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he end of the extended    Tlockdown has began to look like a possibility with the     Centre on Wednesday disclos- ing that road public transport    services may resume soon. The Government is for- mulating guidelines for safe    usage of different transport modes adhering to social dis-  #   01""2 tancing norms to check the spread of coronavirus. iyaz Naikoo, one of the top While addressing mem- Rcommanders of Hizbul bers of Bus and Car Operators Mujahideen, a pro-Pakistan Confederation of , Union banned terror outfit in Kashmir Transport Minister Nitin these difficult days of Covid-19 Valley, was killed along with #              # Gadkari said, “The pandemic. one of his close aides in   * # '   () Government will soon make The Minister also asked Beighpora area of South efforts to start bus services on investors and the industry to Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Beighpora village of the basis of certain guidelines. convert the coronavirus- Wednesday. Awantipora, a top terrorist We need to start transport at induced crisis into an oppor- Naikoo was an A++ cate- commander was trapped along some level, because people are tunity by occupying larger gory terrorist and carried a with his accomplice. The oper- stranded in several places.” global market. reward of 12 lakh on his ation was launched last evening Gadkari said the opening “Economy is facing crisis head. In 2019, Naikoo had and contact was established of transport and highways will due to coronavirus outbreak... also figured on the list of most with hiding terrorists in the go a long way in instilling We should treat it as blessing in wanted terrorists prepared by morning on Wednesday. In confidence among the public disguise as no one wants to deal the Ministry of Home Affairs. this encounter, two terrorists and cautioned towards main- with China. Japan’s Prime !      #                 $%& Two other local terrorists were killed. One of the terror- taining social distancing and Minister is facilitating industry      '   () were killed in a separate ists has been identified as Riyaz adopting all safety measures there to do investment out of encounter with the joint teams Naikoo. He was the chief oper- like hand wash, sanitising, face China... It is a chance to boost Minister said his Ministry is European operators, which will ed extending interest payment of security forces in Sharshali ational commander of the HM masks, etc, while operating Indian economy,” the Minister looking at adopting the London also be economically viable exemptions, restarting public Khrew area of Awantipora, outfit in Kashmir,” the buses and cars. said. model of public transport, for indigenous industry in the transport, extending age life taking the tally of killed ter- ##  $ $    +  spokesman said. On demand of a bailout for He said Indian industry where Government funding is longer run. limit, deferring state taxes, rorists since January 2020 to 67. !  -    () Following his elimination passenger transport industry, should grasp this opportunity minimal and private invest- The Minister said he is extending Micro, Small & As stone-pelters as usual in the six-hour long operation, Gadkari said the Government to invite those foreign compa- ment is promoted. aware of the tight financial con- Medium Enterprises (MSME) tried to scuttle the encounter, reporters, “The slain terrorist widespread incidents of stone- is fully aware of their problems nies to invest in them in India. He also pointed out dition of the Indian market benefits, extending insurance a few of them were injured in was identified as Hizbul pelting were reported from and will fully support them to He expressed confidence that towards the poor standards of during the ongoing pandemic. policy validity, etc. police action, but there was no Mujahideen’s chief operational Beighpora, Gulzarpora, Ghat mitigate their issues. the country and its industry Indian bus and truck bodies But, he said all stakeholders will The Minister also said the official confirmation about the commander Riyaz Naikoo”. Tokna and Malangpora He said he is in regular will together win both the bat- which he said are functional for have to work together to com- insurance sector should come nature of injuries. Police spokesman in prompting the authorities to touch with Prime Minister tles — the one with coron- only 5-7 years, whereas the bat it. forward to help as it has ben- Confirming the identity of Srinagar said, in Sharshali suspend mobile internet and and Finance avirus, and the one with eco- European models last for up to Members of the confeder- efitted due to less accidents the terrorists killed in encounter, 2 terrorists of voice calling facilities of private Minister , nomic slowdown. 15 years. ation made suggestions for during the lockdown. He fur- Beighpora area, Inspector Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) were networks across the Kashmir who are working overtime to Responding to concerns Gadkari emphasised upon improving the condition of ther said work on many high- General of Police, Kashmir killed. valley. uplift the economy during raised by the operators, the adopting good practices from public transport which includ- way projects has resumed. range, Vijay Kumar told “In the second operation in Continued on Page 2          "#$   !!"# $          %&'()      the issue was intentional and     $ done by design, to which he %0#$1,     replied in the affirmative. Soon after the Modi   -.%.,/   !     Government rejected the claim, Alderson tweeted that five peo- ighty five new cases of   -.%.,/ ! ple felt unwell at the PMO; two ECovid-19 positive patients unwell at the Army headquar- were reported in the BSF ranks ndia’s Covid-19 count $ #  -.%.,/ ters; one infected people at the on Wednesday, taking the total Icrossed half-lakh mark on Indian Parliament and three number of infected persons in Wednesday as the country reg- erious concern about data infected at the home office. the border guarding paramili- istered 3,050 fresh cases of viral Ssecurity breach of Aarogya “Basically, I was able to see if tary to 152. infection, taking the tally to Setu App was raised after a someone was sick at the PMO The CRPF has already 52,559. The death toll from the French hacker Robert Baptiste, or the Indian Parliament. I was reported 138 cases and the virus also surged to 1,785 with who goes by Elliot Alderson on contacted Alderson shortly and able to see if someone was sick ITBP has 45 positive cases, tak- Maharashtra again topping the Twitter claimed a potential tried to fix the loopholes. in a specific house if I wanted,” ing the number of corona list of the worst-affected States. security issue in the app, Congress leader Rahul he tweeted. virus-hit personnel in the para- However, the total recovery prompting the Government to Gandhi, the Software Freedom Meanwhile, rejecting military ranks to nearly 400 are strictly being followed. number is 15,257, and active issue clarification that there was Law Centre, India (SFLC.in) charges by the Opposition that taking into account the viral Instructions are enforced and cases 35,762.                   no security vulnerability in and the Internet Freedom the Aarogya Setu app breach- infection from the SSB and the religiously followed to check Maharashtra’s tally spiked       . / '   () the contact tracing app. Foundation (IFF), have raised es privacy, Union IT Minister CISF. the spread of the pandemic,” a to 16,758 after detection of Responding to clarifica- question on Aarogya Setu App. has assert- The BSF had earlier sealed BSF spokesperson said. 1,233 new cases — highest in more cases to be just two short tion, Alderson tweeted, “I will After Alderson’s tweet, sev- ed that the platform is two floors of the headquarters Earlier a total of 69 BSF a day so far while 34 deaths on of 3,000 with a death count of '      come back to you tomorrow. eral people have expressed pri- “absolutely robust, safe and building at the CGO Complex personnel were tested Covid-19 Wednesday took toll to 651. 60. Madhya Pradesh report-        The challenge by the hacker has vacy and security concerns secure” in terms of privacy. in Delhi after detection of a positive out of which two have Tamil Nadu reported 771 ed 89 cases for a tally 3,138. put the Government machin- over the app, which has been “This is a technological positive case on Friday. After recovered and 67 were under- positive cases taking the tally to The Ministry of Home Ahmedabad: To control the ery in a fix and given ammu- made mandatory for all public invention of India — Ministry following all disinfection pro- going treatment. While 110 4,829 while reported Affairs secretary Ajay Bhalla on spread of coronavirus in the nitions to the Opposition par- and private sector employees, of Electronics and Information tocols, the BSF headquarters BSF personnel contracted the 6,680 after the day’s addition of Wednesday wrote to West worst-hit Ahmedabad city, civic ties amid Covid lockdown. as well as those in coronavirus Technology, our scientists, NIC, went functional on Wednesday. disease in the national Capital 380 cases even as 25 more Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiv authorities on Wednesday The app with about 9.08 containment areas. His tweets Niti Aayog and some private “While performing opera- while assisting the Delhi Police patients died. The total death Sinha saying the coronavirus ordered the closure of all the crore users as of now has been created a flutter on Twitter, (entities) — whereby it is a per- tional and essential duties, 85 in deployment at Jama count in Gujarat stands at 298. testing in the State was very low shops except those selling milk the most downloaded app on with several people asking him fectly accountable platform to more BSF personnel have been Masjid/Chandni Mahal area Delhi has 5,110 cases, includ- and the mortality rate was and medicines for a week, trig- Play Store. It did not take long questions about the alleged help in the fight against Covid- infected with Covid-19. It is and the remaining are mostly ing 65 fatalities. higher than any other State. gering panic buying of grocery for the tweet to catch the eye of security issue. One Twitter 19,” Prasad said. reiterated that in each estab- from Tripura. Uttar Pradesh added 118 Continued on Page 2 items and vegetables. Aarogya Setu App team which user asked if Alderson believed Continued on Page 2 lishment of the BSF, all SOPs Continued on Page 2  * ! % R  R            %          )    , R ,         +          ,                 -.%.,/                 -.%.,/ '     Corporation Limited to deliv- 31-year-old Delhi Police er liquor at home in green      Aconstable died from coro-   -.%.,/ Government was holding utomobile majors, includ-   %    zones. A customer can order up    P  navirus on Tuesday. It is said to workers as “captive” and treat- Aing Maruti Suzuki India, to 5,000 ml of liquor at a time   O be the first death of a Delhi bout 10,000 migrant work- ing them like “bonded labour- Mercedes-Benz, TVS Motor,     for home delivery and the   ! "# Police official due to Covid-19. Aers from Dhanbad in ers”, alleged the Congress. and Royal Enfield, on delivery charge will be 120,”        The lab report confirming Jharkhand were caught in a The All India Central Wednesday announced par-     /  the release stated. Except  #     his Covid positive status came hapless situation in Karnataka Council of Trade Unions (AIC- tial resumption of or plans to Raipur and Korba districts,        posthumously. On Tuesday when the State Government CTU) termed the move a vio- restart production at their   -.%.,/ the remaining 26 districts of the      evening, when he was feeling cancelled three trains that were lation of the fundamental right respective manufacturing units State are in green zones.  %    uncomfortable, he was rushed to carry them back to their of the freedom of movement following relaxation of guide- everal State Governments, According to a survey by &    to the Ram Manohar Lohia native places on Wednesday. and one that promoted forced lines by the Government for Sincluding Chhattisgarh, Local Circles, a social media   M"# Hospital where he was declared The Karnataka Government labour. AICCTU has moved the third phase of lockdown. Punjab and West Bengal, have Covid-19 lockdown. Punjab and community platform,   brought dead, a senior police decided to stop them from the Karnataka High Court The country’s largest car- decided to allow home delivery generates 6,000 crore annual- around 52 per cent consumers official said. going back after a meeting seeking relief to migrant work- maker Maruti Suzuki India of liquor via the online sale to ly from liquor. want liquor to be delivered at      Now all police personnel between Chief Minister BS ers who are left stranded after (MSI) said it would resume avoid the chaos witnessed in Similarly, the Mamta home in red zones. O  "#P   who came in contact with the Yediyurappa and property the Karnataka Government’s operations at its Manesar plant front of liquor shops during the Banerjee Government has The Confederation of  ( O) constable, who belonged to builders a day before. sudden move. from May 12. last three days. allowed amendments in the Indian Alcoholic Beverage     Haryana’s Sonipat, are being The logic of “reviving The plea states the stand of The Gurugram district Officials said the Punjab State Excise Act, permitting Companies director general   L+ , # tracked to be quarantined. “He economy” in the State seemed the State Government is in vio- administration had allowed Government has allowed home delivery of liquor. Bengal Vinod Giri urged the State ! M  is survived by wife and a 3- to have prevailed over the BJP lation of the fundamental rights MSI to run Manesar facility on amendment in the Excise Act gets 11,000 crore revenue Governments to give permis-      year-old son,” the official said. Government in cancelling the of the workers protected under a single shift basis, while fixing in order to allow home deliv- from liquor sale every year. sion for token system through       The deceased constable special trains, which was Articles 19 (1)(d) and Article the total number of employees ery of liquor in a bid to ensure The Chhattisgarh which liquor can be sold and it     was posted at Northwest Delhi’s strongly criticised by the 14 of the Constitution of India. at plant at 4,696. that social distancing norms are Government has set up will also be better crowd man- Bharat Nagar police station. Opposition Congress. The State Continued on Page 2 Detailed report on P9 not violated amid curfew and Chhattisgarh State Marketing agement.    !"#"# 

0 1($#   %&   '$   *!  7'',  $      !  #   $   !( )         %       9   2   Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh The UP finance minister Government on Wednesday also said, "Following the impo- decided to increase liquor sition of nationwide lock- Lucknow: The New Delhi: Muslims are part made in an apparent reference munity leaders have also com- Lucknow: Uttar prices from 5 to 400 per bot- down, the sale of liquor in the Government is planning to set and parcel of India and Sangh to the Tablighi Jamaat row that plimented the Sangh's relief Pradesh Chief tle depending on its size and state also came to a halt. up a new investment promotion volunteers helped them during an entire community cannot be work, he said. Minister Yogi category of the drink. People who could not control and facilitation agency that will the lockdown without any dis- held responsible for the mistake “All benefits provided by Adityanath on The decision to increase and check their food habits focus on bringing new invest- crimination, which was com- of few. the state are reaching them. Wednesday the prices was taken at a resorted to buying illicit liquor, ments and creating employ- plimented by various Muslim “Many Muslim communi- They are being taken care of by directed officials Cabinet meeting chaired by when they could not get nor- ment. community leaders, RSS joint ty leaders have written to the country. They have all free- to ensure that e-hospitals and Chief Minister Yogi The price of an IMFL bot- mal liquor. As a result of this, Chief Minister Yogi general secretary Dattatreya Bhagwatji welcoming his stand dom in India. They have been tele-medicine services in the Adityanath, said state Finance tle above 500 ml capacity will there were reports of illicit Adityanath will head the new Hosabale said on Wednesday. and thanking him,” Hosabale recognised and have received state are effectively run. Minister Suresh Khanna, undergo an increase of 30, he liquor being made on a large agency and the ministers of Hosabale, who was inter- claimed. There has been criti- many awards,” he said. Chairing a meeting of adding the hike is likely to fetch said, adding the medium cate- scale in the villages.” industrial development and acting online with foreign cism from activists in Gulf and He also mentioned that senior government officials at a revenue of 2,350 crore for gory liquors too would under- The minister added that MSME will be the vice-chair- media, rejected as "baseless other countries over allega- many Muslim children also his residence on Wednesday, the state in fiscal 2020-21. go similar price hike. “over 80,000 litres of illicit men of the same. and far from reality" the per- tions that members of Muslim study at the schools run by the Adityanath said stationery Giving details of increase in As far as regular and pre- liquor were seized till May 4, According to Alok Kumar, ception about the Rashtriya community were facing harass- Sangh. shops can be allowed to open prices of liquors of various cat- mium classes of IMFLs are con- while 499 illicit liquor manu- Principal Secretary industrial Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ment after a number of people In the wake of the coron- in green and orange zones. egories, Khann said prices of cerned, the minister said, the facturing units were busted in development, a proposal to being "anti-Muslim". who had attended a Tablighi avirus crisis, he said Sangh "Gloves and masks must be country-made liquors have been prices of 180 ml bottles have the state. More than 3,500 FIRs this effect had been received He said Sangh was in touch Jamaat congregation in Delhi volunteers have been doing made available to drivers and increased by 5 per bottle. been increased by 20, 180 ml were registered and nearly from 'Invest India', a body of the with Muslim leaders and tested positive for coronavirus. relief work and playing a role of other employees of ambu- "A bottle available for 65 to 500 ml bottles by 30 and for 3,600 persons were arrested in Central Government, and the “helped the people from the India has rejected it as propa- support system to government lances. To combat Covid-19, will now be available at 70. bottles above 500 ml by 50. this connection". new agency was based on this. community across the country ganda by vested interests. agencies in distributing masks, the health system and the soci- Similarly, a bottle of country- The imported liquor will Khanna said the situation Experts from various including at Shaheen Bagh in "RSS as an organisation sanitisers and safety equip- ety must be ready and always made liquor costing 75 will see a hike of 100 for a 180 ml took a ugly turn, when three fields will be members of the New Delhi” during the coron- has been in touch wit Muslim ment, and sensitising the com- remain alert," he instructed. now be available at 80," bottle, 200 for a bottle in the freinds consumed sanitiser, agency that will work towards avirus-induced lockdown. community leaders. They are munities about the virus. The Chief Minister cau- Khanna said. range of 180 ml to 500 ml and when they did not get liquor. bringing in fresh investments Shaheen Bagh was the cen- part and parcel of this nation. Talking about the economy tioned that while sanitising As far as prices of India- 400 for a bottle which is "This incident took place in and ensuring generation of tre of a prolonged protest The service done by RSS work- in the post-Covid19 world, the court premises, security made foreign liquors (IMFL) above 500 ml capacity. Ghaziabad where a case in employment. The State against the Citizenship ers during the lockdown is a Hosabale said it is prudent that must be maintained. are concerned, in the economy These hiked prices will this regard has been registered Government has already Amendment Act, which critics testimony of Hindu society, India develops an indigenous He said "wide publicity class, the price of a 180 ml-bot- come into effect from mid- at Modinagar police station. assured the migrant workers have alleged was aimed at tar- which looks at all communities economic model centred on should be done so that every tle has been increased by 10 night. "The hike is likely to earn Sanitisers have alcohol. In who have returned to Uttar geting the Muslim community. including Muslims as their Swadeshi and makes the coun- person downloads 'Aarogya while a bottle in the range of a revenue of 2,350 crore for Kanpur too, some persons died Pradesh form other states that Hosabale also echoed RSS brothers,” Hosabale said. try self reliant by using local Setu' App and 'Aayush Kavach 180 ml to 500 ml will see a hike the State Government," said after consuming illicit liquor," they will be provided employ- chief Mohan Bhagwat's remarks As a result, Muslim com- resources and workforce. PTI COVID Mobile' App". PTI of 20, Khanna said. Khanna. Khanna said. PTI ment opportunities here. IANS  32( 4&567      !!"#   "#$      !801     % From Page 1 number of patients in the charged persons. Gujarat and Rajesh Tope, any emerging hotspots and New Delhi: States and union grains to each of 81 crore “Response to Covid-19 in Union Territory to 775. After sixty fresh cases Health Minister of timely appropriate strategy &'();;; territories (UTs) have so far lift- ration card holders for three West Bengal is characterized Haryana reported 555 were reported in Andhra Maharashtra in presence of for their management. ed 69.28 lakh tonnes of food- months from April to June. by very low rate of testing in confirmed cases so far after 46 Pradesh in the past 24 hours, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, “A g g r e s s i v e b e h a v i o u r From Page 1 grains under the Pradhan This is over and above 5 kg proportion to population and more people tested positive for the total confirmed cases in Minister of State of Health change communication exer- Scores of other personnel Mantri Garib Anna Yojana allocation at a subsidised rate very high rate of mortality of the novel coronavirus on the state climbed to 1,777 on with the senior officials from cise needs to be taken for who were traced to be in con- (PMGAY) for free distribution to each beneficiary under the 13.2 per cent by far highest of Wednesday. The state has Wednesday. both Centre and the States to removing stigma against tact with the infected persons to the poor ration card holders National Food Security Act any state. reported six deaths till now, Meanwhile, the Indian review the situation, actions reporting Covid-19, which have been quarantined at dif- and help them sail through the (NFSA). “This is reflection of poor said Haryana Health Council of Medical Research and preparedness for man- shall contribute towards time- ferent facilities. Covid-19 crisis, according to "There has been enthusi- surveillance, detection and Department. Punjabwhich has (ICMR) has said that agement of Covid in both the ly reporting, clinical manage- Most of the Covid-19 pos- the Union Food Ministry. astic response from the State testing in the state. There is seen manyfold jump min the 12,76,781 samples have been States. ment, and reduction in fatal- itive cases in the CRPF were Around 14 states/UTs have Governments against this also need to increase random last one week registered 75 tested for Covid-19 across the Dr Harsh Vardhan ity rates,” he stressed. reported from the 31 Battalion lifted foodgrains for one scheme and a quantity of 69.28 testing in crowded clusters,” he more cases to reach a total of country till 9.00 am on stressed on need to ensure that Coronavirus cases rise located at the paramilitary’s month, 18 States for two lakh tonnes has already been said. 1526 and death toll of 26. Wednesday. non-Covid essential services unabated across the globe campus at Mayur Vihar. While months and five UTs for the lifted up to May 6," the Kerala has done well to Nineteen fresh cases have In the wake of rising cases are not neglected. Also, States with over 3 million people the positive cases are under- entire three months in one go Ministry said in a statement. flatten the curve, with just been detected in Karnataka on in Maharshtra and Gujarat, need to ensure that screening infected by the deadly conta- going treatment at various under the PMGAY, it added. This means, about 57 per three cases in four days for Wednesday taking the total Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union and testing of Severe Acute gion. More than 2.5 lakh peo- facilities in the national Capital, In March-end, the cent of the total allocation of 120 total count of 502. Thirty-four number of confirmed cases in Minister of Health held a Respiratory Infections (SARI) ple have died due to Covid-19 those traced to be in contact Government announced free lakh tonnes has been lifted so far more cases of Covid-19 were the state to 692. This figure meeting on Wednesday with / Influenza Like Illness (ILI) across the globe while over have been quarantined. distribution of 5 kg food- under the scheme. PTI detected in J&K on includes 29 deaths, one non- Nitinbhai Patel, Dy Chief cases is undertaken, which one million patients have Likewise, the ITBP had on Wednesday, taking the total COVID death and 345 dis- Minister and Health Minister, shall help in identification of recovered from the disease. Tuesday reported that 45 per- sonnel in its ranks were tested to be Covid-19 positive. As (    Response Team (ICERT), both for Wednesday to be can- 1,600 crore relief package many as 43 personnel from the Government bodies, had con-

,   over his dead body to his fam- were exchanged in a “swap” ily members to contain mass with his detained father. assembly of locals in the area. Police spokesman said, 9 ;;; According to police “Naikoo had been continu- records, Riyaz Naikoo took ously making audio and video From Page 1 over the command of Hizbul clips and putting up on social Naikoo’s killing, close on Mujahideen in the Valley after media to motivate youth to the heels of sacrifice of eight Zakir Musa, the successor to join militancy and went on security personnel including a the group’s commander Burhan recruiting new boys”. He was commanding officer of 21 Wani, left to form his own ter- responsible for a large number Rashtriya Rifles, is set to boost ror group Ansar Ghazwat-ul- of innocent youths getting the morale of the security Hind, which is affiliated with into militant ranks and forces in the Valley. Al-Qaeda in 2017. indulging in serious violence According to official Before joining the ranks of against local population and sources, “Riyaz Naikoo was terror outfit, Naikoo was work- security forces, added police trapped by the security forces ing as a Mathematics teacher in spokesman. after receiving credible inputs a local school. During sporadic “He was a mastermind about his presence in his native protests of 2010, Naikoo was behind the revival of HM out- village of Beighpora late on picked up by the security forces fit in Jammu & Kashmir. He Tuesday evening”. In the past, for indulging in incidents of also released videos / audios on Naikoo had managed to give stone-pelting. After he was number of occasions carrying slip to security forces on released in 2012, he started pro-Pakistan and separatist numerous occasions but this working as over ground work- propaganda,” said police state- time he ran out of his luck. er and gradually become one ment. Instead of conducting the oper- of the key members of the “He looted orchard owners ations in the dead of the night, Burhan Wani’s group. He was and farmers to collect funds for the security forces waited for tech-savvy and was involved in his outfit. He has also been col- the first light and reportedly a series of incidents of attacks lecting booty from illicit culti- blasted the house where Naikoo on security forces, truck dri- vation of opium and ‘bhang’ in was hiding. Later, they recov- vers, brick kiln workers and South Kashmir. His outfit also ered his dead body from the civilians. In September 2018, figured in narco trade case in debris of the house and con- Naikoo along with his cadre Jammu where a huge sum of firmed his elimination after had reportedly kidnapped fam- sale proceeds was transferred to verifying his identity. The secu- ily members of police officers. one of his contacts,” the police rity forces also refused to hand Later, the kidnapped relatives statement added.

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The identified mem- Instagram group have also bers, who are major, are being he Delhi Government on he Delhi Police on been identified, police said. examined. The minor mem- TWednesday ordered release TWednesday said that they The minor was also bers of the group are being of 4,000 Tablighi Jamat mem- have arrested the admin of the quizzed and the devices used to dealt with as per the provisions bers who have completed their Instagram group— Bois Locker engage in the offensive and of Juvenile Justice Act," said quarantine period in the nation Room— which was being used vulgar communication have Mittal. Capital. to share obscene messages and been seized from the group However, Instagram had As per Home department’s morphed pictures of underaged members. earlier said it takes the issue order, Minister Satyender Jain girls on the social media site. "The CyPAD unit has "very seriously" and does not issued an order stating Tabilighi Meanwhile, Police said that juveniles, who are part of the police official, the 18-year-old sought information about the allow such behaviour. It had members who are named and they have identified 27 people group, are being quizzed at their admin of the group appeared alleged group and it's members said the objectionable content needed in investigation in of the group and 15 of them homes in the presence of their for his class 12 board exami- from Instagram. Their reply is featuring minor girls was Markaz incident will be sent to have been questioned so far. parents and members of NGOs. nations this year. "He is a stu- awaited. The devices of the removed from the platform as Delhi Police custody. Police also said that the According to a senior dent of a school in Delhi-NCR. identified members of the soon as it was made aware of it. The Delhi Government officials will be in constant touch with resident commis-   sioners of returnees’ respective 8       home States. touch with other State positive. According to Delhi Governments to make trans- The Tabilghi members Government’s data, Delhi has port arrangement for their received criticism for allegedly  **,,2 () around 4,000 Tablighi mem- return.” targeting health workers treat-      bers in quarantine centres. 900 Pertinently, thousands of ing/handling Coronapositive belong to Delhi and the rest of Tablighi Jamaat members had in quarantine centres.   -.%.,/ them hail from southern States. been taken out of its Markaz There were allegations that )@  ?  Government official said,” locates in Nizamuddin where Muslims were targeted and he Directorate of education Around 900 belong to Delhi they had gathered for a reli- blamed for the spread of the Tof the Delhi Government while rest are from other States. gious congregation. pandemic by some after a   -.%.,/ by the citizens,” the government has issued a circular asking A majority of them hail from While the area become number of coronavirus cases said in a statement. schools not to call students for Tamil Nadu and Telangana. major hotspot as many of were found linked to the s one-stop solution for all In the fight against Covid- any teaching learning activity Delhi Government is already in members were tested Covid-19 Tablighi event. Athe Covid-19 related 19, considering communica- during the summer vacation queries, complaints and to tion and authentic information which will be observed from ensure authentic information is the key, the initiative was May 11 to June 30.   % about the disease, the Delhi launched by the Government. According to statement     9:::: Government on Wednesday “Twitter users can tag issued by the Government all    launched a Twitter handle @DelhiVsCorona and tweet the heads of Government and @DelhiVsCorona. their queries regarding ration, Government-aided schools    %64::!(     Chief Minister Arvind checkups, hospital-related under Directorate of Education Kejriwal has also set up a team queries or any other Covid-19 are hereby directed to ensure   of representatives who will related queries,” it said. that all students of their respec-        keep a tab on the live status of The team of representatives tive schools are duly informed the situation at the Delhi will ensure swift and speedy regarding the above decision since 23. March 2020. The all students from nursery to     -.%.,/  March 25, 2020. Initially, it was   -.%.,/  Government hospitals where action on the issues related to through SMS, telephone and lockdown has further been Class 8 in all city schools with- for three weeks, till April 14, treatments of Covid-19 patients Covid-19 treatment asked on WhatsApp. extended up to 17 May 2020 as out taking examinations under t a time when civil aviation 2020, but was extended till mid the Covid-19 lock- are going on and provide Twitter, it said, adding that this “Keeping in view the per directions of the the no-detention policy in view Asector has been halted to May 3, 2020. The Government Adown, Delhi Government authentic information. will help to reduce panic and Covid-19 pandemic, students Government of NCT Delhi. of the Covid-19 pandemic. ensure minimal spread of coro- has extend it further for a peri- has decided to prioritise the “This team will be in touch anxiety amongst the citizens of shall not be called to schools for This year also, the summer The final exams for these navirus, Delhi airport handled od of two more weeks that is immunisation of the children to with the patients and the doc- Delhi. any teaching learning activity vacation in Government and classes were suspended in 30,000 stranded passengers till May 17. protect them from deadly dis- tors on a regular basis and Total corona positive cases during the summer vacation,” Government-aided schools almost all Government schools and over 12,600 Metric Tonnes Following the announce- eases such as polio, tetanus, ensure a speedy solution to in Delhi has reached to 5,104 it said. shall be observed as usual, and some private schools (MTs) of cargo while 1,310 ment of lockdown, all com- and diphtheria. A senior health their issues. The Twitter han- till May 5 with 206 new cases Due to the ongoing Covid- from 11 May to 30 June for stu- when the Delhi shut down city evacuation and cargo flights mercial flight operations came official said this is also critical to dle will be a one-stop solution reported in past 24 hrs, accord- 19 pandemic, the teaching and dents.,” it said. schools on March 19 to con- operated from March 25 to to a halt at the Delhi Airport on keep children safe by eliminat- of all the Covid-19 related ing to health bulletin issued by learning activities in the The Delhi Government tain the spread of Covid-19 May 4. March 25, 2020. “ However, ing or substantially reducing the queries and complaints raised the Government on Tuesday. schools have been suspended had earlier decided to promote infection. Connecting well with 78 during the lockdown, Delhi spread of dangerous disease destinations across the world, Airport was not shut even for from child to child. most number of evacuation a day. It remained functional The Government has taken flights were operated by 24x7 and till May 4, 2020 it all the measures to ensure min- *  '  0& Afghanistan which took back handled around 1,000 cargo imal disruption of immuniza- 3,900 citizens, followed by (scheduled and non- sched- tion services in Delhi despite the Japan with 3,300 citizens. The uled) and over 1310 evacuation lockdown. The birth dose of vac- Netherlands operated flights to (arrival and departure) flight cines (OPV, Hepatitis) and BCG   * ' carry back approximately 3,000 movements — both domestic was being given to newborns at  $  3 * citizens. and international,” “Even before all the delivery points even dur- According to Delhi air- the lockdown Delhi airport ing the lockdown.   -.%.,/ farmer, middle class trans- port authorities, In lockdown handled more than 20 special “Delhi Government took a    be 5 per quarter in case of of the imposition of lockdown. porters and anti-businessmen. period starting from March 25 evacuation flights operated by proactive stand and immunisa- 2!2 !1" country liquor, 20 per quarter However, within a period of last eader of Opposition in the Bidhuri said that till the till April 15, evacuation flights several Covid-hit countries,” tion services continued at the in case of Indian-made foreign one and a half month, the LDelhi Legislative Assembly formation of Kejriwal's gov- to 58 (16 domestic and 44 airport official said in their fixed facilities on the designat- he liquor shops in Haryana liquor, 5 in case of strong Gurugram police had regis- Ramvir Singh Bidhuri has ernment in Delhi, VAT on international) destinations white paper on flight opera- ed immunisation days i.e. Treopened after 48 days on beer and 2 in case of other beer. tered 73 cases for liquor smug- suggested the Delhi petrol was 20 paisa per rupee, operated out of Delhi Airport tions during lockdown. Wednesdays and Fridays at pri- May 6 following the State It will be 50 per pack gling or bootlegging and 71 Government to start home while on diesel VAT was 12.5 while 27,500 foreign nationals Notably, these flights were mary health centres. However, Government’s permission for greater than 375 ML in case of accused were arrested. Also, delivery of liquor by creating a paise per rupee but the Kejriwal and 2,300 Indians were evacu- operated by 44 countries active mobilisation could not be the same along with the impo- imported foreign liquor, with the police had seized 10,948 bot- special website in view of the Government has now increased ated during this period. including the US, Britain, done because of the involvement sition of a 'Covid cess' on effect from May 6. tles of country liquor, 4063 increasing cases of coronavirus the VAT rate on both petrol India has been under lock- Germany, Japan, Norway, of ASHA workers and ANMs in alcohol. The Haryana Government bottles of English wine and 67 in the Capital. and diesel to 30 paise per liter down for 40 days as a part of Poland, Russia, France, COVID-19 works. Families who People queued up outside has decided to open retail liquor beer bottles. In a letter written to Chief at one rupee. the government’s effort to con- Afghanistan, Bangladesh to were seeking immunisation ser- liquor shops in Gurugram on vends from May 6 except in the However, the State has also Minister Arvind Kejriwal on “This means that the tain the spread of coronavirus repatriate their stranded citi- vices voluntarily for their chil- Wednesday morning amid areas demarcated as suffered a massive loss of Wednesday, Bidhuri said that Kejriwal Government has pandemic, which has taken zens from India, following per- dren were provided with the ser- coronavirus lockdown 3.0. 'Containment Zones'. Retail around 400 crore per month witnessing heavy rush and lathi increased the VAT rate on over 200 countries into its grip. mission from the Directorate vices following all due protocols They were seen standing liquor vends are allowed to due to closure of liquor vends in charge by the police at the petrol from 20 to 30 per cent While the complete lock- General of Civil Aviation and advisories (like social dis- outside liquor shops across the open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. the state. Apart from this liquor shops, the government (one and half times) and on down came into force from (DGCA). tancing, hygiene, etc),” he said. district. However, the buyers The excise department said Gurugram has so far reported should start a special website diesel from 12.5 to 30 per cent were following social distancing 200 shops out of around 218 104 positive cases including 17 on which people can book and (about two and a half times) in norms outside the liquor shops. liquor shops were permitted to fresh cases on Wednesday in buy liquor online. its five-six years rule. There has Earlier on May 5, deputy be opened on Wednesday. which 10 cases are linked from Demanding immediate not been such a huge increase     4   Chief Minister Haryana The Haryana Government Azadpur sabzi mandi, New withdrawal of increased prices in VAT on petrol- and diesel in Dushyant Chautala had had banned the sale of liquor in Delhi, 4 from Dundahera village on petrol and diesel in the cap- any state of the country,” he    4     informed that 'Covid cess' will the state from March 27 in view and 3 from Madaan hospital. ital, he said the move is anti- said.   ure is the highest in last three Sadar Bazar area. “The -.%.,/ years. Concerned over the sit- Corporation has started mea- uation, North Delhi Municipal sures to prevent not only VBD ven as the country struggles Corporation (NMC) called a but to fight with Coronavirus Eto fight the coronavirus high-level review meeting on as well,” he said. pandemic, civic bodies have Wednesday to outliner strate- Prakash said that started preparation to contain gy in order to prevent and con- ‘Domestic Breeding Checkers’ yet another ordeal in the form trol such diseases in Delhi. (DBC) and officials of malar- of vector-borne diseases such Standing Committee ia department will now work as dengue, chikungunya and Chairman in north together to contain the dis- malaria. Corporation, Jai Prakash ease. A senior SDMC official The national Capital has launched a campaign to create said that the civic body has already witnessed 37 cases of awareness regarding vector started spraying insecticides in malaria this year and the fig- borne diseases (VBD) from its areas. 1* $     '  $       

  -.%.,/ being operated on eighty-two tions in the country by making (82) routes, it said, adding that efforts to make it faster, cus- s transportation of essen- these routes have been identi- tomised and profitable for all,” Atial items like medical sup- fied to include a regular con- it said. plies, medical equipment, food, nectivity between major cities Minister of Railways and etc, in small parcel sizes is of the country, viz Delhi, Commerce and Industry important during the lock- Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, recently held a meeting to down in the wake of Covid-19, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, bring e- commerce and logis- Indian Railways has made rail- connectivity from state-capitals tics companies closer to way parcel vans available for and important cities to all Railways. quick mass transportation by e- parts of the state, ensuring The Ministry further said commerce entities and other connectivity to the North-east- that parcel special trains were customers including State ern part of the country, supply run out of which 65 were time- Governments. of milk and dairy products tabled trains on May 5 and The Ministry said that from surplus regions (Gujarat, 1,936 tonnes of material was Railways have decided to run AP) to high demand regions, loaded, generating an earning time-tabled Parcel Special supply of other essential items of 57.14 lakh to Railways. trains on select routes, to (agricultural inputs, medicines, “The total number of trains ensure uninterrupted supply of medical equipment, etc) from runs till May 5 is 2,067, out of essential items. producing regions to other which 1,988 have been time- “Zonal Railways are regu- parts of the country. tabled trains. At least 54,292 larly identifying and notifying “This enhanced running of tonnes of consignments have routes for these parcel special parcel trains of the Railways is been loaded and 19.77 crores trains,” it said. to be seen in the context to income generated from it,” the Presently, these trains are ramping up the freight opera- Ministry said in a statement.    !"#"#  ,  %'  ?   /;>%      

  -.%.,/

ormer Prime Minister FManmohan Singh and     $    Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday questioned the Modi Government's decision-   -.%.,/ excise duty so that the benefit distress, not squeeze and take making on the extended coro- (Government of India) using on economic revival. that should have gone to the money from the people,” navirus lockdown and sought to judge how long the lock- "Concern is people sitting he Congress on Wednesday consumers is instead used to Chidambaram tweeted. to know the roadmap after May down is to continue...," in Delhi are deciding on clas- Tslammed the Centre for fill its own suitcase. Who is the Congress chief spokesman 17 when the deadline for third Congress chief spokesperson sification of (COVID-19) increasing the prices on petrol government collecting this Randeep Singh Surjewala at lockdown ends. Randeep Surjewala quoted zones without knowing what's and diesel. Terming the rise in money for? The labourers, AICC Press video conference Both Singh and Sonia were Sonia Gandhi as saying in the happening on the ground," he fuel prices as unfair, the party farmers, middle-class, industry, said the entire nation and its 130 part of the video conference meeting to discuss the said at the meeting. demanded that the nobody is benefiting from the crore people are fighting the meeting of Chief Ministers of COVID-19 situation and the Rajasthan Chief Minister Government immediately roll fall in crude oil price,” Priyanka Corona pandemic and the poor Congress-ruled States. Sonia post-lockdown work. Ashok Gehlot said, "until back the increased prices. said. migrant labourers and workers, questioned the Government She thanked farmers, par- extensive stimulus package is Congress leaders Rahul Senior Congress leader and the shopkeepers, the farmers, over the criteria it adopted to ticularly of Punjab and given, how will states and the Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi former Finance minister P the small and medium busi- judge how long the COVID- Haryana, for ensuring food country run? We have lost Rs said that at a time when the Chidambaram too voiced con- nesses are virtually penny less, 19-induced lockdown will con- security by giving bumper 10,000 crore revenue." fight against coronavirus is cern and suggested the Centre they are struggling for every sin- tinue. wheat produce despite all He said states have repeat- causing economic hardships to per litre is unfair and should be over its decision to hike excise must borrow to meet deficits gle Rupee, yet, this draconian Addressing the Chief odds. edly requested the prime min- all, the Government has cho- withdrawn,” Rahul tweeted duty on petrol and diesel. In a and not impose higher tax bur- Government is fleecing 130 Ministers of States where the Singh said, "We need to ister for a package, "but we are sen to increase fuel prices after the Centre hiked excise series of tweets, Priyanka said dens when economic activity crore Indians by raising insur- Congress is in power, she know, as Soniaji said, what yet to hear from the govern- instead of reducing them. duty and cess on petrol by 10 that the government was busy has ground to a halt amid the mountable taxes on petrol and asked "what after May 17?" will happen after lockdown ment of India". "The ongoing battle with per litre and on diesel by Rs 13 filling its coffers at a time coronavirus. diesel. India has been under 3.0?". Chhattisgarh Chief the coronavirus is causing a litre. This was the second hike when the benefit of low crude “New or higher taxes are Congress alleged that lockdown since March 25 to "Soniaji has already point- Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, severe economic hardship for in excise duty in less than two oil prices should have been justified only when the econo- between the years 2014-15 up till curb the spread of the novel ed out. CMs need to deliber- "States are facing dire eco- our crores of brothers and sis- months. transferred to the consumers. my is booming. Tax burdens on the year 2019-20 that is in a peri- coronavirus. The first and ate and ask as to what is the nomic crisis. They need to be ters. At this time, instead of Congress general secre- “The people should bene- the middle class and poor is od of six years, the Modi gov- second phase of the lock- strategy of the government of provided immediate assis- reducing prices, the decision of tary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra fit from the low crude oil actually taxing distress. ernment has increased taxes down was from March 25 to India to get the country out of tance." the government to raise prices was also unsparing in her prices. But the BJP Governments should give on petrol and diesel 12 times April 14 and April 15 to May the lockdown," Singh asked. He said Chhattisgarh is of petrol and diesel by 10-13 attack against the Government Government repeatedly hikes money to the people in times of and has collected 17 lakh crore. 3, respectively. The third Rahul said the central one state where 80 per cent of phase began from May 4 and piece of the strategy to fight small industries have restart- would end on May 17. COVID-19 is to protect the ed and nearly 85,000 workers No State or CM is consulted. by the government. changed at all. the state units if Congress that "states should assure that Former Prime Minister elderly as well as those who have returned to work. Why?" he asked. He said a number of The Congress president is party would pay for the train they have decided to pay for Manmohan Singh and former are diabetic and with heart The Centre is deciding on "PM isn't saying a word on newspapers have brought out also likely to discuss the issue fare of migrants as they pre- the travel of migrant labour- Congress chief Rahul Gandhi conditions. COVID-19 zones without economic package for states," the unavailability of finances of migrant labourers and pare to go back to their ers and have asked the were also part of the meeting Speaking at the meeting, consulting states, Puducherry he said. with states. workers stranded at various homes. She also criticised the Railways for special trains." held through video-confer- Punjab Chief Minister chief minister V Former Union finance Former Union Minister M places and steps taken by the central government for charg- "Punjab CM informs that encing. Amarinder Singh said he has Narayanasamy alleged. minister P Chidambaram also Veerappa Moily said the strat- states in bringing them back ing them train fare.  35 crore has been set aside "After May 17th, What? set up two committees, one to "This is creating an anom- alleged that states are "bleed- egy to declare lockout or come to their home states. Surjewala later said during and Railways is charging 870 and After May 17th, How? strategise on how to come out alous situation. People sitting ing" in terms of finances but out of it hasn't been stated at Sonia Gandhi had the chief ministers meeting per ticket, which state is pay- What criteria is GoI of the lockdown and the other in Delhi can't tell the states, no money is being allocated all by the prime minister or announced on Monday that with the Congress president, ing," he said. !+ #  8   P  P  !     

  -.%.,/ we have not received the com- /  #      # pliance report from the state he Centre and the Mamata government of West Bengal,    TBanerjee dispensation’s he said. locking of horns continued on In the second letter, Bhalla    Wednesday this time over the said: “Lockdown violations issues of non-movement of have been noted in Kolkata, essential goods through the Howrah by specific groups in     India-Bangladesh border as it specific localities with media entail international ramifica- reports of 'corona warriors'   -.%.,/ tions and the under-reporting including the police being of Covid-19 related deaths attacked. This necessitates esponding to the Centre’s from the State besides viola- stricter enforcement of lock- Rletter, the West Bengal tion of lockdown guidelines down. Overcrowding in Government said it will take a there. bazaars, free movement of call on the movement of essen- Union Home Secretary people in large numbers with- tial goods through the Indo- Ajay Bhalla wrote two letters out masks, bathing of people Bangladesh borders after con- to the State Chief Secretary in rivers, playing cricket foot- sidering all aspects. State’'s Rajiv Sinha. In the letter sent  +     1 7     ball, serious laxity in enforc- Home Secretary Alapan in the morning, the MHA             8-  8 ing lockdown in containment Bandopadhyay said: “There blamed the State Government zones and poor supervision n are a lot of things that need to +    8+            -.%.,/ for blocking international car- "/1+        implementation of crowd con- be looked into," he said. for Migrant Workers', demand- the MHA to withdraw the May gos to Bangladesh while in the 5    %+  trol measures by the district ed that the migrant workers 2 order, clarifying the definition one in the evening it accused authorities,” households/individuals con- ivil society groups have returning home be provided an of stranded workers. the Trinamool Congress-ruled The Home Secretary also tacted/surveyed for Curged Prime Minister ex-gratia of 7,000 in lieu of the The Home Ministry had on State of underreporting of cited the reports of Centre’s COVID19. Indefinite delays in Narendra Modi to ensure that wages lost due of the lockdown. Sunday made it clear that the Covid-19 deaths and series of Inter-Ministerial team’s find- testing results have further the Railways do not charge for They also appealed to the relaxations given for the move- violations of lockdown rules. action of State Government orders issued by MHA under ings against the West Bengal affected the contact tracing, tickets on the special trains ministry of home affairs to issue ment of people during the lock- "A large number of trucks will have larger implications Disaster Management Act, Government in tackling the put patients at risk...Points to being run to transport migrant directions to withdraw all the down were available only to dis- carrying essential supplies, for the Indian Government 2005.” pandemic and non-coopera- very low rate of testing in pro- workers back to their homes mass FIRs against the migrant tressed migrant workers. bound for Bangladesh, are with regard to its legally bind- Bhalla said directions tion including the under- portion to the population, amid the coronavirus-forced workers filed in places like Surat, It clarified that the order is stranded at different border ing international commit- were given on April 24 to reporting of the number of and a very high rate of mor- lockdown. Bandra (Mumbai), Hyderabad not applicable to those categories crossing points.... A number of ments,” Union Home allow cross land border trans- deaths. tality of 13.2, by far the high- They said all travel must be where the workers protested to of persons who are otherwise drivers returning from Secretary’s letter to the State portation of essential goods “There remain gaps in est for any State. This is a free and food expenses should allowed to be go home. “The residing normally at places other Bangladesh have not been Chief Secretary stated. through all Indo-Nepal, Indo- the surveillance and contact reflection of poor surveil- be borne by the state. protests were an expression of than native places for purposes allowed to cross the border Bhalla also said, “This act Bhutan and Indo-Bangladesh tracing of positive cases. State lance, detection and testing in The civil society organisa- genuine distress,” said the of work etc and those who wish and are stranded in of the State Government borders and send a compli- has not furnished any data the State,” said the Union tions, who have come together activists. to visit their native place in nor- Bangladesh. The unilateral amounts to violation of the ance report to the MHA. But regarding the Home Secretary. to form 'National Campaign The campaign also urged mal course. 1    +  !  P    <*P   7     #+     /   !",    $%&  #        O   P#       -.%.,/ " $  -.%.,/   -.%.,/   -.%.,/ he Government may be he Union Environment Tapplauding the role of he Delhi High Court has PIL was filed in the Delhi TMinistry’s Expert Appraisal frontline health workers by Tsought response of the AHigh Court on Wednesday Committee (EAC) on infra- various gestures like the recent police on a plea moved by a seeking direction to the AAP structure has cleared terms of ref- one by showering flower petals man, serving life term since government to close liquor erence (ToR) for three seaplane on them, but around 200 nurs- 2005 in a murder case, seek- shops here until the coronavirus airports at the Brahmaputra es at the Centre-run RML ing parole to find a suitable pandemic is under control. riverfront in Guwahati and at the Hospital in Delhi are a disap- wife for himself and curb his The plea was mentioned for Statue of Unity and Shatrunjay pointed lot. "inner stress and depression" an urgent hearing and it is like- Dam, both in Gujarat. The ToRs Appointed in December last due to incarceration which ly to be listed on May 8. are guidelines for conducting year, they are yet to get their has "exacerbated" due to The petition by NGO, Civil environmental studies of projects salary which has left them at the COVID-19 pandemic. Safety Council of India, chal- after which it is considered for receiving end as many of them Justice Prateek Jalan lenged the Delhi Government clearance by the panel. are living in rented accommo- directed the police to file a and its Excise Department's The EAC in its meeting dations. Hailing from across the status report after verifying decision to open liquor shops in held through video-conferencing posed access road near Palitana, Sea plane operation from coastal/ country, some of these nurses the address and health con- tion". relief in 2011, he committed the city from Tuesday “without in April noted that the water noted the EAC. river/ canal as well as terrestrial have been taking credit from dition of the petitioner's fam- The high court had on an offence in respect of which any planning and crowd man- aerodromes aims to boost Similarly, the development water bodies will extend the con- their friends and relatives to pay ily, with whom he intends to January 14 issued notice to he was convicted on February agement”. tourism near Statue of Unity and of water aerodrome has been nectivity to those areas where their bills as they have not got stay if parole is granted. the police and called for his 22, 2018 for dacoity, robbery, The plea, filed through Sardar Sarovar Dam, Gujarat proposed at Guwahati Riverfront there is no land-based airport. salary for the last four months The court also directed nominal role. However, due to and conspiring to commit advocate Arvind Vashistha, along with terminal building on (Bramhaputra River), Guwahati, The high capital investment since joining the hospital. The that the status report shall the COVID-19 outbreak, the these crimes. said the people of Delhi are fac- the land side and allied facilities. Assam by the State Transport for airside infrastructure devel- Covid-19 induced lockdown has also "disclose the precautions court's functioning was On the ground taken by ing complete lockdown for the Both projects are planned in the Department. opment required in land-based just added to their agony. which are being followed by restricted and his plea could the police regarding violation last so many days but the May land provided by the State Civil The proposed terminal will airport can be avoided. Thus, Some of them have been the jail authorities while not be heard. of an earlier parole, the court 3 notification regarding open- Aviation Department. be spread over the plot area of there is a necessity to establish assigned duties at the Covid-19 releasing the prisoners on Subsequently, he moved said despite his conviction in ing of liquor shops has failed the The 12.5 crore proposed 0.42 Hectares. water aerodromes for seaplane wards as well. Though they have parole or bail and at the time two applications - one seeking 2018, he was, thereafter, whole system, set up by the project is located on Considering that the water operations, argued the project represented before the con- they are returned to custody, early hearing of his plea and released on parole twice in State, and it is going waste and Panchmukhi Lake (Lake-3) of aerodrome are just emerging in proponents. cerned authorities in this con- inter alia, in terms of the another for grant of parole on 2018 and 2019 which were putting the life of citizens in Sardar Sarovar Dam at Limdi the country as a new mode of After discussion with mem- nection several times but except directions of the High the grounds of coronavirus not misused by him. danger. Village in Narmada District, transport involving sea/river bers, the EAC cleared ToRs for assurance their grievance has not Powered Committee". pandemic. The court also noted that “Liquor consumption is Gujarat. Over 2,046 sqm land fronts and its likely impacts on the three projects asking their been met. With the direction, the His lawyer told the court according to his nominal roll not in consonance with the will be acquired for the proposed water, air and aquatic biodiver- proponents to take clearance A nurse on the condition of court listed the matter for that the grounds upon which he worked as a 'sahayak' in the directive principles of state pol- project. sity including flora and fauna, the from the National Board for anonymity said that they have hearing before an appropriate parole was sought from the jail and his conduct has been icy, under which improving The development of Water EAC followed the appraisal Wild Life (NBWL) in case near submitted all the required doc- bench on May 19. State included the satisfactory at least for last public health is among the pri- Aerodrome has been proposed process as is being done in the to the sanctuary as well as impact uments related to their job. The petitioner has chal- requirement to curb inner one year. mary duties of the state. This at Shatrunjay Dam, Village vadal case of airports. of aerodrome on flow charac- “We are doing our duty lenged the authorities stress and depression due to The petitioner was earli- would include prohibition of in District Bhavbnagar by The project proponents also teristics during normal and flood diligently. But in this lockdown December 2019 decision to incarceration which has been er convicted in 2005 in a intoxicating drinks and drugs Gujarat Civil Aviation informed the EAC that water conditions by modelling study time, it is difficult to sustain with- reject his application for exacerbated due to the murder case and sentenced to which are injurious to health,” Department to be spread over aerodrome were primarily on among other required clear- out money. Moreover, it is quite parole "to explore the possi- COVID-19 pandemic. life imprisonment by a trial the plea said. 0.40 hectares of area. The pro- water, intended to be used either ance. frustrating that while on the one bility of finding a suitable The police told the court court. It said due to this decision, posed project is planned in the wholly or in part for the arrival, They have also been asked hand the country is expressing match, to maintain social ties that his application for parole His appeal against the a large number of persons have area provided by the Narmada departure and movement of to conduct public hearing for solidarity with our efforts, on the and family relations, and to was rejected by the authorities 2005 order of the trial court lined up outside liquor shops in Water Resource Department, seaplanes, and any building and preparation of environment other we are waiting for what is curb inner stress and as on an earlier occasion was dismissed by the high the city for the second consec- Partly Private land in the pro- equipment on ground or water. impact assessment report. our rightful due,” she said depression due to incarcera- when he was granted the court in 2009. utive day.     !"#"# " 4-5 # 8 R  !?   3   

# "    :9)/ shutters. Though the holds the monopoly in liquor sales margin. Altogether in with many books to his cred- the coronavirus lockdown. Government hiked the prices of procurement and sales. All 2018-2019 , Tamail Nadu it, pointed out that Tamil Nadu Since vehicles are off the roads, amil Nadu Government liquor by Rs 10 to Rs 80 per liquor outlets in the State are Government’s earnings from was on the brink of financial there is no sale of petroleum Thas no options other than bottle, it has not dampened the owned by the Government. liquor stood at Rs 31, 157 crisis mainly due to the expen- products and this has taken a opening liquor shops in the spirit of the boozing fraternity The financial year 2017-2018 crore. This is 35 per cent of the diture for containment of heavy dent on the State’s econ- State to tide over the econom- as the wait for sun to rise on saw liquor contributing Rs State’s Own Tax Revenue of Rs Covid-29 pandemic. omy,” pointed out Prof ic crisis caused by the coron- Thursday to queue up in front 26,797 crore of the State’s rev- 87, 905.26 crore generated in “At this juncture, it is not Murukadas. avirus pandemic and the resul- of the liquor outlets. enue. 2018-2019. The Total Revenue possible for the government to Officials in TASMAC tant lockdown, according to a Liquor is one of the main “Excise duty on manufac- of Tamil Nadu in 2018-2019 deploy the police force to detect (Tamil Nadu State Marketing top Government official sources of income for Tamil ture and sale of alcohol com- was Rs 2.98 lakh crore out of illicit distillation. The inci- Corporation), said the distil- in Chennai. Nadu Government. prises 10 to 15 per cent of the which liquor contributed 10.45 dents of suicides are on the leries from where they procure All liquor shops barring “State’s Own Tax Revenue State’s Own Tax Revenue. States per cent. There fore Tamil high because of liquor addicts,” liquor are owned by leaders of those in Chennai city would contributes to 60 per cent of like Tamil Nadu impose VAT; Nadu Government cannot he pointed out. the DMK as well as the reopen on Thursday morning Tamil Nadu’s monthly revenue also charge special fees on afford to dispense with the Besides, liquor and petro- AIADMK. “The DMK is in the bringing cheers to the dispirit- which runs to Rs 10,000 crore. imported foreign liquor, trans- earnings from liquor for its day leum, the other areas from forefront opposing the gov- ed tipplers in the State . What the State may receive in port fee and label and brand to day functioning,” said Prof which the State mobilizes rev- ernment’s move to reopen the More than ten persons had the month of April wouod not registration fee. As liquor sales Murukadas, himself a strong enue are registration of vehicles liquor shops. But that is to committed suicide during the be more than 20 per cent of this economist of Tamil Nadu and comes from the sale of alcohol are operated by TASMAC, proponent of prohibition. and immovable properties. impress and convince the days when the 5,146 liquor out- amount because of the shut adviser to the Government. and petroleum products. Tamil Nadu Government Prof Murukadas, a widely “But there are no business people in the State,” said the lets in the State downed the down,” Prof C Murukadas, lead Fifty percent of the SOTR Tamil Nadu Government receives certain amount as respected scholar in the State activities in the State because of official. <  -5.  !!    )    ,+    #  * "#%& ' %(Q'*"* Bengaluru: To bring early relief added. waiver scheme announced ear- CCD 0E: to farmers, flower growers, Similarly, service profes- lier for handloom weavers, Rs  67 Panaji: Criticising the Patricio Fernandes, Chief washermen, barbers, auto-rick- sionals like 2,30,000 barbers 29 crore has been paid to them   01""2 Archaeological Survey of India Minister has shaw and taxi drivers — some and 60,000 washermen (dho- and balance Rs 80 crore will be # "    :9)/ is because of the increase in the (ASI) for its lackadaisical atti- ordered the formation of a of the worst-affected by the bis) in urban and rural areas, released soon,” Yediyurappa number of tests being done in hirty four cases of coron- tude towards the preservation coordination committee of offi- Covid-19 induced lockdown, who too have been affected by said. espite Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu compared to other Tavirus were detected posi- of a 17th century Catholic cials from the state government the Karnataka Government on the lockdown, will be given The 54,000 handloom DGovernment’s stance that States in the country. 1,88,241 tive, taking the total tally to 775 church, the Basilica of Bom agencies and the ASI, for Wednesday announced a Rs one-time compensation of Rs weavers will also be eligible for all is well on the coronavirus samples have been tested till in Jammu & Kashmir on Jesus, Goa Governor Satya Pal streamlining maintenance and 1,610 crore package. 5,000 each. fresh loans to resume their front, the number of persons date and we have 52 testing Wednesday. Malik on Wednesday appealed restoration work at the Church “The state government will About 7,75,000 auto-rick- business. A reimbursement tested positive for Covid-19 centres in the State, the State Out of 34, a total number to Union Minister of State for complex. provide Rs 1,610 crore com- shaw and taxi drivers across the benefit will be provided to reached 4,829 by Wednesday with largest number of testing of 32 cases were reported from Tourism, Prahlad Patel, for The Bom Jesus Basilica is pensation/benefit to the people state, who also lost income due weavers who repaid loan in the evening. The day saw 771 per- labs,” said the Chief Minister Kashmir while 2 fresh cases assistance. home to the mortal remains of who are in distress due to the to lockdown, will be given last fiscal. sons testing positive for the while speaking to reporters were detected from Jammu In a letter to Patel, Malik Spanish saint St Francis Xavier, lockdown since March 25 and one-time compensation of Rs The Chief Minister said a pandemic on Wednesday, the earlier in the day. district. At present four districts also urged the Union Ministry who was also associated with extended till May 17 to contain 5,000 each. new scheme “weaver samman highest number of persons It was on March 7, 2020 the of Kashmir valley namely to instruct the ASI to complete recommending the Inquisition the coronavirus spread,” Chief “As micro, small and medi- yojana” (nekarara sammana testing positive on a single State confirmed the detection Bandipora, Srinagar, Anantnag maintenance work at the Old in Goa. Born in Navarro village Minister B.S. Yediyurappa told um enterprises (MSMEs) also yojane) for the benefit of the day. of the first coronavirus patient. and Baramulla have reported Goa church complex, one of in Spain’s Basque region, reporters here. reeled under production loss weavers would soon be The death toll reached 35 It took 36 days for the number more than 100 positive cases. the most popular tourism des- Francis Xavier is regarded as Among the beneficiaries of over the last 42 days and will announced. in the State while Chennai has of patients with COVID-19 t On Wednesday,Srinagar tinations in the state, before the the patron saint of Goa by the the package are farmers and take time to revive, monthly Under the scheme, the become the epicentre of the reach the 1000 mark. and Anantnag districts report- onset of the monsoon. state’s Catholics, who account growers of flowers, fixed charges on their electric- state government will deposit pandemic. The release issued Within the next 16 days ed 11 fresh cases each while “Though ASI has cited for around 26 per cent of the vegetables and fruits, washer- ity bills will be waived for two Rs 2,000 in the bank account of by the Department of Health Tamil Nadu’s coronavirus cases Shopian reported 5 and various constraints for the slow state’s 1.5 million population. men, barbers, auto-rickshaw months since April,” said each handloom weaver said 324 persons tested positive crossed 2000. The number shot Kupwara three fresh cases. pace of work such as non-avail- The Basilica is also recog- and taxi drivers who all suf- Yediyurappa. through the direct benefit in Chennai making the total past the 3000 mark in five days Worried over the constant ability of sand or dillydallying nised as an UNESCO world fered huge losses due to the Payment of fixed charges transfer (DBT) scheme. number of Covid-19 patients in and by Monday evening it rise in number of positive cases, and unresponsive behaviour of heritage site and is one of the prolonged lockdown, which on power bills of large indus- “We are also transferring the metropolis to 2,328. stood at 3,550. Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar the contractors, the entire atti- most prominent places on the has been extended twice since tries will also be deferred with- Rs 2,000 in the bank accounts The release further said It crossed the 4000 mark in Dr Shahid Choudhary tweeted, tude of the ASI in preserving, itineraries of the several million April 15 and May 4. out penalty and interest for two of 11.80-lakh building workers that all persons tested positive just two days. As things stand “Each Covid+ve case confirmed conserving and restoring the tourists and devotees who visit “As growers have destroyed months since April. through the DBT,” he said. were contacts of Covid-19 today, the number of coron- in Srinagar today & yesterday Basilica seems to be casual the state annually. their flowers in 11,687 hectares “Incentive and concessions About 15.80 lakh regis- patients, which means all of avirus patients in the State is all could’ve been avoided. Most and lackadaisical,” the Quoting a complaint made across the state due to lack of will be given to consumers pay- tered building workers are reg- them were infected from set to cross the 5,000 mark by traced to single illegal travel. Governor said in his letter to by the church authorities, demand during the lockdown, ing bills in the stipulated time. istered across the state, and patients suffering from the Thursday evening. Please don’t make fatal mockery Patel. Malik said that the Basilica is Rs 25,000 compensation per Reduction will be given on action has been initiated to pandemic. Medical experts and gov- of our efforts for your safety” In “The report of the ASI in a general state of disrepair hectare will be given to those interest on delayed transfer Rs 2,000 into the The number of cops work- ernment officials are worried Jammu, the authorities had reflects uncoordinated action and neglect. who suffered crop loss to the payment and adequate time for accounts of the remaining 4- ing in the State Police Head over the opening of the liquor completely sealed entry and and non-committal attitude of In his letter, Malik also extent of 1 hectare,” said paying balance bill payment in lakh construction workers after Quarters who have been test- outlets in the State on Thursday exit points of localities from the different branches of the urged the Union Minister to Yediyurappa. installments,” said the Chief verifying their bank details, he ed positive reached 13 by morning. “It is certain that we where fresh cases have been ASI in dealing with the preser- direct the ASI to “pull up their A separate relief package Minister. added. Wednesday evening. will see more crowd in front of reported since Monday. vation and restoration of the socks to complete all the will soon be announced for Power connection will not The state government has Chief Minister Edappadi the liquor shops and the pos- According to media bul- architectural marvel,” Malik restoration works in a time- farmers and growers of veg- be disconnected till June 30 for also decided to transfer Rs Palaniswami asked the people sibility of infections increasing letin, out of 775 positive cases, said in his letter. bound manner and if possible, etables and fruits, as they too consumers who have not paid 3,000 more to building work- not to panic because of the is very high,” said a government 445 are active Positive, 322 have After complaints made by before the monsoon arrives in suffered huge amount of loss- arrears of their electricity bills. ers through DBT. spurt in the number of coron- doctor who did not want his recovered and 08 have died. the Rector of the Basilica, Fr Goa”. IANS es due to the lockdown, he “Of the Rs 109 crore loan IANS avirus cases in the State. “This name to be quoted. *  #  !   ) 2  #-8<)   8   93

#  # )"  also increased”.    : “The state government has    )2 requested hospitals, institu-   "2"+1 Dharavi. On Monday, there #      tions and buildings under the were 42 new positive cases of    management of the Railways, n yet major another spike in Covid-19. On May 3, Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala test negative can go home and Mumbai Port Trust, Indian Iinfected cases in Mumbai’s Cornavirus claimed two lives Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan remain in quarantine for    )  Army, Navy and other Central Dharavi, one person died and and left a record day’s tally of 94 on Wednesday said non-resi- another week” said Vijayan. Government undertakings to as many as 68 persons tested others infected in this slum. On dent Keralites returning from The Chief Miniser said     " make available Intensive Care positive for corinavirus on May 2, Dharavi recorded as abroad and from within the that all arrangements have Unit (ICU) beds at their facil- Wednesday, taking the total many as 89 Covid-19 positive country from Thursday, except been made.    "2"+1 ities available across number of infected cases in cases. On May 1, there were 38 pregnant women and children, “The media also should Maharashtra. I have personal- Asia’s biggest slum to 733. new cases. Earlier on April 23, will remain in state-run quar- take necessary caution. n an effort to meet an antic- ly spoken to people at a high- A day after as 33 more per- one death and 25 cases had antine centres for a week. Attempts to interview those Iipated increase in the num- er level in this regard,” the chief sons tested positive for Covid- been reported from Dharavi in Such arrivals are scheduled who are coming from abroad ber of Covid-19 infections dur- minister said. 19, Coronavirus claimed one a single day. at Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi should not be done. Media has ing May, the Maharashtra Uddhav said that since the life taking the total number of Dharavi is one of the and Kozhikode. The Kannur to ensure that social distancing Government has requested Union government had pre- deaths to 21 and left 68 others Coronavirus hotspots in airport is not on the list, but norms are followed. You should hospitals, institutions and dicted that the severity of infected in various parts of Mumbai. Spread over 240 would be added in the second ensure that there is self-con- buildings under the manage- Coronavirus would increase ing additional ICUs beds in including those Railways, this densely populated slum. hectare area, this slum is home schedule. trol,” added Vijayan. ment of the Railways, Mumbai in the month of May, his gov- other big cities in the state. We Mumbai Port Trust, Indian A maximum six positive to more than 4 lakh people. The arrivals at these air- State Health Minister K.K. Port Trust, Indian Army, Navy ernment had planned to are Also getting huge places Army, Navy and other Central cases were reported from Ever since first few cases of ports would be supervised by Shailaja said: At present, 207 and other Central Government increase the isolation facilities belonging to private hospitals Government undertakings Matunga Labour camp, while Coronavirus were reported in a DIG of Police. hospitals in the state have been undertakings to make available and ICU beds in Mumbai, and major organisation for Meanwhile, Brihanm umbai five new infected cases each the early first week of April, the “The exception from quar- kept ready to admit people Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds Pune and other prominent creating ICU beds in other Municipal Corporation (BMC) were recorded in transit camp, Brihanmumbai Municipal antine is only for pregnant showing coronavirus symp- at their facilities available across cities in the state. parts of the state,” Uddhav Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi Kumbharwada, Indira Nagar Corporation (BMC) is closely ladies and kids, who can toms. Everyone landing at the Maharashtra. “In this context, the gov- said. has authorized all ward officers and 90 feet road area. Among monitoring the situation in remain in isolation at their airports will have to download In a statement issued here ernment has already created The chief minister said in the city to requisition addi- the infected persons was a 90- Dharavi where the health homes. This is the rule for all an app. The body temperatures on Wednesday, chief minister ICU beds in Mumbai’s that following the relaxation of tional beds/wards/facilities in year-old woman from authorities have clamped a total those arriving from outside of all returnees would be taken Uddhav Thackeray said: “For Mahalaxmi Race Course, lockdown norms, the people private hospitals or clinics for Kumbarwada. Three cases each lockdown. the country and those from at the aerobridge. All those who the past three months, the Nehru Science Centre, Nehru had started coming to Covid-19 patients. were reported from 60 feet Till Tuesday, the within the country,” said are normal will be send to the State Government has been Planetarium, Goregaon Maharashtra from other parts Mumbai is the worst road area and Dharavi PC. Brihanmumbai Municipal Vijayan. help desk while those who fighting a war against virus and Exhibition Centre, Richardson of the country and even people Covid-19 affected city in the With 68 fresh cases, the Corporation (BMC) screened “There are two flights on have higher-than-normal tem- so far, has managed to contain & Cruddas factory, Bandra will start returning from abroad country. With 25 fresh deaths total number of positive cases 83,500 people in Dharavi. “Till May 7 as of now -- one from perature would be moved to it’s spread through various Kurla Complex (BKC) and in the coming days. “Keeping 769 new infected cases report- has risen to 733 in Dharavi. yesterday, as many as 2380 Abu Dhabi to Kochi and anoth- the isolation bay. From there, measures. The number of tests other locations,” the chief min- this and as well as the antici- ed on Wednesday, the total Dharavi has witnessed sub- people are in institutional quar- er from Dubai to Kozhikode. normal returnees would be is being significantly increased, ister said. pated increase in number of number of deaths has risen to stantial number infected cases antine, while 196 people were We are waiting for further taken to the corona care cen- and hence, the patient count is “Similarly, the Municipal cases, the state government is 412, while the total number of in Dharavi for the past five days. discharged from various hos- instructions from the Centre. tres and others send to hospi- rising. The numbers of patients Commissioners and district all to increase the availability of infected cases has mounted to On Tuesday, 33 new posi- pital after full cure,” a senior After quarantine, those who tal.” IANS being cured and discharged has collectors concerned are creat- ICU beds in various hospitals, 10714. tive cases were reported from BMC official said.    P ! " # #  $ " %&  % 'O! P) #

   "2"+1 issue a two-line order that the workers in this extremely ment and the decision taken by da and false statements,” and Rajasthan government, from the Centre. It seems that for the tickets. It is cleared that railways shall not take any unfortunate situation would Congress president Sonia Sawant said. who are taking fare from the the Centre is shirking its the central government has he Maharashtra Congress money for ticket fare from be borne by the Congress in Gandhi, the grounds of the “Yesterday, , poor,” Sawant said. responsibility by passing the directly cheated poor people,” Ton Wednesday slammed migrant workers,” Maharashtra each of the states. Bhatiya Janta Party (BJP) has BJP’s national spokesperson He said that in the first cost of travel fare of migrant Sawant said. Information and Broadcasting Pradesh Congress Committee “With the general public shaken. As a result, BJP lead- made a public statement that place, health was a state issue workers to the states,” Sawant “Going beyond that, to say Minister Prakash Javadekar for (MPCC) spokesperson Sachin aware of the insensitivity ers have launched a nationwide the central government is giv- and “in such a crisis period, no said. that only the governments of making a “false” allegation that Sawant said. shown by the central govern- campaign to spread propagan- ing 85 percent concession while financial assistance has been “Javadekar’s statement Maharashtra, Rajasthan and all State Governments are pay- Sawant said that though other 15 percent is being borne given to the states by the cen- shows the mentality of the Kerala are taking money from ing rail fare for poor migrants the central government allowed by the state governments,” the tral government despite the fact central government is to take the workers is the height of except Maharashtra, Kerala the migrant workers to return state Congress spokesperson that state governments are credit of work done by the state hypocrisy of BJP leaders like and Rajasthan Government, to their hometowns, it took an said. fighting against the corona cri- government,” the Congress Javadekar. In Gujarat, several “who are taking fare from the “insensitive decision” of asking “And, in such a scenario, sis” spokesperson said. media channels not only have poor” the state government to collect what the Congress party will “Besides, the central gov- “Official decision to give shown that money is being “Even in times of crisis, the fare from the poor and deposit give? In order to target oppo- ernment has not given Rs 85% concession in railway fares taken from all workers but no BJP’s blatant insensitivity in with the Railways. sition, the union minister 15,000 crore for GST compen- has not yet been taken. people are being sent without lying to the people is shocking. Sawant said that extreme- Prakash Javadekar went ahead sation to the state. There is However, it is quite possible water and food. And the BJP’s I would like to challenge ly upset over this insensitive- and made a false allegation that already a loss of around Rs that the BJP can make a move hypocrisy has been exposed. In Prakash Javadekar that if there ness, the Congress President all state governments are pay- 25000 crore in March. There is to say later that this concession Madhya Pradesh too, labourers is any sensitivity in the Union Sonia Gandhi decided that the ing rail fare for poor migrants no income this month. In such was already there. Currently the are travelling at full cost,” the government, the Centre should cost of repatriation of migrant except Maharashtra, Kerala a scenario, there is no support railways is recovering full fare Congress spokesperson added.    !"#"#  * +#* - %+.  # 4   3(      4  4 37"589''52 )          R$ *       .   ;<      $  ;.R    4           %            G     (  .   5  - ? 3.5-?4                       5 @       (     -        A<11     B<       5  6          (     -  S        (          .5-?                        7    (  + A=1=            A2AA       - -      he Government’s directive to all     A=            A19:     public and private sector employ-          A;BB    #      ees to install the Aarogya Setu app               *   ( in their mobile phones has raised eyebrows in some quarters. But the                  ./0-(12 factT is that a post-COVID world is going to                  ( be equated with a digital society. It will be the                     new normal, where the use of diverse and con- verged digital technologies will help people .                  maintain social distancing and facilitate  P  Q           8     ( secured living in an age of pandemic.                    The Aarogya Setu app is designed to keep the people informed about the risk of  )                them being infected with Coronavirus.            -           Self-assessment begins with a request for                       information such as gender, full name, age, countries travelled to in the last 30 days and              #   professional details. The app, which makes                   7  the use of GPS to get the user’s location, dis-               -   ( covers other available applications near his/her device using bluetooth. By cross-ref-                  erencing the location details with that of                     ( Indian Council of Medical Research        /            -  (ICMR)’s database and by collecting records of nearby users, it does a risk assessment and             returns with a colour-coded message. It -                 ( appears that the app continuously collects the citizens, while accessing various e-commerce, digital marketing where the jurisdictional function-           ,       %   user’s data and uploads them to a apps, give in to the consent and learning, digital art and cul- ality of service providers is ques- Government server along with a DiD, clause and in reciprocation for- ture, digital banking and trans- tionable and operates in clouds, 8                   which is a unique digital id. Data in the serv- feit intimate details to data com- actions, social networking and India needs to consolidate and        %           er is anonymised in such a manner that per- panies by accepting the fine print social media, to digital strengthen data laws on priority.             *     .  ? sonalised features are suppressed without of services that they receive Government interventions — The Personal Data   E0 *        P  Q   ( affecting the statistical features of the data through the app. Further, sever- will spread ominously. Protection Bill, 2019, which is ensembles. al devices often track our move- Collection of data, private or still stuck in Parliament, intends            )        The fact that devices exchange informa- ments, preferences and any )9,,.) 9-9@ otherwise, is inevitable and to regulate the processing of per-  %             5        tion, continuously collect location data of information they can mine from 11(! A1.9! unavoidable in a data-intensive sonal data of individuals (data      $ 7 (   ,  S    registered users and maintain a record of the our digital existence. This with- and algorithmically governed principals) by the Government places where they may have come in con- out the consent of the user. 9/.!% 5. 5 society. At the same time, the use and private entities (data fiducia-    .    ! %          tact with other people has given rise to a Let us be clear at this stage of data responsibly while also ries). The Bill must provide  ,              %   sense of distrust among the people. Hence, that collecting data, however pri- -.A 1+,.1- preserving privacy should be the legal teeth to data protection         -           ( the controversy. Arguments can be drawn vate it may be, with the user’s 2-1A9 1+,. -1 order of the day. authorities to prosecute the data into two fields: One of data privacy and the consent, implicit or explicit, for This brings us to an impor- fiduciaries with penal actions.    (         $      other on surveillance. While debate around any purpose and using it for data 118 -.-5 A. tant question: Is India prepared Such regulation, even if passed,  %     ,         %     the Aarogya Setu app is unsubstantiated and analytics in anonymised form is 1- to regulate data laws in the cannot be effectively compliant              P5  -Q # unfounded, questions related to data priva- not a breach of privacy. Of cyberspace? Further, are the cit- in the context of lacking digital cy will very much be a talking point in a post- course, unless the data is person- 1, 9! /" )1,,& izens digitally educated to citizenship practices and eti-             %       ( COVID society. alised and shared with other understand the trade-off quette.         #            Data is now widely being treated as the platforms or a third party. This 9A.!-. between “comfort” and “luxury” A post-COVID society and #               5 %     new “oil”, “gold” and is a valuable resource seemingly is not the case with 59) .&1/. while using digital technologies democracy in India will be dig- from the perspective of society, economy, the Aarogya Setu app at present. or when they share their data for itally driven and will be con- ./0-           -       ( polity, privacy and human progress. For a The nation has just seen that 51". "./. a purpose? Are they aware of the verged around data privacy and                   8 society to make progress from an informa- all efforts to curb the rapid 25.9@11 privacy concerns arising there- security that should not be                      tion age to a knowledgeable, digital world spread of the Corona pandem- !.5(9-5 +,& of? These questions need to be devalued due to the current   8       -           (data-driven society), the effective use of data ic can be seriously affected due addressed by digital communi- political bickering on the instal- and information, while qualifying with pri- to contact tracing. This can be %/ ,.1,59 ties of a post-COVID society. lation of the Aarogya Setu app.          vacy parameters, will be a cornerstone of minimised with the help of India’s legal system, too, The app has only a limited pur- public discourse. Privacy is as old as data-driven technology that col- (!.5.!A - can be construed as half pre- pose to contain the spread of the mankind and has a close connection with lects contact history of individ- (! A1)&5/92, pared to deal with concerns aris- Corona infection. At the same human dignity, freedom and independence uals. Undoubtedly, contact his- ing out of data privacy violation time, developers of the app of an individual. Maintaining privacy will be tory is private but is used for a +./.9!.! in the app economy and highly must take care to ensure that the (   more challenging in an age of informed soci- public cause. Aarogya Setu 9@/.1& integrated digital age, even data collected for the purpose is ety. Data privacy is a necessity so as to pre- ensures just that and is a proof though the Information not intruded, de-anonymised or 5.1  $    $   5*=  serve and protect personal information that India is growing to be a dig- Technology Act (2008, amend- exploited by any other party. 1*>    8?.:4,"    that is collected by organisations. The fear itally matured State. ed in 2011) provides the neces- (The writer is former Dean of it being used by a third party is always Post the COVID pandem- sary legal regime for cybersecu- of the School of Computer and    *  !  ( there. ic, India will witness a rise in rity and protecting privacy con- Information Sciences at the    (   (    Data privacy assumes significance as app-driven socio-economic cerns thereof. University of Hyderabad and ) people live with the app economy for the activities. Every aspect of the With changing transnation- currently the Vice Chancellor of       )    ( entire day, every day and every hour. Digital digital society — spanning from al contours of the app economy, Central University of Rajasthan)                    ) S       S         (  ,  - . /+0           )     % I (#    8 %  #         +    K 8 %    ) #     #  <I     8   I5        )"        ,              #     #          (-     #      @                       (      J         #  I        ./0-(12 # 6%66')7 8)%7 %797 6)*:%6%;;8* %797 796')7 ,      .  *  K/ A  K#(#  K"! K"   5   -  !    3.*-!4                  (            - (   # * .*-!                0 0   0 , 00 1   .+0,           5         .!-*$!         "      .          ney considering their tragedy       and distress. It’s ironical that the                   ( Government could fly back                    6  Sir — This refers to the editori-         stranded tourists back home for  (             %     ( al, “All for a drink” (May 5). As      )9A 8=L  free to display its efficiency to the the fight against COVID-19 9       8 rest of the world.       7   -%-,       ( entered its third phase with the    #     %    Though after facing pressure          #        Government providing consider-  )9A     from Opposition, the Centre          8S          ( able relaxation in lockdown curbs         clarified that the railways will pay as part of a phase-wise exit plan,    )9A 8=L%       85 per cent of the train fares and   ,    S                 hundreds of people have been lin-   5        # the remaining 15 per cent will be      8    !#($.!         ing up before Government-run   )  9 <     paid by the State Governments, 9:;;  )         :;;    .    liquor shops, jostling and push-          the onus has been put on respec- ing in complete defiance of social   9  5    tive States who are already reel- !#($.!    ./0-(12            )  distancing norms. At most places, M5 N O     ing under tough conditions. Not            9:         ( many buyers were not even wear-         K to forget, there’s no accountabil-     #     (      ing masks. The over one-month-   =D      #          8 ity of the money being collected long nationwide lockdown to    5        %       8 8 in the name of the crisis in the     .   -           1;;;   prevent the spread of the virus 1      )   8  /      PM Cares fund. 3;<=     4 #              will become ineffective if the    8 M         8 Nimai Charan Swain            Government does not control N    777"         Bhubaneswar        8     #   8                 such crowding around the liquor shops.    # *=*#*)(7>*         .    -          MN Qasmi          8          )              ( Kolkata                    Sir — The loss of three soldiers   seasons, was soft-pedalled, result- ingly, their status remains unde-    in Jammu and Kashmir is tragic.     $   .            8  ing in migration. fined. China has 300 million India must retaliate with full  "                ( Now, as restless migrants workers but it provides them might. Only immediate forceful             -        Sir — The extended lockdown tried to set off for their villages, with more congenial work envi- Sir — This refers to the editori- action will calm the people of has exposed the plight of the employers leveraged the lock- ronment. It would be a pity if we al, “Reality, not criticism” (May 5). India.     (            ( migrant workers. India of the down to block the exodus to now fail to incorporate the The homecoming of migrant Jayant          !'  > 8       1960s had dignified the rural ensure continuity to their farm exploited labour in the new workers on special trains is wel- Via email       (./0-           economy. Rural infrastructure and factory outputs. This 140 mil- scheme of things. come. But it is also the moral support, that would have sus- lion strong migrant labour is R Narayanan responsibility of the Government      1                  tained income levels in agro-slack vital to our economy, yet shock- Navi Mumbai to bear the cost of their train jour- ))7')%>%67?:9*&8%9    !"#"#   2 +#* - %+. 3+ 0,$-  1" / ,-0 /          #  P      & --1 ' %  #               &      "  &      "  &   N  O  L $    L  "   #  $        #      (  +  6   $    $ $              5 1<        1@     (           %           $       *     8         :@( (   -      # %                      (         .                      :;;;;    *    A2:B   .         A9   #    1=29        7   1A=              .  S              ,       ,           -   F1A;         %    $  3%$4        2  .4+. %                   doctor contracted COVID-19 from a patient -                -   and succumbed to the virus on April 19 in                 ./0-(12 AChennai. The funeral of the doctor was   G           stopped by residents who assembled in large num- bers to oppose it. The Madras High Court, taking     ,    (%    +   suo moto cognisance of the despicable incident, said G                that Article 21 of the Constitution, which protects           (     the life and personal liberty of all persons, includes -               within its ambit the right to a decent burial. The court                said that this doctor was deprived of his right to have #              ( a decent burial.               ( In another incident in Meghalaya, the local gov-       5   #   %   ( erning bodies known as Durbar Shnong prevented          ./0-(12     S the cremation of a COVID-19 infected doctor. /92 //. .       :;;;       5 9 Consequently, the Meghalaya Bar Association filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the High Court, " - 5!&"1:.5 ,               against the State and local bodies. The court noted 1,,),1 "59@       #         that the State authorities handled the matter in an Q.!99,.!1-).           P  Q  inept way and the obstructive conduct of the Durbar % /A.!&/ / P (   Q         ./0-(12 Shnong would shock the conscience of every right- 15( !1 9-59@       thinking individual. (1) @& - 1 #            %    The contemptible action of various groups to ."9!1, 5.1-                    obstruct the dignified interment of doctors and other 5/1:.-". )1,           -      ( healthcare professionals has outraged the medical @!1.!- &/.                fraternity and all citizens with a conscience. On April 779! -1-).                  20, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said that doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and also equally guilty. Dr Indranil Khan, an personnel in an epidemic and not in gen- objections to proper funerals of doctors and other 9.5-91!.55 community health workers. The Ministry oncologist, faced harassment after he post- eral conditions. Therefore, this Ordinance  ./0-(12   #   "   ( health workers, dying in the line of pandemic duty, /. 552.9@ claimed that while the citizens fully coop- ed images of doctors wearing raincoats in does not afford any protection to the med-                is the last straw. The IMA demanded a special 11):59-/.1,/ erated with healthcare personnel most of a COVID-19 ward of a Government hos- ical fraternity in a non-epidemic situation.                ,  Central law to take stringent action against those who %9!:.!5 - the time, there were sporadic incidents of pital on social media. Police detained Dr According to the World Health              ( indulge in violence against healthcare professionals -9!"1, violence that demoralised the medical fra- Khan, charged him with causing commu- Organisation (WHO), health workers               and hospitals. The IMA called for a “white alert” ) !)2"51-).5 ternity fighting the contagion. Therefore, nal disharmony and criminal intimidation must be provided with training on infec-         on April 22 and sought to declare April 23 as a “black 1@.!/. it was felt that separate and stringent pro- and confiscated his phone. tion prevention, given Personal Protection #              day” if its demands to protect the serving medical (1-." ) 59A.! visions for emergent times were needed A writ petition against his harassment Equipment and technical updates. They                   fraternity were not met. 15512,59-/." to act as effective deterrents to any such by the police was filed before the Calcutta must have a blame-free environment to     ?    (        Soon after, the Union Cabinet passed the .6 5. ,9+1,,& incidents of violence. High Court. Justice Prasanna Mukherji of report on incidents such as exposure to          "  "     Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 Though the Ministry makes tall the Calcutta High Court said that freedom blood or bodily fluids or violence. which was then signed by the President. The ,9- +.@9!. claims of zero tolerance, with very high of speech and expression, which is grant- The right to health i.e. the right to live       Ministry of Health and Family Welfare intended the )9A 8=L!.1!. aspirations of pacifying a demoralised and ed under Article 19 of the Constitution, in a hygienic and safe environment, #               Ordinance to ensure “zero tolerance” to any form 52 ,&/.1 shaken medical fraternity, the Ordinance has to be scrupulously upheld by the State. flows from Article 21. According to               ( of violence against healthcare professionals and dam- -2".!925(,.15 does not address the issue of attacks on The court said that if an expression of Article 47 the improvement of public    #          ( age to property. Significantly, in 2019 the Healthcare 9(!9.) healthcare workers in normal circum- opinion brings the Government into dis- health is the primary duty of the State.                  Services Personnel and Clinical Establishments ". )1,51@@ stances, after the pandemic is over. repute, it cannot defend the allegation by Justice Chandrachud said under Article                   ( (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) /1A.@1,,.-9- Assaults on them existed globally, long intimidation of the person expressing the 21, the right to life is meaningless unless         Bill, drafted by the Health Ministry to contain vio- .1@.1!5 before COVID-19 reared its ugly head. opinion by subjecting him to prolonged accompanied by the guarantee of certain #          ( lence against doctors, was rejected by the Home 1))9! - 9/. Numerous pleas to protect medical staff interrogation, threatening arrest, seizing concomitant rights including, but not lim-          P  Q     PQ  ( Ministry, saying that there cannot be a separate leg- "19A.! have fallen on deaf ears. According to the his mobile phone and SIM card. ited to, the right to health. The right to                  ( islation to protect the members of a particular pro- IMA, over 75 per cent of doctors and other In another incident, Dr Piyush health is understood to be indispensable fession. CD(.!).-9@ healthcare professionals have faced vio- Pushkar Singh, who complained about the to a life of dignity, well-being and includes,   Hopefully, this Ordinance will make up for the 9)9!51- lence at work. shortage of equipment and protective for instance, the right to emergency #   .      P Q         S past errors and infuse confidence in the healthcare 9/.!/.1,/)1!. In 2012, a pregnant woman with masks, was terminated by the Hindu Rao medical care and the right to maintenance               community, that is on the frontline in our war against ([email protected] 9-1,5 obstetric complications died in Tuticorin. Hospital for bringing disrepute to the insti- and improvement of public health. In the       #           the pandemic. Though the passing of the Ordinance /1A.@1). In retaliation, the attending doctor was tution on April 15. Clearly, the Epidemic current situation, with the need to have a                , ( itself is a positive decision by the Government, the A 9,.-).1%9!:killed by the enraged husband. This trig- Diseases Ordinance, 2020, which is stat- conducive and safe environment for  (     (     moot question is whether the new law is adequate gered a call for a strike by the Tamil Nadu ed to ensure the safety of healthcare pro- medical professionals and the responsibil-                     ( to protect doctors and other healthcare workers? Government Doctors’ Association. The fessionals is not designed to protect Dr ity of the State to provide for public health,           #    According to the Ordinance, an “act of violence” IMA has demanded that hospitals be Khan and Dr Singh. the Government will be well-advised to            +  ( includes any of the following acts committed declared as “protected zones” and called Sadly, the COVID-19 outbreak led to take all steps to protect the medical fra-                    against healthcare personnel: Harassment impact- for strict implementation of laws in cases a rash of attacks against doctors and other ternity from any form of lawlessness. The ing living or working conditions; harm, injury or of violence against health professionals. health workers. Healthcare personnel Centre must consider enacting a stand-          danger to life; obstruction in the discharge of duties In 2014, angry relatives of a 14-year- deployed in rural areas were beaten and alone law that will enable hospitals and -                and loss or damage to the property or documents old boy, who was declared “brought stopped from entering the villages and for medical personnel to work in a safe envi- G             ( of the healthcare personnel. dead” at a private hospital in Bathinda, “violating” the lockdown while going to ronment at all times, so as to attain the              Property is defined to include: Clinical estab- Punjab, went on a rampage. They dam- work. The hurried promulgation of the Constitutional aspiration of right to                   lishment; quarantine facility; mobile medical unit, aged the nursing home and burnt down Ordinance appears to be a knee-jerk reac- health for all citizens. While social distanc- 7  -            7  and other property in which a healthcare worker has the doctor’s house. The Punjab State tion by the Government. First, the ing is being advocated, medical profession-   "   -        a direct interest. Further, “healthcare personnel” are Chapter of the IMA demanded strict Ministry’s claim that the citizens fully als do not have the privilege of working               people, who while carrying out their duties in rela- action against those responsible for dam- cooperated with the healthcare workers is remotely. The best form of applause to give  (                 tion to countering the epidemic, may come in direct aging the nursing home and the house of belied by its own statement that incidents the doctors and medical personnel is to        ./0-(12   contact with affected patients and thereby are at the the doctor. Angry relatives of patients are of violence have occurred which demor- give them a safe working environment. risk of being impacted by such disease and include not the only ones who oppress medical alised the medical fraternity. Second, the (The writer is Advocate Partner in a 3     4 any public and clinical healthcare providers such as professionals, the Government set-up is Ordinance only “protects” healthcare law firm) 5     $ &$D() * ((%(E*,# $ -.)/,0$/( 11(0% %-%2$3$ .)1(-%  *%$ ) 1(0%) 2(/( /1 4%)4/..3$/%#% (35,(5( ) )02 0(%0,# $ -.), / 1( ,0,0$4 (

armed forces have been employed hopes of future rewards. been rendered utterly destitute, dented scale. We neither anticipat- tionally, spread out all over the clear. for conduct of Humanitarian To my mind, there appears to be hungry, without shelter and unable ed it nor were we prepared or country could have been utilised in Instead of copying what the US Assistance and Disaster Relief no other reasonable explanation for to reach their homes because of an trained for it and errors were to be a number of ways to provide suc- Air Force Aerobatics Teams did at (HADR) missions, more often than this bizarre exercise, which obvious- ill-planned and poorly-executed expected. cour to our hard-pressed brethren. New York, we could have looked at not, as the key nodal agency. ly appears to have, at least outward- nationwide lockdown. It has been the bane of the mil- As a matter of fact, it was the bound- the more innovative ways the It, therefore, comes as a major ly, paid them some dividends, if the Feeding the hungry, providing itary in the past that whenever a dis- en duty of our Service Chiefs to have Spanish military was used to man- surprise to all, especially the mili- Prime Minister’s tweet means any- tented shelters for the homeless or aster occurred, it invariably led to interceded with the Prime Minister ufacture PPE. It may come as a sur- tary leadership, when they find thing. transport for the weary are not mat- the civil administration and its and have convinced him of the enor- prise but various Ordnance Corps themselves and the military on the Let us not get it wrong. There ters that require approval from the agencies all but abdicating their mous range of assistance that our establishments within the Army fringes in this ongoing war against is indeed much to be appreciative of, highest levels, just a humane bent of responsibilities, leaving it to the mil- forces were capable of providing. are authorised tailors and equipment /( +-1 the pandemic, tasked with provid- inasmuch as such displays go mind at the local level. That in itself itary to take over the process, coor- Obviously the lack of Personal repairers, who could have been ing only limited assistance on the towards building the morale of the would have garnered enough good- dinate and provide the required Protection Equipment (PPE) with- gainfully employed to produce he Indian subcontinent has periphery. “Corona warriors.” But did it really will among the populace, without assistance. Examples are too numer- in the forces may well have been an masks and other equipment. always been extremely prone That apparently appears to have require the Chief of Defence Staff this grasping for publicity that we ous to quote but the floods that dev- important consideration for the Given the massive deficiency in Tto natural disasters like floods, become a source of immense anxi- and the three Service Chiefs to make witnessed on television. astated Uttarakhand and Kashmir, hierarchy in whatever suggestions PPE suits, even the Ordnance earthquakes, landslides, avalanches ety and insecurity among the the announcement? Is that what It should be seen as a positive in the past, best illustrate this phe- they may have made. In any case, the Parachute Factory at Kanpur could and storms. Statistics published in Service Chiefs, forcing them to call they have been reduced to? For that step that our military has not been nomenon. “Corona warriors” would have been have been modified quickly to media reports suggest that post- a press conference to announce a matter, was the scale that this called out in this disaster, except of Clearly, as we look at and assess more appreciative if they had been mass-produce them. An opportuni- Independence, till 2017, India has series of displays by elements of the morale-boosting exercise was course for providing medical assis- the security environment in our provided with PPE and protection ty to do good was truly squandered, witnessed 529 natural disasters, three Services and the Coast Guard undertaken at really necessary? tance where necessary. This suggests region, there can be little doubt that from rampaging mobs instead. leaving behind only a bitter taste in leaving aside those caused by to honour our “Corona warriors.” In such troubled times, sub- that our civil administration is our military must take all necessary In fact, within the veteran com- the mouth that is unlikely to disap- droughts, epidemics and extreme If, on the other hand, these were stance over showmanship would finally maturing and waking up to precautions to keep its units out of munity, leaving aside a few, these pear any time soon. temperature. These disasters have the directions of the Government have been better appreciated. Much its duties, however poor its perfor- harm’s way so that they can meet theatrics have been seen as contrary (The author, a military veteran resulted in nearly 2,00,000 deaths that they were complying with — of that time, money and effort, could mance might have been this time their constitutional obligations and to service norms and ethics, as the is a Consultant with the Observer and left hundreds of millions affect- which is also a major possibility — and should, have been better utilised around. successfully protect our sovereign- former Naval chief, Admiral Research Foundation and a Senior ed in the country. it shows them up as weak, only aim- in providing assistance to the vast In all fairness, this particular ty at a moment’s notice. Static units Laxminarayan Ramdas’, article in Visiting Fellow with The Peninsula In all of these incidents, our ing to please their political bosses in numbers of our citizenry who have disaster has been on an unprece- and those uncommitted opera- one of our dailies makes it amply Foundation, Chennai)  6    !"#"# " 4-5 #

-  '92""A92755722(%)95+73'A'    !O"       +. 0 - rebuttal from Beijing, which on virus,” Hua said, adding that “The WHO officials also Hua also said all countries September and December last last year. Reports from France    Wednesday described China was “fed up with such said all the evidence showed must examine the reports that year. She said recent reports spoke of a coronavirus case    ! hina on Wednesday dared the accusation as “smear” tricks.” that the virus is not man- the cases of Covid-19 were said coronavirus cases were detected from a patient in )    CUS Secretary of State Mike intended to bolster President “We urge the US to stop made”, she said. reported in some countries in reported in the US in October December last year, Hua said. ) "  9 Pompeo to show the “enor- Trump’s re-election chances in spreading disinformation or ,   mous evidence” he has to prove November. misleading the international         that the novel coronavirus orig- “He (Pompeo) said ‘enor- community. It should deal with )       ! "92     8          inated from a lab in Wuhan and mous evidence’. Then show its own problems and deal   ,  asserted that the matter should us,” Chinese Foreign Ministry with the pandemic at home,”     be handled by scientists instead spokesperson Hua Chunying she said. Hua said the head of   .-.A1 possible invitation for a WHO alleged coziness with Beijing. the coronavirus as they emerge. ( "  "# of politicians out of their told a media briefing here. the World Health Organisation team. “We need the right focus Chen said China is now on President Donald Trump’s "  )   domestic political compulsions “Pompeo cannot present any (WHO) stated that the US has senior Chinese diplomat and allocation of our board for an initiative led by the administration has criticized   A &# in an election year. evidence because he does not not presented any evidence to Aexpressed backing for the resources.” WHO, many European coun- the WHO’s handling of the       In recent days, US have any,” Hua said. “This mat- it so far to back up its claims. World Health Organisation on “So it’s not we are allergic tries and charity groups like the early outbreak and announced # President Donald Trump and ter should be handled by sci- “On the issue of the origin Wednesday, but said an invita- to any kind of investigations, Gates Foundation to expedite a suspension of funding from  1   )  Secretary of State Pompeo have entists and professionals of coronavirus, people have dif- tion for the agency’s experts to inquiries or evaluations,” he vaccines and COVID-19 treat- the US — the UN agency’s top      claimed that the deadly virus instead of politicians out of ferent opinions. I think tracing visit Wuhan to look into the said, “as long as it will be ben- ment tools to developing coun- donor. Administration officials L M   %  originated from the Wuhan their domestic political need”. the origin is a very serious mat- origins of the coronavirus must eficial to the international tries. He didn’t offer details on have accused the WHO of /9      Institute of Virology in the cen- China’s foreign ministry ter. That should be researched wait until after the pandemic is efforts.” how China would show its covering up missteps as the      tral Chinese city of Wuhan, called the accusations a polit- by scientists and professionals,” beaten. The comments from Chen support. outbreak emerged in Wuhan.    %   where the outbreak was first ical strategy to “smear China” she said. “First things first: The top amount to the latest Chinese The US meanwhile has Chen said the US was   ) 6# detected last December. The for Republicans ahead of the “Almost all top scientists, priority for the time being is to diplomatic push, just as the not lined up for the Access to “duty-bound” to keep up its  %/9   two leaders have also said that 2020 election. including those in the US, focus on the fight against the United States has criticized the COVID-19 Tools, or ACT, funding. 2-   O    China has refused to give inter- “The recently exposed US believe that this virus came pandemic,” said Chen Xu, WHO over its handling of the “Accelerator” that aims to help “We do hope that the  %    national scientists access to Republican strategies shows from nature, not man-made China’s ambassador to UN COVID-19 outbreak that has the most vulnerable countries Americans could have second     +G L@  learn what happened. they are encouraged to attack and there is no possibility that institutions in Geneva, when infected millions and killed at gain access to vaccines, diag- thoughts, to come back to the   B    The claim has drawn fierce China under the pretext of the it was leaked from a lab,” said. asked about the timing of a least 2,50,000 people — and its nostics and treatment tools for right track,” he said.       "   "     M) L%  2:          251 =7DRDC C<=D     <             M 5  7D<>R7 7DRDC    5 O    7=DC 7L>R  @  ))  B25 =   2          2: 7=== <C>   "      @   =CDD= 7DD<=  ! 8" ,    #          =>CLL<      % >D    ! =>DL7L =D<        5 O ( "  1 +   # =<=C <DR              6 A 5A 87: ?.1%5 <-?A@   )!       5      L>)9A 8=L  7 Geneva: At least 90,000 health- not (covering) every country in turning a blind eye which we         B care workers worldwide are the world,” Howard Catton, think is completely  "  +     believed to have been infected ICN’s chief executive officer, unacceptable and will cost     with Covid-19, and possibly told Reuters Television in its more lives,” Catton, a Briton, #      !9". New York’s progress against the history, and the U.S. unem- million people. twice that, amid reports of lakeside offices. added.       virus was overshadowing ployment rate for April, which India was concentrated on continuing shortages of pro- The 90,000 estimate is The World Health    +  O rom the marbled halls of increasing infections elsewhere. comes out Friday, is expected to the immediate drama around tective equipment, the based on information collect- Organization (WHO), which is  )   International Council of Nurses ed on 30 countries from   " FItaly to the wheat fields of “Make no mistakes: This hit a startling 16 percent, a level the market in the southern city coordinating the global     Kansas, health authorities are virus is still circulating in our last seen during the Great of Chennai, which is now tied (ICN) said on Wednesday. national nursing associations, response to the pandemic, says      increasingly warning that the community, perhaps even more Depression of the 1930s. to at least 1,000 virus cases. An The disease has killed more government figures and media that its 194 member states are    question isn’t whether a second now than in previous weeks,” A century ago, the Spanish additional 7,000 people con- than 260 nurses, it said in a reports. The ICN represents not providing comprehensive    #   wave of coronavirus infections said Linda Ochs, director of the flu epidemic’s second wave was nected to the now-shuttered statement, urging authorities to 130 national associations and figures on health worker infec-     and deaths will hit, but when — Health Department in Shawnee far deadlier than its first, in part Koyambedu market are being keep more accurate records to more than 20 million registered tions as they grapple with the and how badly. County, Kansas. because authorities allowed traced and quarantined. Experts help prevent the virus from nurses. unprecedented crisis.  1      In India, which relaxed its The virus is known to have mass gatherings from are worried about a health cat- spreading among staff and Catton, noting that 3.5 The WHO last said on     lockdown this week, health infected more than 3.6 million Philadelphia to San Francisco. astrophe in a country of 1.3 bil- patients. million cases of Covid-19 have April 11 that some 22,000     authorities scrambled and killed more than 251,000 As Italy’s lockdown eased lion people with an already The Geneva-based associ- been reported worldwide, said: health workers were thought to G  #    Wednesday to contain an out- people, according to a tally by this week, Dr. Silvio Brusaferro, stressed medical system. ation said a month ago that 100 “If the average health worker have been infected.        break at a huge market. Hard- Johns Hopkins that all experts president of the Superior New confirmed daily infec- nurses had died in the pan- infection rate, about 6 percent The ICN said it now   5 5 hit New York City shut down agree is an undercount because Institute of Health, urged “a tions in the U.S. exceed 20,000, demic sparked by a novel coro- we think, is applied to that, the believes those “shocking” fig- . @    its subway system overnight for of limited testing, differences in huge investment” of resources to and deaths per day are well over navirus that emerged in the figure globally could be more ures to significantly underesti-  G  disinfection. Experts in Italy, counting the dead and con- train medical personnel to mon- 1,000, according to the Johns central Chinese city of Wuhan than 2,00,000 health worker mate the reality.      which just began easing some cealment by some governments. itor possible new cases. He said Hopkins tally. And public health late last year. infections on Wednesday. “This failure to record both      restrictions, warned lawmakers The U.S. has seen over tracing apps — which are being officials warn that the failure to “The figure for health care “The scandal is that infection rates and deaths   O that a new surge of 71,000 deaths amid its 1.2 mil- built by dozens of countries and lower the infection rate could workers infections has risen Governments are not system- among healthcare workers is       infections and deaths is com- lion confirmed infections, and companies — aren’t enough to lead to many more deaths — from 23,000 to we think more atically collecting and report- putting more nurses and their 1       ing, and they urged intensified Europe has endured over manage future waves of infec- perhaps tens of thousands — as than 90,000, but that is still an ing on this information. It patients in danger,” the state-     efforts to identify victims, mon- 144,000 reported deaths. tion. people venture out and busi- under-estimation because it is looks to us as though they are ment said. Agency  = 7 itor their symptoms and trace “Burying both parents at “We are not out of the epi- nesses reopen.      their contacts. the same time? It’s hard,” said demic. We are still in it. I don’t “The faster we reopen, the     #    German Chancellor Angela Desmond Tolbert, who lost his want people to think there’s no lower the economic cost — but  O     Merkel said after meeting with mother and father in rural more risk and we go back to the higher the human cost,   O #       the country’s 16 governors that Georgia. Because they had the normal,” said Dr. Giovanni because the more lives lost,”  O  restaurants and remaining virus, he couldn’t be with them Rezza, head of the institute’s New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo <#    shops will be allowed to reopen when they died. infectious-disease department. sai d. “That, my friends, is the    P       2    in the coming weeks but that The researchers behind a Lothar Wieler, head of decision we are really making.”  1     restrictions will be reimposed if widely cited model from the Germany’s national disease con- New York City Mayor Bill )!    new infections hit a certain University of Washington near- trol center, said scientists “know de Blasio warned on CNN that   -.%&9!: is “zero indication that there and hard-working,” said Ivet     level. “There will be a second ly doubled their projection of with great certainty that there some states may be reopening was targeting due to his (Liu) Bahar, the head of the compu-     wave, but the problem is to deaths in the U.S. to around will be a second wave” of infec- too quickly. Chinese medical being Chinese,” according to tational and system biology      which extent. Is it a small wave 134,000 through early August, tions but said Germany is well- “My message to the rest of Aresearcher on the “verge of Detective Sgt. Brian Kohlhepp, department in Pitt’s School of   )9A 8=L or a big wave? It’s too early to in large part because of the eas- prepared to deal with it. The the country is learn from how making very significant” coro- the CNN reported. Medicine. Members of the uni- /"  1A G say,” said Olivier Schwartz, head ing of state stay-at-home restric- country has been hailed for test- much effort, how much disci- navirus findings has been The university issued a versity’s School of Medicine   7>DL  of the virus and immunity unit tions. ing widely and has had one- pline it took to finally bring found shot dead in the US state statement saying it is describe their former colleague       at France’s Pasteur Institute. President Donald Trump, fourth the number of deaths in these numbers down and follow of Pennsylvania, media reports “deeply saddened by the trag- as an outstanding researcher   =C France, which hasn’t yet eased with his eye on being reelected Italy or Britain, which have the same path until you’re sure said on Wednesday. ic death of Bing Liu, a prolific and mentor, and have pledged      its lockdown, has worked up a in November, is pushing hard to smaller populations. that it’s being beaten back,” he University of Pittsburgh researcher and admired col- to complete Liu’s research “in   “re-confinement plan” to ready ease the social-distancing orders Britain has begun recruiting said, “or else if this thing professor Bing Liu, 37, was league at Pitt. an effort to pay homage to his      ) for that second wave. and resuscitate the U.S. econo- 18,000 people to trace contacts boomerangs, you’re putting off found dead inside his home in The University extends our scientific excellence.” !  Many areas are still strug- my, which has seen over 30 mil- of those infected. British officials any kind of restart or recovery Ross Township, north of deepest sympathies to Liu’s Liu, who earned a Ph.D in    gling with the first wave. Brazil lion workers lose their jobs in acknowledge that they should a hell of a lot longer.” Pittsburgh, on Saturday with family, friends and colleagues computational science from  =R8RL for the first time locked down less than two months. Though have done more testing and trac- Trump acknowledged the gunshot wounds to the head, during this difficult time.” the National University of  @  O    a large city, the capital of the White House had signaled ing earlier and could learn from toll but argued that keeping the neck, torso and extremities, “Bing was on the verge of Singapore, worked as a post-   @   Maranhão state. Across the Tuesday that it would begin South Korea, which brought its US economy closed carries according to the Ross Police making very significant find- doctoral fellow at Carnegie   O   ocean, the number of con- winding down the country’s outbreak under control by rig- deadly costs of its own, such as Department. ings toward understanding the Mellon University before     firmed coronavirus cases in coronavirus task force, Trump orously testing, tracing and iso- drug abuse and suicides. Investigators believe an cellular mechanisms that becoming a research associate     Africa has shot up 42% in the tweeted Wednesday that it lating infected people. “I’m not saying anything is unidentified second man, Hao underlie SARS-CoV-2 infec- at the University of Pittsburgh  0 8+ past week. Infections were would continue “indefinitely South Africa, which has perfect, and yes, will some peo- Gu, 46 who was found dead in tion and the cellular basis of the School of Medicine. ,     expected to surpass 50,000 there with its focus on SAFETY & years of experience tracking ple be affected? Yes. Will some his car, shot and killed Liu in following complications,” his The deadly coronavirus @  @  "   on Wednesday. OPENING UP OUR COUN- HIV and other infections, has people be affected badly? Yes. his home before returning to colleagues at the university’s which originated from the %  An Associated Press analy- TRY AGAIN.” more than 30,000 experienced But we have to get our country his car and taking his own life, Department of Computational Chinese city of Wuhan has     . O sis, meanwhile, found that U.S. Underscoring those eco- community tracers at work. open and we have to get it open the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Systems Biology said in a infected over 3.67 million peo- 8 5    infection rates outside the New nomic concerns, the European Turkey has 5,800 teams of con- soon,” he said during a visit to reported. statement. ple and killed 258,051 people     7>   York City area are in fact rising, Union predicted the worst tact tracers who have tracked Arizona in which he did not Police believe the men “He was a very talented globally, according to a tally by   L   notably in rural areas. It found recession in its quarter-century down and tested nearly half a wear a face mask. knew each other, but say there individual, extremely intelligent Johns Hopkins University. #   M      "    (   7         *@ 5  $* *

 " 5.92, from a cardiovascular proce- appearances so far this year, dure while CNN said compared with an average of 50 here are no signs North US officials were monitoring from previous years, which TKorean leader Kim Jong Un Intelligence he was “in grave the National Intelligence received heart surgery when he danger” after surgery. Service (NIS) ascribed to a pos- disappeared from state media Members of South Korea’s sible coronavirus outbreak in for three weeks, but he parliamentary Intelligence North Korea. reduced public activity due to committee said after a meeting “Kim Jong Un had focused coronavirus concerns, South with the National Intelligence on consolidating internal Korean lawmakers briefed by Service (NIS) that the reports affairs such as military forces the spy agency said on were “groundless.” and party-state meetings, and )  Wednesday. “The NIS assesses that at coronavirus concerns Kim attended the comple- least he did not get any heart- have further limited tion of a fertiliser plant, North related procedure or surgery,” his public activity,” Kim Byung- Korea’s official media said on committee member Kim kee said. Saturday, the first report Byung-kee told reporters. “Though North Korea of his appearing in public since “He was normally per- maintains it has zero cases, it April 11. forming his duties when he was cannot be ruled out His absence fuelled a flur- out of the public eye.” that there is an outbreak there ry of speculation about his “At least there’s no heart- given they had active people- health and whereabouts, with related health problem.” to-people exchanges with   a South Korean news outlet But the lawmaker said Kim China before closing the bor- reporting Kim was recovering Jong Un only made 17 public der in late January.”    !"#"# 7 8

 $%&  #     '   @   !      ( P    /-&%0,0,& &   -.%.,/ he unprecedented increase Tin excise duty on petrol and   "2"+1 Index stood at just 5.4 in April, Kong and Seoul settled with diesel by 10 and 13 per litre from 49.3 in March — the most significant gains, while Tokyo on Tuesday may not be the end arkets found firmer severe contraction in services was closed for a holiday. of the government’s exercise to Mground on Wednesday output since records began in European markets were fleece the two petroleum prod- after two sessions of losses as December 2005. trading on a cautious note in ucts for additional revenue investors made a cautious “Markets were volatile as early deals. International oil this year. return to some recently-bat- 9,100 levels held out as a key benchmark Brent crude futures Sources indicated that that tered banking, finance and support for the Nifty in a day rose 1.65 per cent to USD another 3-6 per litre increase auto counters. of mixed gains for its con- 31.48 per barrel. in excise duty on petrol and Dismal macroeconomic stituents. Financials led the diesel may come midway dur- data and rising concerns over gains, in anticipation of stim- ing the year if government felt the country’s economic outlook ulus measures while FMCG,    4 the need to mobilise more amid rising Covid-19 cases bluechip IT stocks and OMCs resources to finance addition- sidered later in the year per cent level. capped the gains, traders said. disappointed. 0$;0 !  C al economic recovery packages depending on the need and Higher retail price is not an After swinging over 800 “The volatility in the to fight Covid-19 related dis- prevailing global oil prices. If option for the government at points during the day, the 30- indices is expected to contin-  !    ruptions. global oil and product prices this juncture as it could push share BSE Sensex closed 232.24 ue as investors look out for This level of increase could remain at current levels or inflation. points or 0.74 per cent higher trading cues in the form of   "2"+1 provide government addition- lower, a further duty hike this According to Barclays the at 31,685.75. stimulus measures by the gov- al revenue to the tune of year is a strong possibility,” said estimate is that the central On similar lines, the NSE ernment and global market he rupee depreciated 9 paise 60,000 crore for full year. a source from public sector oil government’s revenue benefit Nifty rose 65.30 points, or 0.71 trends,” said Vinod Nair, Head Tto close at 75.72 against the In March, government had marketing company. from the additional hikes in per cent, to finish at 9,270.90. of Research at Geojit Financial US dollar on Wednesday due to taken Parliamentary approval For consumers, any further fuel taxes undertaken on M&M was the top gainer Services. growth concerns as a survey to raise special additional excise increase in duty should not Tuesday, could be as much as in the Sensex pack, spurting BSE finance, telecom, showed that the services sector duty on petrol to 18 per litre impact much as retail prices 1.4 lakh crore (0.67% of GDP) 5.27 per cent, followed by Bajaj bankex, auto, basic materials contracted in April. and on diesel to 12 per litre may be left unchanged or mar- on an annual basis. This is on Finance, HDFC Bank, Bharti and realty indices climbed up Weakness in Asian cur- but did not change the levy ginally increased as lower oil top of an estimated 2.8 lakh Airtel, ICICI Bank, Hero to 2.46 per cent, while FMCG, rencies following Chinese yuan then. On Tuesday, special addi- prices would allow for absorb- crore already being collected by MotoCorp and HDFC. consumer durables, IT and dropping by 0.6 per cent tional excise duty has been ing any increase in price. the central government from On the other hand, ITC energy closed lower. against the US dollar and sus- raised to 12 on petrol and to However, a further increase the fuel tax/cess, which would cracked 5.81 per cent. HUL, Broader BSE midcap and tained foreign fund outflows 9 on diesel. This leaves in taxes on fuel would make the bring the total contribution to TCS, Titan and Infosys too smallcap indices rose up to 0.78 also weighed on the rupee. Government with the space to product most taxed globally. central exchequer from fuel ended in the red. per cent. Global equities were Inflation concerns follow- increase excise duty on petrol The current taxes account taxes to 4.4 lakh crore (~ 2.1% According to traders, eco- macroeconomic data kept in April amid the coronavirus mixed as investors tracked the ing the Centre and some states by a further 6 per litre and on for close to 70 per cent of the of GDP). These projections nomic uncertainty due to the investors wary. lockdown. rising coronavirus cases and increased taxes on petroleum diesels by 3 per litre. price of petrol and diesel. With assume that demand for both Covid-19 pandemic, muted India’s service sector activ- The IHS Markit India escalating US-China tensions. products also hit investor sen- “This is the option with the any further increase in duty, petrol and diesel will fall 12% corporate earnings and weak ity plummeted to a historic low Services Business Activity Bourses in Shanghai, Hong timent. Government that could be con- this Fichte could reach 75-80 in FY20-21. "#3& +9))   8    8 !   29+ % D % &  $ R  5   $    R 4/  $       '8    *       28937'73738273'878,A()8A75 New Delhi: In a relief to tele-   -.%.,/   -.%.,/ OHDs will take place next com major Bharti Airtel, the month through video-confer-   -.%.,/  %96')7*, started to open across the Delhi High Court has directed hares of oil marketing com- elecom regulator Trai on ence, and online will be the reg- *%,;*8)%7'67(7* country. the Centre to verify the com- Spanies — Indian Oil TWednesday resumed its ular mode for such discussions utomobile majors, includ- *7*'%7)%'%()', The automaker, which sells pany’s claim of excess GST of Corporation Ltd, Bharat customary open house discus- till things get back to normal. Aing Maruti Suzuki India, 9(68>*9)')%7'(9 models like City and Amaze, 923 crore within two weeks Petroleum Corporation Ltd sion (OHD) on pending mat- Even once things are back to nor- Mercedes-Benz, TVS Motor, >7%,(8)%6(6,7')78) said that with new relaxations and refund the amount once and Hindustan Petroleum ters through video-conference mal, OHDs may assume a hybrid and Royal Enfield, on '*;)*6,:6 from the Government, it is verified. Bharti Airtel alleged Corporation Ltd — on but the issue of floor price of format, to ensure increased par- Wednesday announced :(,6';7%9%6,* planning to restart operations that there was excess payment Wednesday trimmed most of tariffs is unlikely to be taken up ticipation, the source added. resumption of or plans to )*6*9)%B8B')*7) at Tapukara plant in Rajasthan of taxes, by way of cash, to the their early losses at close of via online mode for now, till the However, the issue of fix- restart production at their 8%6%98*8))6) sometime next week. tune of around 923 crore. trade after plunging up to 13 ongoing situation arising from ing floor price of tariffs may not respective manufacturing units )7,>*'%;%8B,%6) Likewise, utility vehicle “This was occasioned to a per cent during the day after Covid-19 pandemic stabilises, figure immediately in OHD via following relaxation of guide- *-0 maker Isuzu Motors India also great degree due to non-oper- hike in excise duty on petrol a source said. video-conference, the source lines by the Government for said said it has received ationalisation of Forms GSTR- and diesel. The Trai source said the reg- said adding that some of the the third phase of lockdown. out 15.5 lakh units per annum. Government of Maharashtra to approvals from local authorities 2A, GSTR-2 and GSTR-3 and Shares of Hindustan ulator may soon come out with pending matters are likely to be The country’s largest car- Operations at the facilities are reopen and resume operations, to resume operations at its plant the system related checks Petroleum Corporation Ltd a consultation paper dealing taken up first. maker Maruti Suzuki India suspended since March 22. the company said in a state- in SriCity, Andhra Pradesh. which could have forewarned (HPCL) settled 5.68 per cent with bill shocks in internation- Also, given the ongoing (MSI) said it would resume Hyundai Motor India, ment. Similarly, Chennai-based Similarly, tyre major MRF the petitioner about the mis- lower, Indian Oil Corporation al mobile roaming, that will seek scenario of coronavirus pan- operations at its Manesar plant which is yet to start rolling out TVS Motor Company said it Ltd said it has partially resumed take. Petitioner now desires to (IOC) slumped 2.73 per cent to address the issues faced by demic and the difficulties faced from May 12. The Gurugram vehicles from its Chennai plant has commenced operations in operations in most of its plants correct its returns, but is being and Bharat Petroleum consumers in terms of loss of by people, Trai may wait for district administration had though it has commenced India across all factories in with restricted manpower, fol- prevented from doing so, as Corporation Ltd (BPCL) fell connectivity, and high bills. situation to stabilise before it allowed MSI to run Manesar preparations to do so, said Hosur, Mysuru and Nalagarh, lowing relaxation of lockdown there is no enabling statutory 0.94 per cent on the BSE. The modalities of the con- proceeds to the OHD stage on facility on a single shift basis, around 250 company dealer- while niche bike maker guidelines by the Government. procedure implemented by the During the day, HPCL sultation paper will be finalised floor price issue, the source while fixing the total number ships have resumed operations Royal Enfield also said it has The Home Ministry had Government,” said the judge- tanked 13 per cent, Bharat soon, and it may be released said. When contacted, Cellular of employees at plant at 4,696. across various States. resumed operations at its man- allowed factories in rural areas ment copy. Petroleum 9.99 per cent and within a month. Operators’ Association of India The company’s Manesar On the other hand, ufacturing plants. or those outside municipal “We also direct the Indian Oil 7.49 per cent. The Telecom Regulatory (COAI)Director General Rajan (Haryana) plant is outside the Mercedes-Benz India said it However, Honda Cars limits to resume production Respondents that on filing of Late on Tuesday evening, Authority of India (Trai) has, so Mathews recently told PTI that limits of Gurugram Municipal has resumed production at its India Ltd (HCIL) said lack of under strict safety and the rectified Form GSTR-3B, the Government hiked excise far, lined up at least two OHDs the regulator is aware of the Corporation, while its manufacturing facility in required workforce is making hygiene guidelines from they shall, within a period of duty on petrol by 10 per litre — a standard practice followed industry’s sense of urgency, Gurugram plant falls within the Chakan, Pune. it difficult for the company to Monday with an aim to kick- two weeks, verifythe claim and that on diesel by 13 a litre by it to take verbal inputs from but that the industry will wait city limits. The production has com- resume operations at its two start economic activity in the made therein and give effect to to mop up gains arising from industry and public on specif- for Trai to take a call. The two plants in Haryana menced in a graded manner manufacturing plants, but third phase of lockdown till the same once verified,” the international oil prices falling ic issues — through video-con- Stating that telcos are cur- have an installed capacity to roll following directives from the added that its dealerships have May 17. High Court said. IANS to a two-decade low. ference for this month. rently focusing on ensuring The source said in all prob- uptime, quality of service and ability an OHD will also be engaging with the Government 2  organised on the issue of to open retail recharge facilities, -$      7 )    ?     “transparency in publishing of Mathews said the “issue of   #   tariff offers”, by month end. floor price will emerge once we    $          Besides, at least 3-4 other get past Covid-19 situation”. #    -.%.,/ having plenty of extra time due report said that the distress is &. to lockdown,” it said. more visible in markets like   -.%&9!: nquiries regarding residen- In Pune, the monthly Gurugram, where a sharp 70 Etial properties across major enquiries grew by 220 per cent per cent monthly reduction in S stocks closed higher as cities by prospective buyers in April, while in Bengaluru, transaction volumes has been Umarket sentiment was have increased during the lock- the rise is pegged at 140 per registered. boosted by a strong rally in oil down, courtesy the online cent, said. In Noida, it was up However, in other IT-cen- prices and hopes for restarting route, although sales remained 58 per cent, followed by tric markets like Pune and the economy. subdued, according to a report Mumbai where enquiries rose Bengaluru, the deceleration is On Tuesday, the Dow Jones by 360 Realtors. by 56 per cent. more indistinct, as realtors can Industrial Average increased The report noted that the Ankit Kansal, Founder and sell properties through online 133.33 points, or 0.56 per cent, coronavirus pandemic contin- MD, 360 Realtors said: “Due to platforms. to 23,883.09, after jumping ues to undermine growth in the lockdown, most of the people It observed that there more than 400 points earlier in Indian realty sector, as demand are working from home, which might be a possible compres- the session, Xinhua news has softened in most of the is giving them ample time to sion of 10-25 per cent in the agency reported. major cities. research and learn more about office rentals. The report fur- “The industry showed properties. ther revealed that renewed some resilience by leveraging Although COVID has trig- leasing will be in the range of the digital medium, but a gered uncertainty and volatil- 20-25 million square feet in the knock-off in site visits and ity in the market, it is also year, a notable dip of around 50 sales was inevitable. The num- enabling wide-scale behav- per cent. bers plunged, thereby tanking ioural changes. Across the value However, strata leasing and overall sentiments. chain, spurred adoption of the small ticket size sales of Interestingly, there was a steep digital medium is visible.” 50-70 lakhs will continue to rise in enquiries as people are In terms of demand, the infuse momentum.

  "2"+1 result of the n ationwide lock- down, leading businesses to he outbreak of Covid-19 shut down their operations as ?# &@ / $ - Tpandemic and the subse- dema nd collapsed. quent national lockdown “Approximately 97 per cent implemented to curb its spread, of survey respondents observed !#    6:%&1- has led to a massive declin e in a reduction in o utput, high- India’s service sector output in lighting the widespread impact   -.%.,/ for luxury housing projects across India with April, a macro-economic data of the Covid-19 pandemic,” the ready-to-move-in options by Grade-A devel- point sho wed on Wednesday. report said. verall sale of luxury properties across the opers seeing some traction in 2019. Going ahead, Accordingly, the IHS Similarly, the Composite Okey markets of National Capital Region we can expect some decent uptake for ready to Markit India Services Business PMI Output Index, which mea- (NCR), Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) move in and nearing completion luxury projects Activity Index showed a read- sures the combined ser vices and Bengaluru rose by 9 per cent in 2019 on a by renowned developers in top cities.” ing of 5.4 in April, which is an and manufacturing output, year-on-year (YoY) basis to 40,376 units, He further said that as corona pandemic is extreme decline from 49.3 in sank to a new record low in according to a PropEquity report. expected to subside in the next few months, the March, and indicative of the April. As per the report, supply of luxury units rose market may witness a positive spike in luxury most severe contraction in ser- “At 7.2, the index fell from by 7 per cent in 2019 across the three metros demand as buyers who were delaying their deci- vices output since records 50.6 in March and was indica- to 31,230 units and the unsold inventory in the sions would enter the market. began in December 2005. tive of an unprec edented segment declined 9 per cent 95,965 units. “New supply of luxury housing units in An index reading of above decline in private sector busi- Sale of luxury housing in Delhi-NCR wit- Delhi-NCR jumped by 37 per cent to 8,026 units 50 indicates an overall increase ness activity,” the report said. nessed a growth of 17 per cent in 2019, in 2019, whereas Mumbai Metropolitan Region in economic act ivity and below “The latest reading was whileBengaluru and MMR saw a growth of 10 (MMR) saw a marginal growth of only 3 per cent 50, an overall decrease. the smallest by some margin, per cent and 6 per cent respectively. to 15,720 units and new supply fell by 8 per cent The survey panellists said eclipsing the previos low seen Samir Jasuja, Founder and MD of to 7,484 units in the same period in Bengaluru,” the activity fell severely as a in February 2009.” PropEquity said: “There was a limited demand it said the report.    !"#"#    ?

6 Q  R    "          After parents, schools are supposed to influence and educate children.     Bhati says, “They haven’t been able to talk about emotional closeness and a      fulfilling relationships. They aren’t imparting sex education and even if O    **$ they are, children today believe that they know-it-all.” +  "  P      Dr Kumar, a pioneer in sex educa-   4$  tion was associated with the first ado- 1  #  lescent education programme launched     * ;AD$   by United Nations Population Fund   +    (UNFPA) in 2002-3, says, “I start the   8 5-.. 5-66-1  talk on a neutral note and when I come        to the topic of sex education, the        = vibrant discussion becomes lukewarm.” Other gaps include the lack of coun- L   4   selling despite the presence of psychol-  #   ogists and counsellors.              D     Duggal says, “Children accessing    the internet have the basic presumption that they know more than their parents.”  O Add to it the fact that the IT Act of 2000 #   which was amended in 2008 made all #  the offenses bailable. People on bails  deleted the electronic evidence against  M themselves. Consequently, there has been a famine of cyber crime convic- 1  tions giving children the impression that #   the law is inadequate to catch them.   “The fact that we haven’t got any exem-    plary conviction in the 17 years since    BL 2003 makes youngsters reckless,” says   the lawyer who was the counsel for the first cyber crime conviction for the     complainant in 2003. There has been  #  t started with a small trickle with the missed test in school sees parents       what makes or breaks the situation. I’ve a massive change in technology and a #    sharing of screenshots of chats of an shooting off explanatory letters. “If the These blurring lines and easy access had cases where 15-year-old girls have more holistic, topical Act which takes %8 IInstagram group by an individual child hasn’t finished the assigned work, to pornography, with inherent vio- shared explicit photographs with boys into account that most cyber offenses     and, within a few hours, became a del- we are quick to say it doesn’t matter and lence, without any influence of ethics and when discovered, threatened to are committed by youngsters is need- O   uge. Soon social media was agog with we will pay the tutor,” says Dr Kumar. has repercussions. Mitra says, “Between slash their wrists if the parents say any- ed. the workings of the (now infamous) The boundaries for the lack of respon- 15-20 per cent adolescents get into vio- thing. The boys asking for photographs In this case, the juveniles would at   ‘bois locker room,’ where boys (and sibility keep on extending to underage lent sexual fantasies and some actual- and the girls doing it willingly all point the most be sent to corrective homes or  M girls) spoke graphically about girls or drunken driving and more. ly commit them.” in the direction,” says Kumar. advised counselling. “Even in the applic- their age. Within three days, there Etishree Bhati, clinical psychologist, Violent and vulgar sexual language able Act, Section 67 and 67 (A) which have been enough twists and turns to says, “There are two kinds of parents. seen in the ‘bois locker room’ screen-       deal with sharing obscene electronic O/!  " match a thriller with arrests, leaking of Ones who approach the problem calm- shots is indicative of a violent streak. "   D content against a woman were invoked    %+ more chats and name calling. But this ly and question whether it was curios- “This violence associated with the A change in the visual and vocab- by the police but they should have is certainly not the first, and certainly ity or sexual arousal that made the child crime gives them a high more than the ulary landscape of the media with the included Section 67 (B) which would    not the last case where juveniles have do this? The other kind are harsh and crime itself,” says Mitra. advent of first, cable television, and now, deal with child pornography,” says #  been involved in cyber crime. don’t try to understand the reasons. Another attribute of the young is the OTT platforms has been blamed for Duggal. Experts who follow juvenile behav- Their children are more likely to engage love of risk taking. Dr Kumar says, “The many societal ills. Dr Parikh says,   #9/: iour acquiesce. Dr Samir Parikh, in this behaviour repeatedly, of course, regulatory mechanism of the brain “Attitudes and behaviours are formed by     : # "  Director and Head of Department of secretly.” which advises caution isn’t developed as observation and imitation. The most While this is one more in the series " %+"  Mental Health and Behavioural Role modelling too comes into yet which makes the prohibited more accessible observable source is the of offenses which have been committed, Sciences, Fortis Healthcare says that the play. When the first thing a parent does attractive.” media. Lack of censorship is taken as a we cannot keep on moving our thresh-    # case didn’t come as a surprise. “We are in the morning is to scroll the mobile, sign of free thinking but if we see the old further. Dr Parikh says, “The only  90"  basically a hibernating society and how can they admonish the child for the    top two-three shows on any streaming hope is to create filters in young minds need something to wake us up for some same? What sparked outrage about the platform and their language, sexual por- to minimise damage to belief systems,  "!;<:   days, intellectualise it and then return ‘bois locker room’ incident was that it trayals as well as violence, we can see attitudes and behaviours. Gender sen- " %+    to slumber. There are million other inci-     consisted of a group, rather than just what the children were influenced by.” sitisation has to be a priority.” 7  !: :7  dents out there,” he says. Society is in a state of flux where individuals, engaging in lewd conver- He says that, as a deterrent, there In a time when exposure is Supreme Court advocate Pavan the greys are more prominent while the sations. Mitra explains, “The boys give should be a band at the bottom, high- inevitable, the least we can do is pro- +  # Duggal, who specialises in Cyberlaw clear-cut demarcation between right collective shape to the violent fantasies lighting the negative impact the way it tect children. “Media literacy should be 7   " 9+ says, “The lockdown period has seen the and wrong has been obliterated. Rajat as they don’t have to feel individual is done with alcohol and cigarettes. taught in schools along with other sub- highest spike in cyber crime in 20 years Mitra, Professor of Clinical Psychology, guilt. It is the same psychology at work He points out that in the last jects. This would enable them to ques-  !! :   since the internet was introduced in Amity University, who has worked when crowds burn, kill, loot and rape decade we have deteriorated value-wise tion, ‘Is it right?’ ‘How would this make  %% " " "  India.” extensively with juveniles and appeared in the actual world absolving individ- in the content. He gives the examples me feel if it happened to me or my loved Of course, there are a number of in several hundred cases in court to ual responsibility. This is replicated dig- of dance shows featuring children and one?’ ‘Are they selling a product by 7   : 7  reasons why such incidents take place. assist its proceedings says, “Many par- itally.” says, “Have you seen the expressions using a celebrity?’” says Dr Parikh. "!9P ents are indifferent and haven’t taken and movements of six-year-olds?” Along with this, the media too needs L&  0          any assertive stand about value forma-  ""   Of the new media, the social kind self censorship, self realisation and " tion.” He recalls an incident when Often we have seen that even at din- has the singular largest impact. When responsibility. Societal norms hold parents respon- Delhi Police found minors, both girls ner tables people are glued to their indi- in the the adult world, it is common- Bhati emphasises on appropriate    C  sible for bringing up children and and boys, from upper middle class fam- vidual mobiles. This effectively means place to see violent, sexual and false nar- age-related sex education while Dr # imparting values. Consequently, the first ilies in a state of undress and engaging a lack of communication. “Even the sib- ratives in social media as a way of bring- Mitra says that parents, schools and G  A fingers always point in their direction in sexual acts in a public place. “Parents ling bond isn’t strong as children do not ing down independent women, what friends need to watch out for cues from whenever youngsters are involved in dismissed the behaviour by saying even watch TV together,” says Dr makes us think that children would be adolescent. “There is a need for preven-     behaviour that is deemed unacceptable. that the children were just having fun Kumar. immune from the behaviour? Parikh tive action and greater awareness.”   Dr Geetanjali Kumar, counselling psy- post exams. Right and wrong have A lack of communication leads to too agrees, “Often Twitter trends have For this particular case, Dr Kumar     chologist and parenting coach for 22 become relative unlike in the past an inability to express emotions and a an abusive word and children do use it.” says, “The parents and the children need :  years points out the gaps in present-day when values were absolute,” points scarcity of emotional vocabulary. “We to be counselled both in groups and parenting. “Children have a sense of out Mitra further elaborating that need to generate thinking with a logi- "# " individually. They should be encour-       entitlement which springs from guilt most people feel that if it seems right, cal and emotional perspective where   aged to accept their mistake and then   compensatory parenting. The latest it must be so. you can define the whys and hows of “Do you know who is my father?” only is it possible to move forward.” As     # phones, the smartest TV in each bed- Bhati extends the argument further. emotions. Children get frustrated is a refrain that all of us have heard often for the larger picture, she feels parents         room are gifted by adults to make up for She points out that 15 years ago, edu- because they can’t talk to anyone in reel and real life. Mitra says, “Many and schools should work in tandem to not spending time with children.” The cators were talking about limiting chil- about their concerns like changing children grow up in homes where they reinforce values. “Counsellors in schools      question to ask is why do youngsters dren’s screen time on parents’ device body, hormone surge and more,” she hear their parents openly talk of flout- have to upgrade their skills. The lock-     need these rather than fulfilling every and now every child has a personal one. adds. ing laws and bribing police.” down is a time for schools to go inward L O    whim. “During lockdown, children retreat to Coupled with the lack of respect for and find out and address problems in An extension of this is the way par- their rooms on the pretext of online "     law is an extremely derogatory view of their vision.”     #        ents cover up their wards’ misde- classes but neither the parents nor the women. They grow up in cultures Only time will tell if the corrective meanours. “There is no sense of own- teachers are aware of what they are The lack of communication means where women have get no respect or actions will be put in place or if we will   O   ership and responsibility as we haven’t doing. Even during a class they might that they lack the arsenal to deal with empathy. “This makes them incapable just slip back into slumber till the next      made them realise that every action has be chatting or visiting adult sites,” she their raging hormones. “Will it be done of empathetic or caring relationships,” and even more heinous offense grabs  O   O consequences,” says Dr Kumar. A says. respectfully or in a vulgar fashion is says Mitra. eyeballs.   #         8 n the backstage hallways of was on stage, I was not the main   M IWashington DC’s Capital One camera filming her,” says Arena, Michelle Obama walks 1  $  Hallgren. “So I had the opportu- arm-in-arm with her husband, nity to walk around. There was "  >  Barack Obama. She has just fin- such an incredible energy in 7   ished the third stop on what those arenas. The excitement would be a 34-city book tour of    " )/.,,.9+1"1O     G  that people had felt special. I 1       such unprecedented scale that it          thought: I want to capture this.”       almost resembled a Beyoncé The timing of of the docu- concert tour. mentary is interesting not just        Nadia Hallgren’s camera is winning American Factory) and Unlike the interview-heavy because it captures a sense of "    # trailing them when Michelle per- the disability rights movement Hulu doc-series Hillary on Hillary community before people were    haps looking for reassurance, (the acclaimed Sundance-winner Clinton, Hallgren’s approach is forced into lockdown by the pan-     asks the former president: “Does Crip Camp: A Disability mostly fly-on-the-wall, mixing demic but because it comes in the   #( O  it seem like a show that you’d like Revolution). It’s been an auspi- glossy onstage footage of Obama’s middle of the presidential cam- to see?” cious, award-winning beginning talks with the likes of Oprah paign. The Deadline review of the     Hallgren’s documentary, for Higher Ground, the most Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon and film isn’t alone in maintaining: “If     Becoming, is — more so than ambitious post-White House Stephen Colbert with more per- Michelle Obama wasn’t so    we’ve seen before — the Michelle dive into Hollywood of any for- sonal scenes offstage. Obama adamant that she isn’t running for    Obama Show. It captures the for- mer US president. With reflects on her eight years in the public office, the perfectly timed mer first lady, in settings both Becoming, one half of Higher White House and the often racist- the documentary would sure   public and intimate, navigating Ground now steps in front of the tinged response they engendered. seem like a campaign launch.” 7=D-  her post-White House life, inter- camera, too. “You hope people were more Obama, however, has stead-   acting with fans and generally The film, itself, was a secret ready for us than maybe they fastly maintained she’s not a    fostering a spirit of positivity, self- until last week when Netflix were,” she says. political figure and hasn’t before 1 belief and hope that few beside announced its forthcoming pre- Obama doesn’t analyse the officially endorsed a candidate. her husband are capable of miere. Hallgren typically worked 2016 election or the rise of Obama decline to be interviewed  8 inspiring. with small crews or just by her- Donald Trump except for one for this article but she released a  8    “My life is starting to be mine self. Much of Becoming takes comment lamenting the turnout statement when Becoming was  again,” she says in the film. place either in arenas crowded of African American voters. announced.    “There’s another chapter waiting with cameras or in private set- “That’s my trauma,” she says. “Even as we can no longer     for me out there.” tings — the back seat of an SUV, But the main trust of safely gather or feed off the ener- Becoming, which debuts the childhood home of Obama Becoming is not just Obama’s gy of groups, even as many of us   Wednesday on Netflix, is an — so few would have spotted her. story but what she inspires — are living with grief, loneliness 7=R   extension of her 2018 best-sell- “I think if people saw me, it how one story begets others. and fear, we need to stay open and   ing memoir of the same name probably looked very unofficial,” Hallgren, drawing from the pho- able to put ourselves in other peo- 0#) (  and a kind of authorised filmic chuckles Hallgren. Keeping tography of Garry Winogrand, ple’s shoes. Empathy is our lifeline    portrait of Obama. It’s produced Becoming clandestine still wasn’t lingers on the faces in Obama’s here. It’s what will get us to the by Higher Ground Productions, easy, though. “My closest friends crowds, and in some cases takes other side,” said Obama. “Let’s use     the film company founded by the had no idea what I was doing,” a moment to follow their lives. it to redirect our attention toward    Obamas. Hallgren says. “People were (Trouble the Water, Girl Rising, gleaned in a high-pressure meet- Becoming may be part concert what matters most, reconsider 1    Before now, Higher Ground always like, ‘What are you up Trapped) making her feature ing with Obama, their similari- film but it’s nearly as interested in our priorities, and find ways to @ has backed well-received, social- to?’” directorial debut. The job, ties. “She’s from the South Side. the audience as it is in the show- better remake the world in the ly-minded documentaries about Hallgren is a veteran docu- Hallgren believes, she won from I’m from the South Bronx,” says stopper on stage. image of our hopes.” American labour (the Oscar- mentary cinematographer her body of work and, as first the New York-bred filmmaker. “Often times when Obama L    %&  ??    !"#"#

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*8+       ?#  TOUCHING HEARTS, CHANGING LIVES ' B ?'C   #$  #      *1.!'& % ' *' 1'*"%3'& -*'.%'!/%1 %4/%1 %1Q         5(   !*'-.'*1!  %5*. #%* 1 1 1  #   $   he Department of Pension & ments as against the existing entitle-     Pensioners’ Welfare have taken ment of 12 times of emoluments.     #$       $  Tthe following initiatives to pro- The ceiling of gratuity raised from ##    # # 5(    mote ease of living amid COVID-19  10 lakh to  20 lakh. #       #       crisis:  The rates of ex-gratia lump-sum     # 5)            The Department of Pension & compensation being paid to the fam-     #  5 Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) has ilies of employees who die in perfor- successively taken steps in the recent mance of duty has been increased past date to make life easy for the from existing  10-15 lakh to  25 to Pensioners. Here are some other ini- 45 lakh, depending upon the circum- tiatives too stances in which the death occurs.  The department runs an online DoPPW also targeted awareness of grievance portal “CPENGRAMS” pensioners/family pensioners through (Centralised Pension Grievance social media. The Union Minister of Redressal & Monitoring Mechanism) State (Independent Charge) in which any central government pen- Development of North-Eastern Region sioner can register a complaint and the (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, same is monitored by DoPPW till its Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic 8)?B) C? #      final resolution and closure by the Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh  # ##   #  #     #  Pension settling Department/Ministry. launched the Twitter Do You Know      #         DoPPW started a Toll-free call cen- Series on Family Pension at Jammu on   5(    8)?P   5) tre number 1800-11-1960 in June 2019 February 29.  1M'    E /     E       where pensioners grievances are lodged DoPPW will now take out a series E.           E

mid COVID-19 crisis, jute 50 days, grey colour weevils with Afarmers of West Bengal and dark white spots and elongated   /  other jute-growing states have heads are visible on the growing done a commendable work by foliage. Heavy defoliation weak- fter a complete destruction of the that we are ignorant of the Vedas and daily agnihotra/Yajyen, then all infec- sowing the crop in more than 90 ens the plant and adversely Aworld, god recreates the universe hence, never praise, pray or worship tious diseases could be destroyed. It per cent of their areas. In some affects the growth. In case of con- and simultaneously gives the knowl- god according to Vedas. purifies the air and thus erodes all kinds states, 15 to 20 per cent more sow- siderable damage, foliar spray of edge of four Vedas in the heart of four If we stop remembering god, the of pollution. Where would then the dis- ing area is anticipated despite chlorpyriphos 50EC+cyperme- rishis because in the absence of Vedic supreme power stops protecting us eases exist? lockdown and restrictions. All thrin 5EC combination (1-1.5 knowledge, human beings would from diseases and leaves us to bear the But to our bad luck, unlike previ- this was possible by the efforts of ml/l) or chlorpyriphos 20EC remain ignorant and would be unable sorrows according to our previous lives’ ous yugas, we are not aware of the vedic ICAR-CRIJAF, Barrackpore who (2ml/l) or quinalphos 25 EC to utilise the purpose of their worldly bad deeds. knowledge and as a result are unable issued regular agro-advisory, con- (1.25 ml/l) may be done. existence. Vedas preach that the base of the to liberate ourselves from serious dis- stant monitoring on availability of Generally, after moderate The first mantra of Rigved is: human life is Brahmacharya. So anoth- eases spreading in the world current- seeds, implements and other agro- rainfall, the yellow mite infesta- Agnimeedey Purohitam. It refers to the er Atharvaved mantra preaches that ly. inputs to the farmers and other tion in jute goes down. But virtue that a person must desire to wor- when a person maintains firm brah- Let us pay our attention to a stakeholders. chances are that just after rain, ship god and before beginning any new macharya, then a precious gem of Yajurved mantra, which preaches that Farmers are worried about once the weather is clear and thing, should first remember god to strength is generated in his body, if a person makes contact with a the infestation of pests and diseases there is abundant sunshine and destroy all the sorrows, problems, dis- which kills all the microbes that cause learned Acharya or guru, then s/he, by on jute due to the rainy weather. the temperature is high, the mite eases etc. diseases. teaching him Vedic knowledge, can At present, the jute crops in the infestation gradually increases. Vedas are the invaluable treasure Further, it also preaches that help him purify his speech, respirato- farmers’ fields of different parts of Maintain adequate soil moisture of education of each and every world- Brahmacharya generates the best med- ry system, senses, vision, the source of the state is almost 20-50 days old to reduce the damage symptom ly subject that is, right from straw to icine within the body to kill all types hearing, naval, organs of excretion and depending on the sowing time. caused by mite infestation. In Brahma. Therefore, medical science is of disease-causing germs. But there is ultimately, his character and conduct. Due to the heavy rain in some case of rain, wait for at least five also a part and parcel of Vedic knowl- a doubt that in the absence of holding These are the results that one will pockets of Bengal and adjoining to six days to initiate the acari- edge. Vedic knowledge whether or not find in oneself if one follows vedic states, the jute fields have been ting benefitted every week through The damage of Indigo caterpil- cide spray if symptoms persist. An Atharvaved mantra preaches Brahmacharya can be maintained. mantras: waterlogged. Under such changing their agro-advisory. lar has been reported from many Dr Kar also said that it is that god is the creator, who nurses and In previous yugas, the knowledge - There will never be any kind of weather conditions, the crop now Under rainy and waterlogged farmers’ fields, said Dr Satpathy, advised to always use protective is “Su Bhishaktamaha” that is, the most of Vedas was in vogue. As a result, diseases spreading around. needs infestation, said ICAR-CRI- situation, he advised that the farm- head division of Crop Protection, clothing, gloves and mask to supreme doctor. Hence, god is empow- everyone used to maintain - Yajyen purifies the universe if it JAF director, Dr Gouranga Kar. ers should drain out the water ICAR-CRIJAF. The insect usually avoid the drift of the insecticide. ered to destroy all diseases, which can- Brahmacharya, perform daily is performed by everybody. It emerges He added that the institute is immediately. After a few days becomes more problematic in jute While conducting any type of not be controlled by any doctor in the Yajyen/agnihotra, which purified the in the form of smoke, which reaches issuing weekly agro-advisory on there may be incidence of seedling fields, in which cabbage, cauli- intercultural operation, like pes- world. air, water, food, etc. Therefore, the ques- up to the sun’s rays and then, spreads priority to outreach farmers and blight and damping off. If such flower, potato, etc, were grown as ticide spray, the farmers are This is why several doctors, duly tion of suffering from any disease did around, reaching humans and other extension personnel of state gov- condition arises, some common the previous crop. In case of heavy advised to maintain social dis- inspired by almighty god, clearly not arise. living beings. Thus it purifies the air ernments through different digital fungicides like mancozeb (1g/l) or damage, the farmers should go for tancing and take all other preven- inform the relatives of highly critical In current life, living beings, and atmosphere. platforms. He also said that carbendazim (4g/l) may be sprayed the spraying of chlorpyriphos tive measures as per the adviso- patients that, “We, the doctors, have including humans, spread pollution in (The author is Swami Ram Swarup, around seven lakh farmers of dif- once the field is drained out and 20EC (2 ml/l). ry to check the spread of done our best, now everything lies in the atmosphere. If we go by a Yajurved Yogacharya, the chief editor of the Ved ferent jute-growing states are get- dried up. In grown up jute plants of 30- COVID-19. the hands of god.” But it’s our bad luck mantra, we will find that if we perform Ishvareeya Vani magazine.)    !"#"#   ? Drive to succeed different for Kohli and Smith: Warner '       -.%.,/ #   1-   hey have similar impact on their teams but Virat Kohli is   -.%.,/ Tdriven by sheer passion to MA"   7 subdue the rivals while Steve Smith   % "> " ndia’s Test vice-captain Ajinkya just enjoys batting, says Australia IRahane on Wednesday said crick- opener David Warner. " #  "7  eters will need at least a month of India skipper Kohli and top   # "% "7  training before resumption of com- Australian batsman Smith are       petitive games, which should happen arguably the top two cricketers of the : 90"> " only after a vaccine for the dreaded current era. They achieve new mile-    # COVID-19 is discovered. stones consistently, invoking debates, Rahane also said that in a coro- who is better between them. 7  "7 9 navirus-scarred world, the lifestyle “Virat’s passion and drive to 0" >  % of cricketers will undergo a change score runs is different to what Steve’s ">  7  ; as far as pre and post-match routines would be,” Warner said while speak- ! " : % are concerned. ing to Harsha Bhogle on ‘Cricbuzz in  P “...We would be needing three to Conversation’. four weeks of proper practice before “Steve is going out there for a hit 7   :9+! " playing any kind of competitive in the middle, that’s how he sees  : "  : game (domestic or international),” things. He’s hitting them out in the 7    " Rahane, who was named brand middle, he’s having fun, he's enjoy-  "!  " ambassador of ELSA (English ing himself, just does not want to get   B  Language Speech Assistant) app, out.” said during an online press confer- Warner feels, while Kohli is bat- 7    ence. ting he is aware that if he sticks "  #CO  “...I am missing my batting. But around the middle his team will be "   :P9 obviously, cricket should only start on top of the proceedings. + P >   when we get a vaccine to fight the still stand in their designated posi- “Virat obviously doesn’t want to  : %N virus,” he asserted. tions after the fall of a wicket and get out but he knows if he spends a While the sports ministry is clap. May be handshakes will be certain amount of time out there, he’s planning a phased resumption of replaced by a 'Namaste',” the elegant going to score plenty of runs at a national camps in Olympic disci- Mumbai right-hander predicted. rapid rate. He’s going to get on top of game but you almost break it down plines, the BCCI is yet to spell out “But once sport resumes, you you. That allows the guys coming in, to: If I can score more runs than its plans on cricket. Rahane said he can’t take anything for granted. The especially in the Indian team you’ve Virat, or if Pujara scores more runs is focussing on his fitness amid the safety of the fans will be of utmost got a lot of players who can be flam- than Steve Smith, you have these lit- lockdown. importance. There will be changes boyant as well.” “They stabilise, they boost both live wires on the field, Warner thinking, ‘Alright, I’m going to score tle contests and that's how you try to “I am following the chart given in lifestyle while travelling. The Australian opener added morale - if they score runs, every- said the passion to do better than the more runs than him, I’m going to narrow the game in the sense that if by our trainer. I am also doing ‘free Especially before and after the that both men are mentally strong one else’s moral is up. If they are out opponent keeps him going. take a quick single on him’. You are we do these little things, we can be weights’ at home apart from medi- match,” Rahane said and a good knock by them boosts the cheaply you almost sense that on the “I can’t speak for Virat, obvious- trying to better that person in that ahead of the game or we can be tation,” he said. However he was non-committal morale of the entire team. field that everyone is (down on ly, but it’s almost like we got this thing game. That’s where the passion behind the game. He agreed that in future, play- on whether there should be a ban on “When it comes to cricket, they morale and thinking) ‘now we all in us when we go (out to the middle) comes from.” “The passion is driven by...I ers will be wary of wild celebrations the use of saliva to shine the ball, a both have got the mental strength, the have to step up’. It’s a very bizarre sit- we need to prove people wrong, Warner also explained how he know my sense - one, the will to win and group hugs which they are so topic of debate right now. mental capacity to score runs. They uation,” he added. prove someone wrong.” breaks down a match into smaller and two, wanting to do better than used to at the fall of wickets. “I would like to wait and watch. both love spending time in the mid- Asked about the similarities “If you’re in that contest, and if competitions. that person in the opposition,” said “I think we might go back to the You will only get a fair idea about dle. between himself and Kohli, who are I’m going at him for example, you’re “Obviously you want to win the Warner. good old days when fielders would revised rules once play resumes.” &* *%''*-' +! : " 4   #   "% "))   (   .!* 1*.1% 5 ##    "    / > > )$    ,9-9-

  -.%.,/   ,1/9!. the moment, it is very difficult to put he Marylebone Cricket Club L / -: -/. him in the top five current batsmen. T(MCC) on Wednesday e has flattered to deceive on ormer Australia all-rounder Tom “I think, in the next 5-10 years, announced that it would recom- Humpteen occasions but highly- FMoody believes Pakistan bats- -.6@ A.9.- he will be on your top five position. mend a second term for its President rated wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju man Babar Azam has grown by &.1!5/.% ,, Even though he has played 26 Kumar Sangakkara owing to the Samson says he has learnt to accept leaps and bounds in recent times matches but in half of those match- global disruption caused by the his failures in pursuit of the calm and will “definitely” be among the .@ - .,&+. -&92! es he was not considered even part COVID-19 pandemic. demeanour that former India captain top five batsmen of the decade in 9(@ A.M+15".-9@ of the main batting line-up for The former Sri Lanka wicket- Mahendra Singh Dhoni possesses. Test cricket in the near future. /..)1.N% /92 Pakistan. He was the after-thought keeper-batsman became the first The 25-year-old from Kerala has “He (Babar) has emerged over down the order,” he said. non-British President of the club always been talked about by the likes the last year or so into something 1S2.5 9-M “I think at the moment, it is very when he assumed office on October of Rahul Dravid and Gautam that is going to be so special. We hard to justify him at that position 1 last year. Gambhir but it hasn’t translated into talked about how Virat Kohli is so given his statistics. Away from “The disruption to the global international success with only four good on the eye as a batsman. If you “I think in the next five to ten home he is only averaging 37 and at cricketing landscape caused by the T20 Internationals in his kitty in the think Virat Kohli is good to watch, years, he will definitely be in your home he is averaging 67. But we outbreak of Covid-19 has led the last five years. have a look at Babar Azam bat. My top five (batsmen of the decade) have to consider that he has hardly Committee to recommend that “I have learnt to understand and gosh, he is something special,” without a question,” he added. played away from home and a lot of Sangakkara, who began his term of focus more on my strengths and (be Moody said in The Pitch Side The former Sunrisers those games away were during the office on 1 October 2019, be invit- more) accepting (of) the failures. I try Experts Podcast as quoted by crick- Hyderabad coach, however, admit- early part of his career,” Moody ed to serve as President of the Club to contribute to the team’s cause and etpakistan.com.pk. ted considering Azam’s statistics at added. until 30 September 2021,” the club try to take the team over the line. I am ers consider you to be a match win- said in a statement. learning to focus and control my emo- ner.” On a lighter note, Samson The recommendation for tions while batting like MS Dhoni,” revealed that he refers to Steve Smith Sangakarra’s extension will be sent Samson said during a podcast organ- as “chachu” (uncle) after Brad Hodge O )  # P#   # &:  6:::P for approval to the club's members ised by Rajasthan Royals. once started calling him by that at the Annual General Meeting, He recently made a comeback in name.   -.%.,/ Warner due to ball tam- 1996, won 18-19 Test Nehra made his displea- Rahul. which has been scheduled for June India’s T20 side and it was a worthy “I share a very good relationship pering ban turned out to matches in home and sure clear. “I know he (Pant) has 24. The club also added that this was experience for him. with ‘Chachu’ Steve Smith. He is one irat Kohli’s Indian be an important factor. away conditions,” Nehra He the went on to cite missed his chances and not the first time a president will “It was great to be a part of the of the best brains in world cricket and Vteam still has a long “This Indian team has added. how team management there is no doubt about it serve beyond his one Indian team again. To be a part of one we all enjoy a lot playing under him.” way to go before it is spo- to still cover a lot of dis- He also did not appre- had handled Rishabh but then you have kept year tenure. of the best teams in the world, sur- While Dhoni is his idol, he also ken of in the same breath tance in order to match up ciate the fact that every Pant's career so far. him in the team because “Whilst rounded by players like Virat bhai and loves watching Jos Buttler in Royals as Australia of 2000s, feels with that Australia team now and then team com- “KL Rahul is playing you saw the potential in Presidents of Rohit bhai, it was a fantastic experi- and makes notes on how the star former India pacer Ashish (led by Steve Waugh and bination is being tinkered on the fifth position and him at 22-23 years,” Nehra MCC only nor- ence,” Samson said. Englishman prepares for games. Nehra. then Ricky Ponting),” with. Pant, the person you were said. mally serve for a In one of the games in New “I observe Jos especially given he Under Kohli’s leader- Nehra said during an “It’s not like this preparing to succeed M.S. “There are a lot of tal- twelve-month Zealand, Samson was sent to bat in the too is a wicketkeeper-batsman. He’s ship, India earned its interaction with ex-player Indian team can not reach Dhoni, is serving drinks,” ented players but they period, it is not Super Over, something which made always working on his skills and his maiden series victory in Aakash Chopra on his there but I believe the the left-arm fast bowler, should be backed for a unprecedented for him feel wanted in the Indian set-up. game and never sits idle. Australia in 2018-19, show ‘Aakash Vani’. core group is very impor- known for his straight for- longer duration. Today longer terms to be “It was a great feeling to be trust- “He’s either working on his keep- achieving the feat after “You are talking about tant. A person gets con- ward views, said. also when we talk about introduced to ed by the players such as Virat bhai ing, batting in the nets or running trying for seven decades. an Australian team which fused after watching many Thanks to his incon- the number five and six respond to extra- and Rohit bhai to go out there and bat around the park. I love to observe and However, it can’t be won three consecutive dishes on the table and so sistency, Pant had lost his slots in Indian ODI side, ordinary in the crucial moments. It’s a great know how he thinks and prepares as discounted that absence of World Cups and before it’s important to have place in the Indian team in then we are not sure about circum- feeling when the team and the play- a keeper before a game.” Steve Smith and David that reached the final in fewer but better dishes,” white-ball cricket to it," Nehra said. stances.” P&*3.. 7 $       $     *5511 %# #Q $      !)!)    1     -.%.,/ tional hassles. Listing inconsistent or   +.- 1,2!2   "1!  he National Anti-Doping unavailable internet as one of TAgency's Director General them, Agarwal said athletes efender Gurinder Singh f given the option, Rafael Nadal said he would Navin Agarwal on Wednesday will be allowed to participate via Dfeels India has been play- Iscrap this season entirely so tennis could resume said the body will conduct its audio calls to ensure that things ing an aggressive brand of normally in 2021. disciplinary hearings online can be managed smoothly. hockey under chief coach The second-ranked Spaniard, who is 33 years from Friday despite the many “We understand that the Graham Reid, and it has old and has won 19 Grand Slam titles, said he hoped logistical challenges to ensure athlete needs to have the (inter- helped the team in creating to resume playing this year but doubted it could cases don’t pile up due to the net) facility at his home for the more goal scoring opportuni- happen because of the coronavirus pandemic. national lockdown. hearings. I know there are lim- ties. “I would sign up right now just to being ready NADA hearings have not itations. We are working on that India displayed an attack- for 2021,” Nadal said in interviews with El País and been taking place due to the and made arrangements at our ing brand of play in the FIH other Spanish newspapers published Tuesday. lockdown to contain the level. Hockey Pro League earlier “I’m more concerned with the Australian Open COVID-19 pandemic. “It will only be done on the this year and reaped rich than with what happens later this year. I think 2020 “That’s right, we will be availability of an athlete through rewards for it, beating has been practically lost. I'm hopeful of being able starting with our online hear- either audio or video. I know in Australia and world champi- )   8  #-        to start next year.” ings from May 8. Both Anti- rural areas, internet bandwidth ons Belgium. Nadal said the logistical difficulties of having Doping Disciplinary Panel can be an issue or network, we “It’s been over a year him shift focus from working a place in the Olympic-bound to move people from country to country for tour- (ADDP) and Anti-Doping are game with even an audio since chief coach Reid has on team tactics to the devel- team. naments make it hard for tennis to resume safely Appeals Panel (ADAP) hear- recording or a conference call,” joined us and I am sure one opment of each and every “I am working extreme- amid the pandemic. ings will be conducted for the he explained. can see the difference he has player during the senior men ly hard to book a place in the “Sadly, I’m not going to lie to you, the feeling cases which are pending,” “We are requesting the brought to the side since national coaching camp in Indian team for the Olympics is that we are losing a year of our lives,” Nadal said. Agarwal told PTI in an inter- ministry as the campuses in April last year. We have November last year," he said. at the moment. Keeping “And at 33, 34 years old, that is more valuable view. NIS Patiala and Spots Authority become much more aggres- “Since there was a lot of myself fit is my number one than at 20, when you have more time ahead of you.” “Last year, they (ADDP of India (SAI) Bengaluru are sive in our approach and time to prepare for the next priority during the lockdown Nadal recently said he was concerned with the risk -        and ADAP) did a remarkable closed and have barred entry or therefore we are creating tournament after the period and I am carrying out of new injuries when players return to action after job and disposed off so many exit of any outsiders as per gov- many more goal-scoring Olympic Qualifiers, chief some stickwork drills as well.” a long time without proper training. The Spaniard whether he could practice normally after the gov- cases which hasn't happened ernment guidelines. opportunities,” Gurinder said. coach Reid spent time with all “Playing for India at the has had to deal with a series of injuries through- ernment eased some of the lockdown measures that earlier in the history of NADA. “So we are taking this up Gurinder said since his players and ensured that we Olympics has been a dream out his career and expects his body to struggle again have been in place in the country since mid-March. Our panels disposed off 180 with ministry and would like to arrival Reid has been working improved on certain aspects since childhood and hopeful- when competitions finally resume. Professional and high-performance athletes cases which is a record for the know whether our Dope closely with every player, during the camp,” he added. ly, I will make it to the squad Nadal also complained about “confusing” have been allowed to resume practicing at any time agency,” he asserted. Control Officers (DCOs) will besides emphasising on team Gurinder, who has been and contribute to India win- information regarding the return to practice of ten- this week, but sports facilities and training centers Agarwal acknowledged be allowed inside the campus- tactics. in and out of the team, said ning a medal at the quadren- nis players in Spain. He said he went to train on a are to remain closed, with some exceptions for soc- that the unprecedented step es for testing subject to all “It was amazing to see his immediate goal is to book nial event,” he said. private court because it wasn’t clear to him cer clubs and a few other sports. would have its share of opera- clearances,” he said.