANNIVERSARY TO BOOSTFIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 Aland of emerging opportunities Message from the With abundantnaturalresourcesand abusiness-friendly atmosphere, Guyana offers myriad High Commissioner investment avenues,ranging from oil and gas and renewable energy to tourism ■ ABHISHEK PATHAK products,closely followed by China. TheMining &Quarrying sector repre- forGuyana ORDERED BY the waters of theAt- sents acritical component of Guyana’s lantic Ocean to the north,Guyana economy,contributing 20.4% to GDP in occupies akey geographicalposi- 2018. In addition,the extractive sectorac- Btion as the gateway to the counted for approximately 42% of Caribbean and SouthAmerica.Thecountry is Guyana’stotal exports in 2018. With the an emergingeconomy with enormous un- substantial increase in gold prices in 2020, tapped potential in its natural resources. the gold mining business, in particular,will Access to keyexport markets,anEnglish- be of interest to investors.The country has speaking populationand affordablelabour garnered interest from the world’slargest markets present investors withprofitable mining companies due to its locationonthe avenues to do business in Guyana. The mineral-richGuiana Shield. country offersinvestors aplethoraofop- Additionally,Guyana’s unparallelednat- portunities in many sectors including re- ural beauty coupled with its unique cultural newable energy,oil &gas,agriculture, heritage makeitafavouriteamong South forestry,mining,andtourism. American countries in the Caribbean com- Through market-oriented reforms tar- munity.The countryishome to many at- geted towards opening of its economy, ticularly well suited for off-grid power for to it becoming the next big oilproducer in tractive tourist sites including the majestic Guyana providesaninvestor-friendly envi- remote,hinterlandcommunities,aswell as theWesternworld. Kaieteur Falls,the highestsingle-drop wa- ronment in terms of stable macroeconomic rooftop installations in urban areas.Solar Guyanahas extensive tracts of produc- terfall in the world, and the renowned policies,attractive investment incentives parks for power to the coastal grid would tive,agricultural land with existing large- St. George’s Cathedral in Georgetown, re- and aregulatory environmentand corpo- also integrate well with Biomass electricity scale production of rice,sugar andother putedly the world’stallest wooden build- ratetax regime that doesnot discriminate fromthe large agriculturalsector. TheGreen crops.This resource presentshugeoppor- ing. Abundant wildlife,numerous species against foreign investors.Infact, there are State Development Strategy has set an am- tunities forprocessedand semi-processed of flora and fauna and spectacular birdlife favourable incentives for FDIs includingVAT bitioustarget of achieving a100%renew- foods, high-value certified organic prod- were amongst the reasons why Guyana exemptions,income tax holidays and re- able electricity supply for the National Grid ucts,etc.In2018,theAgriculture and Live- won the “Best of Ecotourism” Destination duced tariffs on imports. by 2030. stock sector representedapproximately prizefor 2019 at the ITB Global Travel Fair. Guyana has extensive renewableenergy Furthermore, the new Oil &Gas industry 11% of Guyana’sGDP.Guyana also has TheGovernment of Guyanaisactively fa- resources that suit the implementation of has moved from discovery in May 2015 to vast forestresources covering more than cilitating the development of this sector projects on avariety of scales.Hydropower production in December 2019. Withgross 75% of itslandmass.Thisisrather at odds withinvestment opportunities thatinclude sites already surveyed range from large- recoverablereserves of 8billion barrels of with Forestry’scomparativelysmall contri- development of the Kaieteur Park area as scaleGigawatt projects suitable for the na- oil-equivalentoff-shore, the Stabroek Block bution of 3% to the country’sGDP in 2018. amajor tourist destination, development tional grid and export to neighbouring is the most significant new oil find in recent There are clearly significant investment op- of niche tourism markets and services to countries,tosmalland micro sized units. years.Developed by ExxonMobil,Hessand portunitiesfor sustainable development of support ecotourism and adventure tourism, Lying onlyafew degrees northofthe equa- CONOOC,it will likely power Guyana’sGDP this sector.In2016, Indiawas the single andthe developmentofhospitality services tor,Guyana’ssolar energy resource is par- growth to above 20% this year on the way largest destination for Guyana’stimber to cater to international tourists. H.E. Dr.David GoldwinPollard, High CommissionertoIndia,Sri Lanka&Bangladesh, andAmbassador to Indonesia

Greetings from Guyana constitutionalauthority of the Guyana Exploring business prospectsinGuyana What adifference another year has Elections Commission. Suffice to say that a made! At the Independence Day Recep- nationalrecount administeredbythe tion last year,Iremarked on what adiffer- Guyana Elections Commission is now in is arewarding exercise ence Guyana’sfifty-third year of indepen- progressunder careful scrutiny by au- dence had made,particularlyinrelationto thorities from CARICOM (the Caribbean political developments at home.This fifty- Community). It is beinglive-streamedand fourth year,however, has shaken Guyana, other arrangementsfor improved trans- Indiaand thewhole world! parency are in place. How couldone small virus in man have Three monthsafter voting, the country become onegiant setback for mankind in is both tense and weary in equal measure. such short order? Anew coronavirus,un- Thewidespreadhopeisthat theresults of known to medicalscience just six months an exhaustive electoral process, once an- ago,has become apandemic that has nounced,willconfer adeserveddegree of now killed one thirdofamillion people legitimacy on the next government. and infected more than five million. “Socialdistancing”, abehaviour previ- Guyana –India ously unknown to most of us,isnow our Thestrong collaboration between wayoflife as we fight to hold on to it. So, Guyanaand India continued during the we do not mark the start of Guyana’s year.Iwould particularly liketoacknowl- fifty-fifth year of Independence witha edge recent Indian support for Guyana’s grand receptionbut rather with the publi- COVID-19programme. It has been much cation of this message about our coun- appreciated. Balram Adlakha,Managing Director, try’sprogress.May you find some hope in There wasalso significantprogress Uttamenergy Limited Guyana’sstory during the past year. with aLine of Credit project on drainage & irrigation. Technical visits wereex- NOctober 2019,Iwaspart of adele- FirstOil changed and the required Indianmanu- gationfrom India exploring invest- In December2019, Guyana produced factured drainage pumps have arrived in ment and business opportunities in IGuyana. Our company Uttamenergy its “firstoil” more than three months Guyanafor installation there. ahead of an already ambitious schedule. AGuyana-India Business Forum was specialises in power plantsutilising bio- only visit the sugar estates,but also hear Ourgovernment had succeeded in deliv- launched and adelegationvisited Guyana mass and waste,and ourbusiness group first hand from all major departments of ering its keyeconomic objective by en- last autumn. Aseries of successful busi- is also aleader in the sugar industry—be- thegovernment about their policiesand hancing and providinganenvironment of ness interactions has ledtoactivityinthe ing amajor producer of sugar in India,and development plans for the future,and to good governance and transparent prac- Sugar and Gold mining industries and to also asupplier of machinery and equip- interact with some of the local business tice that enabled the ExxonMobil-led oil real estate investments.There have been ment to someofthe largest sugarcom- owners about their successes and aspira- consortium to achieve an engineering and follow-up visitsand, generally,agood plexes in the world. Guyana, an old-time tions. We alsomadeaday trip travelling technical milestone.ExxonMobil’scoun- platform is being built on which trade and producer of sugar that is going through a eastwardonthe northerncoastthrough try manager said,“This has been the best investment opportunities can prosper. profound transformation in its economy, to the countyofBerbice where,besidesin- and most rewarding job Ihave ever had,” Dr.Srinivasa, the new IndianHigh had been of great interest to us.Wewere teracting with businesses based in the re- as we movedfrom the initial discovery Commissioner to Guyana, took up his honoured to be invited by the High Com- gion, we visited thebeautiful IndianAr- offshore to production in less than posting during the year.Asluckwould missionerofGuyana to India to be apartof rivalMonument, which wascompleted five years. have it the visiting business delegation this delegation and witness the country just last year. We continuedonward to the So,despitethe global, economic ravages wasable to join him for the commemora- first hand. countryside and eastern sugar estates till of the pandemic andthe chaotic oilmar- tion of Mahatma Gandhi’s150 birth an- Since we had reached Georgetown near the banks of the Corentyne river kets that have resulted, Guyana still ex- niversary in Georgetown. with acouple of days to spare before our ties the two countries share. sugar can be produced in the countryto which forms the border with Suriname,be- pects to record GDP growth in excess of On my own behalf,Iwasverypleased to official meetings were to begin, my col- Therecent growth spurt witnessed by be exportedthroughout the Caribbean to fore heading back to Georgetown.We all 20% this year.The country’smedium term join the visit by diplomatic Heads of Mis- league and Itookthe liberty to venture out Guyanadue to theanticipation andsub- start with, along with fuel ethanol and realised then what alarge landmass the economic prospects remain good and our sion to Jammu &Kashmir in January to the town.What immediately struck me sequent production of oil is being well other value addedproducts. We arekeen country comprises of for its small popula- sovereign wealth fund will soon clear its whichwas hosted by the MinistryofExter- wasthe freshness and diversity of utilised to bring about an overhaul of to implement many of the lessons from tion, since we hadonly traversed but a first cheque. nal Affairs.After the events of 5th August, Guyaneseculture, andyet the pleasant fa- other industries as well, such as in the our decades longexperienceinthe sugar part of its northern coast. 2019, the visit wasparticularly informative miliarityithas to offertovisitorsfromIndia. sugar and energy sectors.This makes India, industry in india. In whatwas ameticulouslyplanned, GeneralElections and revelatory.Itcontributed substantially Along-time admirer of Caribbean food the largest sugar producing nation, and Theresulting biomass incidentally extremely well organised and memorable Voting in Guyana’sGeneral &Regional to Guyana’s understanding of the impact myself,Iwasted no time in finding a ourgroup whichoffersthe mostcutting turnsout to beadequate in itself to gen- trip,courtesyofthe High Commissioner Electionson2nd March, 2020 wasorderly of the constitutional changes made in nearby roti shop to tryout some curries edgetechnologies in both sugarand en- erate green, renewable and carbon neu- of Guyana and the Government of and peaceful. It wastowards the end of the Jammu &KashmirlastAugust. and other Indo-Caribbean delicacies such ergy,very naturalpartners for Guyana.To tral power for the entire country,which is Guyana,wegainedanew appreciation count that problems arose when the as pholourie and dhaalpuri. Onecan't our delight, in the subsequent days of our comprisedoffewer than amillionpeo- for the immense potential and scope of biggest electoral District 4, which includes Closing help butthink that the vibrancy of trip we found the country to be astound- ple.Not to mention,Guyana has asimilar the partnership between India and the capital Georgetown, wasbeing Our world has been shaken by the Guyana,evidentfrom its diversemusic inglyrichinnatural resources,including potential for power generationfrom Guyana. Be it in thesugar industry, or in processed. Because of the disruption and COVID-19 pandemic but not enough to andfood,the many religionsand there- the ones our companies specialise in waste husk from its rice mills,anabun- otherareas such as infrastructure or en- administrative chaos thatengulfed theDis- loosen the close bonds of heritage,poli- fore festivities,and the passion for cricket making use of.The sugarcane growing dant potential for solar energydue toits ergy,Indian companiesoffer averycom- trict 4count,noofficial declaration of the re- tics and development that bind us.We we witnessed since the Caribbean Premier season forinstance offers twocrops per geography, as well as for hydro-electric pelling value proposition to Guyana, al- sults wasmade. look forward to the undoubted challenges League had been underway at the time, year instead of one,asiscommoninIn- power due to the many rivers which flow beit with aresponsibility to deliver Anumber of legalinjunctions &chal- and opportunities to come and hope only makes the country akin to India in many dia, owingtothe countrybeing close to through the country. excellence which they must not take lenges then ensued relating to the unde- that theRepublics of Indiaand Guyana ways.Guyana being an English speaking the equator and no other crops compet- Thedelegation included otherrepre- lightly.It's amatterofpride for Indian clared results, the process by which mat- continue to traverse them together in ac- country,the only oneinmainland South ingfor land use.Weobservedthatnewly sentatives fromIndiancompanieswith companies such as ours to be able to ters could be rectified and the customed friendship. America,also makes it easy for Indian vis- developedvarieties of sugarcanecan be business interestsranging from hospitality serve Guyana duringthis crucialphase in itors to comfortably get by there.Of used in Guyana to drastically increase to mining. As we continuedonour week its development, and we look forwardto course,there aredeep andhistoric cultural yield and sucrose content, and high grade long agenda, we had the chance to not being part of the Guyanese growthstory.

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54THINDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARYTOBOOST FIGHTAGAINST COVID-19 An occasion to thankGuyana Guyana is ahaven for andits friendly people investment today

ities and understandfromthe very beginning of their medical career thattheir services are for thecom- munitywhich gives themanoppor- tunity to learn,grow and serve self- lessly. Theprogress that Guyana as a nationstate andLincolnAmerican University as amedical institution has made so far givesusample grounds to feel proud and also the encouragementand motivationto do more and achieve greater Terming Guyana as a‘home away from Air Marshal heights.Aswecontinue to work home’, Arun Jain,Director, V.S. (Dr) Pawan Kapoor AVSM, shouldertoshoulder,Iam sure we VSM, and BAR (Retd), will overcomethe unexpected Infrastructure Capital Ltd and Founder Vice-Chancellor, Lincoln challenges that we and fellow hu- President of Guyana-India Business American University man beings are facing today in terms of the global pandemic.The Forum, tells Abhishek Pathak from NTHE auspicious occa- faculty,staff and students continue sion of the 54th Anniver- to supportwholeheartedlythe ef- The Indian Express group the country Osary ofTheIndependence forts of the Ministry of Health, offers the Indian business community Day of Guyana, I, on be- Govt. of Guyana to contain and half of the entire family of Lincoln overcomethe challenges posed by tremendous opportunities in the oil and AmericanUniversity,convey my spir- COVID-19. itedgreetings and warm wishesto Our studentshave founda gas, manufacturing, agriculture, and the Co-operative Republic of home in this aesthetic, beautiful, services sectors, including IT Guyana.WhenGuyana gainedfree- pristine country that is fullof dom on the historicday of 26 May, friendly people.This is theland 1966,an independent nation's jour- which shallconvert their dreams Whatmotivated the establishment of the Guyana India busi- ney to growth and prosperitybegan, www.laumed.org and aspirations into Reality.May ness Forum? and to my delight,it continues.With this land of manywatersand di- Basically,our purpose of startingthis forum wastoexplore businessop- overfivedecades of this journey,fu- the making. In the capacity of Vice- verse cultureskeep inspiring the portunities in Guyana whose huge untapped potential and similarities to our eled with efforts,dedication,mutual Chancellor of LincolnAmericanUni- health affordable to the masses is and other countries worldwide,who world with its motto“OnePeople, Indian culture are little known in India today.Thereisalot of scope for in- co-operation, and devotion of the versity in Georgetown city,Ifeel im- priceless. will step out as medical professionals One Nation, One Destiny.” MayThe tegration between the two economies and business communities.The Guyanese,Guyana hasamazed the mensely privileged, proud, and Today,Itakethis opportunity to in the times to come.Iam confident GoldenArrowhead keep billowing country’skey geographic position in theCaribbean and South America world with its distinct milestones. honoured to be apart of Guyana's convey my gratitude to all the that this new crop of doctors will in pride.May we keep moving for- combinedwithits naturalresources, accesstokey export markets, Eng- Growing literacy rates,better health growthstory.The support that we,as Guyanese for allowing us to make a surely makeadifference to the ward together on our shared path lish-speaking population and affordable labour present investors prof- and well-being of the Guyanese,in- an institution, have got from the positive difference to education and health ecosystem of Guyana,for bet- of Guyana’sdevelopment, pros- itableopportunities to do business in Guyana. dustrial development, andpromis- Government of Guyana andall the health in Guyana.So far, ourGuyana ter. Together with ourfaculty,our stu- perity, andevengreaterglory. Thecountry hasapopulation of about 750,000 of which 40% are of In- ing economic growth are atesti- Guyanese in pursuitofour mission campusishome to about 250 med- dents are deeply involved in local Withour best wishes,always. dianorigin.Thepresence of such alarge number of Indian-originpeople mony to Guyana’ssuccess story in to makemedical education and ical students from Guyana, India, community healthcare related activ- Toll free number:1800 843 9595 affirms that India shares strong cultural ties with Guyana.Inasense, Guyana can be termed as a‘home away from home’ for Indian investors. Thecountry offers tremendousopportunities to investors as Guyana is into oilproduction and its economy is growing at the fastestrateinthe ANational Day Reception to remember worldtoday.India should definitely set up abusiness chamber thereto explore opportunitiesinoil and gas,manufacturing and the service sec- torsincluding IT.India’shugeworkforce,comprising skilled andun- NMay 27th, 2019 the fairs.Many Heads of Mission, steel-pan rhythms,soca, chut- of videos of Guyana's natural into what it has to offer to skilled workers,can be made to exploresuch avenues in Guyana. Clearly, Cooperative Republic of BusinessAssociates and ney,etc.Thefood included deli- wonders,its discovery of oiland the world. the country hasalotofuntapped potentialwhich we wanted to explore O through this forum. Guyanahosted arecep- Guyanese residing in India were cious Guyanese pastries like its trade and investment possi- In summary,the event high- tion at the ITC Maurya to cele- present on the occasiontocele- pine tarts and salaras.For con- bilities,the invitees were lightedthe warm and friendly brateits 53rdIndependenceAn- brateGuyana’sNational Day. noisseurs of liquor,there were treated to the wonders and ties between Guyana and India What arethe typesofinvestment opportunities in Guyana? niversary.The ChiefGuest was Theevening provideda the famousElDorado 12, 15 beauty of Guyana, evident in its and, by extension, Guyana's re- Since Guyana is opening up its economy due to oil exports,the Real Es- Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary glimpse of Guyanese's culture. and21-year-old Guyaneserums. rich and bountiful resources,be- lations with the diplomatic and tate prices in the country have startedshooting up.This,inturn,has ledto (East), Ministry of External Af- There wasmusic in the form of With the continuous viewing sides beingoffered an insight businesscommunities in India. support for and developmentofthe tourism,manufacturing and mining in- dustries.These three industriestogether are propelling Guyana to newer heights and present abundant opportunities for Indian businesses to thrive in the country.Inall these three verticals, Indians have alot of expertise and the manpower to tap opportunities in Guyana. Given the right support, it will prove asuperbavenuefor Indian businessmen to unearth the plethora of opportunities thatexist in Guyana. One of our membersfrom Mumbai has already gained access to aconcessioninGuyana for gold mining purposes. Construction is another vibrant sector in Guyana right now and we should definitely capitaliseonthat. In fact, aconstruction companyfrom Mumbai has acquired space to build afive-star hotel in Guyana and, even after ac- quisitionofthe land, its price shot up dramatically.

What areyourthoughts about Indian participation in the sugar industry in Guyana? Beingone of the largest industriesinIndia andGuyana both, investment in the sugarindustry of Guyana should definitely be considered.Inthis re- gard, manyofour members have visited Guyana as part of two delega- tions in ashort span of six months,toassess the opportunities offered by this industry.They metwith top sugar industrialists,government officials,min- H.E.Dr. DavidGoldwin Pollard,High Commissioner of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to Indiawiththe chief guest, isters and the Indian High Commissioner to explore the possibilities.One In- Vijay Thakur Singh-SecretaryEast, MEA dian sugar groupislooking seriously to acquire andinvestinthe sugar and powersectors in Guyana with an integrated approach.

(L-R) The High Commissioner,his wife, Dr.Annabelle Pollard, the Chief Guest and First Secretary Esther Gittens Playing of the National Anthem

Display of Guyana's First Oil —Guyana is Glimpse of Guyanese Culture—cultural Glimpse of must-visit places of Guyana — now an oil-producing nation diversity is ahallmark of present-day Guyana South America's Biggest Little Secret

*(READ. ENGAGE. DELIVER.)ISTHE MARKETINGSOLUTIONS TEAM OF THE INDIAN EXPRESS GROUP New Delhi WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 6 THECITY THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,MAY26,2020 SCHOODutLIyoSSUEfgDNOTIovCE BYtsDOtoERESPONDSgive laptops,nettoEWS kids:SchooltoHC

EWScategorystudents, creating quirementsofthe Right of PRITAMPALSINGH special videos forthem to clar- Children to Free and Compulsory NEWDELHI,MAY25 ify their doubts, and taking reg- Education Act, 2009, is to be ular feedbackfromstudentsas borneexclusively by the State SANSKRITI SCHOOL in well as teachers to ensure doubt and Centralgovernments.” Chanakyapuri has submittedbe- removal”. The affidavit stated that the fore theDelhi High Courtthatitis “… Constant effortsare made school “maintains impeccably the“duty”of theCentreandDelhi by teachers,counsellors andrep- highstandardsofeducation, and government to provide equip- resentativesofthe school to goes above and beyond the min- mentto economicallyweakersec- reachout to studentsand their imummandateofthe lawtoen- tion (EWS) or disadvantaged parentsthrough phone calls, surethat no child is leftbehind”. groupcategorystudents,enabling emails and WhatsApp groups,” Theyclaimedthattheyare them to attend online classes. the affidavit said. even extending help to students The school said this in an affi- The DoE, however, has stated of classes IX to XII. davit filedinthe High Court. It is that it is binding on all private un- “Atthisstage,theseefforts among the 15 schools issueda aidedrecognisedschools to en- have resulted in 90 %regular at- showcause notice by the Delhi surethatstudents from the EWS tendance of EWSchildren during EID TREAT government's Directorateof or disadvantaged groupsare not the online classes, and as men- Education (DoE) fornot provid- “deprived” of online classes. tionedpreviously, eachclass is be- Childrenbuy ice-cream with themoneytheyreceived as Eidi, at Shaheen Bagh on Monday. Abhinav Saha ing free laptops/ iPad/phones The courtwas hearingaplea ingrecordedforlater viewingand with high speedinternettostu- by an NGO, Justice forAll, which peers arereaching out over the dentsfromthese categories. sought to provide free laptops, phone...,” the affidavit added. The school alsosubmitted tablets,phones to EWSchildren It further submitted that “it that due to the circular from the so theycan access online classes. is also important to remember Northwest Delhi government’s Directorate The NGO, in itspleafiled that even during ordinarytimes, JNU ‘advises’ students in hostels of Education(DoE) to only through advocateKhagesh Jha, when thereisnolockdown, charge tuition fee, schools have said private unaidedschools’ de- schools rarely have 100% atten- DM office “severe restrictions on their cash cision to conduct classes via dance due to varying reasons. In flow, while most of the expendi- videoconferencing would affect the present times, manyofthe to leave, invites student union ire tureiscontinuing”. over 50,000EWSstudents, many parentsmay have gone backto hacked for “Directing them (the school) of whom cannotaffordlaptops, their villages due to theongoing to purchase videoconferencing phones and high-speedinternet. migrant crisis...” India and Delhi Government e-passes equipment forseveral students, Hearing the plea, the courton Amid the pandemic, all ARANYASHANKAR guidelines... the Universityhas while restrainingtheir ability to May8hadsoughtrepliesfromthe schools have movedtheir class- NEWDELHI,MAY25 announced studentscan return NewDelhi: TheDelhiPolice is on collect fees and raise funding, Centre, Delhigovernment, New rooms to thevirtual space. to campus on or after25June the lookout forunknownper- would be impractical and illogi- DelhiMunicipalCouncil,MCDs However, as reportedbyThe THE JAWAHARLAL Nehru 2020 and till then all academic sons who allegedly hackeda cal,” the affidavit said. and 10 private unaided schools. Indian Express,EWS students in University (JNU) administration activities areclosed,” it added. computer in NorthwestDistrict The school, however, Responding to the same, private schools have across chal- on Monday“strongly advised” The JNU Students’ Union Magistrate’s office in Kanjhawala claimed in itsaffidavitthatthey Sanskriti Schoolsaid that “it is to- lenges suchasnolaptops and studentsstill remainingoncam- (JNUSU) said the administration to illegallyissue e-passes forin- have amechanisminplace — daywellsettledthat thefinan- smartphones as well as no inter- pus to return to theirhome- was“deliberatelyputting stu- terstate travel. creating“WhatsApp groupsfor cial burden arising out of the re- netconnection. towns, nowthat trainservices dents’ livesand safetyatrisk”. The fraudcame to light after have resumed. “Since the administration it- senior officials observed discrep- JNU is aresidential campus selfacknowledgesthat the ancies in the number of passes with amajority of studentsstay- number of Covid-19cases are issuedand also noticedthat For cricket in Sonepat, Tiwari ing in hostels. Earlier in March, increasing in Delhi, is it advis- someone had changed the pass- severalstudentshad leftthe able that studentsventure out word forthe registration of e- campus aftertheywereasked to JNU is aresidential campus with amajorityofstudents and put their livesatrisk?...,” the passes. Delhi Police said theyre- finds himself on stickywicket vacatehostels by the administra- staying in hostels. Archive JNUSU said. ceivedacomplaint from the DM tion and had takentemporary This, the JNUSU said, “not Northwestoffice on Friday. residence in the national capital. onlyputsthe safetyofstudents “Officers from the DM office Many suchstudentslater ex- questedtostaybackinhostels” moretrains aregoing to be at risk, but also demonstrates said someone had forged e- ABHINAVRAJPUT pressedadesire to return, saying earlier “due to non-availability startedfrom1st June 2020. The that the JNU administration passes by hackingintothe office NEWDELHI,MAY25 the stop-gap arrangementsthey of public transport during the intra-state bus and taxi services has abandonedall sense of re- computer.Theyalso suspect the made were no longer feasible. lockdown”. have also been startedbythe sponsibility towardsits stu- role of office staff. We have reg- DELHI BJP chief Manoj Tiwari and In acircularonMonday, Dean “As is widelyreported, the stategovernments,” the circu- dentsinamannerthatis isteredacaseagainstunknown the AamAadmi Partyengagedin of StudentsSudheer Pratap IndianRailways has begun to run lated stated. notonlyshameful but also persons under sections of the IT awar of wordsafter avideo of the Singh said, “Manystudentsre- special trains, and around 200 “As per the MHA,Govt. of criminal”. Act,” said DCP (Rohini) Pramod NortheastDelhi MP playing Kumar Mishra. cricket in Haryana’s Sonepat Police areonthe lookout for emergedonsocialmedia. the illegal e-passesand suspect In the video, Tiwari wasseen SALUTE THE SOLDIER one of the staffers to have leaked playing cricket on aprivately- information to the accusedinex- ownedcricket ground in Ganaur, MARTYR OF 206 CoBRA changefor money. Theyare meetingpeopleinagatheringand Tiwari (centre) said all norms were followed. Twitter SI/GD, Rajesh Kumar Bind of 206 CoBRA questioning dataoperators and singing songs. AAP calledthe act made the supreme sacrifice during acounter- Maoist operation in the area of Vill- Tamilwada, other staffers who work in the IT “insensitive”while Tiwari said under PS- Chintagupha, Distt- Sukma (C.G), department. the party was“unnecessarily MHA permitted theopening of Delhi BJP media in-charge on 25th May,2018. The CRPF proudly The DM office has already politcising the issue”. stadiums, withoutspectators. NeelkantBakshisaidTiwariwent remembers the braveheart who laid down his pulleddownthe websiteasin- AAP RajyaSabha MP Sanjay Basedonthat, Idecidedtoplay. to meetsomeone in Ganaur, life at the altar of duty while fighting with vestigation is on. Meanwhile, a Singh said,“At this time of Covid All norms were followed.” whichis30kmfromDelhi,taking maoists. His courage and bravery would senior officer from SDM office in crisis, the wayTiwariwent to an- Speaking to The Indian prior permission from police. remain an abiding source of inspiration for the Force. Kanjhawala confirmedthat a other statetoplaycricket, by vi- Express,heclaimed: “I had gone “Later,onthe requestofthe complaint has been filed. The olating lockdown norms, is an theretomeetafewpeople. AAP owner of the ground, he went to IG &All Ranks of CoBRA NorthwestDMdidn’t respond to utterly insensitive act. Everyday, is unnecessarilypolitcising this see acricket match. Therewas no calls or textsseeking acomment. thousandsofpoor migrant issue as theywant to hide the plan to play.Asspectatorswere Lastweek,therewereover labourers arewalkingonthe fact their MLAPrakash Jarwalis notallowed,theyoffered him a five cases wherepolice caught streetsand manyofthem have involvedinextortion,whichled chance to play,”hesaid. men with forged e-passes or reg- losttheir livesdue to road acci- to adoctorcommitting suicide.” Bakshi addedthat the Delhi istration documentsastheytried dents. Ignoring suchahumani- He wasreferring to AAP MLA unit chief has been helping lakhs to leave Delhi. In these cases, po- tarian crisis, howcan an elected PrakashJarwal,whowasarrested of people since the lockdown by licecaught theaccused afterthey publicrepresentative go to an- in connection withthe suicide of distributing ration. scannedthe printede-passes other statetoplaycricket?” aSouth Delhi doctor lastmonth. Four Haryana districtsborder- during picket-checking. The Tiwari hit backsaying that he Thefamilyhadlevelledchargesof ing the national capital, including passes didn’t have correct regis- has notviolated social distanc- extortionandharassmentagainst Sonepat,havesealedborders due tration and other details. ENS ing or lockdown norms: “The the MLA, who has deniedthem. to spikeinCovid-19cases. Simple activities, spoken English classes: How govt schools are keeping kids engaged

of the Entrepreneurship theyare participating very stand, since the languageused SUKRITA BARUAH MindsetCurriculum (EMC), a well. The early activities were by teachers in classrooms is a NEW DELHI, MAY 24 programme startedbythe lighter to engagethem, but we mixtureofHindi and English. government lastyear forstu- arestarted towardsthosere- The subsequentcontent has "TEACHER BANNE ke liyemu- dentsofclasses IX to XII, quiring morecritical think- been modifiedaccordingly," jhe chahiyebhotsaaraconfi- whichwent digitalaround a ing," said project coordinator said ShailendraSharma, prin- dence, bhotsaari knowl- month and ahalfago during Sapna Yadav. cipal advisor to the education edge…sahi tarhasequence the lockdown. Eachbatchofstudentshas director. mein study karni hogi… apne Twice or thrice aweek, been 1-1.5 lakh students. Since mathematics has parentskasupport, teachers studentsare sent linksto Another online pro- been identifiedasaweak ka support, friends ka sup- YouTubevideos explaining gramme whichstudentshave point of studentsintheir class port," wroteMansi, aclass XII smallsimple activities such as been promotedtoclass IX and Xboards, these classes arein- student at agovernment 'Aap kaun se daron se dosti those who have completed tendedtostrengthentheir school in Janakpuri. karna chahtehai' or 'Meri class IX have been participat- fundamental concepts. This wasinresponsetoa sapno ki duniya'. These are ing in is online mathematics Studentswho arewaiting simple activity her teacher sent both through SMS to fundamentals classes con- fortheir boardexaminations to had sent her on WhatsApp - their parents' phones and ducted by Khan Academy. be completedhavealsohad on- she had to thinkaboutwhat through classWhatsApp Linkstothese classes arealso line spoken English classes or- arethe different things shere- groups. These arealso posted sent everyalternateday to ganisedfor them with British quires to achieve herdreams. on Instagram and Facebook theirparents' phones,which Council. With thedatesheets of With children in Delhi at pages created fordigital EMC. lead to two-three instruc- their remaining exams released home forovertwo months Studentssend their responses tional videos and two-three by theCBSE, these sessions are now, schools across the city on thoseWhatsApp groups, or problemsfor them to solve unlikelytoextend beyond June have been conducting teach- even to the Instagram and online. 15 at most. ing-leaning online. Facebook handles, through "Wehavebeen working on "These arenot compulsory However, the Delhi gov- drawings, edited images, the feedbackwehavebeen forstudentsand sessions are ernment's education depart- videos or justtext. gettingonthese. At the begin- notmorethan half an hour ment has also been trying to "So far, we have sentnine ning, we had told the Khan long. The point wastopickup engagestudentsinits schools suchactivities and we have Academyteam that we would newskills and be engaged in different online learning ac- had between20,000 to 36,000 liketodevelop content in Hindi during this time. The atten- tivities outside of coreaca- studentsresponding to them. as that would suit our students. dancehas fluctuated between demiccurriculum -tovarying Giventhe accessibility con- But what happened wasthata 40,000 and83,000 out of levels of student engagement. straintsofstudents in our lotofstudentsactuallyfound around 2lakhchildren," said The activity that Mansi's schools, of course we cannot thechaste Hindi that wasbe- an educationdepartment of- teacher had sent her waspart forcethem to take partbut ing useddifficult to under- ficial.

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Howthe states handled SCallowsAirIndiato DELHI CONFIDENTIAL domestic flights on Day1 flywithoutmiddle seatsemptytillJun6

thusedabout Air India’s decision March 23 circular has nowbeen EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE nottoleave seatsempty be- superseded. “Weare notdoubt- NEWDELHI,MAY25 tween passengers giventhe ing your circular,” said the CJI. Covid-19 situation.Atone point, Mehtasaid therewas ameeting THE SUPREMECourt Mondayal- it told Solicitor GeneralTushar of medical and aviation experts lowedAir India to flynon-sched- Mehta, “You should be worried on May4following whichan uledinternational flightswith- about the health of citizens, not SOP wasissuedonMay 5. out having to keep aseat empty thehealthofcommercial air- Keeping the middle second seat NOVEL CELEBRATION between twopassengers tillJune lines...”Appearing forthe peti- vacant would serve no purpose 6. The Centreand the national tioners, Mehtapointed to thedif- while air circulation is already In the absence of full-fledged celebrations on the firstanniver- carrier had arguedthat flights ficulties in implementing the thereinsidethe aircraft, the SG saryofthe BJP's return to power, the party is trying to mark the were already booked and dis- Bombay HC direction. “There said quoting the experts. occasion in adifferent way. PrimeMinisterNarendraModi continuingthe middle seat sud- wasaflightfromheretoUS, peo- The Bombay HC order came will writeletters to 10 crorefamilies,while party president J denlywouldleadtoalogistical ple came because theyhad pre- following aplea by an AI Pilot PNadda willholdaFacebook live session with party workers Enteringthe ChennaiAirportonMonday, and (below) exitingthe Mumbai Airport. nightmareasone-thirdofbook- bookings. Keeping vacant seats Decan Kananiwho urgedthe acrossthe country. Theparty willalsoorganise interaction PTI and NirmalHarindran ings would have to be cancelled comes with procedural issues… courttodirect the airline to en- programs withvarious groups including digital media plat- compounding problems for familysitstogether... airports are surecompliance of the March 23 forms. The PrimeMinister’s call forAtmanirbharBharat will strandedpassengers. different,” the SG said. circular in the interestofpublic be the major thrustofthe campaign and the government’s PUNJAB JAMMU &KASHMIR The benchwas hearingan “There arenumerousflights health and safety. “success” in handling the Covid-19crisis would be itshigh- Punjab changed guidelines for On day1,three of the eight appealbythe Centre andAIchal- everydaycarrying thousands of On Monday, theSCre- light. The national leadership has already informedthe states handling arrivals at leastfour flightscoming to Jammu from lenging the May22interim or- passengersand dropping of such mandedthe matter to the to getready forthese programmes. times. CM Amarinder Singh Delhi and Srinagar were der of the Bombay High Court passengerswould createmas- BombayHigh Courtand askedit on Saturdaysaid that all those cancelled. The firstAir India whichhad asked Air India to ad- sive logistical,internationaland “topass an effective interim or- landingondomestic flights flight with 27 passengers heretothe Centre’s March 23 cir- visa-related issues,” he said der afterhearingall concerned NEW FACILITIES will be in home and landedatJammu airport cular. Thecircular had said that pointing out the BombayHCor- on the datefixed i.e. 2nd June, institutional quarantine for14 around 8.40 am. Mostofthe allocation of seatsbesuchthat a der would requireAItocancel 2020...or soon thereafter”. Establishing Covid-19testingfacilitiesare slowlybecoming days.OnSunday, the statesaid passengers arriving herefrom seat is kept emptybetween two one-thirdofthe bookings.The “Atthis juncture, we would eventsatwhichitisworth marking apresence forpoliticians. they would all be tested,and Delhiwerethosewho were passengers. HC order “ignores the gradual consider it necessaryfor the On Monday, AgricultureMinisterNarendraSingh Tomar inau- thosetestingpositive willbe strandeddue to lockdown. “Weare of the considered strategy of the Executive in deal- High Courttoarriveataprima gurated such afacilityinhis constituencyofMorena in sent forinstitutional Passengers’ swab samples viewthat thepetitioner –Air ingwith the issue at hand”, he facie finding regarding the safety Madhya Pradesh. Nowacoronavirus test can be doneatthe quarantine. But therewere were collectedfor test,and India should be allowedtooper- said. and healthofthe passengers qua district hospitalinMorena, Tomar tweeted. Ladakh MP apprehensionsontesting so were takentodifferent hotels atethe non-scheduledflights While Mehtasubmitted the Covid-19virus, whether the Jamyang Tsering Namgyal also inaugurated aCovid-19 testing manypassengers. On Monday, foradministrativequarantine an IndiGo Airlines flight, had with the middle seatsbooking that the March 23 circular was flight is scheduledflight or a laboratoryatChushotYokma inhis constituency.This is the the government asked DCs to for14days,ortill their test just33passengers. BMC up to 6th June, 2020. However, onlyfor domestic flights, the non-scheduledflight,” the firstsuchlab in the newlycreated UT. test randomly. When the DCs returns negative.Six flights doctors screenedpassengers, afterthat the AirIndia will oper- Bench did notseemtoagree Supreme Courtsaid. were yettoissue orders, the carrying 562 passengers who were required to display atenon-scheduledflightsinac- with him. “What areyou say- It said “the Director General Principal SecretaryHealth arrivedatSrinagar airportand status on AarogyaSetuapp at cordance with the interim order ing? Have youread it or not? As of CivilAviation is free to alter WELCOME MOVE issuedrevisedguidelines, 267passengers departed from theentrygate. to be passedbythe Bombay High your circularsays,itsaid, it is anynorms he mayconsidernec- stating that all domestic Srinagar airport. All Courtthereafter,”abenchof forbothdomestic and interna- essaryduring the pendencyof With various issues regarding availability of food fortravel- travellers who are passengers will be tested and TELANGANA Chief Justice SABobde and tional,” it said. the matter in the interestofpub- ling migrants, especiallyontrains, coming to light, Railways asymptomatic or test negative kept in institutional or home Domesticpassengers arriving Justices ASBopanna and The SG said before March 23, lic health and safetyofthe pas- got ahelping hand from FMCG majorITC.Officers in Bihar's will be in home quarantine for quarantine. Those passengers on flightsatHyderabad were Hrishikesh Royordered. India had stoppedall interna- sengers rather than of commer- Danapur division got ITCtodonate1lakh packsofbiscuits 14 days.Symptomatic ones who test negative will be sent screenedfor Covid-19 The courtdid notappear en- tional operations and that the cial considerations”. and snackstoremote locations as partofits CSR initiative. will be takentoahealth home and those positive will symptoms before being With Shramik Special trains slated to run formanymoredays, facility fortesting. be sent to hospital. allowedtoexit theairport. officials said suchhelp from the private sector waswelcome. Symptomatic passengers are Modi speaks to BIHAR UTTAR PRADESH sent to institutional India, Israel to share tech Airport authoritiesatPatna Till 6pm, six flightslandedat quarantine for7days after BanglaPM, said only regular identity Lucknowairportand seven taking samples. If theperson knowhow on Covid fight documentsare required departed to Ahmedabad, testsnegative,the individual Crown Prince of Andhra HC orders govt to besidessafetyclearance by Mumbai, Bengaluru and can go home butshould so theycan jointlydevelop life AarogyaSetuapp. Passengers Delhi. All counters were remain in home isolation for7 Abu Dhabi EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE changing solutions forthe whole seize LG Polymers factory flying to Bihar will nothaveto coveredwith transparent days.Passengerswereput NEWDELHI,MAY25 world, and especiallyinfighting undergo quarantine but can plasticsheets to ensure through intense screening the Covid-19pandemic,’’ Dr of the assets,movable or immov- reportathealthdeskofthe airport staff do notcome in before check-in. EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE PRINCIPAL SCIENTIFIC Advisor to Malka tweeted. EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE able,fixtures,machineryandcon- airportincase of any contact with passengers, who NEWDELHI,MAY25 the Prime Minister, Professor K CSIRDGDrShekhar Mande HYDERABADMAY25 testsshallbeallowedtobeshifted uneasiness. were screenedfor ANDHRA PRADESH VijayRaghavan, held discussions said the meeting wasmoreofan withouttheleave of thecourt,''the temperatureand symptoms. When flightsresume from PRIME MINISTER Narendra with Dani Gold, Head of the ice-breaker.“We will be collabo- THEANDHRAPradeshHighCourt order said. GUJARAT Tuesday, thegovernment will Modi on Mondayspoketo DirectorateofR&D in Israel’s rating on anumber of aspectsof hasorderedthestate government The court, whichtook suo Atotal of 13 domestic flights MAHARASHTRA test allarrivingpassengers. All Bangladesh PMSheikhHasina Ministry of Defenceonscientific the pandemic. The areas arestill to “seize the premises of LG motu cognizance of the styrene arrivedand 15 left from Atotal of 47 flightstook off fliers have to obtain e-pass and the CrownPrince of the cooperation between the two being worked outand we will Polymers”atVisakhapatnamand gasleak,directedthegovernment Ahmedabad airport.At from Mumbai airportand before booking tickets. EmirateofAbu Dhabi (UAE) countries to address Covid-19. getaclearer pictureasthe meet- notallowthedirectorsofthecom- to informitwhetherLGPolymers Surat airport,two flights arrived. The airport handleda Asymptomatic passengers MohammedBin Zayed, wishing The discussions were also at- ings progress.’’ panytoleave thecountrywithout had takenpermission to restart arrivedfromDelhi and 4,852 passengers, 3,752 from hotpoststateswillhave them on theoccasionofEid-ul- tendedbyIsraelAmbassador to Officials in the Ministryof the court’s permission. operations during the lockdown Hyderabad and departed for departing and 1,100arriving to undergo institutional Fitr and discussing with them India Dr RonMalka and Indian Science and Technology said Atwo-memberbenchofthe period. the samedestinations.Three passengers from 14 places quarantine forseven days and the Covid-19pandemic. ambassadortoIsrael Sanjeev Monday’s discussions were cen- courthas barredentryonthe fac- The courtalso notedthat ex- flightswerecancelled. across the country. The be allowedtogohome after Modi tweeted: “SpoketoPM Singla and officials of CSIR and teredaround research and devel- tory premises exceptfor those planations were necessaryinthe Passengers flying out were highestnumberofdepartures testing negative.Asympto- Sheikh Hasina to wish her and DRDO. opmentforrapiddiagnosis,based partofthe committee appointed twoPILsfiledbypetitioners. medicallyscreened wastoNew Delhi. Though matic passengers from low the friendlypeopleof The discussion is the firstofa on big dataand AI technology “to to probethe gasleak accidenton The PILs alleged that LG and quarantine stamp airlines have been allowedto incidence zones will be in Bangladesh, ahappy andpros- series of meetings which will enable arapid return to normal’’. May7thatkilled7people and in- Polymers has been operating wasinked on handsof operateat80% of aircraft’s home isolation for14daysand perous Eid-ul-Fitr.Wediscussed take placeoverthe coming AMinistrystatement said the jured over 500others in the vil- withoutavalidenvironmental passengers to states seating capacity,the first theirswabsamples would be the impact of cycloneAmphan weekstoexchangetechnology discussions on Mondayare “a lages surrounding the factory. clearance, the inhibitor concen- mandatingquarantine. flight to land from Lucknow, takenatthe airport. ENS and the present COVID-19situ- and scientific know-howto partofthe vision of the Israeli It has askedthe government tration, whichcontrols runaway ation. Reiterated India’s contin- combat Covid-19. and Indian Prime Ministers fora to replywhy thecompanywasal- reactions, in the storagetank was uedsupporttoBangladesh in “I’m proud to connect bril- wide ranging scientific cooper- lowedtoshiftstyrenegastoSouth notchecked,therefrigerationsys- this challenging time.” liant minds from India and Israel ation’’ between the countries. Koreawithoutthecourt’spermis- temwas notworking properly, An official statement said, sion when aprobe waspending, and that the radius of the vulner- “The twoleaders shared their as- and who wasresponsiblefor it. able zone extendedupto6.3 km Gowdaskips quarantine afterflight sessment of the damagecaused “Wefurther direct that none from the source. by CycloneAmphan in both Priyanka to Yogi: Does to Bengaluru, sayshehas immunity countries. The leaders also dis- cussed the COVID pandemic sit- UP have 10 lakh cases? FormerCongress leader says operating procedures forquar- uation and the ongoing collabo- EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE antine of inter-state passengers, ration between the two BENGALURU,MAY25 Union grantingexemptionfromquar- countries in this regard.Prime EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE Scindiawill be by-polls face Minister antine to ministers and govern- MinisterModi reaffirmedIndia’s NEWDELHI,MAY25 UNION MINISTER DV Sadananda ment officers on duty. support to Bangladesh in ad- Priyanka Congress’sstellarperformancein Sadananda Gowda who flew to Gowda The minister—away from dressing these challenges.” CONGRESS GENERAL secretary Gandhi MILINDGHATWAI the 2018 Assemblyelections in Bengaluru from Delhi on Bengaluru since lockdown be- “ConveyedEid-ul-Fitr greet- Priyanka Gandhi Vadraon Vadra BHOPAL,MAY25 the Gwalior-Chambal belt to Monday didn’t undergo the in- gan—leftfor his home soon af- ings to HisHighness Mondaytook adig at Uttar Scindia, who is currentlyaBJP stitutional quarantine manda- tic flightsfromMaharashtra, terarrival at the airportand was MohammedBin Zayedand the Pradesh Chief MinisterYogi THE SCHEDULE forby-elections RajyaSabha candidate from MP. tory forall fliers from 6hotspot Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, scheduledtoattend meetings friendlypeople of UAE. Thanked Adityanath forhis remarks on re- who came from Delhi and 25 to 24 seatsinMadhya Pradesh is “If therewas oneleader who states, claiming he had immu- Madhya Pradesh and Delhi, all with elected representativesand him forthe cooperation ex- turning migrantsfromother percentfromother stateshave yettobeannouncedbut aformer challengedShivraj SinghChouhan nity granted by his ministership. passengers arerequired to be in ministers on Covid-19situation tendedtoIndian citizens in UAE. states testing positive. been infected withcoronavirus,” Congress MLA—one of the 22 intheregionitwasScindia.Onthe Gowda, the Union ministerof institutional quarantine for through the day. India-UAE cooperation has “Heardthe Uttar Pradesh she tweeted. whose rebellion broughtdown previous occasion Scindia won Chemicals and Fertilizers, and sevendays followedbyseven “I did notwant to burdenthe grownevenstronger during the Chief Minister's statement. Priyanka asked whether the the Kamal Nath government — theseatssinglehandedly, thistime former Chief Ministerof days of home quarantine if they exchequerbyusing aprivate air- COVID-19challenge,” he said in According to government statis- CM meant that thereweremore hascreatedanawkwardsituation he and Chouhan will be on one Karnataka, said he had exemp- areasymptomatic forthe virus. craftoracharteredflight and so another tweet. tics, approximately25lakhpeo- than 10 lakh people in UP who forthe BJP by claimingthat the stage,” said Jatav aftermeeting tion from quarantine as his As the controversy beganto Icame by aregular flight today. Astatementsaid the leaders ple have returnedtoUttar areinfected with coronavirus. pollswillbefoughtinJyotiraditya Chouhan in Bhopal. Pharma Ministrywas partofes- blowupwith Congress ques- Thereisanexemptionfrom expressedsatisfaction about the Pradesh. Accordingtothe Chief “But his government’s data Scindia’s name. BJP leaders told The Indian sentialservices. tioningviolation, Karnataka's quarantine that is available to me effectivecooperation between Minister, 75 percent of those shows that thetotal number of Jaswant Jatav,the MLAfrom Expressthatithadbeenconveyed UnderKarnataka's quaran- department of health and fam- as minister forthe pharma sec- the twocountries during the who have returnedfrom infectedpeople in Uttar Pradesh Kareraconstituency,credited the to Jatav to watchhis words. tine rulesfor arrivals by domes- ilywelfaremodifiedits standard tor,'' the ministertold reporters. COVID-19pandemic situation. Maharashtra, 50 percent of those is 6,228...,” she tweeted. Migration to be theme of next Bihar polls: Kushwaha Bihar CPI-ML leader shot at; parents, brother killed

migrants’ issue is notatall satis- He,however, added,“It’sone's tioned.Alegislatorcanbearrested Choudhary(65) and Sankesia becauseof politicalrivalry. Thepo- SANTOSHSINGH factory. Quarantine centres are rightto comehome.Whocanstop EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE onlyafter permission from the Devi (60)and elderbrother liceshouldthoroughlyinvestigate PATNA,MAY25 just placestoherdpeople. No so- them from coming back?” PATNA,MAY25 AssemblySpeaker. Shantanu (35). the role of Amrendra Pandey." cial distancingisbeingfollowed.” Askedifthe Opposition's re- TheCPI-MLmanhasbeenad- While Yadavmanaged to flee Gopalganj SP Manoj Kumar RashtriyaLok SamataParty pres- Upendra Kushwaha said the statehad sponse during Covid crisis had THE PARENTS andbrotherofa mitted to Patna MedicalCollege afterbeingshot at,hisparentsdied said: “Wehavearrestedtwo peo- ident and formerUnion minister Kushwaha been transporting migrantsto been minimal,Kushwaha said it CPI-ML leader in Bihar’s and Hospital. on the spot. His brother diedlater ple and arelooking intoall possi- UpendraKushwaha has said the quarantine centres, giving them wasonlybecausetheyhad to ad- Gopalganj were shotdead lateon Police sources said Yadavhad at alocal hospital.The police sus- ble motivesbehind the killings.” Bihargovernment“stoodexposed clothes and other items besides here to lockdownnorms. Sundayevening. The attack, in wanted to contestZila Parishad pect therecould have been three Leader of Opposition in the on migration” and that it would grantsthe option of staying back food.“Estimatedexpenseonami- Bihar Information and Public whichthe leader,JPYadav, sus- (ZP) polls next year againstthe assailantswho came on abike. AssemblyTejashwi Prasad Yadav be the “dominating theme of the by givingthemRs10,000—anes- grantfromjourneyontrainorbus Relationsministerand JD (U) tained injuries,issuspected to be MLA’snephewMukesh,currently Following the killings, local resi- said, “Now that aJD(U) MLAhas comingAssemblypolls”. timated expense on transporting to his stay at aquarantine centre spokesperson Neeraj Kumar re- the fallout of apolitical rivalry. the ZP chairman. dentsstagedaprotest. been booked fortriple Gopalganj Speakingto TheIndianExpress, andkeepingthemigrantataquar- is about Rs 10,000.Had the gov- sponded:“Whatwe couldgather Policehave bookedJD(U)MLA According to police, some Yadav, itislearnt,hadbeenac- murder,willthestategovernment Kushwaha said Bihar Chief antine centre. ernment offeredthis amount to a fromourinteractionswiththemi- from Kuchaikot Amrendra unidentifiedpeople attacked tive instudentpolitics,andhisam- take action againsthim?” MinisterNitish Kumar had been “Afterchief ministers of some migrant,hecouldhave methisex- grantsisthattheywantedto come Pandey, hisbrotherSatishPandey Yadav’s home in Rupanchak vil- bitionbroughthiminconflictwith Ministerand JD (U) allowing migrantsintothe state states startedcalling back mi- pensesinanotherstateandstayed hometo bewiththeirfamilies.Itis and Satish’sson Mukesh Pandey. lageinHatua, Gopalganj, late MLAAmrendraPandey. spokespersonNeeraj Kumarsaid, “reluctantly” and suggestedthat grants, Nitish came under pres- back. This could have also pre- onlybecauseofacaringgovern- Satish and Mukesh have been ar- Sundayevening. The attackers Nowinhospital,Yadavsaid, “Thepolice have already arrested the stateshouldhaveoffered mi- sure. The wayhedealt with the vented thespread of the virus.” mentthattheywantedto return.” restedandtheMLAisbeingques- shotatYadav, hisparents,Mahesh “Myfamilymembers were killed twopeople and will take action.”

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Mohammad Aslam from Bihar’s Muzaffarpur waitsinqueue at ahealth screening centre in Delhi Monday. Onlyafter Migrantsinanauto-rickshawtheyhired to reachAmbala Migrantswait forbuses to Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar,inThane Monday. Deepak Joshi screening can he boardaShramik Special train. He hopes to Cantonmentstation,inPatialaonMonday. HarmeetSodhi makethe journeyhomeonEid. Tashi Tobgyal MAHARASHTRA ‘Ifwedon’tfindsolution BJP member, former 3dead inmates in different minister’s wife die of jails positive:govt to HC soon,stayinginwilltell Mumbai’sArthur Road Jail, Covid, Gujarat toll 891 OMKARGOKHALE The state’s submissioncame CORONA MUMBAI,MAY25 afterthe HC, on May19directed deaths were confirmedbyBJP the statetofile acomprehensive onthehealthofelderly’ EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE spokesperson Bharat Pandya. WATCH THESTATEgovernmentinformed response to thepleasraising con- AHMEDABAD,VADODARA, Former AMC standing com- the BombayHigh Courton cernsoverseveralinmatesandjail MAY25 mittee chairman and BJP media Mondaythatthreeprisonerswho stafftesting positiveand seeking CKMISHRA,Secretaryfor Mini- nowwhen we aretryingto cellmemberJayantilalParmar, 75, HIMACHAL PRADESH died—one eachinYerawada, relief forprisonersacross jails. stry of Environment, Forest and open up. Wasthe lockdown DRADITYAUpadhyay (62),anac- alsotestedpositive.Hewasadmit- Lockdown Taloja and Dhuleprisons —were Accordingtothe state’sreply, ClimateChange,and chairmanof successful? tive BJPmemberandaformerBJP tedtoSVP Hospital on Saturday found positive forCovid-19after while the totalcapacity of the empoweredgroup on avail- The lockdown did three cabinetminister’s wifewere andhisresultscamebackpositive extended in death. Maharashtraprisons is 24,000, ability of hospitals,isolationand things —itgavethe government amongthe30inGujaratwhodied on Monday. StateInspector General of current population in prisons as quarantine facilities,speaksto and people time to preparefor the of the Coronavirus on Monday. Awell-knownbuilder from three districts PrisonsSunilRamanand,inanaf- on May10was 34,000. ABANTIKA GHOSH on howIndia long haul, cut down the rate of The death toll rose to 891. Ahmedabad also diedofcoron- Shimla: The Himachal fidavit, stated thatthree more in- Thepleashadsoughtfromthe rampedupitstestingcapacityand transmission and slowedthe in- Upadhyay, an active member avirusonMonday, whileassistant Pradesh government has mateshave beenfoundpositive in statetoensurethe inmateshave the needtofacilitatethe return of fection. We managed to avert of the BJP fortwo decades and a sub-inspector Girish Barot suc- authorisedall district mag- Dhule district prison and areun- freeaccessto protective gear,hand the elderly to anormal life deaths in the process. memberof itsdoctors’cell,wasan cumbed on Sunday. Hiswas the istrates to extend the coro- dertreatment. sanitisers and soaps. An NGO, orthopaedic surgeon. He diedat second death reportedfromthe navirus lockdown beyond Earlierthismonth,158prison- People’s Unionfor CivilLiberties Howdid we ramp up testing Would it have been easier to Sterling Hospital in Ahmedabad. Krishnanagar police station. the current phase ending ers and 26 staffmembers tested (PUCL),andothershadmovedthe like we did? take migrantshome in March He wasadmitted to the SVP Sources from the real estate busi- May31and threeDistrict positive forcoronavirus in HC seeking the relief. Testing wasachallengebe- when cases were less? Hospitalformorethantwoweeks nesssaidthebuilderhadmultiple Magistrates (DMs) issued cause the organisationsinvolved In hindsight, these maylook before he wasshifted. co-morbiditiesand had been ail- orders to the effect fortheir were notbestusedtoit.They were likegood solutions.But at any His wife, Dr Pallavi Upadhyay, ingfor some time. areas. Hamirpur and Solan largelyinvolvedinresearch work... THEEXPRESS particular point of time,policy is agynaecologistand former cor- With 403 newcases, includ- DMsordered Monday that We decidedtobroaden the base, guidedbyground-levelsitua- porator from Ahmedabad ing one of apersonnot from the the curfew willbeex- Classifieds kept on expanding the definition INTERVIEW tions and adesire to do the best Municipal Corporation’s statebuttestedthere,Gujarat’sto- tended up to June 30. In of thepersonto betestedby revis- at thatpoint,and Iguess that was Gomtipur ward and amember of talshotuptonearly 14,500 on Shimla, the district magis- ing the protocol. We nowhad a the guidingprinciple. BJP’s doctors’ cell, is admitted at Monday. trateissuedordersextend- largerpooltotest. Second, you Sterling Hospital along with their Narmada district reported ing restrictionsimposed PUBLIC NOTICE WITH needalaboratory. Youcannotcon- Is thereaplantodealwith son, both of whom have tested threenewcases,includingthatof on March24undersection CKMISHRA structoneovernightsowe pooled theconsequences of positive.Pallavi is also BJP’s an11-year-oldgirl,takingthedis- 144uptoJune 30. PTI PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE CHAIRMAN, EMPOWERED "Be it known to the public that My clients resources —all medical colleges, disruption in routine health Bapunagarwardpresident. trict total to 18. Be it known to general public at large that Karamjeet Singh and his wife Smt GROUP ON AVAILABILITY OF my Client Madan Lal S/o Banwari Lal & Darshan Kaur R/o 5D/56, GaliNo. 10, DST, DBT,CSIR, central universi- services? Madhuben Thakore, wifeofa The three who tested positive NAGALAND Vishnu Garden, New Delhi-110018 do HOSPITALS, ISOLATION AND Veena Devi W/o Madan Lal both R/o- H. hereby severe allsubsistingand ties. We converted research labs Yesthat is very critical and former BJP cabinetminister had accompanieda10-year-old No. BB-77, Gali No.3, Subhash Basti, existing relations with their daughter QUARANTINE FACILITIES FirstCovid Nabi Karim, Pahar Ganj, Delhi-55 has Manpreet Kaur andher husband intotestinglabs.Thenwe opened thereneeds to beacogent plan in Madhubhai Thakore, also suc- boyfromMayashi villagein Samarjeet Singh for her misconduct, severed her all Relations and disowned misbehavior,playing with the trust and up the private sector.Wehave collegesandprivate laboratories... place because in the effort to cumbed to Covid-19onMonday. Nandod taluka who tested posi- her son (1) Jai Bhagwan (Rocky) & his emotions of the family and thereby case detected: wife Ratna and (2) Rahul &his wife affecting peace and repute of the family above 600labsnow. At thatpoint, overemphasise Covid, regular Madhubhai is currentlythe tive on May21upon return from and therefore my clients hereby disown Kumkum from all her movable &immovable and debar them from their moveable nobody would have thought we In the diabetescapital of the medical facilities, particularly re- AhmedabaddistrictBJPsecretary. Ahmedabad, earlier. Official properties due to their misconduct and bad and immovable properties. Anyone could gettothisnumber. world, howlong arewegoing lating to dialysis, chemotherapy, He and threeofhis family mem- Gandhinagar sawfour new activities. My client and his family members dealing with them shall do so at their own risk and consequences as my Withoutgettingintothemath, to keep old people at home? bloodtransfusion, child delivery bers areinquarantine. Both cases and three deaths. Kohima:Nagalandreported shall not be responsible for any wrongful clients shall not be responsible for their and illegal act in future. Any person(s) deal activities". the fact remains that the private Vulnerability is the mostcriti- etctook somewhatofabackseat. its“first” Covid-19cases on with them shall be self responsible. Shailender Kumar Advocate S.K. Gupta (Advocate) Ch. No. 276, Western Wing, sectorcontributedatacriticaltime. cal thing in this entireexercise. If Manyclinics couldnot operate. Monday,whenthreepeople Ch. No. D-209, Karkardooma Court, Delhi Tis Hazari Court, Delhi-110054 Because of this convergence, we youare looking from the fatality Now, clear instructions have been whorecentlyreturnedtothe managed one lakh testsper day... point of view, to keep the mortal- issuedinthis regard... Internationalair statefromChennai tested PUBLIC NOTICE The General Public is hereby informed that ity down, youhavetoprotect the positive,ahealth depart- the undersigned’sclient viz. Sh. Rajender Parshad Jindal, S/o Charanji Lal, R/o 108- Arethereconcerns on this? segment most vulnerable. That What is the wayforward? ment official said. The B, Gautam Nagar,New Delhi: 110049, has severed all his relationship with his son viz. The eastern partofIndia still takesustotheoldandthecomor- The time has come when we passengers push up Nagaland government has Ankush Jindal aged about 35 years and with his daughter-in-law viz. Heena Jindal. has constraintstotesting and the bid. They aremostlikelytoget se- areseeing aregular increase in notcounted aperson from They are also debarred from all his movable and immovable properties whatsoever and needsare increasing. Therefore, riouslyinfected andlikelytobe numbers. India has been singu- thestatewhotestedpositive the undersigned’sclient shall not be held responsible for any actsofommission and we arelooking atnewer ways to heavilydependent on hospitals. larly fortunatethat we have not Andhra’s casecount forcoronavirus on April 13 commission of offence committed by them, as they are beyond his control. Anybody provide additional support to Therefore, the current advisory is had amortality rate that can be inAssam.Helaterrecovered dealing with them would be doing so at his/her responsibility,risk, costs and states likeBihar,UP, West Bengal to stay home. This cannotgoon consideredhighcomparedto oth- linked to Koyambeduwerere- from the disease. Twomen consequences.. Sd/- and Odisha.The problem is that forever. Ultimately, thediabeticpa- ers. All our concentration should SREENIVASJANYALA ported. Likeinmanyother andawoman,allintheir20s, SANJAYCHAUHAN ADVOCATE thereisacertaintechnicalrequire- tient is workingsomewhere,we nowbeonpreventingdeathsand HYDERABAD,MAY25 states, alarge number of people testedpositiveforCOVID-19 Ch. No. 500, CIVIL SIDE, TIS HAZARI COURT DELHI ment foramolecular diagnostic have to medicallyfind asolution allowing people to learn to live on the move have tested positive and theyare nowundergo- lab to be setupand the normal orasafetyprotocolforhimto start withthisinfectionbecauseitisnot ANDHRA PRADESH has in AndhraPradeshaswell, but ing treatment in Dimapur PUBLIC NOTICE choiceisamedicalcollegebecause livinganormallife.If we don'tfind ashort-termproblem...Aslongas recordedasharp uptickinthe this has notled to asurge.The to- and Kohima,saidasenior For &onbehalf of my client Sh. it has the trainedmanpowerre- asolution soon, the fact that they we areable to prevent deaths, re- number of returnees from the talnumber of confirmedinfec- official. PTI Suresh Kumar s/o LateHari Chand, R/o H.No. 262, Kakrola quired forthis. Thereare districts arecornered in aroom in theho- duce hospitalisation and curepa- Gulf countries testing positive tions in the state, nowat2,644, Village, Delhi-110078. Iserve this Public Notice that my client sever in these states wherethis is an is- use is goingtotell on their health. tients, we should think we have a forCovid-19. has been growingataslowpace. KERALA his relation and Debar his son Mr. sue. We are, therefore, making fairly good policy in place. On Monday, 62 international The growth rate is justabove 2% Dinesh Kumar and daughter-in- 62-yr-old dies law Ms. Priti from his properties Trunaat machines available in We seem to be on a FULLINTERVIEWON passengers who arrivedinspe- now, well belowthe national av- both movable &immovable for all theseareasandactivatingmedical significant growth trajectory www.indianexpress.com cial Vande Bharat flightstothe erageofaround 5%. intents and purposes.Anyone of Covid,state deals with them shall do at his statetestedpositive, and ama- Likeinternationalpassengers, own risks. Subodh Kumar Jha jority of them were from Kuwait. who arescreenedand tested at deaths now6 (Advocate) Of those who tested positive,41 the airportsand then sentto B-5, Suneja Tower-1, 88% cases asymptomatic, 84% deaths Dist. Centre, Janakpuri, arefromKuwait, 3fromQatar quarantine facilities for14days, Kozhikode: A62-year-old New Delhi-58 and 1fromSaudi Arabia.Sofar, the government has decidedto woman Covid-19patient had comorbid conditions:TNMinister 85 people have tested positive. test allarriving domestic air pas- from Kannur diedatahos- In Telangana, six people who sengers from Tuesdayand pre- pitalhereonMonday, taking diagnosis and proper clinical returnedfromthe Gulftested scribea7-dayhome quarantine. the toll due to the disease in EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE management” arehelping to re- positive on Sunday. AndhraPradesh DeputyChief Kerala to six, officials said. CHENNAI,MAY25 duce the number of deaths. About 700people in seven Minister(Health) AKSrinivassaid The woman diedaround 10 Of the total deaths,including flightshavereturnedtoAndhra passengers maychoose between PM at the Kozhikode IN TAMIL Nadu, 88% of the CVijayabaskar sevenonMonday, 84 per cent Pradesh from the Gulf countries free government quarantine fa- Medical CollegeHospital Covid-19patients were asymp- dieddue to comorbid condi- since May22. ThefirstVande cilitiesorpaidaccommodationat whereshe had been under tomatic and 84%ofthe deaths tions. “Mostwerepatients with Bharat missionflight with with hotels with whichthe state treatment aftertesting pos- were due to comorbid condi- “Wedid 11,735 testson diabetes and hypertension. And 149passengers landedat tourism department has tiedup. itive on Friday. “Shewas tions, said statehealth minister Monday. We will continuethis 50 percent of the deaths were re- Tirupati on May22. The statehas scaledupisola- shiftedtothe medical col- CVijayabaskar on Monday. aggressive testing strategy be- portedamong people above the The Gulf evacuees testing tion wards, quarantine facilities legeonFriday aftershe was Tamil Nadu with atotal of causethatalone helps us to get ageof60,” Vijayabaskar said. positive is another worryfor the and bedsinCovid-19hospitals tested positivefor coron- 4.21lakhtests,the highestinthe effective dataaboutinfection in Among the 805 positive health officials whoare grap- in eight districts—Anantapur, avirus.Earlier,shewasunder country, has 17,082 cases and has the statetodevise strategies for cases reportedonMonday,93 plingwith cases linked to the Kurnool, Chittoor,Guntur, treatment forneurological reported118 deaths. And treatment protocols,” said people were those who came to Koyambeduvegetable market in Krishna, EastGodavari, and disease at aprivate hospital Chennai, with 548cases on Vijayabaskar. Tamil Nadu from other states. A Chennai, whichwas aCovid-19 Visakhapatnam—as aspikein here,” District Medical Monday, has registered11,131 Accordingtothe minister, an 33-year-old man from Chennai hotspot. cases areexpected with the re- OfficerDrVJayshreesaid.PTI cases so far. “aggressive testing strategy,early wasamong the sevendeaths. On Monday, 7new cases sumption of trains and flights. PUBLIC NOTICE "Be it known to the general public that my client, Sh. Amar Singh S/o Late Sh. Angad Singh aged about 56 years R/o C-48, In Akola, Muslims light Hindu man’s pyre as son ‘refuses’ Gali No.3, Harsh Vihar Phase-Il Ghaziabad, U.P., has severed his relationship with his son namely Pushpender and his treatment forCovid-19atAkola Akola is one of the largest ambulance wassent but he was then, we have performed60fu- wife, Smt. Rekha and their VIVEKDESHPANDE GovernmentMedicalCollegeand coronavirushotspots in dead. The wife’s reportcame out nerals, of which21wereofCovid children as aresultofsufferings and harassment due to unsocial, NAGPUR,MAY25 Hospital (GMCH). Prashant Maharashtrawith25deaths and positive on the morning of May patients. Five of thesewereof aggressive, and inhumane act & Rajurkar,head of the sanitation morethan 400positive cases. 24.Asper protocol, theydon’t Hindus.” He also said his volun- behavior of his abovementioned son and his wife. If anybody AFTER THE familyofa78-year- department of the Akola Amravati Divisional take aswabfromadeadbodybut teers wore protective gear keeps any relation or deals with old Hindu man, who diedofa MunicipalCorporation,said,“The CommissionerPiyushSinghsaid, swabsof closerelativesare taken.” throughout,and in mostcases, them in any manner whatsoever, he/she would be doing solely at heartattackonSaturday,report- man’s son, who livesinNagpur, “The wifeofthe deceasedman JavedZakaria,presidentof the stop afterlaying out the pyre. his/herown risk and edly refusedtoperform his last refusedtoacceptthe body and wasadmitted to GMCHonMay Muslim organisation,said,“After However, in Sunday’s funeral, consequences and my client shall not be responsible for the rites, some Muslim youths from perform the funeral. So, alocal 23 around 4pm. We took her Akola reportedits firstdeath,we theyalso lit the pyre,headded. act of Pushpender and his wife. alocalorganisationlithispyre on Muslim organisation, Akola swab as she wassymptomatic. decidedtoperform funerals for Whiletheman’ssoncouldnotbe ASHOK THAGAL ADVOCATE CHAMBER NO.477 (LGF). Sunday. Kutchhi Memon Jamaat, took The dean of GMCHreceiveda thosewhose families areunable contacted,Rajurkarsaidhedid CIVIL WING, TIS HAZARI Whilethemandiedofaheart over.OnSunday, some Muslim message around6.30pmthatthe to doso.We hadpermissionfrom notattend the funeral but pro- COURTS. DELHI-110054 attack, his wifeisundergoing men lit the pyre ...” man hadcollapsed at home. An theparentsforthefirstone.Since videdRs5,000forthe ceremony.

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THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,MAY26,2020 9 EXPRESS NETWORK

2militantsgunned down SOLIDARITY TRIAL China to evacuate in Kulgam encounter its citizens facing identitiesof themilitantsandtheir WHOsuspendsallocationof ADILAKHZER affiliationsare being ascertained. SRINAGAR,MAY25 “The operation wasclean—no ‘difficulties’ in India collateraldamage,”thepolicesaid. TWOMILITANTS were killedina According to police sources, tion arrangementsduringthe gunbattlewithandsecurityforces twopistolsandagrenadewere re- patientstoHCQarmfornow EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE flight and afterenteringChina. insouthKashmir’sKulgamdistrict coveredfromthe slain militants. NEWDELHI,MAY25 The notice in Mandarin said on Monday, police said. “Wedidn't recoverany heavy peopletreatedforcoronavirusin- According to theJammu & weapons from them,” saidan other frontline workers and fam- known side-effect of HCQ of fluc- treated in this study and showed CHINAHAS decidedtoevacuate fectionorhavingsymptomsof the Kashmir Police, the encounter official. ABANTIKAGHOSH ilymembers of Covid positive pa- tuations in the heartratewas asignificantreductionof theviral from India itscitizens, including infection like feverand cough in tookplaceatavillageintheKhud- Soon afterthe encounter NEWDELHI,MAY25 tients. It, alongwith noted. “Wewereunable to con- carriage at D6-postinclusion students, tourists and business- the last14days should notboard Hanjiporaareaearly on Monday. brokeout,localresidentsallegedly azithromycin, continues to be firm abenefit of hydroxychloro- compared to controls, and much men, who arefacing“difficulties” the special flights. Security forces had receivedin- threw stones at security forces, IN THE light of emergingevi- India’sdrug of choice fortreat- quine or chloroquine, when used loweraverage carrying duration in the countryand want to return “Throughtheunifiedarrange- putsabout thepresence of mili- leading to clashes. “The stone- dence, theWorld Health ment of severe cases. alone or withamacrolide,onin- thanreportedofuntreated pa- in the wake of Covid-19. mentof theministryof foreignaf- tantsinthe area lateonSunday pelting wascontrolled,” said a Organizationhastemporarilysus- The executive group of the hospital outcomes forCOVID-19. tientsinthe literature. Azithro- The Chinese embassy put out fairs and relevant departments, night, officers said. senior policeofficer. pendedallocation of patientsin SolidarityTrialreportedly decided Each of thesedrug regimens was mycin addedtohydroxychloro- anoticeonits websiteMonday, the Chinese diplomatic and con- “Assearch partiesdrew closer Dr Nazir Chowdhary,the the hydroxychloroquine arm of to errtowardsa“conservative ap- associatedwithdecreasedin-hos- quine wassignificantlymore askingthosekeento returnhome sular missions in India will assist to thesuspectedhouse,theterror- Medical Superintendent of the the Solidarity Trial. Acallwill be proach”andimplementatempo- pitalsurvivalandanincreasedfre- efficient forvirus elimination.” to book ticketsinspecial flights. international studentsinIndia, ists firedindiscriminatelyupon SMHS Hospital in Srinagar told takenonce the existing evidence rary suspension of random allo- quencyof ventriculararrhythmias Hydroxychloroquineisadrug The move comesinthe wake tourists,temporarybusinessvisi- the search party. The fire wasef- The Indian Express thattheyhad has been reviewed. Patients who cationtothehydroxychloroquine when usedfor treatment of usedinthe treatment of autoim- of Indiabecomingthe10thworst- tors who have difficulties and are fectively retaliated,inwhichtwo receivedfourpeople withpellet were randomisedtotheHCQarm arm within the Solidarity Trial COVID-19,” the researchers re- mune diseases suchasrheuma- hit countrybythe virus —nearly in urgent needtotakeatempo- terrorists were neutralised,” are- injuries from Kulgam. “Four pel- earlier will complete their treat- while the review of evidenceoc- portedinThe Lancet.Another toid arthritis and lupus. It is also 1.40lakhpeopleinIndiahave been rary flight back home to China,” lease by the Jammu &Kashmir letcases were receivedfrom ment.The decision wastaken in curs. This wasdone withoutany study earlier this month in The usedforthepreventionof malaria affected.The coronavirus, which according to thenotice. Police said. Kulgam today. Theircondition is an extraordinarymeeting of the associatedjudgementonwhether BMJ,too, said that whilethe drug anditstreatment;itisaderivative wasfirstreportedinthe Chinese It suggestedthat peoplefrom According to thepolice, the stable at present,”hesaid. executive groupofthe Solidarity or notthereisevidence of harm, did notseemtogivesignificant of the anti-malaria drug chloro- city of Wuhan in December, has someothercountriesmay alsobe Trial on Sunday. benefit or lackofbenefit caused positivesinCOVID patients, quine. Lately, itsrole is being in- spread to over 190countries, in- evacuated.Thenoticesaidthecost The decisioncomesinthe by hydroxychloroquine.The ex- “Adverse eventswerehigher in vestigated in the treatment and fecting over 54 lakh people and of flight ticket andquarantine in Hideout in govt official’s wake of aseries of trials being re- tensivereviewoftheevidencewill hydroxychloroquine recipients prevention of Covid-19. claimingthelivesof3.4lakh.India Chinawillhave to beborneby the portedwhichdid notfind any be conductedbymid-June. thaninnon-recipients.” The Solidarity Trial is amulti- hadevacuatedaround700Indians evacuees.“If your body tempera- benefitofHCQ beingusedin Among the evidence consid- However, in asmall study countrytrialanchoredby WHOin from Wuhan in February. tureexceeds 37.3 degrees(inclu- shop busted, say J&K police NovelCoronavirusDisease eredwhiletakingthedecisionisa publishedinthe International whichtheefficacyof variousther- Thenoticeby theChineseem- sive)beforeboarding or if you (Covid-19)patients.India, how- study,publishedinTheLancetlast Journal of Antimicrobial Agents on apeutic options suchasremde- bassysaidthepeopleoptingto re- have suspected symptoms, you the joint team bustedahideout ever,continues to use the drug for week,thatsaidthatwhilenoben- March 17,Frenchscientists re- sivir,Hydroxychloroquine, rion- turn home will have to acceptall will be refusedboarding by the ADILAKHZER in ashop belonging to one per- prophylaxis among health and efit wasfoundfor Covid, the ported: “Twenty cases were avitandlopinavirarebeingtested. quarantineandepidemicpreven- airline,” the notice said. SRINAGAR,MAY25 son identifiedasNazir Ahmad Wani, son of Abdul Ahad Wani, THE JAMMUand KashmirPolice resident of BellowDhargund. The Assam: Two on Monday saidthattheyhave jointteam were able to recover Togadia’s outfit bustedahideout in ashop incriminating materials, includ- held for beating ownedbyasenior government ing hugequantityofarms and official in south Kashmir’s ammunition, from the hideout,” ransacks church vegetable Pulwama. said the release. The familyofthe officer,how- Police said thatithas been vendortodeath ever,rejectedtheallegations,say- found duringthe investigation film set near Shiva ing it wasnot a“hideout”, and that Wani wasproviding “logis- that the searching party didn’t re- tic support” to militants. “Officers coveranything. during the course of investigation temple in Kerala ABHISHEKSAHA AJ&K Policespokesperson learnt about Nazir’s involvement GUWAHATI,MAY25 said on Monday that joint forces in providing logistic supportto bustedahideout from ashop the terrorists.Healso revealed activities who participatedinthe TWODAYSafter avegetable ven- ownedbyNazirAhmad Wani at that he is aGovtemployeeand is SHAJUPHILIP seva and RashtriyaBajrang Dal dor in Assam wasbeaten to BellowDhargund in Pulwama. presentlypostedasNaib THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Ernakulam president Ratheesh death by five people—an inci- The police release issued on Tehsildar in TehsilPulwama,”the MAY25 Malayatoor,wholedtheworkers. dentthatwas givenareligious Monday has come twodays af- police release said, adding that LetMaha Deva bless them.’’ colour on social media—the po- terthe forces conducted search theyhaveregisteredacase and MEMBERS OF an outfit founded The police have registered a lice arrested twoofthe assailants at the official’s house. investigationisunderway. by former VHP chief Praveen caseagainst50peoplebasedon a and prima facie rejected ru- Wani is presentlypostedas The officer’s familymembers Togadia have ransacked amovie complaint by Sudeep Kumar,the mours that it wasa“communal” Naib Tehsildar in Tehsil Pulwama. said theydeal in pesticides and it setresemblingachurch that was secretaryofMaha Shivaratri fes- killing. In April, he had submittedawrit- wasacold storageareaand nota erectednearaShiva templeonthe tivalcommittee, whichgavecon- The assault took place at Hajo tencomplaint afterhis driver was hideout. Wani and his elder son banksofPeriyar rivernear sentfor settingupthe film seton in Kamrup (Rural) district after assaultedbypolice in Pulwama. areinpolice custody,the family Clouds loom over the statue of Ahom general Lachit Borphukanonthe Brahmaputrain Ernakulam. The location is the banksofthe river, 500metres the bicycle of the vendor,40- “During the search in thearea, memberssaid. Guwahati on Monday. PTI avenuefor the annual away fromthetemple.Kumarsaid year-old Sanatan Deka, hit atwo- Mahashivaratri festival.Later on ahatecampaign had startedon wheeler.Those riding the two- Mondayevening, policearrested social media afterthe committee wheeler startedbeating up Deka Pigeon ‘carrying coded RashtriyaBajrang Dal leader gave permission forthe shoot. and were joinedbythree of their 30,000 affected in Assam Ratheesh Malayatoor. “Wewere, in fact,excited about friends, three senior police offi- Afteranuproar over social theshootinganddidnotfindany- cers told TheIndian Express. message’ caughtflying media againstthe film set, agroup thing objectionable,’’ he said. Local residentshelpedthe floods, more rain predicted affiliated to the Antarashtriya Chief MinisterPinarayiVijayan police identify the accused, fol- Hindu Parishad (AHP) and its said the attackonthe film set lowing whichtwo of them were along IB in Kathua: Cops youth wing RashtriyaBajrang Dal should nothavehappened. nabbed on Monday. the flood situation is under school buildings or community reachedthe setwithhammers “Normally, noonepreventsshoot- On the social media, unveri- TORAAGARWALA control. halls. “Our team has checkedall and ransackedit. ing of afilm.But in the recent fied claims about the incident EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE GUWAHATI,MAY25 “Yes, waters will rise but the the people fortemperature, ThesetfortheTovinoThomas- times, certain communal forces being a“communal mob lynch- JAMMU,MAY25 situationisnot very bad till now,” those with symptoms areiso- starrerMinnal Murali wasput up have turnedagainstthefilm.There ing” carriedout by “outsiders” EVEN AS Assam battles the he said, “Allriversaren’tflowing lated andput in healthcentres,” onlandownedbytheKaladilocal have been attemptstoobstruct starteddoing the rounds since VILLAGERS ALONGthe Covid-19pandemic, five of its above danger levels.Itisonly she said adding that masksand self-governmentbody.According certainfilmshooting...Keralaisnot Sundaynight. International Border in Jammu districtshavebeen inundated by when all rivers flowabove dan- sanitisers have been providedto to panchayat president Thulasi aplacefor communal forces and The three police officers and Kashmir’s Kathuadistricton floodwaters afterincessant rain. gerlevel that we have something the evacuees. The SDRF and Bai, the setwas put up in March strong action would be taken mentionedabove deniedthere Sundaycaptured apigeon sus- Morethan30,000 people and to worryabout.” NDRFhaverescued400 people with permission from the pan- againstsuchmoves,’’hesaid. wasany mob. One of them said: pectedtobecarrying acoded 9,804animals have been af- Currently, the Jia Bharali in from Goalparasofar. chayat but the shooting wasde- Thefilm’sdirectorBasilJoseph “Thereweretwo main accused message, police said on Monday. fected in Lakhimpur,Dhemaji, Sonitpur district and Puthimari As per the ASDMA release, layedowingtothe lockdown to expressedhis anguish on who killedthe victim. It started Senior Superintendent of Dibrugarh, Darrang and in Kamrup district areflowing 579hectares of crop area has curb Covid-19. Facebook.“Idon’t know what to because of atraffic accident.” Police (SSP), Kathua, Shalinder Goalpara. above the danger level. been destroyed,roads and AHP stategeneral secretary say. Forsomepeople, this maybe Kamrup SP Partha Sarathi Kumar Mishrasaid thepigeon On Monday, theRegional As per arelease by the Assam bridges were breached,and ero- HariPalode said in aFacebook ajoke, atroll or publicity move. Mahantasaid the police were wasflying over Manyari village MeteorologicalCentre(RMC) in StateDisasterManagement sion wasreportedinLakhimpur, post, “Wehavedecided to pull it But forus, this wasadream.Ata looking intoall the aspectsofthe in Hiranagar sector along the IB Guwahati, predicted heavy rain- Authority,8,941 peoplehave Sonitpur and Udalguri districts. down.Swabhimaanshouldbede- time when we areall fighting case. He addedthat appropriate and had flown in from the fall in the Northeastern region been shiftedto33relief camps On Sunday, Chief Minister fended. When suchastructure againstapandemic together, action would be takenifany Pakistanside. forthe next five days.Itissueda in the Goalparadistrict. These SarbanandaSonowaldirectedall waserected at Kaladi sandbanks when we all stood with uncer- communal link wasfound. The villagers have handedit redwarning—extremelyheavy arethe firstcamps setupasper Deputy Commissioners to setup infrontof MahaDeva,wehadob- tainty,wedidn’tthinkeveninour Chief MinisterSarbananda over to the police who arework- rainfall—inKokrajhar,Baksa and the Assam government’s new separatecells to carry out relief jected to it.Wedon’t have ahabit dreams that something likethis Sonowalhas announcedaone- ing to decipher the “codedmes- Chirang districtsfor the next two guidelineskeepinginmind the and rescue operations since “the of pleadingbeforeothers. couldhappen.Especially inKerala. time financial relief of Rs 2lakh sage’’, written on aringattached days.Rain—medium to heavy— Covid-19pandemic. Stategovernment is fighting Congratulationsto allBajrangDal We areverysad and anxious’’. forDeka’s family. to one of itslegs, Mishratold the is expected in other parts of the “This time the camps are againstCOVID-19and floodand media. One of the wings of the statetoo. “Therain will continue morespacedout. Wherethere erosion simultaneously.” pigeon wasmarkedred,sources as per the forecastfor five days,” would be one campbeforenow On Monday, Assam reported said adding that the ring wasalso said Dr SanjayO'Neill Shawof thereare twosothat social dis- itshighestsingleday COVID-19 Locusts enter Jaipur localities, redincolour. Policeare working to RMC. tancing norms can be followed,” spikesofar,with 147cases re- Suchactivities along the bor- decipher the ‘coded According to Pankaj said Varnali Deka, Deputy portedtillthe evening. The total der fence have to be viewedseri- message’ written on aring Chakravarty,State Project Commissioner of Goalparadis- number of reportedcases in the officials say more likely on way ouslyinviewofpastexperi- attachedtoits leg. ANI Coordinator,Assam State trict, where8,941 people arecur- stateare 539,out of which *470* ences, Mishrasaid to reporters. Disaster Management Authority, rentlyinthe camps —either areactive. EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE JAIPUR,MAY25 Man booked for 9BODIES FOUNDINWELL IN ANDHRA’S WARANGAL LARGESWARMS of locusts on sedition over Mondayoverran severalresi- To hide one murder, man kills family, 3others dential localities of Jaipur.This Facebook post month is the firsttimesince the forSanjay, who used to live will getmarriedafter talking to early 1990s that locustswarms on Adityanath SREENIVASJANYALA The 30-year-old first nearby. The twothen got intoa her relativesinthat state. from Western Rajasthan have HYDERABADMAY25 killedthe woman he relationship andsubsequently, However, Sanjay gave her made their wayintoJaipur, said Lucknow: Aman wasbooked in a Rafika and her children had buttermilk lacedwith sleeping officials from the Agriculture sedition caselodgedat Prayagraj’s THE MYSTERYbehind the livedwith, aftershe movedtoSanjay’s house. pills and strangledher at about Department, adding that similar ShivKuti police station fora deaths of nine people in Andhra had admonishedhim According to Ravinder, 3amwhilethe train waspassing swarms of the crop-devouring Facebook post, in whichheal- Pradesh’s Warangal district, “Recently, Rafika scoldedSanjay through West Godavari district insectswould likelybeseen in legedly madeanobjectionable whose bodies were found in a formisbehaving with formisbehaving with her of AndhraPradesh. He then the coming days. comment againstUttar Pradesh well near ajutemill in her daughter daughter and admonishedhim dumped the body out of the “Since the lastone year,lo- Chief MinisterYogiAdityanath. Gorekuntavillage on May21and fortrying to lurethe teenage girl train. custswarmshaveresultedinse- The complaint waslodgedby May22, wassolvedTuesday while he had promisedtomarry On May20, Sanjay visited the rious losses forfarmers. We be- Aswarm of locusts in aresidentialareainJaipur. Rohit Jain Paras Sub-Inspector Amrita Singh on when the police arrested 30- three othermigrantworkers — her. That is whenhedecided to jutemillwith 50-60 sleeping lieve this time the swarms came Saturday, basedonwhich the FIR year-old mill worker Sanjay Sriram and ShyamfromBihar eliminateRafika. When pills in tow. He found the entire all the waytoJaipurbecause the waslodged.Itstates, “... (He) used Kumar Yadavfor their murders. and Shakeel Ahmedfrom Maqsood and his familymem- family sittingoutsidetheir room. locusts couldn’tfind anycropto districtsbeforearriving at Jaipur the spraying of pesticides. abusive language againstYogi Warangal Police Tripura—who were notrelated bers threatenedtogotothe po- The twoworkers from Bihar, consume—mostofthe crop has through Nagaur and Sikar. “Afterstaying in Jaipurfor a Adityanath… Through his CommissionerDrVRavinder to thefamily were also found in lice, he eliminated them too. Shyam andSriram, were also already been harvested,” said BR “The locusts went over local- fewhours, the swarm went to- FacebookID,heistryingto disturb told The Indian Express that the well. Shyam, Sriram and Shakeel present at the time. Karwa,deputy director at the ities suchasVidhyadhar Nagar wardsDausa. Generallylocust peace in the countryand is disre- Sanjay,who hailsfromBihar and Maqsood had migrated from Ahmedbecame victims toobe- Under the pretextoffetching AgricultureDepartment and Shastri Nagarbeforeflying swarms arrive duringwinters spectinghonourable CM Yogi worked at the mill, wasliving West Bengal 20 years agoand causetheywerepresentatthe water, Sanjaythen went intothe “On May22, similar locust towardsDausa. Therewerelakhs but this time it has startedearly. Adityanath...” with awoman namedRafika wasliving with his familyina godown on May20evening room wherethe familywas stay- swarms had entered Jaipur. This of locusts coming from western We areexpecting moresuch Prayagraj SSP Satyarth and her three children. Rafika room in the jutemill's godown. when Sanjaywenttoeliminate ing andmixed the pills in their wasthe firstinstance since 1993 Rajasthanafter originating in swarms in the coming days,” Aniruddha Pankajtold The Indian wasthe niece of MaqsoodAlam Policesaid Rafika had come to theAlam family.’’ dal. He then proceededtothe thatlocust swarms enteredthe Pakistan,” said Karwa. said Karwa. Express,“During the investiga- —whose body wasfoundinthe Maqsood’s house with her three On March 7, Sanjayand firstfloor and laced the food of city,” he said. He addedthat the stategov- Locust attackshavebeen a tion, we will knowabout the ac- well along with bodies of his children about five years agoand Rafika leftfor West Bengal in a the youths from Bihar also. The The swarm, originating in ernment, along with the Centre, major concern in Rajasthan since cused.Our Cyber cell teams are wife, daughter,bothsons and a he had helpedher getajob at the Garib Rath train, reportedly af- thirdworker, Shakeel, atewith North-West Pakistan, passed haddeputed severalteamsto lastyear,withswarmsdamag- collecting his details.” ENS grand-daughter.The bodies of jutemill.She also usedtocook terheconvincedher that they Maqsood’s familythatday. through Barmerand Jaisalmer control the locustattackthrough ing large portionsofcrops.

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THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,MAY26,2020 WORDLY WISE Cities force growth, and make men talkative and entertaining, buttheymake them

10 THE EDITORIAL PAGE artificial. —RALPH WALDO EMERSON The Ladakh warning

§ FOUNDED BY § RAMNATH GOENKA As China intrudes across LAC, India mustbealert to BECAUSE THE TRUTH INVOLVES US ALL largerstrategic shift, alasting imprintongeopolitics

AGAINSTWORKERS PStobdan

UP government bid to take on powertogivepermission for AFTER DOWNPLAYINGTHE border stand-off mannedthe posts here, but patrolling in the The Sirijap rangeonthe northern bank of forovertwo weeks, the government has fi- 972 sq km Trig Height area has been lax. thelakeremains most contested, from which employment elsewhereill servesthose it professes to protect nallydismissed China’saccusations of the Easier accessibility allowedthe PLAtoin- severalcliffspurs jut out —the “finger series” Indian Armycrossing the Line of Actual trude intoChip Chap withimpunity during 1to8.India’s LACclaim line is at Finger-8, but TAWEBINARonSunday, UttarPradeshChief MinisterYogiAdityanathspoke Control. Instead,thePLAhasintrudedintothe July-August—itsregularsusuallyspent afew the actual position is onlyuptoFinger-4. The about the problemsofthose who have to move outofthe statetoearntheir Indian side of the LAC, disruptednormal pa- hoursbeforecrossing back.But, during the 21- Chinese areassertingfurtherwest to claim83 livelihoods.Heannouncedthata“MigrationCommission”willbeestablished trolling, and destroyed posts and bridges on dayDepsang stand-offin2013, whenBurtse sq km here. The PLAhas built a4.5 km long A to help workerswho have returnedtothe stateamidthe lockdown. The the Galwan Nala at Chang-Chenmo. became aflashpoint, the PLAset up remote road to prevent patrolling by Indiantroops. Commission willfind ways to guarantee social security to workers,providethem jobs ac- Looking at the issue onlyfromthe LAC camps 18-19kminside Indian territory. The PLA’s road networkfromhereextendsto angle would be amistake.Remember,inthe The ShyamSaran ReportofAugust2013 Huangyangtan base located near National cordingtotheir skills. The CM also criticised other states fornot taking careofworkers from wake of theabrogationofArticle 370and made achillingrevelationof Indiahavinglost Highway G219. UPduringthelockdown.Forsure,thesalienceofwelfareschemesformigrants—insurance, 35A, therewas asuddenoutburstfrom 640sqkmdue to “area denial” setbyPLA pa- Further south in Demchok,China claims legal support, unemployment allowance —and the needfor better employment avenues Beijing over making Ladakh aUnion Territory trolling. The government deniedthe report, some 150sqkm.ThePLAhasbuiltmassive in- forthem, cannotbeoverstated. The UP CM’s stated concern forthe dignity of workers from (UT). China described India’s move as “un- but Chinese soldiers virtuallyprevented frastructureonits side, movedarmoured the stateinworkplaces in other states is also welcome. But arelevant intervention on an im- acceptable”, undermining its“sovereignty” Indian troops from getting access to Rakinala troops intoChardingNallasince 2009. Tibetan portantissueframedbytheongoingpublichealthemergencyassumedaproblematicover- —evenraisedthe issue at the UNSC. India near DaulatBeg-Olde(DBO)wherethe IAF re- nomadspitchtentsonHemis Monastery’s dismissedChina’s assertion, termedLadakh’s activatedthe world's highestlandingstrips in land throughout 2018-2019. tone whenthe UP CM said:“Without our permission, our people cannotbetaken by other newstatus as an “internal matter” having “no 2008. This plus the reopening of Fukche and In Chumur,China claims 80 sq km and states”. Quitesimply, whatthe chief ministerhas proposedisagainstthe interestsofthe implication forIndia’s external boundaries Nyoma airbases perhaps provokedthe PLA’s probablywantsastraightborder from PT- workers he is professing concern for. It also goes againstafundamental tenetofthe or the LACwith China”. intrusion in Depsang. 4925 to PT-5318 to bring Tible Mane (stupa) Constitution:ClausesdandeofArticle19 guaranteecitizenstherightto move freelythrough- While India has pursuedits corenational Thearmydeniedthat Ladakhhadshrunk. area under itscontrol. ForIndia, holding of out the country. interests in J&K, China’s response wasstrate- Changeinthe rivercourse wascited as area- Chumur is critical forthe safetyoftheManali- The public exchangeonthe issue of the strandedandvulnerable migrant workforcehas gic —ashift that mayhavealasting imprint son forthe loss of 500-1,500metresofland Leh route. Remember,the PLAdemandedre- on geopolitics. We have been harping on the annually. India’s stepped-upconstruction ac- movalofIndia’s fortifiedpositionsinBurtse thrownupseveral questionableand unseemlyinterventions so far. Morethan 20 lakh mi- “differing perception” theoryofthe LACfor tivities mayhaveprovokedChina intoaccus- (2013)and Demchok and Chumur (2014)for grantshavereportedly returnedtoUPinthe twomonthsafter PrimeMinisterNarendra decades,but in reality Chinahasbeen gaining ing India of altering the LACposition. Despite itsretreat. Modi’s announcement of anationwide lockdown drieduptheir sources of livelihood. control over amassive “disputed territory” in topographicalchallenges andcorruption, the Overall, the pattern showsthe PLA’s des- Whilethe UP government did mobilise busestoferrybackstrandedmigrants, alarge num- Eastern Ladakh since the 1980s. Despite topographical BROhas latelyfast-trackedthe 260 km long peratedesigntosnatch the lake at Lukung berofthem have had to undertake arduous journeys to return home. Earlier this month, The Chinesefirstmadeencroachments challengesand corruption,the Shayok-DBOroad construction thatprobably through athree-prongedstrategy of attacking intothe 45-km long Skakjung pastureland in triggeredthe PLAintrusionin early Mayspark- from Sirijap in the north, Chuchul in the south theUPgovernment sparredwith the government of Maharashtraoverlogistics forthe re- BRO has lately fast-tracked turning migrants. Lastweek,itengagedin abattle of one-upmanship with the Opposition Demchok-Kuyul sector.This resulted in local ing the current Galwan stand-off. and through the lakewater from middle. This Changpas of Chushul, Tsaga, Nidar,Nyoma, the 260 km long Shayok- Towardsthe south at Pangong Tso, forces is the keychokepoint from wherethe Chinese Congressoverbuses to transportworkers backtothe state. Unfortunately, on this issue, the Mud, Dungti, Kuyul, Loma villages gradually DBOroadconstruction that had physical scuffles over area-denial forpa- cancut offIndian access to the entireflank of Adityanath government does notseem to bean exception. Buses from Jharkhand have re- losing their winter grazing that sustained probably triggered the PLA trolling at SirijaponMay 5-6and on May11. Chip Chap plains, AksaiChin in the eastand portedlybeen turned back from the Bengal border,the Bihar government gave only are- 80,000 sheep/goatsand 4,000 yak/ponies The situation remains tense at Sirijap’s cliff ShayokValley to thenorth, whichmeans that luctant nod to bringing migrantsbyShramik Specialtrains, Jharkhand has accused everywinter. intrusion in early May spurs and also at the Tso, wheretroopsare Indian control is pushedtothe west of the Chhattisgarhofsendingbackpeople who tested COVID-19, andittook apublicuproar for Ladakh’searlier border layatKeguNaro — sparking the current Galwan chasing eachother in high-speedpatrolboats. Shyokriver and south of theIndus river, forc- the Karnataka government to revoke itsorder cancelling trains formigrants. aday-long march from Dumchele. Starting stand-off. Towardsthe south Clearly,intrusions arepartofChina’s never- ing India to acceptbothrivers as natural from the lossofNagtsang in 1984,followedby ending effortto push Indian troops westward boundaries. And onceChina gets control of The UP governmentcan be said to be attempting to use the emergency created by the atPangong Tso, forces had Nakung (1991) and Lungma-Serding (1992), of the Indusand Shyokrivers andreachthe the southern side of the Karakoram it can eas- pandemictogive itself unduepowers over itscitizens. The decision of workers to return to the lastbit of Skakjung waslostin2008. The physical scuffles over area- 1960 claimedline. ilyapproachSiachen Glacier from the theirworksites,ornot,isbest lefttothem.Of course,thehomestatesmayhavelegitimatewor- PLAfollowedthe nomadicRebo routes forpa- denial forpatrolling at Sirijap Out of the 857sqkmlong border in Depsangcorridorand meet at Tashkurgan ries about their workingconditions.Negotiations between states should inform effortsto trolling in contrasttoIndian authorities re- on May5-6 and on May11. Ladakh only368 sq km is the International junction from wherethe CPEC crosses into createandstrengthensocialsecurityforworkers—not unilateral,unconstitutionaldecisions. strictingRebomovementsthat ledtothe mas- Border,and therestofthe 489sqkmisthe Gilgit-Baltistan. sive shrinking of pastureland and border Thesituation remains tense LAC. The twotraditionaldisputed pointsin- That would be disastrous forIndiande- defence. at Sirijap’s cliffspursand also cludedTrig Heightsand Demchok.Ateight fence, leaving the strategic Nubravulnerable, By the 2000s, the PLA’s focus shifted to at the Tso, where troops are points,the twosideshavediffering percep- possiblyimpacting even India's holdover desolate, inhospitable Chip Chap whichre- chasing eachother in high- tions —Samar Lungpa 176sqkm, Depsang Siachen. China’s access to Changla-pass THINK SMARTER mains inaccessible until end-March.After Plains 972,Hot Spring 38, Changlung13, through Lukung and Tangtse would threaten mid-May, waterstreams impede vehicles speed patrol boats. Clearly, Kungkala-Phobrang 5, Sarjap 129, Spanguur theentire IndusValley. Itis quitepossiblethat movingacross Shyok, Galwan, and Chang- intrusions are part of China’s 24,and Dhumtsele 25 sq km. But lately, China China is eyeing the waters of the Shyok, SmartCitiesMission, which wastoapproachurban planning Chenmoriversleavingonly amonth and ahalf never-ending effort to push has raisedtwo fresh disputepointsat Galwan and Chang-Chenmo rivers, to divert creatively,perpetuates the traditionalneglect of health foreffectivepatrolling by the Indian side. No Indian troops westward of the Pangong Tso83sqkmand at Chumur where them to the arid Aksai Chin and itsAli region. human beings inhabit here, a1962war site, it claims 80 sq km. The old disputesites were FALL THE lessons that the pandemic has taught acivilisation that had be- an entrypoint intoLadakh forthe Uyghurs Indus and Shyok riversand at the end point of Pangong Tsoand at The writer,aformer ambassador, come improbablyconfidentofits beliefs, perhaps the mostunsettling is and Tibetans. Local Ladakhi personnel reachthe 1960 claimed line. Chushul —the 1962 battle-site. is an expert on India-China affairs that the mosttechnologicallycapablenations cannotprotect the livesand O health of their citizensfromamedievalplague.Itfollows that apolitical cultureand economic system invested in the ideal of ever-increasingGDP mustinvest moreinthe health of itscitizens, who powerthe engine of growth. Historically, Indiahas hesitated to invest adequatelyinschool educationand health, the twin foundations of a maturesociety, and these sectorsremainedneglected even by the reforms process. Now, MIGRAT ION:OURS AND THEIRS it appears that even the newest innovation foroptimisingspacesand communities for growth, the SmartCities Mission, hasn’t understood the foundational importance of health. The figures areappalling. Only1.18per centofthe 5,861 projectsokayedsince 2015 are Some journeys areabout choice, others areforced displacement foraugmenting infrastructureand capability in health.Infiscalterms, they account foronly 1.03percentof thevolumeinvestedby theMission.Plumbinganabyssalnadirintheimpor- tance accordedtohealth, this is even lowerthan the shamefullyinadequate1.6 percent of Sowmya DechammaCC GDP whichthe states andthe Centretogetherset aside forhealth in 2019-20.For compari- My 13-year-old sonand eight-year-old daugh- have my culturalcapital.Yes,Iknowtheircaste. lar reason being that of the “greater common son,thetotalhealthexpenditureintheUSin2017 was17.9percentof GDP,ofwhichthestate terwereaseager to getbackfromNew York Manymakeitapointtotell theirsecond good”, without choice or voice. contributed over 8.5 per cent. Of the 30 municipal jurisdictions whichaccount for79per city as muchastheyhad looked forwardto names,indicatingtheircaste.Ialsohadpeople Iwas anxiousabout returning from New centofcases, 17 aresmart cities—and, of them, onlyseven have invested Missionfunds di- being there. The storyofmyhomecoming askingmeif Iwasvegetarian,orwell,Brahmin. York,whereIhad gone on afellowship. Ikept rectlyinhealth.Hotspots likeJaipurandSurathave nohealthprojectsatallundertheMission. sounds quitecrass when Iread the stories of TheseparentswhomIinteractwitharenot flu- writing to everyone Icould, from the ambas- As the Mission clarifies on itswebsite, asmartcityhas no absolutedefinition.The migrant workers waiting to return home. It ent in English, theyare scared of conversing sadorofIndia in the US to friends, about repa- term originated among Western planners to describeacity whichuses InternetofThings took the intervention of the Karnataka High withthemanagementorthedoctororthepo- triation flights. The Indian embassyalways datatooptimise itsservices.The Indian ministryofhousing and urban affairs mentions Courttoorder thegovernment to payfor the lice stationed24/7 at the hotel. Some rely on replied.Was this kindofefficiency available travel of the migrantswho had no work,no me (and my children)tonavigatetechnology, to themigrant-worker? What about the blue- this aspect in onlyone of the eight features it lists forasmartcity. The rest focus on urban payand no moneytoget back to their dear fill formsinEnglish,and to talk to whichever collar Indian workers in the Gulf?Iknowthat planning strategies forquality of life,suchasreducing pollution and improving land use. ones. It did notmatter to manyinhigh places authority.But yet, theywereable to meetthe in Jordan and Singapore, workers from India Health is mentionedonlyinone point, whichdiscusses urban identity conferredthrough that theyweredying of exhaustion on their exorbitant costofthe ticketfromthe USto arestruggling in dormitories. It wasonlyin local economic activities likemakingsportsgoods and hosiery, and providing medical walk back home,orbeingrun over onrailway Theprotagonist of the India,choosethe“premiumcategory”ofquar- early May, nearly twomonths afterthe lock- facilities. Health is notacknowledgedasthe substrateofproductivity.Wecan onlyhope tracks andhighways. Indian-American dream is antine,and even bickeraboutthe food served down,whenthe economy startedopeningup, that the pandemic drivesthe point home, and the Mission pivotstohealth. As Iwrite this from an institutional five- not amigrant-worker.Theirs to us.Aswe waitto receive thefoodservedout- that the Shramik trains startedrunning. star quarantinefacility in Hyderabad, our side the room in the hotelcorridor,conversa- Whereand howdid those who travelledin biggestrevolution is againstthe hotelman- is largely astoryofchoice. tionsrangefromhow many children each has these spend the lasttwo months? That they agement and with the government orders — This cannot be the storyof in the US to whatisserved in the other hotels had to wait in the scorching sun with luggage asking forsome fresh air to be letintoour air- the worker-migrant,more wheretheir acquaintances arequarantined, on their head forbuses to take them to the rail- THE QUIETLEGEND conditionedrooms.Coronavirus has made often than not belonging to andhowsuffocatingitcangetinsideAC rooms. waystation,that theywerehoseddown with this muchclear:Wehaveone setofpeople We even ventured to ask forbiryani on Eid. chemical disinfectantswhile booking their fighting to beout in Hyderabad’s summer air, the so-called lowercastes and Do Ineedtocontrastthese US-migrant tickets,thatthey wadedthroughtheYamuna Balbir Singh wasthe cunningcraftsman, ano-frillspragmatist, and thereisanother set, numericallymuch to Adivasi communities, dreams with dreams of migrants’ stories of in thehopeofreaching home, that therewas forwhom onlygoals, gold medals and team-workmattered larger, whoseonlypossessionperhaps is the displaced from their homecoming within India? The protagonist no waterand manytimes thepackets of food will to walk hundredsofmiles in the hotsun of the Indian-American dream is notami- giventothem were stale, that their dismem- towardstheir homes. homelands multiple times grant-worker. Theirs is largely astoryof choice. beredbodieslayonthe railtracks,whilesome NARARE television interviewthree years ago, Balbir Singh Senior,three-time Mostpeoplequarantinedinour hotelare forvarious reasons, the most This cannotbethe storyofthe worker-mi- of us fought to beletout forsome fresh air says Olympic gold-winninghero, who diedonMonday,explainedthe guidingphilos- aged/middle-aged, upper-caste parents re- popular reason being that of grant,moreoften than notbelonging to the alot about the society we are. ophy of his lifeand career:“Invisibility is my comfortzone.”Toremain invisibleon turning from the US,the land wherethe mi- the ‘greater common good’, so-calledlowercastesandto Adivasi commu- I the field is perhaps the biggestvirtue of acentreforward,toslipbetween the lurk- grants’dreamscometrue.Imay nothavetheir nities, displacedfromtheir homelands multi- The writer teaches at the ing defensive lines and wriggle through lashing sticks.Inateam of artistes, in an eraof caste and moneyedcapital, but theydonot without choice or voice. ple times forvarious reasons, the mostpopu- University of Hyderabad when high-speeddribbling wasromanticised, Balbirwas thecunningcraftsman, ano- frills pragmatistfor whomonlygoals, gold medals and team-workmattered.The cloak of invisibility he so proudlyworewas arguably thereason he remainedanonymous formost of his lifetime, and whyhe’s scarcelyromanticisedlikethe other great stylists of the game. It’s asporting altruism: The lens of history is unkind to men who step away from the MAY 26, 1980, FORTY YEARS AGO limelight. It prefers the showstoppers, notthe hardworking, self-effacing players who might have been no less indispensable in shaping history.LikeJorge Burruchagawas to A SSAM UNREST SOUTH KOREARIOTS HERATATTACKS DiegoMaradona, likeVavaand Didi to Pele, likeArthur Morris to Donald Bradman. Or THE ASSAM GOVERNMENTcalled the army THE SOUTH KOREAN foreign ministry RADIO KABUL CONFIRMED urban guerilla out in the Barpeta sub-division of Lower urgedall foreignembassies in Seoultoget attacks in the strategic Afghan city of Herat, likeBalbir Sigh to DhyanChand. Theywereall heroes, but myth-weavers did notknit Assam,inanobvious showofforce, in viewof theirnationals out of Kwangju area “as soon about 110kmfromthe Iran border.The sparking halos around the heads. It’s notthatBalbir couldnot dribble or reverse-flick, but the observance tomorrowof“demand day” as possible”,aUSembassysourcesaid.The Pashto-languagebroadcastfollowednumer- that he thought those were redundant to his function and role. by theCongress (I)-backedAll Assam Minority recommendation wasissuedasanti-gov- ous reports thatrebels controlledkey sectors So while historiansconsider theeight goals DhyanChand strokedinthe Berlin StudentsUnion (AAMSU)and “Barpeta ernment demonstrators and South Korean of the western provincial capital, including Olympics (1936) final as the pinnacleofIndian hockey,the five Balbir scored in India’s 6- bandh”calledbythe Barpeta DistrictStudents military forces continuedtheir tensevigil the watersupply, and of heavy clashes be- 1thrashing of the Netherlands inthe 1952 Games wasarguablytougher. It arrivedatatime Union. AccordingtoAssamchief secretary, behind barricadesinthe riot-battered tweenthe insurgentsand Afghansand Soviet troops have been calledout and para-military provincial capital. Morethan 100persons forces holding other partsofthe city. Kabul when hockey had evolvedconsiderablyand againstamuchstrongerand rugged Dutch reinforcementsrushedtoBarpeta.The AAGSP were killed in anti-government rioting Radio claimedthat anti-government forces team, who despitelosing the final is credited as afoundingfather of modern-day hockey, and theAASU have,inthe meantime,accused therelastweekfollowing the imposition of raidedthe Herat provincial police headquar- whichisdecisively more athletic than artistic. But forget them not, forwithout their sweat, the government of inciting communalvio- martial lawand censorship ters, killing an undisclosed number of sol- sacrifice and selflessness, history would have been less historic, legends would have been lence in the statebyencouraging the minori- throughout the countryand arrestsofsev- diers. Totalrebel losses were notdisclosed merelymen. Balbir,the manfond ofself-deprecation, wasatrue legend. ties to launchacounter-agitation. eral leading politicians. but it said one terroristwas shot.

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THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,MAY26,2020 WHATTHE OTHERSSAY “The government has justified its decision to reopen by saying that Pakistan’s figures are ‘muchbetterthan countries in the We st’and that 11 perhaps populations in South Asia have some miracle,unproven immunity.” THE IDEAS PAGE —DAWN The contagion of fear The Pashtun

Paranoia hasbeenconstructed around COVID-19. It is fuelledbylack question of education, erosion of science and scientifictemper As it ponders engagementwith Taliban, Delhi cannotturnawayfromthe complexgeopolitics of thePashtun lands

communistgovernment in the 1980s, the mujahideen and Taliban rule that followed in the 1990s and the post-Taliban coalition that took charge in 2002 —constructing a Shah Alam Khan stable internal balance has been hard. That problem will acquireanew inten- sity as the Taliban stakes claim foradomi- IN HIS NOVEL, AJournal of thePlague Year, RAJA MANDALA nant role in Kabul. But has the Taliban learnt publishedin1722after thebubonic plague to live in peace with the minorities? The devastatedEurope, author Daniel Defoe by CRajaMohan Taliban, an essentiallyPashtun formation, writes about families forced intoquarantine hadbrutally crushedtheminorities during duetoaninfected familymember.Hestates DELHI NEEDS TO look beyond the ques- itsbrief rule in the late1990s. Thereare that it wasgenerally from such houses that tion of engaging with the Taliban and focus some indications that the Taliban is now dismal shrieksand cries of poor people were on the largerPashtunquestion that once reaching out to theminoritiesbut it is some heard—theywereterrified and even fright- againpromises to shapethe geopolitics of distance away from winningtheir trust. enedtodeath, by thesightofthe condition of the north-western Subcontinent. The The problem of constructing internal their dearestrelations, and of being impris- question of adirect dialogue withthe balance in Afghanistanhas been compli- onedastheywere. Inaninterview to the New Taliban wasbeginningtogainsome rele- cated by Pakistan’s meddling, whichis York Times in 1988, authorand Nobellaure- vance as thegroup’s effective controlof drivenbyunrealisableambition and un- ateGabriel Garcia Marquez said: “Plagues territoryinAfghanistanexpandedinre- reasonable fear.Pakistanwould liketohave arelikeimponderable dangers that surprise cent years. It has acquired some immedi- the kind of hegemonythatthe British Raj people. Theyseem to have the quality of des- acy afterthe Donald Trump exercisedoverAfghanistan. Neither can tiny.”Defoe’s nearly 400-year-old account Administration announced plans forasig- Pakistanreplicatethat dominance nor are and Marquez’s definition of destinyseem to nificant drawdown of itsforces from the Afghans willing concede it to the have returnedtohaunt theworld as we Afghanistanand signedapeace deal with Pakistanarmy. struggle to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. the Taliban earlier this year. Pakistan’s ambitioustalk of strategic Pandemics and the measurestaken to Renewedpublic interestinthe question depth is accompaniedbyworries about its control them invariablyleadtoseveremen- wastriggered earlier this month when the Pashtun minority.Thereare morethan talstress, as hasbeen shown by manyscien- US Special Envoyfor Afghanistan, Zalmay twice as manyPashtuns living in Pakistan tific articles. Enough scientific literatureis Khalilzad, calledonIndia to open apolitical thaninAfghanistan. The Pashtunpopula- available to show that the disease and the so- conversation with the Taliban. The interest tion is estimated to be around15millionin calledremedy —the lockdown—causedsig- wasfurther amplifiedbyasignalfromthe Afghanistanand 35 million in Pakistan. nificant mental stress to the people subjected Taliban that it is eager foraproductive re- Although Pashtun separatism has long to it during the ongoing pandemic. This stress lationship withIndia. ceasedtobeaforce in Pakistan, Islamabad can translateintodifferent kinds of action. In Those calling fordirect engagement finds the Pashtun question re-emerge in a deeplytraditionaland religioussocieties like with the Talibansay that Delhi can't ignore different form. Pakistancan’t reallybet that ours, compounded by the paucity of educa- CRSasikumar suchanimportant forceinAfghanpolitics. the Taliban will notput Pashtun national- tion,scientific temper and logical thinking, onlycompounded thefear.The poor mi- campaign. In this respect, the Kerala govern- Opponentssay thereisnoreason forDelhi ism above theinterestsofthe Pakistani theseactions can be extremelytreacherous. grant has unsurprisinglycarriedhatred ment’s initiative,called“Break the Chain”, is to join the international stampede to em- state. The Taliban, forexample, hasnever On April 24,a34-year old man wasre- againstus, the citywallahs, and fear of the worthamention. The campaign aimed to ed- brace the Taliban. If and when the Taliban endorsedthe Durand Line as the legitimate portedlyattackedinKalyan, Maharashtra, disease to whereverhewent in the hinter- ucatepeople about the importance of per- becomes apeaceful entity and joins the border with Pakistan. It is by no means on the suspicion of being aCOVID-19pa- land. The general public remainedill-in- sonal hygiene and simple methodslikehand questfor apolitical settlement with Kabul, clear if Pakistan’s construction of the tient. He died, following the attack. In an- formedormisinformedonmanyaspects of washing techniques. theyargue, Delhishould have no objection Taliban as aconservative religious forcehas other case, a25-year-old man wasinjured the disease. The undemocratic lockdown, Scientific or logical behaviour in society to direct talks. obliterated the group’s ethnic character. in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, on the suspicion of even if it can be argued as beingnecessary, evolvesovertime. It is both culturallyderived Forall the interestithas generated,the Meanwhile, Islamabad’s questfor con- being aCOVID-19patient. Similar incidence ledtofurther strengthening of anotion that and individuallyingrained. Unfortunately, question of Delhi opening adialogue with trol over Afghanistanoverthe lastfour of violence againstpeoplesuspected of har- we aredealing with adisease whichwas so the lastfew years have seen asequential ero- the Taliban is atactical issue focusedon decades has heapedextraordinarysuffer- bouring the notorious virus has been re- contagious and so lethal that it canlead to sion of science and scientific temper in our when,how and on what terms. ingonthe Pashtun people on Pakistan’s portedfromall around the country. Besides the death of anyone who comes in contact country. Sadly, this erosion has been accel- But the Taliban remains an important side of the Durand Line. As the Pashtun the general public, doctors, nurses and with an infected person. It wasunfortunate erated by the unscientific rhetoric from the sub-set of the largerand morestrategic Tahafuz Movement seeksapeaceful re- otherhealth personnel have also been tar- that the government puffedits chestin highestoffices of the executive.Evensadder Pashtun question thatholds the key to dressal of itsdemands forbasic human geted. Junior doctors from my hospital have claimingthat this wasthe strictestlock- is the silence of the scientific community on India’s enduring interestinAfghanistan: rights, Pakistanhas unleashedmassive re- been issuednotices by their landlords,re- down in the world. Visuals of police atroc- this erosion. The lackofscientific thinking Promoting apeaceful, independent and a pression. questing themtovacatetheir rented ac- ities in implementing the lockdownplayed has been unabatedeveninthe timesofthe sovereign Afghanistanthat is notasubal- Pakistan’s expansive military and polit- commodation because of the neighbour- their partinfortifying thenotion that we COVID-19. Promotion of Ganga jal and gau tern to the Pakistanarmy. ical investmentsinAfghanistanhavenot hood’s hostility.All in all,itdidn’ttakelong aredealing with adisease “worththe mutra as acurefor COVID-19and thecon- Twobasic issues define the Pashtun reallyresolvedIslamabad’s security chal- forthe COVID-19pandemic to take the stigma”. Ibelieve that thestrictnessofthe Scientific or logical comitant misinformation, rumours and question and will have ahugebearing on lengesonits western frontier.IfanAfghan shape of astigmatised,contagious beastin lockdown playedits part in inducingfear in speculation about the pandemiconsocial Afghanistan’s political evolution afterthe triumph eludes Pakistan, Delhi can’tescape India.This needstobecarefullyevaluated the minds of the generalpublic, therebyat- behaviour is both culturally and other media, have onlyadded to further impending drawdown of the US forces the complexgeopoliticsofthe Pashtun and understood because, sadly, it is areflec- taching morestigma to the disease. derived and individually confusion and fear. from the country. lands.That the Talibanwantstotalk to India tion of the society we have become. In the initialphaseofthe lockdown in ingrained. Unfortunately, Thereisasubtle difference between cau- One is the problem of reconciling the and Pakistanbrands Pashtun leaders as The stigma attachedtoCOVID-19inIndia Delhi, the government started aprocess of the last few yearshaveseen a tion and fear when it comes to containing a interests of multiple ethnic groups in Indian agentsonlyunderlines Delhi’s en- is notwithout reason. We have apenchant marking homes of people advisedtobein pandemic of this scale. Caution helps in sal- Afghanistan—the Pashtuns who consti- during salience in Afghanistan. to attachstigmastovariousphenomena. quarantine or homes with actual patients. sequential erosion of science vaging the self while fear consumes both the tutenearly 42 per cent of the population. Besides ill-founded traditions, thecommon- This is an old practice, whichisstillprevalent and scientific temper in our self and thosearoundus. Stigmatisation The sizeable Afghan minoritiesinclude 27 The writer is Director,InstituteofSouth eststigmas go with diseases. People with in manyEuropean countries.But sucha country. Sadly,this erosion comes from fear.Ifwewant to come out of per centTajiks, 9per cent eachofHazaras Asian Studies, National University of mental health issues, neurological diseases “marking out” in acountrylikeours rein- the ruinsofthis pandemicand from thecon- and Uzbeks. Singaporeand contributing editor on likeepilepsy,physical disabilities, tubercu- forced thefear around COVID-19. Thereare has been accelerated by the sequences of the lockdown, we have tore- Irrespectiveofthe nature of theregimes international affairs for losis, skin disorders and leprosy areshunned, better and morediscreetmethods to imple- unscientific rhetoric from move fear and stigma from this awful dis- in Kabul over the lastfour decades—the The Indian Express mistreated and notconsidered equals by our ment aquarantine. In Kerala, whichhas the the highest offices of the ease. We have to letour minds be governed society. best results in the countryintermsofcon- executive. Even sadder is the by science, and notfakery. We must remem- But the stigma attachedtoapandemic taining the disease, ASHAworkers were de- berthatillnessesare as old as civilisation and with highinfection ratesisuniqueinmany ployed andtele-counselling services were silence of the scientific our onlyhope in fightingdiseaseslies in our ways.It’s unique because it comes from ex- providedtofamilies with suspected infected communityonthis erosion. undeterred faith in science and reason. LETTER TO THE EDITOR treme fear.The paranoia whichhas been patientsorthose under quarantine. Thelackofscientific The COVID-19pandemic is no exception constructed around COVID-19inthe last The role of educating the masses cannot thinking has been unabated to this thumb rule. three months has made matters worse. The be overemphasisedduring suchanoutbreak. hasty lockdown and the unfortunatemigra- An effective waywould have been to use the even in the times of the The writer is professor of orthopaedics, CLASSROOM FIRST tion of the poor out of cities on foot have village health workersinadoor-to-door COVID-19. AIIMS, NewDelhi. Viewsare personal IDEAS THIS REFERSTOthe editorial,‘Easeof learning’, (IE, May25).Smartclasses ONLINE and online education have been apart of the Indian education system but due ONLYINTHE EXPRESS to alackofinfrastructureand support, theycouldn’t become widespread. ● THE RISK PERCEPTION: This pandemic has forced the system KANCHAN MUKHERJEE Atable for none to exploreonlineeducation. While on- line education familiarises students ● REPURPOSING We will return to an altered landscape of restaurants, with morelove, affection withmodern technology,conven- MGNREGA: tional classrooms still remain the best ASHWINIKULKARNIAND form of learning. Childrennot only PRAMATHESHAMBASTA Manu Chandra learn social skills,but develop leader- shipqualities by performing the role of amonitor,prefect and head student www.indianexpress.com WHIRLPOOLSCAUSE TREMENDOUS disrup- Contrarytopopular belief, the restau- aprotective face screen, handing out dis- businesses generated,will needtorethink of the school. tion on the surface. Waterchurns menac- rant business operates on razor-thin mar- posablemenus withplastic-wrappedcut- their previous bullying and, frankly, bizarre Rahul Maheshwari, Kanpur ingly,creating apullthatdrags anything gins: Fixedcosts arehigh, rentals arefirst- lery, to atable of onlyfourpeople, dining policydecisionsfor the hospitality sector. WarII, theesteemedinstitutions re- caught in itscurrent belowthe surface, and worldwhilstprices chargedare out willbecome functional, notexperien- There’s an optimistinme, however, UNPREPARED sponsible forinternational peace, thenbasicallyleavesitthere, disoriented.If third-world, and bills getpaidbecause of a tial as it wasdesignedtobe. who,after nearly twomonths of getting healthcareand educationhavebeen the person caught up in awhirlpool does not rolling debt model.Acompleteshutdown Restaurantsnow have no choice but to usedtodailybirdsong andcleanair,believes THIS REFERS TO the reports,‘Covid struggling.It's the high time that these panic and has phenomenal lung capacity, the forevenaweek is disastrous, and 60 days innovate to bridgethe widegap that this re- thatthistoo shallpass. That, whilstthe over- wake-up call: Healthinfrastructure institutions, both global and regional, chances arehe/she will rise to the surface, is the equivalentofameteor strike. duction in footfalls will create. Manynew all impactand financial hit to our ecosys- only1per cent of Smart Cityprojects' transform themselvesand playaposi- battered and petrified, but alive.And,some Manybusinesses in thissector will be trends areemerging globally: Mealkits, temwill have long-lasting effects—one and ‘Whistleblowerbehind GujaratHC tive role in the global community in the distance from wheretheywent under. unable to weather this storm, with esti- cocktail mixes, online cooking classesand whichmanywillnot be able to survive— order:'No PPE kit, mask,gloves... can be post-COVID world. This is wherealarge chunk of my indus- mates about the number of places that will vouchersfor the future —anything to pre- the social animalsthat humanbeings are, in big trouble'(IE, May25).Theyreveal Ankit Singh, Prayagraj try—the restaurant industry—findsitself have to close down in the next six to eight vent the business from sinking deeper. their return to busy bars and bustling eater- the lackofpolitical will and hollow now. Stories about howrestaurantsmay be months ranging from 20-35 percent. This Delivery seems to be the warcry forevery- ies willonlybenatural. claimsabout the disasterpreparedness TALK IT OUT breeding grounds forthe virus, or howair- will be abody blowfor averylarge,young one, but let’s be honest: Abusiness that Inevitably, therewillbeacure, avaccine, of hospitals. But forthe whistleblower's conditionerspropagatethe disease, abet a working population,mostoften migrants, worksoncostmodels designedtothrive something that reminds us that while we letter to thehighcourt,the truth would THISrefers to the editorial,'Unquietfront' trustdeficit that has already formedinthe who travelledfor work because their home onlywhen itsseating capacity is leveraged arealotmorefragile than we’d imagined, nothavecome out. And instead of re- (IE, May25). An eerieuneaseonthe Indo- minds of the averagecustomer. states justdidn’t have the opportunities. to the maximum cannotsurvive on deliv- nothing canprevent usfrombeingaround sponding to the substantive issues China borders following the longstand- The toll on the restaurantbusiness has, With social distancingnorms in place,and eryalone. one another,eventually. The last60days Gujarat Health MinisterNitin Patelis ing controversy over territoryclose to the by now, been well documented,especially the distinct possibility that restaurant oc- “Contactless” dining, the newcatch- have also been areminder of the impor- harping on his ageand risking visitsto LineOf ActualControl (LAC),doesn'tpor- in countries likethe US, wheredatasug- cupancy willbedictated by municipalau- phrase usedindiscriminatelybytechcom- tance of the hearth, the respect foringredi- hospitals at atime when Prime Minister tend well formutual and bilateral inter- geststhatthe hospitality sector accounts thorities, carrying the levels of staffone did panies that reliedheavilyonour business, is ents, the tribulations of taking to the stove NarendraModiisusing tele-conferenc- ests.The current tensions could jeopar- fornearly athirdofthe unemployment pre-COVID will nowbeuntenable. somethingthat will take holdfor along daily, the joys of sitting aroundatable,and ing to interact and guide. dise regional peace. Hence, both the numbers. At lastcount,reportedlyabout7.5 What will also fundamentallyalter is the time. Dining can neverbecontactless,but ultimately, thereverence people whodo LRMurmu, Delhi neighbours needsincereand serious de- millionpeoplehaveclaimedunemploy- restaurant experience, at leastfor some themoniker is being usedtosellanew era this everyday needtobegiven.Wewillre- liberations in order to wriggle out of ment benefits—ahugenumber,millions, time.Theseare places built to be social of tech-enabledeating out option, with lit- turn to an alteredlandscape of restaurants, REFORM BODIES theseterritorial complications. At atime from the leisureand hospitality sector hubs, whereconstant interaction and serv- tle human interaction. but with alot more love and affection to- when we face acommon threat, diplo- alone. These numbersare so stark and dev- ice playedasmuchofarole as the ambience Real estate will be rationalisedbecause wardsthem. THIS REFERS TO THE article, 'Rebooting macy and friendship mustprevail. astating that little needs to be said about and food. With these factorslargely re- boom-timewindfalls will notexist—there the world' (IE, May25).Since World Azhar AKhan, Rampur the calamitous consequences theywillhave movedfromthe equation, conversations justwon’t be anytakers. Stategovernments, Thewriter is chef partner on theindustryatlarge. with servers speaking to youfrombehind whichreliedheavilyonrevenues that these withthe OliveGroup

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AN EXPERT EXPLAINS CORONAVIRUS DASHBOARD THE WORLD What can go wrong with styrene? 260,916 180,595 230,158 156,827 United Kingdom Germany Italy Turkey On May7,aleak of styrene gasinVisakhapatnam left11dead and affected thousands. Aleadingscientist 182,709 discusses the compound,health implications, and possible causes forthe leak, basedonwhat is known France 353,427 1,651,254 Russia tinuous refrigeration. These checks areeven US moreimportantduringlongplantshutdowns. 144,118 Inadvertent polymerisationofstyrene India 347,398 givesusenough notice and warnings, as tem- Brazil 235,772 peraturerises very slowly. Even in the ab- Spain sence of an inhibitor,ittakes about 25 days forthe temperature in thetank to increase TOTALCONFIRMED: 5,453,784 DEATHCOUNT:345,886 from 20°C to 30°C. So periodic monitoring is Swaminathan all that is required to ensuresafety. Source: JohnsHopkinsUniversity,updated at 11 pm on May24.JHU’s India tally and Health Sivaram Industryhas been handling styrene for Ministry’stally(below) maynot matchasthese areaccountedatdifferent times. decadesnow. Thereisnodocumentedrecord of amajorstyrene-relatedaccident anywhere Basedonwhatweknow, what could in theworld.Some minoraccidentsinvolving have happened in Vizag on May7? rail car containers and road tankers have been Strokes in Covid-19 patients: Letmefirstsummarise what we do know. reported. One of the biggestincidentsreported Theplantwasunderstart-upafteralockdown wasanexplosioninashipping tanker in a 4studies capture trends of 40days.Thetankthatleakedhadacapacity South Korean portlastyear.This is true of the of 2,400tonnes, with1,800 tonnesofstyrene industryinIndiaas well.Indiaimports close to HOWFREQUENT,and howsevere, are morelikelytobedeadathospital dis- presentatthetime.Theoperatorswerecheck- 1.5mn tonnes of styrene annuallyand strokesamongCovid-19patients? A charge (63.6%vs. 9.3%). ing the storagetank, and it has been reported processesitintoseveral productsweusedaily. series of papers in the journal Stroke, Another study,fromHongKong, that one of the valvesinthe tank wasproba- publishedbythe American Heart reporteddelays in the time from blynot handledwell.Italsoappearsthatthere What does styrene do to the body? Association, examines trends from stroke onsettohospitalarrival. wasatechnicalglitchintherefrigeratorunitof Smokerises from LG Polymers, Visakhapatnam, siteofstyrene leakonMay 7. AP Styrene has loworaltoxicity and moder- four countries.The broad findings: Between January23and March 24, the tank.Fromvideos and photostaken im- ateinhalation toxicity.Styrene vapours are ■ The rate of strokesinCovid-19 the onset-to-arrivaltime in Queen mediatelyaftertheaccident,copiousamounts an irritant to eyes, gastro-intestinaltract,mu- patientsappearsrelatively low; but — MaryHospital wasabout an hour of whitedensevapoursare seengushingfrom Due to thelong shutdown, it is possible that tanksatthe time of the accident.Otherwise, cous membranes, and respiratorytract. But ■ Ahigher proportion of those longer in 2020 compared with2019 somewhereatthe bottom of the tank. slowpolymerisationof styreneinthetankhad the result could have been farmorecata- long-term health effectsofstyreneare very strokesare among younger people; (154 minutesvs95minutes). Now, abit about styrene. It is actuallya begun,especiallywhere itmight have been in strophic,asthetankitself couldhave ruptured. small. Thereisno evidencethat it induces ■The strokesinCovid-19patients Astudy from China found that in colourless liquid,and notagas. Styrene exists condensedstate.This probablywentunno- anykindofcancer. Mostofthe symptoms of areoften more severe February 2020,hospi- as asingle molecule,but is unstable and has ticed.Inaddition,therehavebeenreportsthat The accident revivedmemories of Bhopal. exposuretostyrene arereversible. compared to strokesin taladmissions related ahighpropensityfor auto-polymerisation, some valves had failedtofunctionatthe time As someonewho handled the aftermath people who do not to stroke dropped40%, meaningittriestocombine withitself to of start-up,probablybecauseofchoking,and of the Bhopal leak,doyou see parallels? What does the Vizag accidentsay about have thenovelcoron- compared to the same makelongchains,especiallyattemperatures itisquitepossiblethattheprocessadoptedfor Ithink it is unfair to comparethis accident industrial safetystandards in India? avirus, while global time periodin2019. over65°C. This process is exothermic, that is, declogging thesevalvesmight have resulted with the leak of methyl isocyanate(MIC) in Inrecentyearstherecordofprocesssafety ratesfor stroke hospi- Afourth study, from alot of heat is releasedduringauto-poly- inthemgivingway, andtheliquidstyreneleak- Bhopal.MIC is farmorepoisonous and toxic. in the chemicalindustryhas significantly im- talisations and treat- France, found that be- merisation, and canbecomeuncontrollable. ingout.Astheliquidstreamedoutof thesmall The concentration of MIC that is classified as proved,thankstotechnology,automationand mentsare significantly tween February15and Forthese reasons, styrene is always stored orifice, it would have ledtoasudden turbu- immediatelydangerous to lifeand health IT.India has some unique problemsthat we lowerthan forthe first PAPER March 30,therewas a at relatively lowtemperatures (between 15°C lence and mixing in the tank,whichinturn (IDLH)isjust2-5 parts per million, whereas needtoaddress quickly. Alot of our chemical partof2019. 21%decrease (844 in and20°C).Thisisto avoidinadvertentpolymeri- could have ledtoviolent polymerisation. This forstyrene, this is 700ppm. MIC’s biological manufacturingisinthesmallandmediumsec- One study,covering CLIP 2019 vs 668in2020) in sation and the resultant generation of heat. A probablyresulted in an increase in tempera- response in human beings is similar to that tors, whose ability to invest in industrial and NewYorkbetween overall volume of is- smallamount of another chemical —calledan tureinside the tank,facilitating the vaporisa- of hydrogen cyanide. It blocksthefunctions of environmentalsafetyaswell as occupational March 15 and April 19, NEWRESEARCH chemicpatients receiv- inhibitor —suchaspara-tertiary-butyl-cate- tion of styrene, andthese vapours escaping. haemoglobin in the blood. health is limited.Several of ourmanufactur- found that out of 3,556 ing mechanical chol is also addedtostoredstyrene in order to Andbecausetherefrigerationsystemhadalso The onlything forwhichIcan speak of ing plantsare ageing andreluctant to invest in hospitalisedCovid cases, 32 patients thrombectomyduring the pandemic preventpolymerisation.Despitetheseprecau- malfunctioned,therewas nothingtocontrol both in thesamebreathisthatbothaccidents capital either to revamp or scrap/rebuild,and (0.9%) had ischemic stroke.Theycom- compared to 2019.Additionally, there tions, in geographies or seasons that have sig- the riseoftemperatureinside the tank. were avoidable with alittle extracare. thatisamatterofconcern.Urbanpopulations paredthose 32 Covid patientstothose wasanincrease in the amountoftime nificanttemperaturedifferencesbetweennight An alternative hypothesis is that styrene have encroachedonspaces that were origi- admittedonlywithstroke (46 patients) from imagingtotreatment overall — and day, small amounts of styrenevaporise condensateformed on the roof and walls of Does thissuggest an element of nallydemarcated forindustry, including the and found that thepatientswith Covid 145minutesin2020 vs 126minutesin when the temperatureishigh, and then con- the tank might have fallen intothe liquid, and negligenceinthe Vizag accident? buffer(and green) zones that allchemical in- tendedtobeyounger (average age63) 2019;this increasedby30minutes in denses on tank roofs, walls, or fittings,when it could have become the reason forinitiation All accidentshaveaninherent elementof dustry wasmandated to follow. Thereisalso versus non-Covid stroke patients(av- patientstransferredtootherfacilities coolsdown.Theinhibitorexists only intheliq- of polymerisation. negligence. It is oftensaid that an accidentisa anincreasingtendencyto skiplong-termtrain- erageage 70).Strokesamongthe Covid fortreatment afterimaging. uidphase,andthusstyrenevapoursdon’thave Now, the fact that longstorage,lackofre- consequenceofconfluence of 95%unsafe acts ing and skilldevelopment by resorting to ca- patientsweremoresevere(basedon SOURCE:AMERICANHEART the inhibitor mixed in them.So, in condensed frigeration,ordepletinginhibitorcontentleads and 5% unsafeconditions.Severalstandard suallabourintheoperationalarea.Thechem- astrokescale)and these patientswere ASSOCIATION styrene stuckonwalls, roof or fittings, thereis to slowpolymerisationisnotunknown.Ithap- precautionsseemto have beenmissed.Astan- icalindustrywillfacesevere shortage of skilled nothing to prevent auto-polymerisation. This pens occasionally, andisdetected during rou- dardpractice is to analysethe contents of the operating personnel in the years to come. oftenleadsto apluggingofpressurerelief valves tine monitoringofthe storagetank.Iftimely storagetanksdailyfor oxygen,inhibitor and in the tank or in the pipelines. interventionisnotmade,itcouldleadto arun- polymerconcentrations. The temperaturein- Dr Swaminathan Sivaram is aformer INDIA COUNT: 138,845 (4,021 DEATHS) Nowbased on all this information, hereis away explosive condition.Idonot thinkthat side the tank also needs to be monitored reg- director of National Chemical Laboratory, what Ithink could have happenedinVizag: kindofexplosive conditionexistedintheVizag ularly,and kept as lowaspossible, withcon- Pune. He spoke to Amitabh Sinha RESTOFINDIA TOP10STATES AndamanandNicobarIslands 33 ArunachalPradesh1 Assam 378 Chandigarh 238 Chhattisgarh 252 Now online, amap tracking migrants, real time 7,028 13,418 Delhi DadarNagarHaveli 2 Rajasthan Goa 66 6,268 UP Haryana 1184 and summaries, on the fly, in real time of peo- regularly.Soaclickonthe map can tell us of ble up as arest-centre, or quarantine space HimachalPradesh203 JammuandKashmir1621 SEEMACHISHTI ple passing by,” said JagdeeshRao, CEOofFES, the people who aretravelling,the issues they and location of relief and rehabilitation pro- Jharkhand 370 NEWDELHI,MAY25 have and the resources of the area. The local viding NGOs and civil societyorganisations. 6665 Karnataka2089 From ecology to migration groups can reachthem and provide support.” Raoemphasises the importance of open- MP Kerala 847 14,056 3,667 Ladakh 52 INDIA OBSERVATORY,anopen-source data- IndiaObservatorywassetupinDecember The governmentsofJharkhand and source dataatatime of crisis likethis so that Gujarat West Bengal Manipur 32 base, has come up with aGIS-enableddash- 2019,withFES focusedonecologicalissues Kerala shared datathatenabledthe map to small groups that areefficientinsmall areas Meghalaya 14 boardthatincludesanIndiamapreflectingthe about forests, waterbodies, conservation, etc. getoff the ground. On April 15,anEcological canhelpmitigate the disasterand notwait Mizoram 1 50,231 2,587 movement of migrantsinreal time on their that needed“abird’s eyevieworasatellite’s WebofIndia became functional as the forbig organisations or governmentsalone to Maharashtra Odisha 1336 Bihar Puducherry 41 long journeys,often on foot,along with facili- vision”. “Wehad startedgettinganability to Migrant Mapastheymoved. Azim Premji makethe moves. Punjab 2060 ties and relief organisations on their routes. tracknatural habitat forall of India. We had Foundation, LibTech, IIIT Bengaluru, and the Former ISROchief ASKiran Kumar, at a 2,823 Sikkim 1 16,277 Andhra Pradesh Telengana 1854 The platform, acollaboration with dataover1,800parameters whichwe PHIA Foundation, and volunteers with the panel in Hyderabad whereIndia Observatory Tamil Nadu Tripura 191 Anand-basedForestEcological Security (FES) mapped…ButwhenCovid-19broke out,hun- StrandedWorkers Action Networkand waslaunchedonDecember 3, 2019,spokeof Uttarakhand 317 as itsmain nodal point, iscalledCoASTIndia dredsofpersons came forwardand we de- Revitalising Rainfed Agiculture(RRA) the importance of developing geospatial data Union Health Ministry update as of 11 pm, May 25. Some states may have (Collaboration/Covid Action SupportGroup). cidedtorecraftthe site totakeintoaccount Network, helpedfoundthis. The datastarted and the importance of it being available to all, reported higher numbers. Only states/UTs with at least one case listed above. It drawsinformation from 55 organisations movementsofpeople, we formedagroup with recordingthousands of distress phone government, civil society and industry, to en- on theground, mostlyinvillages, and aims calledRCRC(RapidCommunity Response to calls received, and wasplotted on to amap. able itsbestuse. But most dataheld by the 57,721 PATIENTS DISCHARGEDIN32STATES ANDUNION TERRITORIES to makesuchdataavailable so that it would Covid). Placing allthe information we have NationalDisasterManagementAuthority or enable governmentsand small local civil so- about resources and infrastructureonthe What it contains the Survey of India is usuallytreatedas ‘strate- Have aquestion on the COVID-19outbreak and whatyou should/shouldnot do? ciety groups to be of assistance. ground, along with needs of people passing Four elementsare soughttobebrought gic’ and is notavailable to thepublic at large. [email protected] The mapmatches “time andspatial data, throughorstoppingover,needingfood,finan- together:locationofmigrantsand vulnera- The map is availablefreein12languages on administrative facilities in thearea, trans- cial support, medicalcareorfacing anyother ble people, their specific needs, location of at https://dp.observatory.org.in/content/migra- portation and healthcarefacilities of an area threat,wehaveapropergridavailable,updated keyinfrastructureonthe waywhich can dou- tion-route-covid-19. Inuncertaintimes,howsearchfor‘normalyear’leadstodatavacuum

wherethere’s avirtual datavacuum. The ing April-September 2020. Therewere Even assuming the current uncertainty gard to migrants, whose shareinIndia’s For2018-19, quarterly data forurbanareas HARISHDAMODARAN NSO did carry out an HCE survey for2017- question marks over the launchofthis to be temporary, theconsiderable time lag population rose from 29.9% to 37.6% be- is available tillJanuary-March 2019.The one NEWDELHI,MAY25 18,but the MinistryofStatistics & phase even before the lockdown, especially before the release of the next HCE survey, tween 2001 and2011. significant trendthese reveal is adropinthe Programme Implementationdid notre- as it wasclubbed withthe updateofthe Census and SECC findings leavesveryfew, “The Census considers apersonami- proportion of India’s population aged 15 IN 2009-10, the National Sample Survey lease itsresultsciting “dataquality issues”. National Population Registeropposed by relatively recent, sources of primary survey grant if he/she, on the dateofenumeration, years and abovecurrentlyemployedor Office (nowNational Statistical Office or Instead, it proposedback-to-backHCE sur- manynon-BJP-ruledstates. dataavailable forenabling informedpoli- is at aplace different from his/her place of seeking work –the labour forceparticipa- NSO) conducted alarge sample survey of veys in 2020-21 and 2021-22 “afterincor- With Covid-19, thereisaremote chance cymaking. Yes, thereisthe Agriculture birth. In an unusual year suchasthis, where tion rate (LFPR) –from55.9% in 2011-12to Household Consumer Expenditure (HCE). porating all dataquality refinements”. of the Houselisting&Housingphase taking Census2015-16, theNABARDAll-India manymigrant workershavegone backto 49.8% in 2017-18. This survey,usuallycarriedout once in five The 2020-21survey is supposedtostart offimmediately. Thehouselisting operation RuralFinancial Inclusion Survey 2016-17, their villages, youmight end up with some- CMIE, whichisaprivate dataprovider, years, wasrepeated in 2011-12. The reason: from July, which looksunlikelygiven the is crucial forcarving out enumeration and the NSO’s 2017-18reportsonsocial thing different from the actual overall hasbeen compiling all-India weeklyLFPR 2009-10saw India sufferbothasevere novelcoronavirus-inducedsituation. “It is a blocks or specific areasthat areallotted to consumption(health and education) and decadal trend,”notedSen. and unemploymentrates since January drought and the aftereffectsofthe global fi- massive exercisedue to thesize of the sam- eachofthe 30 lakh-oddfieldfunctionaries access to drinking waterand sanitation.But Mahesh Vyas, managing director of 2016.Its Consumer Pyramids survey claims nancialcrisis.2011-12was a“normal”year ple (1,01,651householdsin 2011-12) and also tasked with collection of Census informa- theydon’t answer basic questions: Has Centrefor Monitoring Indian Economy to cover174,405 households in four-month like1999-2000 and2004-05, “free” from questionnaire(coveringthe consumptionof tion. “Wehavepostponed all the activities povertyinIndia fallenand by howmuch (CMIE),believes the government should periods,morethan the 102,113thatthe anymajor economic downturn. around 300food and non-food items). The till further orders,” an official spokesperson since 2011-12? Is consumption of protein- continuouslydosurveys without waiting NSO’s 2017-18PLFS did over one year. 2011-12not justyielded the HCE survey field investigators go to remote areasand told The Indian Express. richfoods and vegetablesgrowing at the fornormalyears. “Findingthese is becom- “Wedoabout 43,600households in a datausedfor estimating poverty lines and spend roughly2hours witheachhousehold. The same goes forthe SECC, whose indi- samerateasinthe previous decade? Do of- ing increasingly difficult. In 2016-17, there month and 10,900every week… We are ratios: Households with consumptionex- Nobody can risk it this time, so we’ll have to vidual/household-level data, unlikethat of ficial productionestimates formilk or hor- wasdemonetisation. In 2017-18, it was able to generatereliableweeklyrates.Our penditurebelowacertainlevel, whichis wait forthe 2021-22 survey,” said Pronab the regular Census, isn’t confidential. The ticultural crops squareupwith HCE dataon goods and servicestax. 2018-19and 2019- estimates areconsistent with the trendcap- state-specific and different forrural and ur- Sen, former Chief Statistician of India. government hasusedthe SECC-2011 data- household consumption? 20 were apparentlynormal,but this year tured by the PLFS. Post lockdown, we have ban areas, areconsidered poor. That period But it’s notjustthe HCEsurvey. base foridentifying beneficiaries under youagain have lockdown,” he pointed out. seen both falling LFPR and rising unemploy- producedasurfeit of information also from Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana (ru- What this can lead to The NSO’s more recent Periodic Labour ment rates,” addedVyas. the 2011 Census, NSSO’s Employment and What else is uncertain ralhousing), Ujjwala (LPG connection), The economic crisis,particularly post ForceSurveys(PLFS) have broken new But CMIE’s sample households arealso UnemploymentSurvey(EUS),and the Rural The Census is scheduledtobecon- Saubhagya(household electrification), lockdown, further complicates matters. ground by producing annual estimates of selected from enumerationblocks that are DevelopmentMinistry’s SocioEconomicand ducted in February-March 2021. Prior to Ayushman Bharat (health insurance) and With neither 2020-21nor 2021-22 settobe employment and unemployment in rural basedonthe Census.“If the next Census Caste Census (SECC). Policymakers and re- that, the firstHouselisting &Housing phase other welfareschemes.But SECC-21, too, “normal years”, anyofficial survey may and urban India (as opposedtothe five- shows newtowns with higher population searchers were,simplyput,spoilt forchoice —whichlooksatthe amenities and assets cannotbeundertaken without the demar- throw up distorted results, such as adra- yearly EUSs till 2011-12), along withquar- growth, our sampling frame has to reflect with regard to official dataavailability. possessedbyhouseholds alongwiththe cation of enumeration blocks as partofthe maticdropinHCE. The upcoming Census terly figuresfor only urbanareas.But so far, that. And enumeration is something that Contrastthese to thepresent times condition of homes—was to take place dur- Census houselisting operation. could also give adistorted picturewith re- onlythe PLFSfor 2017-18has been released. onlythe government can do,” said Vyas.

New Delhi WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 13 THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,MAY26,2020 THE OUTBREAK TheWorld

PANDEMIC Putin back in WATCH Japanliftsstateofemergency, Kremlin, Russia looks to ease endingnationwiderestrictions lockdown in some regions

AGENCIES TOKYO,MAY25 REUTERS MOSCOW,MAY25 JAPANONMondayendedits stateofemergency in theTokyo PRESIDENT VLADIMIR Putin Amigrant worker in area and the northern island of made ararelockdownappear- Singaporelooks on Hokkaido, movesthat com- ance in the Kremlin on Monday outside his room. pletedthe lifting of nationwide afterofficials said improvements Children return to schools in Australia’s NewSouth Wales Reuters restrictions and ushered in the in the coronavirus situation may on Monday. Reuters beginning of anew phase in the allow Russia to re-opensome country's response. touristresortssoon and relax re- SINGAPORE Experts on agovernment- strictionsinmanyregions. 344newcases, commissioned panel approved Russia, whichhas reported As schoolsreopen, the lifting of the emergency in the world's thirdmostcoron- mostlyforeign Tokyo, neighbouring Kanagawa, avirus cases, confirmed8,946 workers Chiba and Saitama prefectures, newinfections on Monday, Australiastate and in Hokkaidotothe north, bringingits nationwide tallyto Singapore: Singaporeon whichhad remained under the 353,427. Officials reported92 Mondayreported 344 emergency declaration afterit newdeaths, pushing the toll to newCovid-19cases, a wasremovedinmostofJapan 3,633. urges parents to majority of them foreign earlier this month. Moscow,Russia's worst-hit workers living in dormi- The measures were liftedfor region, is entering itsninth week tories, taking the nation- mostoftherest of thecountryear- of lockdown. MayorSergei work from home wide tallyto31,960 as the lier afteradropinthe number of Apublic screenshows Japan PM ShinzoAbe speaking at apress conferenceMonday,lifting Sobyanin has said it is tooearly countryisgearing up to newcoronaviruscasesledofficials thestate of emergency in Tokyoand four other remaining areas on Monday. AP to liftrestrictions butallowed liftthe "circuit breaker" to step backinitial requests for stateregistryoffices to open in imposed to contain the mostbusinessestoclose and in- the capital from Monday. REUTERS While the federal spread of the coron- dividuals to stay home. cessful than anticipated,defying the announcement, Prime thorities and medical experts Russia's borders remain SYDNEY,MAY25 government has avirus. Out of the newin- The Japanese government predictions that the country's MinisterShinzo Abecalledonthe counsel that the countrymustre- closed, as areschools and most fected cases, 340are for- does nothavethe legal authority denselypopulated capital public to continue taking meas- mainvigilantagainstthethreatof non-essential shops, but Prime AUSTRALIA’S MOSTpopulous devisedaplan to eign workers residingin to impose alockdown on the would experience adisaster urestodefend againstinfection, asecond wave, whichcould MinisterMikhail Mishustin stateonMonday urgedlocals to reopen the national dormitories, the health countryand hadinstead askedfor comparable to what has taken asking them to avoidcrowded quicklyundoprogress in control- urgedRussiansonMonday not continue working from home ministrysaid. With this, the public's cooperation in curb- place in New York.AsofSunday, places. ling the coronavirus's spread. to travel abroad on holidaythis despiteschools reopening as the economy, the the total number of cases ingthevirus'sspread.Thestateof the countryhad recorded "Weneedtomakeanew nor- Japan,withabout16,600con- summer. number of coronavirus cases implementation is left in the countrybynoon on emergency beganinJapan'sur- 16,500coronavirus cases na- mal. Let's change ourthinking," firmedcases and about 850 Anna Popova,head of slows. to stateleaders Mondayreached31,960, banareas inearly Aprilbefore ex- tionwide and 830deaths, some he said, warning that "Wecan't deaths,hassofaravoidedthelarge Russia's consumer health regu- Australia has reportedjust it said. PTI panding to the rest of the nation of the lowest mortalityrates continue to live and work in the outbreaks thathavebeen experi- lator,said 44 of Russia's over 80 over 7,100COVID-19infections, by the middle of the month. among major economies. waywe've done until now." encedinthe US and the Europe regions were in aposition to re- including 102deaths, well below months, Prime MinisterScott The resultsweremoresuc- Addressing the nation after As businesses reopen, the au- despiteits softerrestrictions. lax lockdown restrictions. figures reportedbyotherdevel- Morrisonis also pressinglocalsto oped countries. begin holidays locallytohelp sup- UNITED STATES With fewerthan 20 new portAustralia's tourism sector. COVID-19cases mostdays, But statesquabbles continue Travelban Nepali citizens Australianstatesare pressing to simmer. aheadwith athree-stage plan to While the federal govern- imposedon remove most social restrictions ment has devisedaplan to re- Brazil coming from India imposedbyJuly. open the national economy, the In NewSouthWales (NSW), implementation is lefttoindi- Washington: US President whichincludes the city of vidual stateand territorylead- Donald TrumponSunday spreadingvirus: Oli Sydney, children returnedtofull- ers, who come from opposing further limitedtravel from time face-to-face learningon political parties and have differ- the world's coronavirus Monday, allowing manyparents entviews on howmuchunre- hotspots by denying entry to return to offices -although stricted movement should be al- to foreigners coming from YUBARAJGHIMIRE Highest one-day lawmakers urgedthosewho lowed. Brazil, whichissecondto KATHMANDU,MAY25 couldtostayhometoavoid put- Around 120million domes- the US in the number of surge reported ting pressureonthe transport tic overnight tourists spent a confirmedcases. Trump NEPAL PRIME MinisterKPOli on network. recordA$80.7 billion ($52.79 bil- had already bannedcer- Mondaysaid WorldHealth Kathmandu: Nepal on “I am very pleasedthat the lion) lastyear,accordingtogov- tain travelers from China, Organisation (WHO) guidelines Monday registeredits system hasn't been over- ernment data, accounting foral- Europe, the United regarding the mandatorytesting highestsingle-dayspikein whelmed,” said NSWPremier mosthalf of all tourism Kingdomand Ireland and, of those crossing international the coronavirus cases with GladysBerejiklian told reporters spending. to alesserextent,Iran. He boundaries have been violated, 79 newinfections,taking in Sydney. The differences between has notmoved to ban with citizenscrossing over from the total Covid-19tallyto “People arelistening, making states also threaten to delayre- travel from Russia, which Indiaspreading the virus. 682inthe country, health informeddecisions,and thatis opening travel between New has theworld's third- Alarge number of Nepalis — officials said. IN REMEMBRANCE the waywewould likeittocon- Zealand and Australia. highestcaseload. AP their numbers arenot yetknown Nepal, whichhas ex- tinue.” New ZealandPrime Minister officially—havesneaked into tendedits nationwide Former US Vice President and Democratic nominee Joe BidenwithwifeJill afterlaying a Reopening schools is acen- Jacinda Arden said both coun- SOUTH KOREA Nepal, in groups or alone, in de- lockdown till June 2to wreathatthe DelawareMemorial BridgeVeterans Memorial Park on Monday.Biden was tral partofreviving Australia's tries aredevelopingprotocols, fiance of the government's blan- contain the spread of the making his firstpublic appearance since mid-March forMemorial Day, whichhonours the economy. but it would be unlikelytobegin Govtplansto ketorder that no Nepali wasal- coronavirus, is among the men and women who diedwhile serving in the US military. AP With international borders until Australia allows free do- sendmasksto lowedtoenter thecountry nationsthat has the least likelytoremain closedfor mestic travel. duringthe nationwide lock- number of cases of the adopteesabroad down in place since March 24. virus with four deaths. Manyofthese were migrant The total number of Sid Mukherjee on New York Seoul:SouthKoreaplansto labours living in India. people infected by the China reports 51 new Covid-19 send 370,000 face masks In an address to the nation, novelcoronavirus has to tens of thousands of whichwas telecastlive, Oli climbedto 682inNepal af- panel for economic recovery South Koreans adoptedin Monday said Nepalis from India ter79caseswerereported, cases,mostly in Wuhan the West to help them have enteredthe countrywith- the highestnumber of con- NewYork: Pulitzer Prize-winning The 15-member commission weather the coronavirus. out following the WHO guide- firmation of virustransmis- Indian-American physician Sid will include Mukherjee, Tripathi Whilenonew domestically- authority. The Foreign Ministrysaid lines, "thus spreading the epi- sion in asingle-day, accord- Mukherjee and compatriot and other eminentleaders KJMVARMA transmitted Covid-19cases were Wuhan, whichearlier had itsdiplomatic missions demic". ing to the Ministryof higher education leader Satish namelyRockefeller Foundation BEIJING,MAY25 reportedinChina on Sunday, 11 over 50,000 cases between willworkwith dozensof Oli said as per the advice of Health andPopulation.PTI Tripathihavebeen namedby chair RichardParsons, Ford importedcases were reported, Januaryand March, starteda internationaladoption the experts Nepal would be ex- NewYorkGovernorAndrew Foundation president Darren CHINAHAS reported51new the NHC said in itsdailyreport. campaign on May14toexpand groups to distribute the tending the testing facility,cov- Cuomo among members of a Walker and Cornell University coronavirus cases, including 40 Out of the 40 newasympto- thenucleic acidtesting in order masksin14countries. eringatleast twoper cent of the government is making neces- commission that will focus on president Martha Pollackand asymptomatic infections, major- matic cases, 38 were reportedin to better know thenumber of SouthKorea has been a total population,along with saryarrangements to facilitate planstojumpstart the state's IBM chair GinnyRommety. ity of them in the contagion's Wuhan, whichiscurrentlyun- asymptomatic cases or people major source of babies for properquarantine arrange- their return backhome," he said. economyhit by thepandemic. India-born Mukherjee is a firstepicentreWuhan, where dergoing mass testing of itsover who shownoclear symptoms adoptionintheWest since mentsfor theneedy. Lastweek,Oli had sparked Cuomo Sundayannounced hematologistand oncologistand over six million testshavebeen 11.2 million people afteraspike despitecarrying the virus. the end of Korean War. The PrimeMinisteralso said controversyathome and in India that the state'sBlue-Ribbon an assistant professor of medi- conducted in the last10days, in the asymptomatic cases. According to the latestfig- According to officialfig- that he had spoken to many forstating in parliamentthatthe Commission, chaired by former cine at Columbia University healthofficialssaid on Monday. Currently, 396 people with ures releasedbythe Wuhan mu- ures, thereare around head of the states and govern- "Indian virus" was"morelethal" Google CEO Eric Schmidt, will Medical Center.Hewon the The country’s National asymptomatic symptoms are nicipal health commission,the 167,000 adoptedSouth ments,and they had assured than the one from China and alsofocus on improvingtele- Pulitzer Prizein2011for The Health Commission (NHC) said under medical observation city conducted more than 6mil- Koreans living abroad. AP him that Nepalis in those coun- other countries affected by health and broadband access us- Emperor of All Maladies: A that11new importedcases were in China, including 326 in lion nucleic acidtests between tries would be takencareof. "The Covid-19. ing new, innovative technologies. BiographyofCancer. PTI reportedonSunday. Wuhan, accordingtothe health May14and 23. OTHER TOP GLOBAL STORIES Hong Kong bar association looks EU’s top diplomat urges CrashedPIA plane’s pilotignored 3 to challenge China law in courts ‘robust strategy’ warnings to lower altitude: Report tional security lawtailor-made toward China KJMVARMA to take control of Hong Kong of 3,000 feet,itsaid. BEIJING,HONGKONG,MAY25 whichhas been witnessing mass Berlin: The European Union's top PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA The ATCissuedasecond protests by pro-democracy diplomat has calledfor the bloc KARACHI,MAY25 warning to the pilottolowerthe CHINA’SPROPOSED newsecurity groupssince lastyear demand- to have a"morerobuststrategy" plane'saltitude.However,the pi- lawtofirm up itscontrol over ingautonomy andfreedom from toward China amid signs that THE PILOT of the Pakistan lotresponded againbystating Hong Kong could run intoprob- Beijing. Asia is replacing the UnitedStates International Airlines (PIA)'s that he wassatisfiedand would lems in courts,the city’s Bar “Itisentirelyunclearhow the as the center of global power. crashedplaneignored three handle the situation, saying he Association has warned, stressing proposedagencies setupinthe EU foreign affairs chief Josep warnings from the air trafficcon- wasready forlanding, the report that Beijing has no legal author- HKSARwilloperate under the Borrell told agathering of trollers about the aircraft's alti- said. ity to enact itsnational security laws of the HKSAR, whether they German ambassadors on tude and speedbeforethe land- The reportsaid that the plane lawfor theformer British colony. Aprotesterisdetainedby will be boundbythe laws of the Mondaythat"analysts have long ing, saying he wassatisfiedand had enough fuel to flyfor two In astronglywordedstate- police on Sunday. Reuters HKSAR, whether theyhavethe talked aboutthe end of an would handle the situation,ac- hours and 34 minutes, while its ment, the Hong Kong Bar powerofenforcement, and American-ledsystemand thear- cording to areportonMonday. total flying time wasrecordedat Association also expressedcon- whether such powers as exer- rivalofanAsian century". The national flag carrier's PK- one hour and 33 minutes. cern over suggestions that main- enforcementmechanismsforthe cisedwill be limited by the laws Borrell saidthe pandemic 8303 tragedyonFriday, in which Pakistani investigatorsare land security agencies would be HongKongSpecialAdministrative currentlyinforce in the HKSAR,” could be seenasaturningpoint 97 people were killedand two trying to find out if the crash is setuptosafeguardnational secu- Region (HKSAR) to safeguard na- Hong Kong-based South China in the powershiftfromWestto survived, is one of the mostcat- Sindhgovernor ImranIsmail and Pakistan’s aviation attributable to apiloterror or a rity within the city,saying it was tional security wastabledin Morning Post quoted the Bar East, and that forthe EU the astrophic aviationdisasters in ministerGhulam Sarwaratthe siteofthe crash. AP technical glitch. “entirelyunclear” howthat China’s National People's Associationstatement as saying. “pressuretochoose sides is the country's history. The probeteam, headedby arrangement would complywith Congress (NPC) on Friday. It is ex- “This is unprecedented.The growing”. The Airbus A-320from Air CommodoreMuhammad Article 22 of the Basic Law, which pectedtobepassed on May28. publicmustbeallowedtheoppor- He said the 27-nation bloc LahoretoKarachi was15nauti- the Air TrafficControl (ATC)is- tude, the pilotrespondedbysay- Usman Ghani, President of the stipulates Beijingdepartments The bill is regarded as apolit- tunitytoproperly considerandde- “should followour owninterests cal miles from the Jinnah suedits firstwarning to lower ing that he wassatisfied.When AircraftAccident and notinterfereinlocal affairs. ical bombshell as China has de- bateabout proposedlawswhich and values and avoidbeingin- International Airport, flying at an the plane's altitude, Geo News only10nauticalmiles were left Investigation Board, is expected Adraftbillonestablishingand cidedtobypass localLegislative affecttheirpersonalrightsandob- strumentalisedbyone or the altitude of 10,000feet abovethe quoted an ATCreport as saying. till the airport, the plane wasat to submit afullreport in about improving the legal system and Council to bring about anew na- ligations,” the statementread. other”. AP ground instead of 7,000 when Instead of loweringthe alti- an altitude of 7,000 feet instead three months.

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THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,MAY26,2020 14 ECONOMY RUPEE OIL `75.95 $35.81

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Domestic equity, currency,commodity and bondmarketswereclosed on accountofEid-ul-Fitr;Internationalmarket data till 1900IST COVID-19EFFECT APPELLATE TRIBUNAL CALLS ORDER ‘AN UNTENABLE ONE’ HDFC posts 22% fall in LABOUR LAWS NCLATsetsasideNCLTorderon Q4 net, provisions rise Legal hurdles, trade on COVID-19 impact makingMCApartyinallIBCcases “We could hardly do union opposition force ENSECONOMICBUREAU much business in the MUMBAI,MAY25 Centreand thus the same could second half of March some states to pull ENSECONOMICBUREAU be done onlybythe Parliament. MORTGAGEFIRM Housing which is otherwise very NEWDELHI,MAY25 MCAcanhave “Adjudicating Authority be- Development Finance busy period” back major changes fore passingthe impugnedorder Corporation (HDFC) has posteda IN Arelief to the Ministryof moretimefor ought to have issuednoticeto the 22 per cent decline in netprofitat KEKI MISTRY CorporateAffairs (MCA), the UnionofIndia, since thesubject Rs 2,233crore forthe quarter VICE CHAIRMAN AND CEO, HDFC AANCHALMAGAZINE COMPLAINT NationalCompanyLaw Appellate policyformulation matterinissueconcernsaboutthe endedMarch 2020, compared to NEWDELHI,MAY25 Tribunal (NCLAT) setasideanor- imposition of anew rule,which Rs 2,862 croreinthe same quarter beingabolished, someof thesub- FILEDWITHILO der of the Principal Benchofthe THE NCLT ruling in November wascalledbymanyas thesaidauthorityhasnopowerto of the previousyear,asitwit- sidiarycompaniesofHDFC did FACED WITH the prospect of National CompanyLaw Tribunal counterproductive as it would have required the MCAto makeespeciallyits direction to nessedatepidgrowth in the sec- notpay interim dividend, it said. legalchallenges,statesarebe- ■ Amidstsweeping (NCLT) whichhad directed that keep trackofthousands of IBC cases without it being aparty implead,”theNCLATordernoted. ond half of March. Besides, therewas aprofitonsale ginningto swiftlybacktrackon changes in labour the MCAbemadeaparty in all to thecase, therebycuttingdownonits time forthe LastNovember,the NCLT had It has reportedanincrease in of investmentsatRs321 crorelast the labour lawchanges they laws by states, 10 cases filedunder the Section 7, 9, formulation of newpolicies. alsoasked the MCAtoupdatethe provisioning, including impact for year. hadpushedthroughlessthan trade unions fileda and 10 of the Insolvency and With the NCLATquashing the tribunal’sorder,itislikely masterlistcontainingthe dataof COVID-19, at Rs 1,274crore (Rs Gross NPAs stood at Rs 8,908 amonth ago. Afterthe Uttar complaint with Bankruptcy Code (IBC). to send asignal to adjudicating authorities to sticktothe rule companies undergoinginsol- 398crore forCOVID-19). The crore, equivalent to 1.99 per cent Pradesh government’s with- the International Athree-memberBenchofthe book in case of IBC cases,experts said. vencyorliquidation,so as to keep HDFC boardhas proposedafinal of the loan portfolio. Individual drawal of itsorder extending Labour Organization NCLATheld that the NCLT order the “public at large”informed dividend of Rs 21 pershareas NPAs have risen slightlybecause thedailyworkinghours,Rajas- (ILO) on May14 askingthe Ministrytobemadea about the statusofthe company. againstafinal dividend of Rs 17.50 collections sufferedafter lock- thantoohaswithdrawnitsor- partyinallIBCcases,withoutgiv- impugnedorder,”theNCLATsaid. sedbythe NCLT in acasewhere AfterthenudgefromNCLT, the the previous year. down. NPAlevels areexpectedto der extending theworking ing the MCAachance to present The Principal BenchofNCLT despiterepeatedremindersfrom MCAhad said thatithad initiated “Wehad robustgrowth until come down afterthe situation hours to 12 hours from 8dur- unions lodged asecond com- itssidewouldhaveresultedin“se- had, on November 22,directed the tribunal, the Registrar of the processofupdating the mas- March 15 buthadtepidgrowthin normalises, Mistrysaid. ing the lockdown againstthe plaintwiththeILOflaggingthe riousmiscarriageofjustice, be- that the MCAaswell as the cen- Companies had failedtoupdate terdataofcompaniesundergoing second half of March.Wecould Totalindividual loan ap- COVID-19 pandemic. “retrogradeanti-labourexerc- sides causing undue hardship”. tral government be made are- themasterdataregardingthesta- corporateinsolvencyorfacingliq- hardlydomuchbusiness in the provals grew by 14 percent in vol- Themove alsocomesclose iseof theGovernmentof India “Inshort,theimpugnedorder spondent party in all cases of in- tusof thecompanyundertheIBC. uidation under IBC. secondhalf of March whichis ume terms and 12 per cent in on the heels of the Madhya towardsvirtualnullificationof making it applicable throughout solvencyaswellasCompaniesAct In itsresponse,MCA officials The MCAhad then also said otherwise verybusy period,”said value terms.Disbursementsgrew Pradesh government last mostofthe substantive laws the countrytoall the Benches of filedacrossthecountry. Theadju- hadinitiallysaidthattheNCLT or- that it had startedworking on a Keki Mistry, vice chairmanand by 7per cent. The averagesize of week amending itsproposed in vogue in the countrybythe theNationalCompanyLaw Tribu- dicating authority had then ob- der would increase the workload framework thatwouldenablethe CEO, HDFC. individual loans stood at Rs 27 changes to labour laws,citing Government of India through nal is an untenable one and the servedthatthesamewasneeded of theMinistry. Later,theMCAhad interimresolution professional However, lastyear,net profit lakh.AsofMarch 2020, the loan the needfor legal consent be- the stategovernments”. saidordersuffersfrommaterialir- so that authenticrecordsofcom- movedtheNCLATchallengingthe (IRP)orresolution professional includeddividend receivedinQ4 book stoodat Rs4,50,903 croreas fore workersareaskedto work “This exercise has been regularityand patent illegality in paniesundergoinginsolvencyare jurisdictionofthe lowertribunal (RP)ofacompanytouploadnec- at Rs 537crore and profit on sale againstRs4,06,607crore in the overtime. aimedattotal abrogation of the eyeoflaw.Asalogical corol- made available by theofficers. andsaidthat“rulemakingpower” essary regulatory filings forcom- of investmentsofRs321 crore. previous year,representing a The pullbackbyRajasthan the provisions of notmore lary, this Tribunal sets aside the The said directions were pas- wasthe exclusive domainofthe pliance with the Companies Act. Withdividend distribution tax growth of 11 per cent. is crucial giventhatitwas the than eight hour-working day firststate to have extended and Right to Freedom of dailyworking hours from 8 Association and Rightto hours to 12 lastmonth,after Collective Bargaining,” they Effectsoflockdownonsector: Physical EGM by SBI contradicting whichatleastnineotherstates saidintheircomplaint,attach- ‘40% travel, tourism cos staring ■ Paycuts including Himachal Pradesh, ing the orders and notifica- ■ Defermentofsalaries rationalebehind lockdown,says IiAS Gujarat, Punjab, Odisha fol- tionsby thevariousstatespro- at complete shutdown’ ■ Terminationofcontracts lowedsuit. Subsequently, posingchangesinlabourlaws. “is compelledtohold aphysical EGM, wheretheywillvotetoap- states suchasUP, MP and The unions urgedother Around 40% firms in travel and tourism sector face complete 15%:Companiesthathaveseen ENSECONOMICBUREAU EGM in June, contradicting the ra- point shareholder directors. Gujarat went ahead and states to followRajasthan in shutdown, areport by BOTT Travel Sentiment Tracker said revenueslideupto75percent MUMBAI,MAY25 tionale behind national lock- While India has been under a broughtordinancesto amend withdrawing the changes. downs to contain the spread of lockdownforoveramonth, grap- labour laws to effectively pro- “AITUCwelcomesthedecision 81%: Firmsthathavelost 38.6%:Travelcompaniesthat INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR COVID-19.” plingwiththerapidgrowth of the vide ablanket suspension of of Rajasthan government to theirrevenueupto100% aregoingforjobcuts AdvisoryServices (IiAS), an in- “TheSBI Actallows forvotes COVID-19, SBI has calledfor a these laws over athree-year withdraw itsearlier decision vestor advisorybody, has come to be takeneither by showof publicgatheringofits sharehold- period citing the needtoat- of increase in working hours 35.7%:Travelandtourism ~49%:Companiesthatare down heavilyonStateBank of hands or by apoll. This is arelicof ers at itsauditorium on June 17,” tract investments, amove from 8to12hours whichwas companiesthatarelikelyto deferringcapitalexpenditures India (SBI) forcalling apublic the pastages: SBIcannotevenis- the proxyadvisoryfirm said, whichhas invited criticism meant forthree months. witnessatemporaryshutdown gathering —extraordinarygen- sue apostalballot, cannotallow It further saidthatdespitethe and could see potential legal AITUC would urge the other 37.6%:Firmsthatare eral meeting (EGM) —ofits share- e-voting, and holding avirtual MinistryofCorporateAffairs al- challenges in the days ahead. stateGovernments to follow 78.6%: Companiesthat consideringjobcutsamid holders at itsauditorium on June meeting remains afar cry,”itsaid. lowing all other listedcompanies Amidstthese changes,10 the suit and withdraw all the expectthegovernmentto uncertainty 17,2020 at atime when the coun- “Because the SBI Actdoes not to hold virtual meetings, SBI is trade unions —includingInd- changes beingeffected in the createatourismrelieffund tryisgrapplingwiththe rapid allowfor avirtual vote, letalone weigheddownbyaludditeAct, ianNationalTradeUnionCon- labour laws during Covid-19 immediately Source: BOTT/PTI growth in COVID-19infections. avirtualmeeting, SBI expectsits whichdoesnotprovidefor such a gress (INTUC), All IndiaTrade lockdownperiod. The econ- In areport, IiAS said the bank shareholders to showuptoits meeting. UnionCongress(AITUC),Cen- omywouldpick upif workers, treofIndian Trade Unions the keycomponents to pro- (CITU) —registeredaninitial vide their labour be it skilled, March: India ‘Bharti Telecom to sell 2.75% BRIEFLY complaint with the Intern- semi-skilled or unskilled in Despite lockdown curbs, ational Labour Organization manufacturing, productions, cuts exposure Depositorya/c (ILO)onMay14,termingthese and services aretaken on wheat procurement stake in Airtel to raise $1 bn’ movesas“anattackonhuman boardfor ensuringthem jus- to US govt sharescanbe and labour rights”, asking for tice forworkplace safety, ENSECONOMICBUREAU The blockdeal will be ILO’sintervention on “the ex- healthmeasures, proper surpasses last year’s level NEWDELHI,MAY25 conducted by usedasmargin tremelyprecariousand re- wages,eighthoursof working securities gressive moves”forthework- as per existing norms and so- has been procured so far. TO CLEANupdebt and bringitto JP MorganIndia at NewDelhi: Sebi said shares ing class in the country. The cialsecurity coverage etc.,” EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE Among four major states, PRESSTRUSTOFINDIA the levelofzeroatthe promoter around `558 per share in depositoryaccount, whi- ILO, in itsresponse datedMay AmarjeetKaur, General NEWDELHI,MAY25 Punjab has procured 125.84LMT NEWDELHI/MUMBAI,MAY25 level, Bharti Telecom —the pro- ch maybepledged or re- 22, said it has appealed to Secretary, AITUC,said. wheat-93.21percentof itstarget motergroupof BhartiAirtel—will pledged,canbeusedasmar- PrimeMinisterNarendra While UP and MP had NOTWITHSTANDINGTHErestric- of 135LMT -tillMay 24.Madhya AFTER INCREASINGthe holding sell2.75 per cent stakeinthe lat- ContinentInvestment, Viridian gin foranother three Modionthe issue. optedfor asuspension of tions in place due to COVID-19 Pradeshtoohasprocured113LMT of US governmentsecurities for tertoraise about $1 billion viaa and Pastel -will fall to 56.23 per months till August31. “Pleaseallow meto assure labour laws for1,000 days,as lockdown,procurementof wheat wheat -81per cent of itsrevised twostraightmonths,Indiasharply secondarymarketblockdealon centfrom58.98 percent, as per youthattheILO-DirectorGen- manyasten states -including by government agencies has ex- target of 140LMT -and itstarget trimmed itsexposurebyastag- Tuesday, sourcessaidonMonday. informationavailableontheNSE. eral has immediatelyinterve- Rajasthan, Punjab, Odisha, ceededlastyear’sfiguresof 341.31 has been revisedupwardfrom gering$21billionto $156.5billion The blockdeal will be con- Sources said the debt at the `11,052crGST ned,expressinghisdeepconc- Maharashtra, Himachal LMTtotouch341.56 LMTtill May 100LMT to 140LMT. in March. ducted by JP MorganIndia at promoterlevel wastaken to raise refundclaims ern attheserecenteventsand Pradesh, MP,Haryana, Assam 24 during Rabi MarketingSeason However, inpercentageterms, The latestholding is also the around Rs 558per share, closeto funds forthe telco from time to appealing to thePrime Mini- andGujarat-haveallowedex- (RMS) 2020-21, Ministryof theprocurementhasbeenslightly lowest in 11 months.InApril last 6per cent discounttothe closing time and also forbuying intothe cleared sterto sendaclearmessageto tensionof workinghoursto 12 ConsumerAffairs,FoodandPublic lowerinHaryana -70.65 LMT or year,thesamestoodat$155.3bil- price of Rs 593.20 on May22on rightsissue of Bharti Airtel. centralandstate governments throughissuanceof ordersun- DistributionsaidonMonday. 74.37per cent of itstargetof95 lion,accordingtodatafromtheUS the NSE. Once this debt is cleanedup, NewDelhi: The Central toupholdthe country’s inter- der the Factories Act. However, procurementhas LMT. TreasuryDepartment. As of March,BhartiTelecom sources said debt overhang at BoardofIndirectTaxessaidit national commitmentsand On May15, however, the been sluggishinUttar Pradesh, According to theMinistry’s TheReserveBankof Indiabuys heldabout38.79percentstakein BhartiAirtelmay alsogeteasedas has sanctioned GSTrefund encourageengagement in ef- UP government, in acommu- whichcontributes asubstantial statement, procurement in these bonds. BhartiAirtel, whichwillget re- manyconstituents,includingrat- claimsworthRs11,052crore fective socialdialogue,”Karen nicationto theAllahabadHigh quantityto centralpool.Thisyear, Haryana started “little late” on Japan had the highestexpo- ducedby2.75per cent afterthe ing agencies, take full debt -in- in 47 days. Curtis,Chief,Freedomof Asso- Courtfollowing anotice fora the procurement startedfrom April 2020.But the pace of pro- suretotheAmericangovernment deal. The totalpromotershare- cludingthatofthepromotercom- ciation Branch, International publicinterestlitigation,with- April 15 due to thelockdown. curement has been muchlower securities with holdings to the holdingasperexchangedatacur- pany-intoaccount. It will also LabourStandardsDepartment drew itsearlier order regard- The Ministryhad setwheat in Uttar Pradesh, whichhas pro- tuneof $1.271 trillion,followedby rentlystandsat58.98per cent. createfull capacityatBharti PricesofN-95 said in the letter. ingextensionof dailyworking procurementtargetof407 LMT curedaquantityof just20.66LMT China with $1.081trillionand the Afterthe blockdeal, the stake Telecomfor anyfurther capital of masksfallbyup On Monday, the10trade hours in industrialunitsto12. duringRMS 2020-21against or just37per cent of itstargetof United Kingdom with $395.3 bil- held by the promoters of Bharti shareholder support forBharti which76.41 percent(341.56LMT) 55 LMT. lion. Airtel -Bharti Telecom, Indian Airtel, sources said. FE to47% NewDelhi: Leading manu- Beijing wants New emissions facturers and importers of Former EAC-PM member Rathin India looking to store N-95 maskshavereduced US to withdraw blow for VW as prices by up to 47 per cent cheap oil in US: Pradhan afterregulator NPPA export sanctions Roy at E-XPLAINED session today German court steppedintoensure the availabilityofthis respira- on Chinesecos with TheIndian Express in April backsclaims NIDHIVERMA Massive drop tory protectiondevice at af- ENSECONOMICBUREAU termedthe pandemic situation NEWDELHI,MAY25 fordable ratesinIndia, the ASSOCIATEDPRESS NEWDELHI,MAY25 as a‘warlikeeconomy’, advocat- fordamages in April crude Centresaid Monday. BEIJING,MAY25 ing massive transitory increase INDIA IS lookingatstoring some processing WITH THE Indianeconomy’s in healthcare financingand had lowpricedUSoilinfacilitiesthere CHINADEMANDED Monday growth rate expectedto contract pointedout the needfor medical REUTERS as itslocal storageisfull, Oil Bengaluru: India’scrudeoil KMBcutsrates that Washington withdrawex- in the ongoing financialyear as equipmentand personnel to ex- KARLSRUHE(GERMANY), MinisterDharmendra Pradhan processing in April slumped onsavings port sanctions imposedon COVID-19 pandemic presents ecute the measures thatare MAY25 told CNBC TV18 news channel. by 28.8per cent from ayear Chinese companies in the latest challenges forhealth,growth, neededtoidentify, diagnose, and India’splancouldbesimilarto earlier,its biggest drop since deposits roundofaworsening conflict migration and employment, pro- treat those seeking medical at- VOLKSWAGEN MUSTpay com- amovebyAustralia,whichlast atleast2003,asanationwide over technologysecurity and hu- vidingfiscaland monetary tention. pensation to owners of vehicles monthsaiditwould buildupan lockdown weighedonfuel Mumbai: KotakMahindra man rights breathers forthe economywould He had also highlighted the withrigged dieselenginesin emergency oil stockpile initially demand and forced refiners Bank (KMB)onMonday The foreign ministryaccused be crucial as the country triesto importance of maintaining the Germany,acourtruledonMon- by buyingcrudetostore inthe US to cut production. slashedthe interestrateon the Trumpadministration of in- pickits pace towardsaslowpath supplychain andthe needto day, dealingafreshblowtothe Strategic Petroleum Reserveto Refinersprocessedabout savingsdepositsbyafurther terferinginChinasaffairs by to growth. Rathin Roy, director at spend moneyonintegrating automaker almost five years af- take advantageoflow oil prices. 14.75 million tonnes or 3.60 0.50per cent. PTI adding eight companies accused Rathin Roy, director at NationalInstituteofPublic unutilisedsupplychainsalong terits emissions scandal erupted. “Weare exploringsomepossi- million barrels per dayofoil of playing roles in acrackdown NationalInstituteofPublic Finance and Policy and with providing decent surround- The ruling by Germany’s bility if we can storesome of our lastmonth,governmentdata in itsMuslim northwestern re- Finance and Policy and former former member of the ings and counselling, communi- highestcourt forcivil disputes, investment in adifferent country showed. REUTERS Lufthansa, gion of Xinjiang to an export member of thePrimeMinister’s Prime Minister’s Economic cation facilities, and government whichwill allowowners to re- ... we areexploring the possibility Germangovt blacklist Economic AdvisoryCouncil AdvisoryCouncil. File services to migrantworkers. turn vehicles forapartialrefund in the USAifwecan storesome of Washingtonalso imposed (EAC-PM),will join an E- Protection of national of thepurchase price, serves as a the lowpriced oil,”Pradhan said. filled its5.33milliontonnes of inkrescuedeal controls on access to American XPLAINEDsession on Tuesday wealth and alleviation of loss templatefor about 60,000 law- Oilprices have dropped more strategicstorageandparkedabout technology for24companies and to understand the challenges of national income as faras suits that arestillpending with than40percentsofarin2020but 8.5-9milliontonnesof oilonships London: The German gov- governmentlinkedentities it said and the optionsthat India possiblethrough wage sup- lowerGermancourts. have picked up in the pastfew indifferentpartsof theworld,pri- ernment and the country’s might be involved in obtaining needs to consider and exercise, port, compensatorypayments Volkswagen admitted in weekspartlydue to effortsbythe marilyinthe Gulf.Indian refiners major airline Lufthansa, goods with potential military and the trade-offs involved in to those operating their own September 2015 to cheating Organization of the Petroleum have also filledtheir commercial whichhas been hit hardby uses The US decision violatedba- the medium to long term,with businesses andservices were emissions testsondiesel engines, Exporting Countries and allies to tanksand pipelines with the coronavirus pandemic, sic norms of internationalrela- various research outfitsproject- the twokey measures Royhad ascandalwhichhas already cost reduce supply. refinedfuel and oil.Pradhan said have reachedapreliminary tions andharmedChina sinter- ing arecessionarycrisis this year berinthe committeechaired by listedout as the fiscal require- it morethan 30 billion euros ($33 Pradhansaid India, whichis storedoilandproductsamounted deal on a9billion euro($9.8 ests said aministryspokesman worse than in 1979-80. NK Singh whichreviewedthe ment forthe countryto deal with billion)inregulatoryfinesand the world’sthirdbiggestoil con- to about 20 per cent of India’s an- billion) bailout. REUTERS Zhao Lijian. Roy—who also wasamem- FRBM Act—had in an interview the pandemic. vehicle refits,mostlyinthe US. sumer and importer, had already nual needs. REUTERS

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THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,MAY26,2020 Wernerbagshat-trickasLeipzigtrounceMainz Striker Timo We rner bagged ahat-trickasRBLeipzig thrashed Mainz 5-0 to climb back to third in the Bundesligaand keep their dwindling 15 SPORT title hopes just about alive.

[ B ALBIR SINGH SR I 1923-2020] There was no one quitelike him

Aprolific goal-scorer, lionheart, father figureand good Samaritan, Balbir Singh Dosanjh’steammates, the players he coachedand old friends recall the qualities that sethim apart. Balbirs and the Senior

feels because Dosanjh experiencedthe COLBALBIRSINGHKULAR LUCKY13! NITINSHARMA trauma of partition, he was'alwaysabove re- CHANDIGARH,MAY25 ligion'. “He wasaproud Sikh but at the same THEREHAVEbeensixBalbirSinghswhoplayed INDIA HAD namedan18- time, also respected other religions,” Khan, forIndia.OneplayedforPunjabPolice,theother member squadfor the 1952 61 games, 246goals who wasone of thekey playersofthe team representedRailways,and then there’s me. All Olympics in Helsinki: two managed by Dosanjh, says. three of us wonthe bronze medal at the1968 goalkeepers, three defenders, five THEAMATEUR nature of hockeyand the An incident from the 1975 WorldCup Olympics. Beforeus, Balbir Singh Junior wasa midfielders and eight forwards. minimalupkeep of itsstats book mean it is has stayed with Khan all his life. Khan did partofthe1958AsianGamesgoldmedal-win- Those days,shirtnumbers were nearly impossible to knowthe exact num- notget achance to playinthe league ningteam and then therewas Balbir Singh handedout in playing order.That berofgoals Dosanjh has scored in his entire matches of the WorldCup.During the Randhawa who playedseveral international meantBalbir Singh Dosanjh career.But if the records maintainedby semifinal against Malaysia,Dosanjh and tournaments in the 1960s. At ourpeak, four endedupgetting the number 13. hockey statistician BG Joshi areanythingto coachBodhi were involved in an animated BalbirsplayedtogetherforIndiainoneteamat During the team’s acclimatisation go by,then the overall numbers will be stag- discussion overwhethertoreplace Michael atournamentinMadrid –the ones from trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, gering.Sample this: in the 61 international Kindo with Khan. Railways,PunjabPolice,Randhawa andme.For prior to theGames,ayoung girl matchesheplayedbetween 1948 and 1956 Dosanjh wanted thesubstitution to take eachone of us,the aim wastomakeour name pointed outtohim that 13 is (which include the three Olympicsand the place, and Bodhi wasagainst. Dosanjh’s argu- forthecountry. Butwe always knewourname considered an unlucky number. overseas tours in 1954 and 1955),Dosanjh ment prevailed andheheldKhan’sface in his would come afterBalbir Singh Senior. “’Thirteen in north Indian scored an eye-popping 246goals. hands and said, ‘ja beta,aaj tera khuda hi Ifirstsaw him playatthe National languages is pronouncedastera, In the threeOlympics that he wasapart bharat ko bacha saktahai.’ Khanscored and ChampionshipsinJalandharin1956.Ihadjust whichisalso aform of addressing of, Dosanjh playedeight matchesand scored India reachedthe final,where theydefeated startedplaying junior-levelhockeyand would God, ‘I told her,” Dosanjh wrotein 22 times, including the five goals in the final Pakistantowin their first, and so farthe only, watchinastonishmenthowBalbirSinghSenior his autobiography. “’For me, this is of the 1952 Games, arecord that stands even WorldCup title. During the tournament, would march intothe ‘D’ by dodging the de- alucky number.Idedicatemy today. But perhaps the mostimpressive stat Dosanjh had also made acommon prayer fendersallby himself.Iwouldtellmy friendsto performances to the One Above.’” that encapsulates the beastlynatureofthe room forall players andhad replacedthe watchhisfootwork andagility–Istillwishthere Dosanjh wasn’t sureifthe girl Indian team of that eracomes from the 1956 usual team chant of 'jo bole so nihal' (since were morevideosof himforyoungstersacross understood his logic. But there Olympics, whereIndiascored38goalsinthe it resonatedmorewith players from Punjab) theworld to see whyhewas thebestplayerin were signs, he wrote: the number tournament and did notconcede even once. with 'jo bole so hai, bharat matakihai'. the worldinside the ‘D’. His biggeststrength plateofthe vanthattook them to Theteam,led by Dosanjh, opened the cam- wastoadjusthis body position depending on the stadium forthe firstmatchof paign with a6-0 win over Great Britain, then Selfless Samaritan howthe goalkeeper waspositioned.Heknew the Olympics addedupto13and defeated Afghanistan14-0 and concluded During the Indo-China warin1962, howtobalance his body and executeashot in the whole tournament, India the group stagewith a16-0 win over the USA. Dosanjhwent up to thethen Punjab chief fromdifficultanglesandminimumspace.That scored 13 goals. The semifinal and final were wonbyaniden- ministerPratapSingh Kaironand offeredhis made him agoal machine. Years later,when I “Associated with the number 13,I tical 1-0 margin againstGermanyand three Olympicgold medalsalong with other worked with him (I wasthe coachand he was have ahostofmemories that will Pakistanrespectively. medals forthe nationaldisaster fund. “He the chief coachofthe national team) Iasked if linger foreverinmymind,”he These arejusthis numbers from select Balbir Singh Sr breathedhis lastinMohali on Monday. Express archive had no savings and told the chief minister he felt people were right in saying that players wroteinhis book.“My house international tournaments. One wonders that he is giving his biggestassettothe coun- likeUdham Singh and KD Singh Babuwere #1534, my office #562, my private what his career recordwould look like! try,”recalls 79-year-old SK Gupta,one of muchbetterthan him in technique and it was car #3163and my office car on rough and unfriendlysurfaces. That, in inside the'D' and would evade tackles from Dosanjh's oldest friends. “Kaironkeptthe them who made him look good. #2902, all add up individuallyto Team man turn,helpedhim control the passes in tight the defenders. During the Melbourne medals on hisinsistencebut later returned Even afterall these years, his passion for make13. To round it all, Ihad a It washis relentless pursuit of perfection spaces inside the 'D' and scoregoals. Olympics, he told me that if Icould give the those medals to him.” hockeyremainedundiminished. Ifeel lucky courtcase going regarding my that made Balbir Singh Dosanjh special. His But it wasn't aone-man show. Udham ball as accuratelyashewanted, he could con- Years later, when Sports Authority of to sharemyname with him. Theremay have seniority in the Sports teammatesoften joked thatDosanjh would Singh and KD Singh Babu would usetheir tinue playing foranother five years. He ac- Indiarequestedhim to share his memora- been six Balbir Singhs who have played for department. The recordfiles sent take home anew ball everyday aftertrain- skills and technique to sethim up with goal- knowledgedthe contribution of the mid- bilia foraproposed sports museum, Dosanjh India. But therewill always be one Balbir to the courtwere13innumber. ing, practice withitagainstthe wall by him- scoring chances. And Dosanjh would never fielders and thatmade him the best.” handedthem everything exceptthe three Singh Senior. And Iwon the case. Who says self,and in theevening, he would give them mess it up. "He had no matchinthe 'D',” re- Olympic golds. SAI, it wasrevealeddecades (Balbir Singh Kular wasamemberof1968 number 13 is unlucky!” the worn-out balltoplay. Hittingagainstthe calls GurdevSinghKular,his teammatefrom Team builder later,had misplacedall his belongings and Olympicsbronzemedal-winningteamandafor- wall made his ball control exceptional,even the 1956 Olympics team. “He ranlikealion Former Indiacaptain Aslam Sher Khan the museum neversaw the lightofday. mer India coach. He spoke to NitinSharma). EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE

OVER THE HEDGE by Michael Fry &TLewis CROSSWORD 4127 DAYTODAY BYPETERVIDAL

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A AD IC ,C NEVEN ,U CH OT ,N MA EDE SOLUTION:

VolLXXXVIIINo. 169Regd.No. DL-21046/03-05 R.N.I.No.506/57. Printedand Published by R.C.Malhotraonbehalf of The IndianExpress (P) Limited and Printed at The Indian Express (P) Limited Press, A-8, Sector-7,Noida -201301and PublishedatThe Indian Express(P) Limited,Mezzanine Floor,Express Building, 9&10,Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002. Editorial office: The Indian Express (P) Limited,MezzanineFloor,Express Building, 9&10, BahadurShah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002. Phone: 0120-6651500.Advertisingoffice: The Indian Express (P) Limited,B1/B, Sector -10, Noida -201301. Phone: 0120-6651291.Chairman of the Board: Viveck Goenka, Chief Editor:Raj Kamal Jha, Editor:Unni Rajen Shanker,Editor (Delhi): Rakesh Sinha ** **Responsible forselection of Newsunder the PRB Act. Copyright:The Indian Express (P) Limited.All rightsreserved. Reproduction in anymanner,electronic or otherwise, in whole or in part, without prior written permission is prohibited.The Indian Express®

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ADVERTORIAL China has not set aspecific economicgrowth target for 2020 forgood reason

Tourists admirethe skyline view of Lujiazui area at the Bund in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 6, 2020. Atrainrunspast thebridgeover Yachi River during atrial operation of Chengdu-Guiyang railway in (Xinhua/Wang Xiang) southwest China's Guizhou Province, Dec. 2, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

HINA decided not to set aspecific an- caused by the coronavirus epidemic and the heighten thesenseofurgency. Theemployment must be stabilised with services to thepeople. tive,coordinated,green,and open develop- nual economic growth target for global economicrecession. Thetargets set by the Chinese govern- over 9million jobsbeingcreated this year,as Thefact that no specific target wasset mentthat is for everyone. C2020. It is awise,farsighted and re- Theepidemic has taken aheavy toll on ment this year are more flexible and feasible, the report notes,highlighting the concept does not mean China hasabandoned its re- TheChinese economy still has bright sponsible decision to cope with complicated the Chinese economyinthe first quarter, as featuring aconcept of sustainabledevelop- of putting peoplefirst. solve to achieve steady growth in the face of prospects.Despite aforeseeable fall in its domesticand global situations. the gross domesticproduct shrank 6.8% ment model that never seeks short-term Theyear2020marks aspecialyear for daunting difficulties.Toachieve these goals, GDP growth rate,China is expected to see its Thenew narrativeinthe government year on year. gains at the cost of long-term benefits. China, as the country is in its final push to China must unswervingly stick to its policy of economy expandthisyear, and arobustre- work reportsubmitted Friday to the coun- Although the economyissuretosee are- Thereport highlights the importance at- eliminate absolute povertyand buildamod- reform and openingup. boundin2021, according to the Interna- try's national legislature reveals the leader- bound with the government's supportive tached to promoting employment, giving erately prosperous society in allrespects.It Thenew narrativedemonstrates China's tional Monetary Fund's latestWorldEco- ship's down-to-earth principle of adapting to policies,China musttakefull accountofthe full play to market entitiesand improving meansthe government must provide ade- resolve to become more realistic, flexible nomic Outlook report. the uncertainties and immense difficulties difficulties,risks and uncertainties and people's livelihoods. quatehousing, medical and other public and farsighted, with the vision of innova- No specific target is agoodtarget. China’s“two sessions” to secure nation’s “Xiaokang” victory

Aerial photo taken on May 14, 2020 shows aviewofthe county seat of Huanjiang Maonan Autonomous County People work at afactory of Baoding Technology Co. Ltd. at Tangqi Town in Yuhang in south China'sGuangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/LuBoan) District of Hangzhou City,eastChina's Zhejiang Province, Feb. 16, 2020. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)

■ The thirdsession of the 13thNationalCom- Fairness and equality will be highlighted in this mittee of the Chinese People's Political crucial year during discussions on “Xiaokang”-re- ConsultativeConference,China's top po- lated topics such as housing, health and medical litical advisorybody, opened on Thursday. care,according to Xin Ming, aprofessor at the Party ■ This year's"two sessions" areexpected to School of the Communist Party of China Central highlight the nation's final push in poverty Committee. alleviation and completingthe building of This year's“two sessions”are expected to garner amoderately prosperous society, or “Xi- more attentionfromhome and abroad as they shed aokang,” in all respects. light on how the country will march toward its cente- ■ National lawmakers and political advisors nary goal while navigating COVID-19 ravages. in Chinaare also expectedtodiscuss how China has,through arduousefforts,achieved deci- to strive forimprovedperformanceinall siveresultsincurbing the epidemic and public health areas of economic and social development will be high on the agenda during the sessions. as epidemic prevention and control be- Lawmakers and political advisors are alsoex- comes regular practice. pected to discuss how to strive for improved perfor- China onThursday raised the curtain for its annual mance in all areas of economic and social develop- political high season after an over-two-month post- ment as epidemic prevention and controlbecomes ponement as the country has turned the tide on the regular practice. COVID-19 epidemic. “China demonstrated great vitality in its systems Thetop political advisory body started its annual andIhave great confidence in our nation'sdevelop- sessionThursday afternoon in Beijing,kicking off the mentdespite uncertainties for the future,” said “two sessions,” amajorevent in China's political cal- Zhang Shuibo,amember of the CPPCC National endar that also includes the annual gathering of the Committee and head of the School of International national legislature to open on Friday. Project Management atTianjin University. This year's sessions areexpected to highlight On Friday,Premier Li Keqiang is expected to de- China's final push in poverty alleviation and com- liver agovernmentwork report to the legislative ses- pleting the building of amoderately prosperous soci- sion,which will be closely watched since it will offer a ety,or“Xiaokang,”inall respects. series of solutions and new policy indicators in terms Afirefighter conducts disinfection at theWuhan Tianhe International AirportinWuhan,central China's Hubei Province, April 3, 2020. Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders attended the of how the world's second-largest economy is han- (Xinhua/Cheng Min) openingmeeting of thethird session of the 13th Na- dling the fallout of the COVID-19 epidemic and tional Committee of the Chinese People's Political Year Plan,”WangYang,chairman of the 13th CPPCC lion at the end of 2012. ety in all respects. global economic recession. Consultative Conference (CPPCC),held at the Great National Committee,told more than 2,000 political Wang called on political advisors to fulfill their du- Facing mounting uncertainties both at home and Also on the agenda is the deliberation of adraft Hall of the People. advisors at the meeting. ties focusing on coordinating epidemic control and abroad,nationallegislators and politicaladvisorsare civil code.Once adopted, it will help boost the mod- “The year 2020 marks the concluding phase for Thecountry's povertyalleviation tasks are near economic and social development to makecontribu- expected to offer insights on how to secure the goal- ernisation of China's system and capacity for gover- China's endeavour to build amoderatelyprosperous completion, as the number of impoverished people tions to winningthe battle againstpoverty and com- achieving victory and lay good foundationsfor fu- nance,saidWangYi,dean of the law school at Renmin societyinall respects and deliver on the 13th Five- fell to 5.51 million at the end of 2019 from 98.99 mil- pleting the building of amoderately prosperous soci- ture development. University of China.

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