JOURNALISM OF COURAGE SINCE 1932

DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD,CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA,LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA ● REG.NO. MCS/067/2018-20RNI REGN. NO. 1543/57

JOURNALISM OF COURAGE TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020, MUMBAI, LATE CITY, 12 PAGES SINCE 1932 `5.00, WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM MODIMoreADDRESSstatesAT 10 AM TODAY; CASlockES MOUNTdown,ING, MAHARASHTRAword,TAMIL NADUfromSHUT TILL APRILPM30 today At 51, highest 24-hr Virus can pass from mother toll, but no cases in to foetus, says 14 days in 25 dists ICMR, floats guidelines ABANTIKAGHOSH CORONACOUNT NEWDELHI,APRIL13 ABANTIKAGHOSH 9352 324 NEWDELHI,APRIL13 AS THE government revealed in CASES DEATHS itsdailybriefingMondaythat25 IT IS possible forapregnant coronavirus-affected districts 980 RECOVERED woman who is positive for across the countryhad seen no COVID-19topassonthe virusto 2,17,554 samples have been cases in the past14days,the her child, the ICMR has said, lay- strategy afterthe 21-day lock- tested as on April 13 ing down norms both forthe down ends is likelytobeunveiled careofthe mother and the child in an addressbyPrime Minister Udupi (Karnataka); South Goa in suchinstances.The guidelines Narendra Modi at 10 am Tuesday. (Goa); Wayanad, Kottayam also call forthe use of personal Aday ahead, twoofthe (Kerala); West Imphal protective equipment forhospi- worst-affected states, (Manipur);Rajouri (J&K);Aizawl talstaff,especiallyatthe time of Maharashtraand Tamil Nadu, West (Mizoram); Mahe delivery. joinedOdisha, Haryana, Punjab (Puducherry); SBS Nagar The Guidance for and Telangana in announcing (Punjab); Patna, Nalanda, Management of Pregnant extension of the lockdown end- Munger (Bihar);Pratapgarh Women in COVID-19Pandemic, ing April 14 midnight till April 30. (Rajasthan); Panipat, Rohtak, releasedbyICMR onMonday, In the past24hours, there Sirsa (Haryana);Pauri Garhwal says,“With regard tovertical have been 51deaths and 905 (Uttarakhand); and Bhadradari, transmission (transmission from cases —the highestsingle-day Kothagudem(Telangana). mother to babyantenatally[be- toll forthe country. This takesthe LavAgarwal, Joint Secretary, fore birth] or intrapartum [dur- tallyto9,352 cases and 324 MinistryofHealth, said, “Tillnow Migrant labourers from Bihar at ashelter campinLucknowMonday. The 109workers were returning from Aligarhwhen detainedSaturday. Vishal Srivastav ing labour]), emerging evidence deaths. However, theHealth 857peoplehaverecovered. In nowsuggests that verticaltrans- Ministrysaid, “the resultsofits justone day, 141people recov- mission is probable,although effortswereshowing”asthere ered... The resultsofour efforts the proportion of pregnancies af- had been no cases for14daysin and our district administrations’ Maharashtra mayallow fected and the significance to the 25 districtsspread across 15 stellar role areshowing.” Big worry as states brace for new neonate(newborn) hasyet to be states. Coronavirus is known to The ICMR(Indian Council of determined.” have an averageincubation pe- Medical Research)onMonday industriestoresume work While the science on riod of 14 days. issuedanadvisoryfor pool test- curbs: stranded, restless migrants whether apregnant woman The districtsinclude Gondia ing in areas which have aposi- except in MMR,Pune withCOVID-19 can passonthe (Maharashtra); Rajnandgaon, tivity rate of less than 5% of sam- tive places, and be with their virus to her child, is still emerg- Durg, Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh); ples tested,with the proviso that SRINATHRAO,SADAF families. ing,withonlysmall studies done

BUSINESSASUSUAL ED Davangiri, Kodagu, Tumkuru, CONTINUEDONPAGE2 MODAK,KAMAALSAIYED, Maharashtrahas setup4,573 VISHWASWAGHMODE on alimited number of cases so JANANDMOHAN BY UNNY relief camps sheltering 5,60,450 MUMBAI,APRIL13 Infavourof far, thereisevidence in COVID lit- &ASADREHMAN migrant workers, and provides PLAIN E eraturebothofsuchtransmis- ● livelihood MUMBAI,SURAT,NEWDELHI, food to over sevenlakh workers EVENASthe state government EX sionhavingtaken placeand of LUCKNOW,APRIL13 and homeless, Chief Minister issued an orderonMonday ex- instances when an infected UddhavThackeray said Monday. tending the lockdownin ALOCKDOWN was mother has givenbirth to aper- AS IT looksincreasingly certain But migrantscomplain about Maharashtrauntil April 30, it is important to containthe fectlyhealthychild. the lockdown will be extended lessorno ration,dwindlingsav- also consideringallowingindus- spread of coronavirus, Dr Vinod Paul, Member by another fortnight, anumber ings, commontoilets,and being tries to resume operations except but it resulted in asharp (Health), NITI Aayog, who is also of states including Maharashtra, forced to live with large groups in the Mumbai Metropolitan dip in theirMarch chairman of the empowered Gujarat and Delhi arebracing to in small spaces. Region (MMR) and Pune —the revenues. Comingasit group of medical emergency deal with thousands of anxious “In the lastfew weeksall we twoplaces with the highest does on topoflower management planfor COVID-19, andrestless migrants, stranded have been doing is keeping them COVID-19cases in the state. devolution, restarting said, “Pregnancyisavery special in shelterhomes and makeshift occupiedand deflectingtheir at- The lockdown extension or- economicactivities is periodinlifewhereaninfection homes without muchmoney tention from the fact that they der,signedbyChief Secretary critical forthem,not just whichpotentiallycould be se- and ration. arestuckfar away from their AjoyMehta, does notrefer to re- to raise resources,but vere couldhavesignificant ad- Morethan anyone else, the in Maharashtra and Gujarattold homes,” said aSuperintendent laxation forindustries, stating also to mitigate overall verse effects. Therefore, we must At NorthBlockMonday, as ministers, officials returnedto migrantsare eagerly waiting for The Indian Express. Manyfeel of Police, who did notwish to be onlythat orders passedon distress due to lossof makeall effortstolook afterthe offices. Theyhavebeenworkingfromhome. Praveen Khanna the Prime Minister’s address abandoned by their employers, named. In Osmanabad, locals March 25 “shallnow be livelihood. mother and child optimally. This Tuesdaymorning, police officers and want to return to theirna- CONTINUEDONPAGE2 CONTINUEDONPAGE2 CONTINUEDONPAGE2 Banksred-flag looming Mumbai, Rajasthanadvise HCQ SC modifies its order: Free retail loan default, push for police, doubts over it persist tests at pvt labs only for ` 63 per kilo for6-month moratorium EWS, PMJAY beneficiaries EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE Ayushman Bharat Pradhan pected rise in defaultsbycorpo- MUMBAI,JAIPUR,NEWDELHI, ANANTHAKRISHNANG Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana arealso ` 91 per kilo GEORGEMATHEW ratesand micro, small and APRIL13 NEWDELHI,APRIL13 eligible forthe benefit of free test- &ANILSASI mediumenterprises (MSMEs) ing and issue appropriateguide- ` 110 per kilo MUMBAI,NEWDELHI,APRIL13 that aredirectly impacted by the AT LEASTtwo states with ahigh MODIFYINGITS April 8order linesinthe above regard withina lockdown. number of cases arerecommend- whichmadeCOVID-19 testing period of oneweek”. ` 54 per Dozen THE POSSIBILITYofloan defaults In response to the mounting inghydroxychloroquine(HCQ)as free in all private laboratories, It said the “private labs can spilling over from the corporate NPAs of the industrial sector apreventive measureagainst the Supreme CourtMonday said continue to charge thepayment sector to the retail segment,akey since 2012-13, banks, both pri- coronavirus to itspolice person- that the benefit will be available fortesting of COVID-19fromper- INSIDE growth area forlenders in recent vate and public,diversified their nel. While the Mumbai Police onlytothose coveredunder the sons who areable to make pay- years, has been flagged as a portfolios towardsservices and startedlastweek, Rajasthan an- PradhanMantri Jan Arogya ment of testing feeasfixed by 352NEW CASES IN growing concern by bankers at a retail loans as corporatecredit nouncedonSaturday that the Yojana (PMJAY), also known as ICMR (Indian Council of Medical MAHARASHTRA, recentreviewmeeting. off-takeslowedsharply. anti-malarial drug, whose effi- Ayushman Bharat Yojana, and to Research)”. The extendedlockdown The lockdown’s effect on de- cacy againstCOVID-19iscon- other economicallyweaker sec- The courtasked thegovern- MUMBAI TOLL across the manufacturing and struction of demand and slow- tested,would be giventopolice- Asanitisation chamber forpolice near Dharavi. The govt is tions as maybenotifiedbythe ment to “issue necessary guide- CROSSES100 services sectors, the resultant job down in private consumption, men deployedinhot zones. settorecommend HCQ forslum residentstoo. PrashantNadkar government. lines forreimbursement of cost STAY WHERE YOU losses along withthe waveof along with the stress in the or- The Maharashtragovern- AbenchofJustices Ashok of free testing of COVID-19 un- salarycutsare projected to start ganised segmentsofbothserv- ment has also decidedtobegin Bhushan and SRavindraBhat dertakenbyprivate labs and nec- ARE, SC TELLS impacting the repayment capac- ices andmanufacturing sectors, offering HCQtoaround alakh mustbeoverthe ageof15. coronavirus patientsorfamily alsoaskedtheMinistryofHealth essarymechanismtodefray ex- INDIANS STRANDED ity of retail borrowers. increasesthe possibility of de- slumdwellers in the settlement NationalHealth Mission Director members of positive cases tak- and FamilyWelfareto“consider penses and reimbursementto ABROAD At ameeting lastweek coor- faultsamong retail segments, of Dharavi, Mumbai, that has Anup Kumar Yadavsaid the ing careofthem. as to whether anyother cate- the private labs”. dinated by the Finance Ministry, bankshavewarned. emergedasahotspotwith 49 medication would be expanded WhiletakingHCQ will notbe gories of the weaker sections of The benchdirections came DRAINED BY COVID, with representativesfromthe While home loans constitute cases and five deaths, as well as to other hotspots gradually. mandatoryfor Dharavi residents, the society e.g. workersbelong- afteritheardaplea by Delhi- STATES WANT ReserveBank of India listening the biggestchunk of retail loans, to people living in other areas The drug is currentlyrecom- officials said theywouldbecoun- ing to lowincomegroupsinthe baseddoctor Kaushal Kant CENTRE TO STEP IN in, bankers flaggedthis looming the main source of worry, at least that have seen aserious out- mendedasaprophylactic (pre- selledonthe needtotakeit. The informalsectors, beneficiaries of Mishrawho urgedthe court to PAGES 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 worryoverretail loan defaults. in the firstphase, is the riskier break,suchasWorli- ventive medication)for health- settlement holds8.5 lakh people. Direct Benefit Transfer,etc. apart modify itsApril 8order.Hesaid This comes on topofthe ex- CONTINUEDONPAGE2 Prabhadevi-LowerParel, who careworkers exposedto CONTINUEDONPAGE2 from those coveredunder CONTINUEDONPAGE2

PAGE 1 ANCHOR Colour-codedpasses, fixeddates: Howadistrictisstill corona zero TEST pass-holder can go outtobuy assigneddates are3rd,8th, 13th, the localward, and residents method as those in needofmed- IRAMSIDDIQUE groceries and otheressential 18th, 23rdand 28th; and for have been told to limit their icinescan step out regardless of CHANDRAPUR,APRIL13 REP RTS items. green pass-holders, the dates are movement to theirown wards. their allotted dates,but the FROM THE Kapil Dhale, a23-year-old 4th, 9th, 14th, 19th, 24th and The needfor suchpasses was passes will certainlyrestrain WHILE MAHARASHTRA ac- resident of Ballarpur,has a 29th. felt afterofficials realisedthat people,” said Khemkar. countsfor almosthalfthe total FIELD white-coloured pass, whichal- In Chandrapurcity,whichhas twoweeksintothe 21-daylock- All the 15 blocks in the dis- COVID-19deaths in the country, lows him to go out on the 5th, about85,000 households, the down, therewas an increasing trict, with atotal population of 26 Chandrapur district, which TRACKINGTHEVIRUS, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th and 30th passes arenot colour coded(they number of people stepping out lakh, have been orderedto imple- shares aborder with Nagpur (29 LOCKDOWN of the month. His neighbour, areall white), but the idea is the between 7amand 2pm, which ment this system, and to rope in cases) in thenorth and Yavatmal Manda Bhagat (61), has ablue- same: the population has been wasthe allocated time forthem ASHA(Accredited SocialHealth (4 cases) in the west,has re- Forinstance, the 22,000fam- colouredpass, with the follow- dividedintosix groups, the passes to buy supplies. This ledtoarush Activist) workerstoenforce it. portednocases so far. ilies in Ballarpurmunicipal cor- ing dates —2nd, 7th, 12th, 17th, specify the dates foreachgroup. at grocerystoresand main mar- In Ballarpur,afine of Rs 500 And to keep it that way, the poration —the second largest 22nd and 27th. The pass is valid foronlyone ketareas. can be imposedfor notmain- district administrationhas intro- city in the district —havebeen Similarly,Umakant Das (53), member of afamily (whose pho- Chandrapur Collector Kunal tainingsocial distancing,Over ducedaunique pass system, dividedintofivegroups. Each employedwith the Central tograph is on the pass), and only Khemkarsaid the idea came up the pastweek,officials have col- whichseeksto enforcesocial dis- group has been assigneda Railways, has ayellowpass, between 11:30 am and 4:30 pm. at ameeting with officials of Eco lected about Rs 47,000. tancing by assigning dates on colour-codedpass—pink,blue, whichallows him to step out on AfamilyinBalaji Ward,Ballarpur,Maharashtra, gets apass Eachpass, with the stampofthe Pro, an organisation that works “Withthis system, we arere- whichone member of afamily white,yellowand green —which the 1st, 6th, 11th, 16th, 21st and to goout to buygroceries. Express chief executive officer of the mu- forwildlifeconservation in the ducing the number of people can step out. specifies the dates on whichthe 26th. Forpink pass-holders, the nicipal council, has the name of district. “It is notafoolproof CONTINUEDONPAGE2 WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 2 THE SECOND PAGE THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,APRIL14,2020

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SC on pvt labs Thebigworryisregardingthe TheMumbaiPolicehastoldits forms, whichsought details like situation afterMay,when the personnel to firstconsult amed- the name of the person to whom the courtmustallowprivate labs moratorium ends. “For three ical officer and getanECG done the pass should be issued, an al- to conductthetest attherate fixed months, we arenot raising any before taking twotablets of HCQ At 51, highest 24-hour toll ternatefamilymember’s name, by ICMR while making an excep- demandsintermsof instalments. IP200mgondayone,followedby rationcardnumber,andwhether tionto providefreetestingforthe We believe that as long as we re- atabletofIP400mg per week for morethan five samples should thecurve.We have changedthe Secretaryshowcasedthe use of Dr Gangakhedkar rejected foodpacketsneedtobedelivered. EWS, the expenses of which turn to normalcy within the the next eight weeks. An officer notbepooledexceptinresearch behaviour of people.” technologyintrackingandtrac- reports of the Centers for The survey found that about shouldbereimbursedbythegov- three-month period whichwe said,“Oneof theinstructionswas settings. On Saturday, the PM held a ingcasesinKarnataka,whichre- Disease Control (CDC), US, ad- 3,000 families —mostlymigrant ernment.Appearingforsomepri- anticipateasofnow,these pres- to have aRabeprazole or Razo D The Northeaststatesof video-conference with chief portedthefirstCOVID-19death vising disinfection of shoes workers from Chhattisgarh, vate labs,SeniorAdvocateMukul sures should be less, particularly tabletalongside to avoid acidity.” Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya ministers, whereaconsensus inIndia.Healsourgedpeopleto while in personal protective Telangana, Rajasthan and Uttar RohatgitoldthebenchthatICMR on individuals. When it comes to The drug is known to cause and Mizoram, as well as emergedoverextension of the download the ArogyaSetuap- gear.“When we look at the Pradesh —did nothaveration hadfixedRs4,500onamoderate corporates,thereare differentsec- gastrointestinalandlivercompli- Puducherry tooextendedthe lockdown foradditional two plication that sends out an alert strengthof evidenceinthis,Iam cards.Theywillnowbegivenfood side to coverthe expenses of the tors whichare likelytobeim- cationsandiscontraindicatedfor lockdown till April 30, with weeks, with modifiedrestric- if one is the vicinity of acase. notready to acceptit,” he said. packets.“Noonewillsaynotoget- labs. The kitsutilisedinthe test, pacted.Ithink an assessment of people suffering from heartdis- some relaxations. While tions to startlimited economic ICMR epidemiologistDrRR Replying to aquestion, ting afood packet,soweasked hesaid,areimportedandinvolve whattheimpactislikelytobeand easeorfromglucose6phosphate Arunachal and Mizoram have activity.HisaddressonTuesday Gangakhedkar said India cur- Agarwalsaid that the ministry ASHA workers to visit the fami- substantial expenses. whatsector-specificsolutionmay deficiency. one cash each, Meghalaya has is expected to give details re- rentlyhas enough reagentsto hadnotputupthelistofCOVID- lies,”saidBanduDhotreofEcoPro. Appearing forthe Centre, be required,” said the CEO of a SevenMumbaiPoliceperson- none while Puducherry has garding this. conducttestsforsixweeks.“Till 19 hospitals on itswebsiteso So far, 17,000 people, who re- Solicitor General Tushar Mehta state-ownedbank. nel, including twoofficers, have sevencases. Telangana, that wasamong yesterdaywedid 2,06,212 tests, that “people do notflood these turnedtothe district have been pointed out that under PMJAY, TheRBIhad,inlateDecember testedpositive sofar. Forty-seven Speaking at awebinar the states to seek extension of of which14,855 were done in in panic”. put under 14 days of home quar- health coverage is providedto 2019,cautionedbanksthat arequarantined. Monday, DrVKPaul,whoheads the lockdown at the video-con- the last24hours in 156govern- NITI AayogCEO Amitabh antine. around 10.74crore poor and vul- lenders have been shifting their “Weare waiting forprotocols one of the 11 groups of officers ference, announcedthe same ment labs and 1,913tests in 69 Kant, who participated in the nerable “families”. focus away from large industrial andmedicaladvicefromthestate constitutedto handleCOVID-19, hours later.Thereare 243con- private labs.” webinar along with Paul, said in MMR, Pune TheCentrestatedthatapprox- loanstowardsretailloans,asNPA government on the use of this said itsspread was“very lim- tainment areas in the state— He also said that the first responseto aquestion,“Thewar extendeduptoand inclusive of imately87.28 per cent testing till ratios of the latter have tradition- drug,” said Ramesh Pawar, ited”considering the size of 123inGreater Hyderabad consignmentof testingkitsfrom againstCOVID-19outbreak will 30th April, 2020”. nowhad takenplace in govern- allybeenlow. “Thisdiversification DeputyMunicipalCommissioner, India, and that the countryhad Municipal Corporation alone. It China is expected on April 15, be technology-driven. The But Industries Minister ment laboratories and only12.72 strategy...hasitsownlimitations: BMC. to bepreparedto handle1.5lakh has531cases,with16 deaths,11 thoughrefusingto commenton AarogyaSetuapp,withalmost4 SubhashDesai,whotookareview percenthastakenplaceinprivate the slowdown in consumption An oral prescription drug pri- newcasesperday. “Wecanraise of them in Hyderabad. possible diversion to another croredownloads, is apowerful meetingonthestateofindustries laboratories.OnthoseunderPM- and overall economic growth marilyusedtotreatmalaria,HCQ ourpreparedness.We arework- Tamil Nadu has 1,173cases country. Government sources tool and we have to encourage inMaharashtraonMonday, asked JAY, theICMRsaidtheywouldget mayaffect the demand forand is also prescribed forarthritis, lu- ing with that number,” he said, (thethird highestinthe coun- said the kitsfromChina have everycitizen to download it.” industrydepartment officials to cashless testing in private labs on the quality of retail loans,” the pusandinflammatoryconditions. adding that this figureissimilar try) and 11 deaths, the high been delayedafter additional Answering another ques- prepareaproposalonhowthisre- production of the cards. central bank said. While it has shown anti-viral to what Italyexperiencedatits numbers explaining the state’s layers of quality checking intro- tion,Kantadmittedthatthesud- sumption should take place. TheICMRalsoclarifiedonthe Housing loans had a52.5 per properties, clinical trials on itsef- peak. decisionto extendthelockdown ducedbyChina. “Some of the den lockdown did notgive Permissionforresumptionwillbe Rs 4,500cap fixedfor COVID-19 centshareintotalretail/personal ficacy againstCOVID-19are still Welcomingthelockdownas tillApril30.Maharashtra,which kitsfailedqualitycontrolchecks. muchtime forpreparation. givenwith the caveat that the in- testsinprivate labs.Itsaid“private loans during April 2019 and on and experts aresplit on it. The “the biggestpublic health deci- leads the countrywith 1,985 The Chinese government has However, he added, “Firstday dustrialunitsmakearrangements labs arenot ‘permitted’tocharge February2020. The growth in re- US and France areadministering sion”,DrPaulsaid,“Weare inthe cases, has also seen the highest also circulated alistofcompa- we had problems of supply, but forhousingworkersontheprem- Rs 4500bythe government. The tail sector is drivenbyconsumer it againstcoronavirus. early phase. We have to be number of deaths (149). nies with quality-approved afterthat, the entiresupply ises or in the same or adjoining said figureismandated by the durables (43.4 per cent), credit Over 10 days ago, the ICMR ready...Lockdownhasflattened At the briefing, the Joint products,” asenior official said. chain has been smooth.” villages. government to ensurethat they cardoutstanding (33.0 per cent) held a“very heated discussion” Asenior official said the state do notcharge more. Provision for and vehicle loans (10.3 per cent). onthematter,butanoptionto ad- governmentisalsowaitingfordi- Rs1500forscreeningandRs3000 Thegrowthinconsumerdurables ministerthedrug“atapopulation rection from the Union govern- forconfirmative tests,if necessary, and credit cardoutstanding seg- level” was“nottaken forward”, Big worry as states brace for new curbs mentonallowingindustriesto re- isby wayofamandatory‘capping’ mentscanbeattributedto strong sources told The Indian Express. open. “The Department of providedbythegovernmentsoas consumer demand during the This wasbeforethe US and 12 have been volunteering to labourers working in power- HMGohil said, “Majority of them to leave.After the lock- Promotion of Industryand to ensurethatprivate laboratories festiveseason. other countries officiallysought counsel migrant workers, loom factories and dyeing and labourersarefromOdishawhile down wasannouncedlast Internal Trade (DPIIT) has sug- do notcharge more”. thetabletsfromIndia,whichisthe while others conduct yoga printing mills in Mangal Murti others from UP and Bihar.We month, manylabourers had to gestedacomprehensive listofin- HCQ use world’s largest producer of HCQ. classes everymorning. “Local industrial estate at Jolva village have controlledthe situation leave their rented accommoda- dustriesto allowtheiroperations Banks red-flag Maharashtrahas astock of about Asource said, “The option of organisations have also pro- GIDC toocame out on the main and assured all possible help. tionsaslandlordskept askingfor to theMinistryofHomeAffairs.If segments of the retail segment: 35 lakh HCQ tablets,providedby using the drug as apopulation- videdtoystochildrenof migrant roads. When informedabout We have deployedpolice staff rent. Owners of the industrial we receive theguidelineswiththe creditcards,personalloans,loans theCentralgovernment.Stateof- levelprophylacticwasmootedby workers,”saidaseniorpoliceof- suchcongregation of labourers, outside labour colonies, so that unitsthen providedthem small list, we will justreplicateitinthe forconsumer durables, loans ficials said the exercise of admin- averysenior doctor.However, ficer in Osmanabad. the Palsana police station staff we can reachaspotearly if roomsinthearea,wheredozens state,” said the bureaucrat. againstproperty and vehicle isteringthedrugwillbeginintwo questions were raisedabout the But police is worried. calledforadditionalpoliceforce something goes wrong. We nowstaycramped in small In astatement, Desai said he loans. days. evidence available on itsefficacy “Everything depends on what fromneighbouringstations.The have also kept police forces on spaces. had asked officials to preparethe While RBI has allowedbanks Atechnical committee, com- and side-effects. It wasavery announcementsare made on textile labourers heretoo said standbyshould aneedarise.” Everysmall building has a proposal“[e]xcludingtheareasof to offerathree-month morato- prisingAIIMSdoctors,NITIAayog heateddiscussion,mostlyamong Tuesday. We arepreparing for theyhad no food and de- In the national capital Delhi similar story-labourers from Mumbai and Pune whichhave rium from March to Mayonloan experts,officials from the doctors, afterwhichthe matter the possibility that migrant mandedtransporttoreturn to too, the lockdown has had an severalstatesworkinginslipper, highestnumber of corona posi- repayments, agrowing view MaharashtraUniversityof Health wasnot takenforward... But it workersmayhavetostayinone their homes. adverseimpactonworkers.The fanand shoe making units tive cases...forallowingtheindus- within the banking sector is that Sciencesandthepublichealthde- would notbecorrect to saythe place formuchlonger,” said a Justtwo days back,onFriday sound of alone engine with no crampedintotinyrooms. Most triesto starttheiroperationswith this relief maynot be enough to partment,metonMondayonthe option has been junked forgood. senior police officer. night, thousands of textile fac- coaches chugging by in wouldearnanywherebetween somerestrictionsintherest of the avertdefaultsandanextensionof matter.Itwas decidedthat the We maystill look at it forsome Workers have been calling torieslabourerscameoutonthe Bhorgarh villageinnorth west Rs 6,000 and Rs 12,000 per districtsofthe state”. themoratoriummayberequired. Dharaviresidentstakingthedrug categories.”. theirstatehelplinesaskingifand roads in Laskana area in Surat Delhi’s Narela Industrial Area month. With moneyfastrun- The industries ministerhas Even afterthat, the possibility of wouldbedividedintotwo groups -- INPUTS BY TABASSUM when theycan leave.“Officials suburbs, carriedwooden logs gave falsehopeto workers.Most ningout,theyare makingdoon further asked the department to aquickresumption of industrial —one would begivenHCQ along BARNAGARWALA,SAGAR told that even if we leave and from nearbytimber shops and workers The Indian Express asteady dietofrice, dal and give priority to food processing activity and service establish- with vitamin Ctablets,and the RAJPUT,HAMZA KHAN, managetoreachour statebor- setthem afire. Theyblocked spoketoMondaysaidtheywere khichdi, whichtheyget after units, whichwould help farmers mentssuchaseateries, malls, second, HCQ with zinc tablets. ABANTIKAGHOSH ders, thereisapossibility we roads, pelted stones on the po- under the impression that train standing forhours near alocal sell their produce. The unitsthat movie halls, appearsbleak,anof- The dosages of HCQ will be given maynot beallowedtoenter.We lice and NGOs who supplied services would resume when school twiceaday. resume functioning should be ficial said. one week apart. Virus can pass arehoping the Prime Minister food to them. The Surat city po- the lockdown ended, and they In Uttar Pradesh, the state able to provide employment in- The total outstanding of retail “Wewill assess the outcome isanew virus,whoseways we are givessome relief,” said Lalji liceintervened,arrested81 tex- would finallyget to return to has setup5,241 shelters in dif- cluding to contract workers, said personal loans (including hous- of eachgroup to see whichcom- still understanding but thereare Geruhai,aworkerfromMadhya tilelabourers,butreleasedthem their families. Fewanticipated ferentdistrictsfor1,25,989peo- Desai, adding that all these plans ing,auto,educationloansandad- bination worksbetter,”Dr indicationsthatverticaltransmis- Pradesh, who makes matsin on bail Saturdayafternoon. twomoreweeksofthis. ple, but has also deployedade- would be put before Chief vances againstFDs) amountedto Subhash Salunkhe of the public sion is possible. But we arestill Jalgaon. “It feels likewehave Subham Pradhan, native of Among them wasSatnam quatepoliceforce.Somedistricts MinisterUddhavThackeray forfi- Rs 24.97lakh croreasofJanuary health department, who framed learning.However, itisimportant been abandoned. Therehas to Ganjam district in Odisha, who Bai, 42, who usedtoworkata hope migrant workers from nal approval. 2020. thepolicyonitsuse,said.Withso- that during pregnancy and dur- besomewayoutof this,”hesaid. worksinJolva,said, “Wehave fanmaking unit earning Rs other states maystayonwith Governmentsourcessaidthat StateBank of India, India’s cial distancing difficult in slums inglabour,healthworkersandthe The Gujarat police has al- come to knowthe lockdown 6,000amonth. Asinglemother the commencement of eco- allessentialandnon-essentialin- largest bank,reportedthat37 per and the virus transmitting fast, babywho come in contact with readyfacedthebruntof therest- will be extendedfor 15 more of three children, her onlycon- nomic activity.Nitin Bansal, dustries maybeallowedtooper- cent(Rs719,766crore)of domes- HCQ has become anecessaryin- themother’sbodyfluidstake spe- less migrant. On Sundaynight, days.Since19 days we have been nectionwithhervillagewasher DistrictMagistrate,Gonda,said, atewithrestrictions.“Someof the ticadvanceswere intheretailseg- tervention, he said. cial precautions. Isolation of the over 700textile workers from sharing aroom with five to six mobile phone, whichhas now “Around 50 per cent of the peo- restrictions on industries will in- ment as of December 2019 as RajasthanadvisedHCQforpo- babytoo is important.” Palsana taluka in Surat district people. We arestaying in pa- stoppedworking.“Wecan’tstay ple staying in shelters in Gonda cludemaintainingsocialdistanc- against33percentayearago.The licemen in hotzones on April 10 On March 26, Chinese re- came out on the roads com- thetic conditions and unable to hereany longer;mychildren arefromother states, like ing measures and housing work- retail sector witnessedthe high- afteraconstabletestedpositive in searchers reportedinthe Journal plaining of food shortage.They step out. We arefacing shortage will starve,” Bai said. Rajasthan, Bihar,Madhya ers in industrial areas or in the estgrowth rate in credit at 17 per Jaipur,with Chief MinisterAshok of the AmericanMedical wanted to return to their native of food and areleftwith little Thosewhostayedbackwish Pradesh,andmostlyinvolvedin sameornearbyvillagesof theunit centduringthisfinancialyear(up Gehlotgiving the go-ahead. Association of acase involving a placeinOdisha.Suratdistrictpo- money. We have to sendmoney they, too,hadleftonfoottotheir construction work.Ifthe gov- as aprecautionarymeasureto to February2020), marginallyup AdditionalChief Secretary, Health, woman with COVID-19who de- licecontrolledthesituationand to our parentsaswell. We just villages in UP,Bihar and ernment restarts construction preventthespreadingof thecoro- ascomparedwithpreviousyear’s Rohit Kumar Singh said police liveredababygirlonFebruary22 startedfood supplies Monday wantto go back,andreturnonce Jharkhand. Till Monday, many work on big projects, then they navirus,” said an official. growth. personnelareatriskinsuchareas at Renmin Hospital, Wuhan. The afternoon. the situation is normal.” still held on to hope that the will gettheir jobs backand “Thegovernmentislookingat At thesametime,overallbank and, “keeping in mind that they babywas found positive both for Alarge number of textile Palsanapolicesubinspector Prime Ministerwould allow would notwant to go back.” districtswith zerocases, or those credit growth wassluggish at 6 canbeinfectedtoo,itwasdecided thevirusandantibodiesagainstit that have one case, forallowing per cent, according to datare- to administerthem adose under soon afterbirth. It wasthe pres- resumption of industrial opera- leasedbythe RBI lastweek. medical supervision”. ence of the latter that ledre- supportthe possibility of vertical to baby), the evidence nowsug- babies got the virus before or af- firmedCOVID-19orisaPUI (per- tions.Indistrictsthathave corona When contacted,many Singh said Rajasthan has over searchers to believe that the in- transmission,”theresearchersre- gest that transmission is proba- terbirth. The virus has notbeen sonunderinvestigation)fromher positive cases within municipal bankers arguedfor an extension 10 lakh tablets,asufficient quan- fection happenedatthe foetal ported. In London lastmonth, a ble,althoughtherehasonlybeen detectedinamnioticfluid,breast- babyuntilthemother’stransmis- limits, we plan to lockdown that of moratorium. “The three- tity.The Jaipur police has sought stage. However, before this case, babyborn to aCOVID-positive asingle case reported. The signif- milk,orothermaternalsamples.” sion-basedprecautions aredis- particularareaandmayallowin- monthmoratoriumisnotenough at least1,000 doses. The Health astudy done on nine pregnant mother hadtestedpositive im- icance to the neonateisnot yet Thereare scientific guidance continued.” dustrial operations in the rest of forretail borrowers, it should be Department said district chief women found no evidence of mediatelyafter birth. Doctors at known and we will continue to documentsthat prescribesepa- the district,” addedthe bureau- extendedtosix months as an- medical and health officers have mother-child transmission. the NorthMiddlesexhospital in assess and monitor the situation ration of the mother and child in Colour-coded crat. The sources also said the in- nouncedbycentral banksofvar- beeninstructedto provideHCQif “The elevatedIgM antibody Enfield had said it wasnot possi- forwomen and babies.” suchcases immediatelyafter who can step out to one member dustrial operations maybeal- ious countries. It wasunwise not required by police officials. levelsuggests that the neonate ble to makeanassessment on The US Centers forDisease birth. The ICMRdocument too of one-fifth of the population,” lowedwithout putting any to extend the moratorium to The constable who has coro- wasinfected in utero. IgM anti- whether the infection happened Control and Prevention says, says,“It is unknown whether said Vipin Muddha, Chief restrictions on the capacity of NBFCs and microfinance firms navirus wasescorting amedical bodies arenot transferredtothe in the womb. “Mother-to-childtransmissionof new-borns with COVID-19are at Executive Officer,Ballarpur manpowertobeusedinthe in- whichare struggling in various team conducting door-to-door foetusviatheplacenta.Theinfant However, the NHS nowsays, coronavirus during pregnancy is increasedrisk forseverecompli- MunicipalCorporation.Whilethe dustrial units. “Thereisalready a statesascollectionshave stopped. survey in Jaipur’s hotspot potentiallycould have been ex- “Asthisisaverynew virus,we are unlikely, but afterbirth, anew- cations. Transmission afterbirth passes have been distributed to shortage of industriallabour.Ifwe Bad loans areslated to rise after Ramganj. Afterhis infection was posedfor 23 days from the time justbeginning to learn about it. born is susceptible to person-to- via contact with infectious respi- 15,000 families in the city so far, put restrictions on the size of the May-June,”saidaseniorofficialof confirmed, 14 policemen were of the mother’s diagnosis of Thereisnoevidenceto suggestan personspread.Averysmallnum- ratory secretions is aconcern. the rest areexpected to getthem manpower, it will createdifficul- aleading public sector bank. sent to quarantine. Next day, a COVID-19todelivery.Thelabora- increasedrisk of miscarriage. berofbabies have tested positive Facilities should consider tem- soon. ties forthe industries,” said an- QueriessenttotheRBIonthis head constable of the Ramganj toryresultsdisplayinginflamma- With regard to vertical transmis- forthe virus shortlyafter birth. porarilyseparating (e.g. separate In Chandrapur city,ASHA other official. FULLREPORTSON issuedid notelicitaresponse. policestationalsotestedpositive. tion and liverinjuryindirectly sion (transmission from mother However, it is unknown if these rooms)themotherwhohascon- workers were handedsurvey www.indianexpress.com

Stay where NewDelhi:TheSupremeCourton regard,wondered whether such Mehtasaid it is as notpossible to The bench, also comprising stand in an affidavit filedinreply number of them from anumber ernment has, therefore, been to Mondaydeclinedtopass interim adirectionwouldnotweakenthe bring them backright nowand Justice LNageswaraRao and to the petition seeking return of of countrieswantto returndueto advisetheIndiannationalsto stay directions on petitions which travel ban imposedbythe Centre that theyare being looked after Mohan MShantanagoudar,ad- studentsfromthe UK. It said, various reasons. The severe risk put wheretheyare in line with you are: SC urgedittoask the Centretobring to preventCOVID-19transmission wherever theyare.Hesaid that journedhearingontheepetitions “giventhe present situation of posedbyarrivalsfromanincreas- government’s approachtocon- backIndians “stranded” abroad. andaskedthoseinothercountries across the world, people areget- whichhighlighted cases of coronavirusinIndiaandtheavail- ing number of countries affected tainthefurtherspreadof thevirus to Indians AbenchheadedbyChief to “staywheretheyare”. ting visa extension on account of IndiansinIraq,theGulf countries, ablelimitedresources,itisnotfea- by COVID-19issomethingthatthe within India and allowing health Justice of India SABobde, which Appearing forthe govern- the unprecedented situation re- the US and the UK by four weeks. sibletoselectively evacuateIndian government is seeking to min- machinerytofocus on domestic abroad heardabatchofpetitions in this ment, Solicitor General Tushar sulting from the pandemic. The Centrealso explainedits citizensfromabroadwhenalarge imise. The approachofthe gov- containment effectively.” ENS WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,APRIL14,2020 3 THE OUTBREAK Mumbai

5newcases,onedeathin STATEHOUSINGMINISTERQUARANTINESSELF PARELBUILDING SEALEDASCOPTESTSPOSITIVE Mumbai: StateHousingMinisterJitendraAwhad said Monday Mumbai:TheBMCofficialssealedMondayabuildingatNaigaonpo- he would stay on home quarantine for14days afterhereport- lice colonyinParel afteraconstable tested positive forcoronavirus. edly came in contact with aperson who tested positive forcoro- The constable, who is postedatapolice station in the northern sub- navirus recently. “I have tested myself (for the virus) and the urbsof Mumbai,wasadmittedto KEMhospitalwherehetestedpos- testsare negative.However, as partofthe medical protocol, I itive.Policesaidtwoofficersandfourconstableshave beenstationed Dharavi,tallyreaches49 have decidedtohome quarantine myself,” the ministersaid. at the gate of the building to provide residentsessential commodi- Awhad representsThane district’s Kalwa-MumbraAssembly ties. “Residentsare notallowedtostepout and in cases of emergen- constituency and is the firststate ministertoquarantine himself. cies, theyhavetocontact the officials,” said asenior police. 60-year-old man becomes fifthtosuccumb to the virus from city’s biggestslum

As apartofits massive ongo- fortests,and 85 swabs have been SANJANABHALERAO ing contact-tracing exercise, the collectedfromDharavi. MUMBAI,APRIL13 BMC has already traced1,381 “The door-to-door screening high-risk contactsand 3,450 low- is being done by ateam of 150 SIX NEW coronavirus cases, in- risk contactsof74COVID-19pa- doctors from Maharashtra cluding one death, were reported tientsinthe G-North ward,com- Medical Association along with from DharavionMonday, taking prising Dharavi, Dadar and BMC workers. We have formed the total number of suchcases in Mahim. Of these 74 cases, the 10 teams to screen all residentsin the city’s biggestslum to 49.With highestnumber of cases arefrom Dharavi. We areusing 500setsof this,the total number of deaths in Dharaviat49. As of Monday, BMC personal protection equipment Dharavihas gone up to five. has put 2,184citizens to home (PPE), 2,000 masksand 18 ther- Samples of the 60-year-old quarantine from the ward,which mal scanners forthe purpose,” man, who succumbed at Sion has 29 containment zones. “Of Dighavkar said. Hospital, testedpositive forcoro- Central Railway staffclean the 74 COVID-19positive cases, Around 225 public or com- navirus Monday, civic officials railway tracks near Dharavi 31 or 42 per cent were already in munity toilets in the slum arealso said. The five newpatientsin- Monday. Prashant Nadkar institutional quarantine. Which being disinfecteddailywith aspe- clude three men, aged 21,51and means we areable to stop the cial treatment solution and ma- 60 years, and twowomen, aged spread in 42 per cent cases,” Kiran chine that has been imported 34 and 50 years. on April 10. Dighavkar,Assistant Municipal from NewZealand, officials said. The 21-year-old man worksas With the recent death and five Commissioner,G-North ward, The civic body has already awardboy at BreachCandy hos- newcases, all from separate under whichDharaviis planneda1,000-bed quarantine pital, while the 34-year-old chawls, the number of contain- located,said. facility at Dharavi—300 bedsat woman is anurse at Sushrusha ment zones in Dharavihas gone Meanwhile, the ongoing RajivGandhi District Sports Club hospital in Dadar.OnApril 7, the up to 16.The Brihanmumbai process to screen around seven and the remaining 700atthe BreachCandy Hospital authori- Municipal Corporation (BMC) has lakh residentsofthe slum is ex- Dharavitransit campmunicipal ties had initiatedtesting forall its sanitisedthe residential premises pected to be completedinthe school. Half of the bedsatSports staffers afteranurse and atech- of all the patientsand has re- next twoweeks, BMC officials Club areoccupied, while 70 beds nician had tested positive for strictedentryand exit from these said. at Ruparel Collegehosteland 30 coronavirus. Twonurses, aged27 areas. The civic body has also Till Monday, 13,224persons at SaihospitalinMahim arealso and 42, of the Sushrusha hospital startedthe process of contact- have been surveyed,113 sus- being usedasinstitutional quar- had tested positive forthe virus tracing in all cases. pected cases have been referred antine facilities. 6more staffers at Sushrusha Hospital test positive

SANJANABHALERAO MUMBAI,APRIL13 APMC vegetable and grain TWODOCTORS and four nurses marketsinVashi wear adeserted of Dadar-basedShushrusha look Monday. NarendraVaskar Hospital have tested positive for COVID-19Sunday. So far, eight staffers of the hospital have been Wholesale markets at Vashi BMC to allow more afflicted by the infection. fruit, vegetable Aftertwo nurses from the APMC to reopen tomorrow hospital tested positive on April vendors across city 10,the BMC had directedthe hos- pital to stop newadmission and Mumbai: The wholesale markets imum buying of 250 kg of onion, Mumbai: Municipal put 28 other nurses on quaran- within APMC, Vashi, will reopen potatoes and 100bunches or 10 Commissioner Praveen Pardeshi tine and sent their samples fromWednesdaywithcertainre- kg of vegetables. Mondayorderedassistantmunic- fortests. strictions,includingnoentrytore- The onion, potato,vegetable ipal commissioners of 24 wards On Sunday, the BMC shifted tail buyers. and fruit marketsinAPMC have to find temporaryplaces where 100hospital staffers to acivic-run Anil Chavan, secretaryof been shut since April 11 aftera fruitand vegetable vendors can quarantine centreatDharaviand APMC,saidthedecisionto reopen shopkeeper tested positive for setupshop and ensuresocial dis- itsdoctors to Mahim’s Sai hospi- twoofthewholesalemarketswas coronavirus.Whilethespicemar- tancing is maintained. According tal. However, aftercomplaintsof takenafterameetingwiththepo- ket remainedopen, grains mar- to officials,newcentreswillcome inadequatefacilities all staffers lice commissioner Mondayand a ket,too,islikelytobereopened.A up in spacious locations wherea and doctor were shiftedtoaquar- discussion with traders, mathadi decision on the fruit market will distance of 20 feet can be main- antine centreatRuparel College workers and goods transporters. be takenlater. tainedbetween eachvendor and hostel wheretheyare settoun- “Therewill be restrictions, in- The measures takenbythe buyers can keep aminimum dis- dergo testsfor the virus. Currently, cluding allowing only100 vehi- APMC to ensuresocial distancing tance of 3.5 feet.“Local ward of- the hospital has closedits OPD cles at the onion and potato mar- include allowing entryonlyto fices will soon come up with alist and stoppednew admissions. ketsand 300vehicles at the those having valid identity cards of places wherethese newshops Over 90 health professional in vegetablemarket from12 amto 8 issuedbyVashipolicestationand can be setup,” acivic official said. Mumbai have contracted the in- am everyday,” Chavansaid. He compulsorysanitisation of vehi- Therewill be atime restriction at fection so far. said the market will requiremin- cles entering the market. ENS these newcentres. ENS Owner booked after boat arrives from Gujarat with stranded fishermen

NEERAJTIWARI ZAI,APRIL13

PALGHAR POLICE booked SundayaGujarat-basedboat owner and his assistant and seizedtheir boat afteritarrived with over 100fishermen from Maharashtra, who were Relativesoffishermen at strandedoff the Gujarat coast, at sarpanch’s house. Deepak Joshi Zai villageinTalasari taluka for violating lockdown rules. Morethan 2,000 fishermen don’tcooperatewithus,itwillcre- from Maharashtraare stuckoff atedifficultiesforus,”saidYogesh the Gujarat coastnear Veravalin Macchi,chairman,ZaiMacchimar 40 boats, unable to return. Society. Palghar SP Gaurav Singh ac- Families of fishermen from knowledgedthat aboat was Karaj Gaun, also in Talasari taluka, seizedandthe100-oddfishermen metsarpanch Louis Kakad and movedtoaquarantine facility. asked him when their family On Sundayevening, the boat members will return. arrivedinZai village. When they HoliyaKailanger (53), whose got information, the local husband Devala and twosons Gholewadpolice immediately went to Veraval, areyet to return. filedacaseagainsttheboatowner SheaskedKakadwhenshewillsee and seizedthe vessel. The boat hersonsagain.Sheaddedherhus- owner,KarsanVasramBamaniya, bandcalledherand“wasveryup- who is from Gujarat, said, “I sethecouldn’t return though he helpedthe fishermen as they wasnot veryfarawayfromhome”. were suffering but the police Kakadsaid,“Iamtryingmy bestto seizedthe boat and put me in bring backthe fishermen.” quarantine in Zai school.” Former CM Devendra Twofishermen unions of Zai Fadnavis said, “I’m going to speak village,ZaiMacchimarSocietyand to both the Gujarat and Zai Mangela Society,fear that the Maharashtragovernmentsabout incidentwillunnecessarilycreate the rescue of the fishermen.” ariftbetween fishermen of the OnApril4,theGujaratgovern- twostates. ment deboarded600 fishermen “Fishing is our onlysource of from Gujarat and sent them to livelihood. We usuallyventure homequarantine,butdidn’tallow intotheseasoffGujaratforagood Maharashtrafishermen to get catch. If fishermen from Gujarat down at Nargol. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,APRIL14,2020 4 THE OUTBREAK Maharashtra

LOCKDOWN EXTENDED TILL APRIL 30 HowSangli Sugarcane farmers 352newcasesacrossstate, worry about Mumbaitollcrosses100 turned thetide: delayed kharif work From 25 to zero high-risk comorbidities likedi- ported29cases with one death of the mills. EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE abetes, hypertension, asthma while Latur division has atotal of PARTHASARATHI The lockdown had been im- PUNE,MUMBAI,NAGPUR, 2,334 and heartdisease. 13 cases. Akola division has 44 BISWAS&KAVITHAIYER posedcamewhenthe2019-2020 APRIL13 As on Monday, Mumbai has cases with twodeaths. casesinamonth PUNE,MUMBAI,APRIL13 cane crushing season wasinits recorded1,504cases. While Statehealthofficialssaidthata lastleginMaharashtra.Of the142 ANOTHER 352people tested TOTALPOSITIVECASES Mira-Bhayandar has witnessed thoroughsearch of residentswho pitalinMumbai,whowassenton WITHNEARLY1.5lakhsugarcane mills crushing cane this season, positive forCOVID-19on INMAHARASHTRA 49 cases, with twodeaths, had attendedthe religious gath- EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE deputation to Sangli. harvestlabourers, mainlyfrom onlyabout 16 were operational Monday, taking the tallyto2,334 Kalyan-Dombivali has reported eringatTablighi Jamaat event at MUMBAI,APRIL13 The firstfour to test positive Beedand afew other districts, andcontinuedtooperateassugar across the state. With 11 new Number of deaths 160 50 cases and twodeaths. Thane Nizamuddin in Delhi in early hadreturnedfromapilgrimageto strandedatsugarmillsinwestern is listedamong essential com- deaths being reported, the has witnessed53cases and March is underway. While 755 IN LESS than amonth since the Saudi Arabia on March 13.By Totalnumber of people Maharashtraand parts of modities. Maharashtratoll rose to 160. Of three deaths while Navi Mumbai people have been tested,50have firstinfection of COVID-19was March 23, theytestedpositive. discharged229 Karnataka, the Maharashtragov- Forthe migrant workers, the the 11 dead, nine were from has reported46cases and three been found to infected.Ofthese reportedatthe small town of Nineteenmembersintheirfamily ernment on Mondaydiscussed lockdown and ban on travelling Mumbai, whichhas recorded Number of people tested deaths.Vasai-Virarhas recorded 50, eight arefromLatur,seven in Islampur in Sangli district, all 25 also tested positive,including a the possibility of providing them createdasituationnonehadseen 101deaths till now. Twoother 41,423 26 cases and three deaths. With Yavatmal, six in Buldhana, 14 in infected persons have tested Kolhapurrelative.Further,two do- relief by enabling their journeyto before,fearfulof thespreadof the deaths were reportedfromMira Totalnumber quarantined six newcases in Nagpur,the Mumbai, twoeachinPune, negative forthe virus by mestic helps working in their their home districtsfollowing disease, farawayfromtheir chil- Bhayandar and Pimpri- NOT AVAILABLE count has reached47inthe city. Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nagpur and Monday. All of them will be kept house tested positive. medical check-ups. drenorparentsandalsounableto Chinchwad. While Mumbai re- In Nashik division, Malegaon Ahmednagar,and one eachin in institutional quarantine for14 Morethan 493people, sus- Deputy Chief MinisterAjit return home as the district bor- ported242 cases on Monday, Number of newcases 352 has reported41cases and two Ratnagiri,Nagpur,Hingoli,Jalgaon, days before theycan return pected to be low-risk contacts, Pawardiscussedthe possibility ders were sealed. Pune recorded41—its highest deaths. While Kolhapur division Osmanabad, Kolhapur and home. With this, Sangli has zero were kept under astrict house withofficialsafterBeedGuardian “These workers have either single-dayjumpsofar. has reported38cases and one Washim.Additionally, sixcontacts positive cases at present. quarantine. Their hands were Ministerand Ministerfor Social been kept in isolation near the Of the 11 deaths, four were age, five were from the agegroup death, Pune division has re- of theseinfectedpeoplehave pos- Onlyanothergroupof 24 peo- stampedwith home quarantine Justice DhananjayMunde wrote sugar mills or have been stopped men and sevenwomen. While 40 to 60 years. Eight (73per cent) ported344 cases and 35 deaths. itive in Ahmednagar and one in pleremainunderquarantine,after mark.Rationandvegetableswere to Chief MinisterUddhav at district borders and quaran- six of them were over 60 years of of the patientssufferedfrom Aurangabad division has re- Pimpri-Chinchwad. aSangli native tested positive in homedeliveredtothemby police Thackeray on Mondayseeking tined,” Munde said in his letter to NaviMumbai’sApollohospitalon and local volunteers. that these workers be allowedto Uddhav. The labourers’ bullocks April 11.The man wasliving in OnMarch 23,thedistrictcame return home wheretheywould and other animals arealso with Sanglibefore hishealthworsened under abrutal lockdown —all have to undergo amandated pe- them, with fodder supplyfor the due to livercirrhosis. Doctors pharmacies and groceryshops riod of quarantine. animals becoming achallengein movedhim to Navi Mumbai for were shut and an area of 700m Forthe workers who arenow manyparts. treatment wherehetestedposi- around the house of the infected facingtheprospectof waitingun- Acooperative sugar miller tive.Swabsof his24 closecontacts wassealed.Around50healthcare til April 30 before theycan return fromKolhapursaidthatonanav- were collected SundayinSangli. workers beganthe arduous exer- home,thelongerlockdowncould erage, theyare providing around Theyhaveall tested negative. ciseof door-to-doorvisitsto1,100 mean costlydelays in field 50 tonnes of fodder forthe ani- In March,the district had re- houses to look forpeople show- preparatoryworks ahead of the mals housedwithin their area. portedthirdlargest number of ing symptoms. The local police kharif season on their ownfarm Fieldofficershave beenappointed cases in the stateafter Mumbai saiditsonlyjobwastoensurepeo- land. to lookafterthebasicneedsof the and Pune. Although 25 is asmall ple remain at home. Phone num- Through Sundayevening, labourers. “The labourers had ex- number to compare, but Sangli is berswere sharedfreelysotheres- multiple leaders raisedthe issue pressedtheir desiretogohome, nowthe onlydistrict in identscould call forhelp. with thestate government. “The but we have explainedthe situa- Maharashtratohavezerofatality Ahostelbuilding wascon- MaharashtraOos Todni Kamgar tion to them,” the miller said. and 100per cent recovery rates. vertedintoaquarantinefacilityon Sanghatana cane workers’ union Jaiprakash Dandegaonkar, While the oldestCOVID-19pa- the outskirts of the town. The 25 wrotetothe chief minister, and chairman of the Maharashtra tientinthedistrictwasa63-year- people dischargedfromMiraj topunion leaders reachedout to StateCooperative Sugar Factories olddiabetic,theyoungestwastwo hospital will be kept therefor 14 NCPchief Sharad Pawarand Federation, said adelayinkharif years old. days before theycan go home. DhananjayMunde.We arehope- land preparations would pile on “What helpedour case was “Weare glad nobody else tested ful that an early decision will be further anxiety forthe commu- swiftenforcement of lockdown positive in our neighbourhood. takensothatthelabourers’kharif nity.“Mills arelooking afterthe andisolationandtestingof allsus- Thehealthofficialshelpedusalot, preparations arenot affected,” labourersbuttheywantto go back pectedto have beeninfected,”said satwithusforalongtimeto make said Mohan Jadhavofthe home,” he added. district health officer Dr Bhupal alistofallthepeoplewe met,”said Sanghatana. Officialssaidtheissueisunder Shrirang Girigosav. a31-year-old,whotestedpositive. Datacollated by the consideration and adecision Thenumberof casesrosefrom Sangli Guardian Minister Maharashtrasugar commission- could come shortly. four to 25 between March 23 and Jayant Patil, also the waterre- erateshows that 1.36 lakh har- TheNovember-Aprilcrushing March 28.Withinaweek,315-bed sourceminister, praisedtheSangli vesters arestill waiting at 36 mills season ends justbeforethe start Miraj Government Medical administration lastweek forcon- in nine districtsofthe state, of field preparations forkharif. Collegewas converted intoa taining the virus spread. Patil mostlyinPune, Satara, Sangli and “Not even asingle cane worker COVID-19hospital. It had itsown calledthe three-pronged ap- Kolhapur.Asmanyas96,017 of has tested positive,and their 14- ECHOmachine,facilityforCTscan, proach--isolate, identify cluster these labourers arehousedinthe dayisolationperiodisover,sothey X-ray and MRI. andstrictlyenforcesocialdistanc- fields within the command area should be allowedtoresume Women collect waterfromapublic borewell at atribal settlement in The diabetic patient’s blood ing as the "Islampur model". of the mills while 35,415 other normal agricultural activi- FROM ADISTANCE Aheri Taluka, Gadchiroli. Nirmal Harindran pressureand sugar levels were DrSaket Patil,talukahealthof- arehousedwithin the premises ties,” said Jadhav. monitored eachday.Swabsam- ficer in Islampur,said he is still re- pleswere initiallysentto National maining vigilant. “The 493low- InstituteofVirology,Pune. Atest- risk contactshavefinishedtheir TELTUMBDE IN OPEN LETTER ing facility wasalso startedin 14-dayhome quarantine. None Committee to analyse each death Sanglito cutdownontransporta- developedsymptoms. We are ‘Nationalism weaponised by political tion delay. “Wedecidedtoask nowafraid of people who will re- Adiscussion on Maharashtra’s who is partofMumbai’s death eachnurse to work forfour hours turn from Mumbai to Sangli once EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE high death toll wasalso brought audit committee, said, “It is also everyday foraweek.Then they the lockdown lifts,” he added. class to destroy dissent, polarise people’ MUMBAI,APRIL13 upduringthevideo-conferencing the immune response that is were givenabreak of 14 days and Hehasalistof144peoplewho between Prime Minister killing patients. We arenot see- accommodatedwithinthehospi- have travelledfromMumbai, were in Mumbai. AFIVE-MEMBERcommitteecon- NarendraModi and all statechief ing auniform pattern in deaths. talpremises. It waslikeaquaran- Pune, Kolkataand other cities to EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE “Theydid open our house too, stituted by the stategovernment ministers. Thereare people of same age tine period to see if anynurse de- Sangli in the lastone week.“They MUMBAI,APRIL13 forciblygetting aduplicatekey metonMondaytoframe proce- In Mumbai, where110 deaths group with same co-morbidity velopedsymptoms.Nobodydid,” areunder home quarantine and from the securityguard, but just dureand guidelines foranalysing have been recorded, atask forceof who arereacting differentlytothe saidDrPallaviSaple,deaninJJhos- we aremonitoringthem,”hesaid. ADAY before heisto surrenderbe- Anand video-grapheditand lockedit eachCOVID-19death in nine members under Dr Sanjay virus,” he said. fore aspecialcourtinMumbai,ac- Teltumbde back.Ourordealbeganrightthere. Maharashtra. The state’s death Oak,former KEM dean, was Aftersetting up the task force tivistAnand Teltumbde on At the advice of our lawyers, my rate standsat6.8percent,among formedonMonday. Thetaskforce of renownedand expertdoctors NUMBER WATCH Mondaywrote an open letter to wifetook the next available flight theworst-hitinIndia.InMumbai, will establish apatient manage- from Mumbai, Chief Minister thepeopleof India,statingthatthe thatyouwillspeakoutbefore your to Goa, and lodged acomplaint whichaccountsfor 60 per cent of ment protocol forseriouslyill pa- UddhavThackeray interacted Figures forApril 13 releasedbythe MaharashtraPolice “jingoistnation and nationalism turn comes,” the letter stated. with Bicholim police station that deaths in the state, aseparate tients. It is supposedtoadvise on with the doctors on Monday have beenweaponisedbythepo- He addedthat he has an “un- the police had openedour house nine-member committee has needfor specialistdoctors in through video-conferencing. 1,595 (40,242) litical class to destroy dissent and blemishedrecordofservice for inourabsenceandthatwewould been setuptoframe atreatment COVID-19hospitalsandthekindof “Thereare over2,000coronapos- polarise people”. nearly five decades to this coun- notberesponsible if theyhad protocol forcritical patientsina stafftraining neededtohandle itive casesinMaharashtraandthe Cases registeredunder Section 188(Violating an order Teltumbdehasbeennamedas try” in various roles, including in planted anything,” the letter bid to save morelives. them.Thetaskforcealsohastoad- death toll is 150. While the mor- issuedbyapublic servant) of the Indian Penal Code an accusedinthe Elgaar Parishad the corporateworld, as ateacher, stated.Itaddedthat the Pune Dr Archana Patil, chairman of vise on drug protocol to treat such tality rate is 6-7 per cent, almost case, whichthe National acivil rightsactivistand apublic Police had held press conferences the statecommittee, said, “We patients.Currentlythereisnotreat- 80 per cent of the patientshad Persons who violated quarantine 12 (509) InvestigationAgency(NIA)hasre- intellectual. claiming he had alink to the willbeanalysingeachdeathinthe ment forcoronavirus. Rito-navir other ailmentssuchaskidney, Phone calls made to 100 centlytaken over from the Pune Apetition by him and activist Maoists.“On August31, 2018,in stateexceptforthoseoccurringin andLopinaviraretheonlytwo anti- high blood pressurewith others. pertaining to COVID-191,717 (65,546) Police. He had sought moretime GautamNavlakha,seekingexten- one suchpress conference, apo- Mumbai. ForMumbai, aseparate virals approved and being usedto The rising mortality rate is cause from the SC forsurrendering cit- sion of time granted to them to lice officer read out aletterpur- death audit team has been managecritical patients. of concernand it should be re- Number of infected police personnel 4(7) ing the COVID-19pandemic. surrender before the court, citing portedlyrecoveredfromthecom- formed.” The five-member com- The task forcewill also decide ducedandbroughtdownto zero,” Going to jail at the time of COVID- COVID-19pandemic, wasearlier puter of previous arrestees as an mitteemetinPuneto decidehow onneedtotransferapatientto an- said Thackeray. Cases of illegal transport168 (988) 19 is “virtuallyadeath sentence”, rejected by the Supreme Court, evidence againstme. The letter aCOVID-19deathwouldbecerti- other hospital forintensive care Officials from the CMO said the plea had said. whichdirectedthemto surrender wasclumsilyconstructedwiththe fied,underlyingfactorsleadingto unitsupport.Mumbaihassixdes- the task forcewill guide the state Arrests127 (3,095) “The jingoistnation and na- in aweek.The SC had also earlier informationontheacademiccon- death and howcritical manage- ignated hospitals —Nanavati, governmentaboutmedicaltreat- Vehicles seized(2,920) 26,474 tionalism have been weaponised rejectedtheiranticipatorybailap- ferenceIhadattended,whichwas ment can improve. Saifee, St George,Wockhardt, ment. “It will also be available to by thepoliticalclassto destroy dis- plications. easilyavailable on the websiteof Astate official said analysis of SevenHills, and Jogeshwari doctors from across the stateona Fines imposedRs8.66lakh sent and polarise people... As Isee Teltumbdeallegedthathewas American University of Paris,” the eachdeath will help improvefu- Traumahospital—totreatcritical hotline to guide and assistthem. (Rs 1.43 crore) my India being ruined, it is with a illegallyarrestedbythePunePolice letter said. turetreatmentof criticalpatients. patients. The team will be tasked with feeble hope that Iwritetoyou at whilehewasstillunderSCprotec- Teltumbde further said that Thestaterecorded160deaths,the Dr Om Srivastava, infectious startingdedicatedCOVID-19hos- *Total figures forall categories in brackets suchagrimmoment.Well,Iamoff tion and his house in the faculty “draconian legislations” likethe highestinIndia,tillMondaynight. disease expertinJaslok hospital pitals...” said an official. to NIA custody and do notknow housing complexofGoa Institute UAPA,under whichhehas been when Ishall be able to talk to you of Management wasraidedin booked,“denudeinnocentpeople again. However, Iearnestlyhope August2018,whileheandhiswife of their liberties”. 4more cops test positive, state tally 7 44 people evacuated from Iran return to Kashmir

cer said that aconstable living in likelytobemuchhigher."We have after being quarantined at naval facility in Mumbai EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE the police headquarters at quarantinedanentirefour-storey MUMBAI,APRIL13 Naigaon, Dadar,testedpositive buildingintheWorliPoliceCamp aged 19,the group also included Srinagar and Ladakh. Conse- MohammedIbrahim Sofi, us feel completely at home. We on Monday night. "Atleastthree and at least80constables in EXPRESSNEWSSERVICE septuagenarians. quently, arrangementswerema- wholedthegroupof 44thattrav- were touchedbytheir concern FOUR MORE police personnel policemen were on sickleave Naigaon following afterthe posi- MUMBAI,APRIL13 The 44 were among over 200 deto airliftthemusingIAFaircraft eledfromSrinagar to Tehran via and dedication towardsus. tested positive forCOVID-19on when theytestedpositive while tive casewasdetectedonMonday. pilgrimsstuckinIran,acountryse- and on 12 April 2020, aC-130 air- Delhi on February3,said he was Kashmir would have been differ- Monday, taking the tallyofin- the senior inspector in Thane city Thenumberof thoseunderhome FORTY-FOUR evacuees airlifted verely hitby thepandemic.Thepil- crafthas flown these individuals happytobebackhome in ent if we had seen suchofficers fected policemen in the stateto wasonactive duty.The possible quarantine in Mumbai is at least from Iran were on Sundayrepa- grims,whohadtestednegative for backtoSrinagar,” the Navy said. Srinagar.“We were supposedto here.Theseofficershave changed seven. Atotal of 47 personnel, source of infection of the other 200," the officer added. triatedto KashmirfromtheIndian the virus, had flown intoMumbai It said adedicated team of return on March 3. But at that ourviewofthearmedforces,”said who had come in close contact three personnelisbeing deter- The statepolicehas equipped Navy Quarantine Facility at on an Iran Air flight on March 13. medicalstafffromtheNavymon- time, when COVID-19hit, we Sofi,whohadtraveledtoIranwith with the infected,are currently mined," said astate police officer. personnel policing containment Material Organisation in Ghat- Since theyhad come from ahigh- itored the health of the evacuees. were in Tehran. The Indian four other familymembers. in home quarantine. According to figures released areas with face shields, in addi- kopar aftertheyspent amonth in risk zone, theywerekeptatthe Theyweresupportedbyateamof Embassy in Tehran wasveryco- The 44 evacuees were given The twoofficers –asub-in- by the statepoliceonMonday, tion to deploying sanitisation Mumbai and tested negative for navalquarantine facility in subur- conservancypersonnelandother operative and under their guid- packedfood and maskshand- spector and asenior inspector – five officers and 42 constables in vans and installing sanitisation COVID-19onMarch 28. banGhatkopar,aNavyspokesper- stafftomaintainthecleanlinessof ance we stayed in Tehran. On stitchedbyNavyWives Welfare who have tested positive are Mumbai and Thane, who had corridors in severalpolice sta- In astatement issuedon son said. While their quarantine thefacilityandprovidefoodto the March 9, we were tested and Association (NWWA),Western postedinMumbai and Thane come intoclose contact with the tions. "Wehaveasked our men Monday, the Navy said it had period wasuponMarch 28, their evacuees. “The evacuees were those of us who tested negative, Regionforthereturnjourney. The city,respectively.The five others, infected personnel, have been and women on the field to keep “silentlyand successfully” com- stay wasextendedonaccount of made comfortable in the facility were evacuated and brought to NWWAhas also stitched1,500 who areconstables, serveinthe placedunder home quarantine. washing their hands frequently. pletedthetaskof quarantiningthe the nationwide lockdown. with provision of alibrary, aTV Mumbai on March 13,” he added. face masksand distributed them Mumbai Police and the Mumbai However, asenior Mumbai If that isn't possible, hand sani- 44 individuals, including 24 “The evacuees' stay wasex- roomindoorgames,asmallgym- “Weare extremelygrateful to to navalpersonnelandfamiliesin Railway Police. Police officer claimedthat the tisers areavailable," said the state women. While the youngest tended, as theyhad no means of nasium and even limited cricket theNavyofficersinMumbaiwho residential areas in Colaba, to Asenior Mumbai Police offi- number of these personnel was police officer. member of the group of 44 was travelling to their homes in gear,” the Navy’s statement read. lookedafterussowell.Theymade sailors at INS Angreand to police. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,APRIL14,2020 EXPRESS NETWORK 5 Sanitisation tunnels to market 3KILLEDINSHELLINGALONG LoC Supreme Court upholds MP 2killed in blastat ‘Fighting 2problems: Governor’s floor test decision sanitiserfactory timings:4districts avoid virus Mumbai: Twoworkers were NewDelhi: TheSupreme Court government (acceptedbythe killedand anotherinjured in a erating the waterflowwithhis the collector said. corona andshelling’ MondayupheldMadhyaPradesh Speaker), the purportedresigna- blastatGalaxySurfactantLTDfac- GARGIVERMA feet andtried to copythe device,” The collector addedthat the Governor Lalji Tandon's decision tionof 16 moreMembersbelong- toryin Tarapur,Palghar,Monday. &GOPALKATESHIYA Mishrasaid. health department has com- relative.FirdousAhmad, Javid’s to askformer CM Kamal Nath to ing to the INC, and the refusal of Thefactorymanufactures sanitis- &ABHISHEKSAHA “Wenow have testing kiosks, pletedtwo rounds of door-to- ADILAKHZER brother,agreed,“Wehavetofight provehis government's majority the Chief Ministertoconducta ers.The deceasedwere identified JAGDALPUR,RAJKOT, whichare being used forsample door survey andthe thirdisin KUPWARA,APRIL13 twoproblems. If we go outside, onthefloorof theHouse.Abench floor test despitethe House hav- as VijayPandurang Sakharam GUWAHATI,APRIL12 collection. We have ashielded progress. thereiscoronavirus scare, and if of JusticesDYChandrachudand ing been convenedonMarch 16, (44) and Sameer Sadaruddin cabin forhealth workers, where To prevent crowding in mar- ON SUNDAY afternoon, as shells we stay home,shellsland on our AjayRastogi recalled factswhich the exercise of powerbythe Khoja (48). Runal Raut sustained Jagdalpur,Chhattisgarh people can come and gettested kets,the district administration startedlanding nearby, 40-year- houses.” ledtocallfor afloortestand said Governor to convene afloor test critical injuries in the blastand The administration has set if they showsymptoms. These has laid down some rules. old Shameema in Reddi villageof FULLREPORTON that“basedonthe resignation of cannotberegarded as constitu- has been admitted at aMalad up twosanitisation tunnels — kiosksare going to be placedat Provision stores can remain Kupwaralockedher house and www.indianexpress.com six ministers of the incumbent tionally improper”. ENS hospital. — NEERAJTIWARI one outside SanjayMarketand district borders,” Collector Ayyaj open from 10 am to 2pmand ranout, fearing forher life. Just the other outside the prison. Tamboli said. vegetables can be soldfrom7am then, ashell exploded, killingher “SanjayMarketisfrequented The kioskshaveaglass wall to 10 am and 5pmto7pm. on the spot. by manypeople. To manually with twoglovedholes through Shameema wasamongthree ensuretheywash hands is not whichthe health worker can Bongaigaon &Barpeta, civilianskilledinNorthKashmir’s possible,” said Baliram Bhagat, a take the sample from the person Assam KupwaraSunday.“Shells landed police constable on duty at agate outside while maintaining least Bongaigaon and Barpeta in sofast thatwedidn’thave timeto of the market, whichhas veg- contact. western Assam areadjacent dis- escape to safety,”Shameema’s etable vendors and general trictswithnoCOVID-19 cases husband GMHajam said. stores. Amreli, Gujarat yet. Reddi is 25 km from Kupwara The tunnel has plastic cur- Amreli, whichhas apopula- Bongaigaon administration town. With tension on the LoC tains and tarpaulin wallsand six tion of morethan 15 lakh, has has sealedthree villages, com- escalating in the lastfew days, foggers arranged on the ceiling. notrecordedany COVID-19 case prising over 500households, mortarsfired by Pakistanarmy In the 30 seconds it takestowalk yet. Collector AyushOak attrib- whichlie adjacent to Chapar have startedlandingdeep inside through, one can see alayer of utes this to the health depart- town of Dhubri, whichhas re- Kupwara. Sunday’s shelling was bleachwater on surfaces. ment screening people andthe portedthree cases so far. the second such instance in three The other tunnel is outside police enforcing the lockdown. One month’s ration in ad- days.“We can’t even run for Jagdalpur jail, also aworry spot Oak says 80,000 people re- vance wasmade available to safetybecauseofthe coron- fordistrict authorities. turnedtotheir homes in Amreli thesesealedvillages, Deputy avirus. We cannotgather at one “Aftersome reading up, we from other cities as the lock- Commissioner MSLakshmi place. At the same time,weare decidedtoworkonit. down wasannounced. This, he Priyasaid. Priyasaidofficials caught between two armies,” Everything, from conceptualis- said, included215 people who were keepingawatchonthose said JantaBegum, aresident of ing to testing out howmuch returnedafter travelling over- quarantinedsothat anyone Reddi, avillager. bleach can be usedsafely, took seas. showing symptoms. “Manyfamilies leftthe village us one day,”said Vikas Mishra, He said the healthdepart- Barpeta sawalargenumber because thereisarumour that deputydirector (agriculturede- ment launchedadoor-to-door of migrant workers return hur- shelling mayhappenagain. partment), Jagdalpur. “The fog- surveyand found that 3,665of riedlybeforethe lockdown was Othersarelivinginfear,”saidalo- gers disperse diluted bleach wa- them had symptoms of flu and announced. SKashyap, cal resident. Afew hundred me- ter, which ensures therewould theywereput under quarantine. Additional Deputy tres from Shameema’s house is be less microbesonthe person,” “Police and health teams Commissioner, saidalittle over theresidenceof 17-year-oldJavid he said. were rigorous in keeping watch 2,100people were in quarantine AhmadKhan,whowasalsokilled Mishraand his team has also overthese people. Neighbours as on Fridayevening. in Sunday’s shelling. He had gone come up with asanitiser dis- were also vigilant.Peoplemostly He said that aftertheycom- out to buy vegetables. pensing contraption that can be compliedwith quarantine re- pletetwo weeksinquarantine, “The worldisfighting the operated with feet.“We sawa quirementsand four or five who theywill be under passive sur- coronavirus. See howIndia and video whereaBSF personnel defiedorders were booked and veillance and advisedisolation Pakistanare engagedinmindless waswashing hishand while op- shifted to afacilityquarantine,” fortwo moreweeks. violence,” said GMKhan, Javid’s WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 6 THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,APRIL14,2020 THE OUTBREAK Nation Six Bengal hospitals Northtosouth,casecountstillrising UP to begin shut after patients, pool testing doctors test positive Over 250 cases, CM from today MAULSHREESETH& wants Hyderabad ABANTIKAGHOSH LUCKNOW,NEWDELHI,APRIL13 ATRIMITRA 15 morepeople tested KOLKATA,APRIL13 positive in the state, divided into 17 units AS THE number of coronavirus taking the total active cases in the statecrossed550 on FOUR HOSPITALSand twonurs- medicalofficer,municipalofficer, Monday, the Uttar Pradesh gov- inghomesinKolkataandadjacent cases to 110onMonday SREENIVASJANYALA police officer,and revenue officer ernment said pool testing of Howrah areeither partiallyor HYDERABAD,APRIL13 to spearhead the containment coronavirus suspectswill begin completely shutafterpatientsand strategy.Theentiremunicipalad- from Tuesdayfollowing anod doctorstestedpositive forCOVID- CharnockHospital,healthdepart- WITH MORE than 250 COVID-19 ministration department should from the Indian Council of 19.Morethan 300people from ment sources said that adialysis cases reportedfromHyderabad, beinvolvedinpreventionof coro- Medical Research (ICMR). theseestablishments—including patient who wastreated there andatleast11of16deathsalsore- navirus programme.” Under pooledtesting, sam- doctors,nurses,staffandpatients twoweeksago diedrecentlyand portedfromthe city,Telangana Withonlyonedistrictmedical ples from severalpeople are —havebeen quarantined. thentestedpositive forCOVID-19. Chief MinisterKChandrashekhar andhealthofficerinHyderabadas pooledorcombinedatatime Meanwhile, in the last24 Thenursinghomeadministration RaoonMondayinstructed offi- ondate,theCMdirectedGHMCto and subsequentlytestedusing hours,15 morepeopletestedpos- then learnt that four other pa- cialsto dividethestatecapitalinto appointseniormedicalofficersto the PCR/NAT test.Incase of a itive inWest Bengal,takingtheto- tientswho underwent dialysis at 17 differentzonesorunits,andget all 17 circles. negative result, all includedsam- talactive cases to 110onMonday. the same time also tested coron- aspecialofficerto monitorthesit- BasedonareaswhereCOVID- ples aretermednegative and the Park Circus SSChatterjee aviruspositive.Thenursinghome Police stand guardatAjmeri Gate, whichisanentrance to Jaipur's WalledCity area. Rohit Jain Paras uation in eachzone. 19 positive caseshave beenfound includedpeople cleared.Incase HeartClinic, aprivate nursing wasclosedand all employees On Monday, he appealed the government has earmarked of apositive pool result, individ- home in Kolkata, wasclosedon were quarantined. again to the people againstleav- 246containment centres across ual testing is carriedout in previ- Mondayafter one of itspatients HowrahGeneralHospitalwas ing their homes, and to be more the state. Thereare 126contain- ouslyreserved samples. testedpositive forCOVID-19.This the firstofthe six establishments Rajasthan finds ‘Bhilwara model’ cautious.“InHyderabad(givenits mentcentresinHyderabadalone. The expandedtesting in large comes aday afterCharnock to be affected.Inthe lastweek of density of population), thereare Raosaid: “Managethese cen- population groups through pool Hospital, another private nursing March,a48-year-oldwomandied more chancesof peoplewithpos- tresmoreeffectively.Donot allow testing is helpful in saving re- home here, wasclosedasfivepa- in the hospital, and later turned difficult in Jaipur as cases rise itive cases quicklyspreading it to peoplefromcontainmentareasto sources giventhe limited avail- tientswho underwent dialysis outto becoronaviruspositive.The others, so thereshould be aspe- go out;don’tallowothersto enter ability of test kits. tested positive.Patientsat government announcedclosure cial strategy forHyderabad,” Rao these centres; appoint aspecial Principal Secretary(Health) Howrah General Hospital, NRS of the hospital. Soon after, two 26,whena45-year-oldmanwho zens following the orders to stay told Greater Hyderabad nodal officer and police officer at Amit Mohan Prasad said that UP MedicalCollegeandHospital,RG doctors, asuperintendent and a DEEPMUKHERJEE had returnedfromOman on indoors. We have appealedto Municipal Corporation (GHMC) the centres. Under their supervi- will be the firststate in the coun- KarMedical CollegeHospitaland sweeper tested positive.More JAIPUR,APRIL13 March 12,testedpositive. everyone in Ramganj to exercise and Health Department officials. sion maintain astrict vigil. The trytostart pool testing. “Fromto- CalcuttaMedical Collegealso than 200staff and patientswere The administration is relying social distancing but we need He suggested: “Divide the 17 government machineryshould morrow(Tuesday), we will start testedpositive recently, leadingto quarantined, and patientswere WHILEITS“Bhilwaramodel”isbe- oncontainmentmeasuresinclud- complete supportofthe public,” circles in the city into17units. supplytheessentialcommodities pool testing. ICMR has givenper- the quarantine of alarge number shiftedtoothers hospitals. ing replicated elsewhereinthe ing amassive drive forrandom said the minister. Eachunit musthaveaspecial to the people in these Centres.” mission to Uttar Pradesh to start of staffand patients. Manas Gumta, General country, theRajasthangovernment sample collection afteridentify- “Our strategy to tackle the pool testing of suspected cases,” Health department officials Secretary, Association of Health isfacingamajorchallengeinJaipur, ing clusters and strict curfew in- outbreak in Ramganj is basedon Prasad said. The Health Secretary saidtheywereconsideringtaking ServiceDoctors, said, “The state wherethe number of COVID-19 side the WalledCity,wheretwo twopoints—contact tracing and did notelaborateonthe proto- moreprecautions to protect hos- government has notprepared caseshasmorethandoubledinthe deaths were reportedinthe last cluster-wise sampling. We have Surge in Agra cases, UP col and the method of testing. pitals from coronavirus infection. proper treatment and admission lastfewdays—from168onApril9 five days. dividedthe entireareaintovari- “Weare still deciding on the pro- Asenior health department guidelines forsuspected COVID- to 370onMonday. StateHealth MinisterRaghu ous clusters, basedonthe num- count increases to 558 tocol,” Prasad said. officialsaid,“Weare veryworried. 19 patients. Hospitals arealso not Jaipurnowaccountsforabout Sharmasaidthedensepopulation berofaffected persons. Random Meanwhile, the ICMR issued Thereisalready ascarcity of doc- separating or isolating suspected 42percentof thetotal897casesin inRamganjwasamajorchallenge samples arebeing collectedfrom firmedcases in the stateto558. an advisoryonpooledtesting tors, nurses and hospitals in the patients. If so manydoctors, the state. While 39 newcases in implementing the “Bhilwara people living near all these clus- AVANEESHMISHRA Besides 35 from Agra,11new basedonafeasibility study con- state. If this situation continues, it nurses and patientsget infected... were reportedinthe city on April model”. He also pointedto lackof ters. It is good that morecases are LUCKNOW,APRIL13 cases were reportedfrom ducted by it at King George’s will be very difficult to give suffi- the situation will be dangerous... 9, the number went up to 53 on public participation in following coming out as we areconducting Saharanpur,fiveeachfromBasti Medical University,Lucknow. cienttreatmentto coronapatients We arerepeatedly conveyingthis April 10,and 80 on April 11.The the administration’s orders. moretests.This will benefit us in AT Atime when the coronavirus and Meerut, four eachfrom The advisory, that does notal- and non-corona patients.” to stategovernment officials, but lasttwo days have shown aslight “The natureofthe spread of the long run...” he said. containment model of Agra — Lucknow, Noida and Firozabad, lowmorethan five samples to Regarding the closureof theyare notready to acceptit.” dip:40newcasesonApril12,and population is different when it “Wehavedividedthe entire the firstvirus clusterinthe coun- three from Kasganj, twofrom be pooledunless forthe pur- 29 on April 13. comes to Bhilwaraand Ramganj. affectedareainto30clusters...We try—isbeing discussedand ap- Azamgarhand one eachfrom poses of research,says: ANDHRA PRADESH TECHNOLOGYSERVICES LTD According to Chief Medical Ramganj is adensely-populated arealso going door-to-door... So plauded, the number of positive Etawah and Mathura. “Positivity rate in cases is still APTS invites bids from eligible bidders for "Selection of System Integrator for O&M of AP andHealthOfficer(CMHO),Jaipur, area and, in some places, 10-15 far, 4,047 samples have been col- cases in the district rose to 139 Of the 75 cases, 35 arelinked low. Hence, it mayhelp to use eProcurement Platform (Application)ofITE&C Department, GoAP." NarottamSharma, of the total families reside in one building. lected since April 8, when the on Mondaywith 35 newcases. to Tablighi Jamaat’s Delhi con- the pooledsamples forscreen- Important dates and contacts 1. Bid Calling Date 14-04-2020 cases in the city,atleast285 have Moreover, in Bhilwara, our strat- drive started. We aretaking the The statealso witnessedthe gregation, taking the total num- ing... Pooling of sample is not 2. Prebid Meeting date No Prebid meeting been reportedfromRamganj, in- egy of ruthless containment was help of the police, but people are highest single dayjumpwith 75 berofsuchpatientstoatleast recommendedinareas or popu- 3. Last date for receipt of Clarifications on the RFP 21-04-2020,5.00 PM through mail side the WalledCity,wherethe successful because of exemplary still coming out of their houses,” fresh cases in last24hours, tak- 307inthe state, the stategovern- lation with positivity ratesof 4. Issueofclarifications on the RFP 25-04-2020 5. Last date for submission of bids 30-04-2020,3.00 PM firstcase wasreportedonMarch public participation, with all citi- said the CMHO. ing the total number of con- ment said. >5% forCOVID-19.” 6. APTScontact person P. Venkateswara Reddy,Mobile:9963029410 Email :[email protected] 7. RefNo. ITC51-20021/24/2019-E PROC-APTS For further details regarding detailed Tender Document,please visit https:// Stung by virus, lockdown, states want Centre to step in FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL DIES AT 77 www.apts.gov.in and https://tender.apeprocurement.gov.in Sd/- Managing Director,A.P.Technology Services Ltd. Finance Ministryisworking on time-being as thereisaresource September-October,can utilise it LIZMATHEW&MANOJCG the requests and the Centreis crunch.” properly.Bihar will also face the From Narmada NEWDELHI,APRIL13 likelytocome up with “fresh “Situation is moreorless the monsoon and itsimpact from plans” soon. “With anumber of same foralmostevery state. We July,”hepointed out. WITHTHElockdownhurtingrev- statesdemandingthatborrowing don’t have anyrevenue,” Kerala Punjab Finance Minister to Section 377, enue collection and the fight capacity be raised, the Centreis Finance MinisterThomas Isaac ManpreetSingh Badal wantsthe againstCOVID-19costing dearly, likelytoconsider it. Afterassess- said. “Wewant GSTcompensa- Centretoset upaseparateCOVID- states have asked the Centreto ing the cash balance position of tion immediatelyand more 19 budget.“We could have some many landmarks take immediatemeasures in this states,theCentrewilldecide,”said health funds.” extrataxation...Andweshould regard. asource and hinted that the Bihar Finance MinisterSushil propose cuts. The government of Akey demand the states are Centrecould makeit3.5 per cent Kumar Modi suggestedthat the India musttakethe initiative for in six decades making is an increase in borrow- of GDP.Under Fiscal Centreshould allowstatesto somekindof consensusto cutcer- ing capacity.StateslikeKerala Responsibility and Budget utilise sinking funds lying tain expenditurepermanently. It want special bonds so that they Management (FRBM) Act, states unutilised. “For example, Bihar would mean salarycuts, if possi- can borrowoutside normal bor- aremandated to keep the fiscal hasRs7,000croreassinkingfund ble...” he said. APURVAVISHWANATH rowingandthatthisisdoneby RBI deficit at 3per cent of GDP. and we should be allowedtouse Pointing out that the state NEWDELHI,APRIL13 directlyand notthrough banks. Gopal Krishna Agarwal, BJP it to repaythe loans. The Centre does nothaveany revenue, Badal Kerala Chief MinisterPinarayi spokesperson(EconomicAffairs), can pave wayfor it by amending said, “As Finance Minister, Iam FORMER ATTORNEY General of VijayanhasdemandedthatPrime said,“Withinflationundercontrol the law,”hesaid. worried, howdoIrun the state?” India and senior advocateAshok MinisterNarendraModi must and loweroil prices, the Centre Modi also sought the early re- Assam Finance Minister DesaidiedinMumbaionTuesday permit states to issue “pandemic mayhavetousespecialprovisions leaseof fundsto bereceivedbythe HimantaBiswaSarmasaid,“Ihave afterabrief illness. He was77. relief bonds”whichRBImaybere- foraone-time offbalance sheet stateasper the 15th Finance full confidence that Prime Fondlyknown as Ashokbhai questedtobuy at aratebelow5 borrowing with adeclared time- Commission recommendations. MinisterModi will take intocon- in legal circles, Desai beganhis per cent. line. The borrowing limitsof “It should be releasedbeforeJuly siderationthestates’financialpo- practice in 1956 in the Bombay ASHOK DESAI Sources states under the FRBM Actmay sothatthestateslikeBihar,where sitions and take appropriate HighCourt.HemovedtoDelhiaf- 1942-2020 said the also have to be relaxed forthe the elections aregoing to be in measures.” terbeing appointed Solicitor FULLREPORTON General of India, apostheheld www.indianexpress.com from December 1989 to Desai’sfirstbigcasewaswhen December1990.Apublicinterest he appeared againstformer and constitutional lawyer,he Maharashtrachief ministerAR served as AttorneyGeneral of Antulayinthe quid-pro-quo cor- India from July1996 to May ruption matter.Desai wonthe 1998.In2001, hewasawarded case, leading to one of the firstin- the Padma Bhushan and the stances when aministerhad to LawLuminary Award. demit office because of courtor- Desai dealt with several ders.HetookontheMaharashtra landmarkcases including de- governmentagainintheBackbay criminalisation of homosexu- Reclamation case, in whichhe ality,Narmada dam, Illegal successfullyarguedthat the gov- Migrants(Determination by ernment can onlyauction land at Tribunal)ActinAssam,andthe market price and notarbitrarily. VineetNarain case on investi- In 1972,when Vijay gation intocorruption allega- Tendulkar’s ‘Sakharam Binder’ tionsagainsttoppublicofficials. facedaban, it wasDesai who ALondon School of came to his rescue. Desai wasan Economics graduate, Desai important figureinBombaylegal studiedlaw attheGovernment circles during the Emergency to LawCollege in Mumbai along mobilise lawyers in fighting pre- with Fali Nariman, Anil Divan ventive detention cases. He also and Soli Sorabjee, who would fought the SalwaJudum case in later be his peers as India’s the Supreme Courtagainstthe finestconstitutional lawyers. Chhattisgarhgovernment. Lawyers and political leaders includingNCPchief SharadPawar, Congress leader and senior advo- cateKapil Sibal, BJP leader and lawyer Gaurav Bhatia and Supreme CourtlawyerKaruna Nandy expressedcondolences and paid richtributes to Desai. “Saddenedtohear about the demise of Senior Advocateand FormerAttorneyGeneralof India, ShriAshokDesai,abrilliantlawyer andPadmaBhushanawardee.My sincerecondolences to the fam- ily,”Pawar tweeted. WITHINPUTSFROM ENSMUMBAI WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,APRIL14,2020 @ieExplained #ExpressExplained 7 TheOutbreak If thereare questions of current or contemporaryrelevancethat you E EXPLAINED would likeexplained, please [email protected]

EXPERTS EXPLAIN Why it is critical to cocoon the elderly and the vulnerable

who areinfected in ordertoprotect those young adults, the majority would have no youask the elderly and vulnerable house- dren in the family, but theyshould maintain Manyelderly people live by themselves; who arewell, so that thelatter could carry disease symptoms or onlyamild, self-limit- hold members to practise in order to avoid the critical physical distance (minimum 2 theywillneedacaretaker from within the on with normallife. ing respiratoryillness from whichthey getting infected! metres), as school-going children arelikely familyorfromoutside, preferablyone who is But the COVID pandemicisdifferent in would recoverinaweek or two. Theyshould strictlystayathome forthe to bring infection home. Everyone should less than 40 years old. The caretaker should some critical ways.Mortality graphs world- However, theproblemisthattheyare likely next severalmonthsuntil afterthe epidemic wear amask when so interacting. wear amask,and wash hands thoroughly wide showthat case fatality ratesare heav- to pass on the infection to theold and vulner- is over.Government pension, rations, free All should practise frequent and thorough before andafter physicallyhelping them. ilyinfluencedbyage and by pre-existing able individualsintheir households, places of medication etc., should be deliveredathome. hand washing, particularly aftertouching po- Thecaretaker should notcometowork chronic non-communicable diseases. work,oratsocialandreligiousgatherings,even All their physical and emotional needs tentiallycontaminated surfaces suchaswash forfour weeksinthe event of afebrile illness MSSeshadri Mortalitytendstoincrease from about if the group is as small as four or five. mustbemet by the familymembers. basins, taps, doorknobs, buttons in lifts,etc. —eveninany of his/her familymembers. age55, and rapidlysoasage advances. Remember,the elderly and the vulnera- Healthcare needs mustbemet by telephone When hands arewashedwith soap, the tap Time is counted from the dayofrecovery. &TJacob John Therefore, mostCOVID-19deaths occur in ble(due to chronicdiseases)havearisk of consultations. Theyshould neither visit sick mustalso be washedand rinsed. During this time, ayoung relative or family the elderly or thosewith‘co-morbid’ condi- about 10%-15% fataloutcome if infected with people nor entertain anyone with afebrile Preferably, eldersand vulnerable people friend could take charge. “HIDE YOUR grandpas and grandmas,” tions suchashypertension, chronic heartdis- SARS-CoV-2. If the elderly and the vulnerable illness. Theyshould wear amask and specta- should use anapkin/clean handkerchief “Protect the elderly and vulnerable”isa Israel’sPrime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu ease, diabetes, and chronic lung disease. areisolated from others during the time of cles if theyhavethem, all the time when talk- when theyneedtoopen adoor or press a culturallyappropriateslogan and apractical said in his initial response to the COVID-19 Mortality is quitehigh when the elderly have the epidemic, theyhaveagood chance of es- ing even to other familymembers and button. Theyshould notshareamobile strategy to curtail COVID-19mortality,dur- threat in his country—anelegant phrase, chronic diseases. caping infection altogether.Suchisolation, household help. phone with anyfamilymember.Theyshould ing the current public health emergency. born out of commonsenseand cannywis- We mustanticipate that 50%-70% of the fortheir safety, is ‘reverse quarantine’ or ‘co- Theyshould certainlyavoid getting to- keep their toiletarticles separate,and their dom. Truer wordscannotbesaid in the cur- populationwill acquireimmunitybyactu- cooning’. gether in groups to socialise, but remain so- rooms and bathrooms should be sanitised Dr MSSeshadri is retired Professor &Head of rent pandemic, nor can theybeput across allyhaving asymptomatic or symptomatic Howthen do we practise cocooning of ciallyconnectedthrough telephone and social periodicallywith sodium hypochloritesolu- Endocrinology &Medicine, Christian moreeffectively andsuccinctly to all coun- infection before this epidemicisover. That is the elderly/vulnerable? What arethe do’s media. Homeentertainment, playingindoor tion or soapywater.Theyshould use asepa- Medical College, Vellore, and currently trymen at risk. the natural history of anyepidemic of con- and don’ts? It is reallysimple. games, practising hobbies suchasreading, rate bathroom/toilet, if one is available. If they Medical Director at Thirumalai Mission Whyare these wordsofwisdom? tagious disease. All thosesteps youwant aCOVID-19pa- painting,gardening,playing musical instru- do needtoshare, the floor and surfaces that Hospital, Ranipet, Tamil Nadu. Dr TJacob Conventionallyinanepidemic of contagious The majorityofsuchimmune individu- tient or coronavirus infected persontotake mentsetc., will beveryworthwhile pastimes. anyone maytouch should be cleanedwith John is retired Professor &Head of Clinical disease, the approachistoquarantine those alswillbeyoungsters. Among children and in ordertoprevent spreading theinfection, Theycan and should interact with chil- soap and water, before and afteruse. Virology,Christian Medical College, Vellore.

SIMPLY PUT QUESTION &ANSWER How virus attacks, step by step CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK DAILY WORLD AND INDIA COUNTS It is still a‘novel’ coronavirus that causes COVID-19, but the emerging picturehas givenresearchers clues 89,554 127,916 156,363 about howtotargetit. Alook at itsstructure, howitinfects, and the behaviours scientists hope to block United Kingdom Germany Italy 56,956 Turkey the virus also has asugar coat that hides parts KABIRFIRAQUE of itsspikeproteins from the immune cells. 133,685 NEWDELHI,APRIL13 Therefore, the researchers areanalysing France 83,213 the sugar shield, and trying to calculatehow China IN THE search foratreatment forCOVID-19 the spikeproteins move on the surface of the 558,999 disease, researchers have been targeting spe- virus and howtheychange their shape. Using US 73,303 cific behaviours of thenovelcoronavirus supercomputers, the researchers hope to 169,496 Iran (SARS-CoV2) that causes the disease. While identify binding sitesfor antibodies, and plan Spain the virusitself is still being studied, the hunt to comparethese with the binding proper- foratreatment is basedonwhat is known so ties of existing drugs, and thus identify in- 30,589 Belgium farabout the wayitinfectshumans. gredientsthat can blockthe spikeprotein. “Of course, repurposing drugsthat areal- So,how does it infect someone? ready on the marketismuchfasterthan find- TOTALCONFIRMED:1,872,073 DEATHCOUNT:116,098 It begins with the “spike” that givescoro- ing newactive ingredientsand testing them navirusestheir name.Acoronavirus is sur- in lengthyclinical trials,” GerhardHummer, Source: JohnsHopkins University,updated at 11:00pmonApril13 roundedbyafatty outer layer(“envelope”) Director at the Max PlanckInstituteof and on the surface of this layeristhe “corona” Biophysics, said in astatement. (crown) of spikes made of protein. BEHAVIOUR: In astudy lastweek in the On the surface of human cells is an en- Journal of Clinical Medicine,researchers from zyme calledACE2, which acts as thereceptor the UniversitiesofBolognaand Catanzaro INDIA COUNT: 9352 (324 DEATHS) that enables SARS-CoV2 to launchits attack. (Italy) mappedthe interactions between virus The virus’s spikeprotein binds to the recep- Surface of SARS-CoV2, with aspikeprotein moleculeemphasised. MaxPlanckInstitute proteins and human proteins. When the virus tor, then fuses with the cell surface, andre- attacks,the body responds by activating cer- RESTOFINDIA TOP10STATES AndamanandNicobarIslands11 leases itsgenetic material (RNAinthe case tain proteins and deactivating others to hin- ArunachalPradesh1 of SARS-CoV2)intothe cell.The coronavirus iedchloroquine’s role againstthe SARS virus. One setofSolidarity trials is looking at this der it. At thesame time,the body has other Assam 31 that causes SARS, calledSARS-CoV,uses the It found chloroquineprevented thatvirus’s combination of anti-HIV drugs,and another mechanisms that the virus exploits. These Bihar64same ACE2 receptortoinvade acell. ability to attachitself to theACE2 receptors. is investigating lopinavir-ritonavir combined were what theresearchers mapped, identi- Chandigarh 21 1154 Delhi Chhattisgarh31 Once inside, the virus replicates itself by However, because chloroquine causes severe with interferon-beta, amolecule that regu- fyingspecific proteins. Goa 7 using the cell’s molecular mechanism. All side effects, the current trials arebeing done latesinflammationinthe body. “Thisvaluable information aboutthe ef- 483 UP Haryana 185 812 Rajasthan these stages involve various interactions be- with acombination with itsless toxic deriv- The Solidarity trials with the drug remde- fectsofthe newcoronavirus on the proteins HimachalPradesh32 tween virus proteins andhuman proteins. ative hydroxychloroquine. sivir,originallycreated to fight theEbola of human cellsmay provetobefundamen- JammuandKashmir 245 Jharkhand 19 Anytreatment being developedorre- The effect of these twodrugs on SARS- virus, will seek to inhibit the novelcoron- talinredirecting the developmentofdrug 604 MP Karnataka247 searched will look to inhibit these activities CoV2 is still being studiedaround the world. avirus by targeting the action of akey en- therapies, since common antiviral treatments 539 Gujarat Ladakh 15 at one stageorthe other. AT CELLENTRYSTAGE: The chloro- zyme that facilitates itsreplication. Previous seem to be unsuccessful,” lead author 1985 Maharashtra Manipur 2 Mizoram1 quine-hydroxychloroquinecombination studies had shown it effective in animals in- Federico MGiorgi of the University of Bologna 432 Andhra Pradesh 562 Nagaland 1 Whichtreatment specifically tries to comes intoplayagain. Manyviruses enter a fected with SARS and MERS coronaviruses. said in astatement. Telangana 1075 TamilNadu Odisha 54 inhibitwhichactivity? cell by acidifying compartmentswithin the This year,astudypublishedinCell Research Puducherry 7 The Solidarity trials, aWorld Health membrane at the cell surface, and then reportedthatacombination of chloroquine Beyond the Solidaritytrials, arethere Punjab 167 376 Kerala Tripura 2 Organization (WHO) initiative that includes breaching themembrane itself.When chloro- and remdesivir can hinderreplication of studies on specific drugs? Uttarakhand 35 India, areinvestigating four lines of treat- quine and hydroxychloroquine enter the com- SARS-CoV2 in cultured cells. Reportsare emergingfromtime to time. WestBengal 152 ment using existing drugs. Separately, vari- partment, it loses partofits acidity;the aim of In Nature lastweek,aninternational collabo- ousresearchinstitutions arestudying the the trials is to hinder the virus at this stage. What areother studies looking at? ration ledbyresearchers at ShanghaiTech Union Health Ministryupdateasof11pm, April 13. virus’s functioning in the hope that the AT REPLICATION STAGE: Anumber of Some studies arelooking at the structure University reportedsix possible drug candi- Some states mayhavereportedhighernumbers. Onlystates knowledge willleadtorepurposingofexist- trials arelooking at obstructing replication at of the virus, while othersare investigating its dates, whichtheyidentifiedafter testing more with the mostcases arelistedabove. ingdrugs or development of newones. akey step during whichthe virususes en- behaviour as apotentialtargetfor future than 10,000compounds. The project targeted 980PATIENTS DISCHARGED IN 26 STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TheSolidarity experiments aretrying to zymes to break down proteins, leading to a drugs. Forexample: SARS-CoV2’s main enzyme forsplitting pro- find out if virus activity can be inhibited: chain of newviruses. The druglopinavir,for STRUCTURE: At theMax PlanckInstitute teins, Mpro, whichplays akey role in mediat- AT RECEPTION STAGE: This is the tar- example, has been knowntoinhibitthe en- in Germany, researchers identifiedthe spike ing viral replication. Researchers addeddrugs Have aquestion on the COVID-19outbreak and what youshould/shouldnot do? getoftrials with acombination of anti- zyme usedbyHIV to split proteins, butbe- protein as notonlythe sharpestweapon of directly totheenzyme or to cellcultures grow- [email protected] malarial drugs chloroquine and hydroxy- cause lopinaviritself tends to break down in the virus but also itsAchilles’ heel. Antibodies ing the virus, assessing howmuchofeach chloroquine. Part of the hope comes from a the human body,itisusedincombination can recognise the spikeprotein, bind to it, and compoundis requiredto stop the enzyme. Six 2005 study in the Virology Journal that stud- withritonavir,which allows it to lastlonger. markitasatargetfor immune cells. However, drugsappearedto beeffective,theyreported. TheNihangs:oncevaliantwarriors,nowafragmentedcommunity

When wasthe orderformed? peer in the artofmusketry and chakarbazi, nounced theresolution (Gurmata) passed. ligious events and exhibit their martial skills NAVJEEVANGOPAL Dhillon said this can be traced backto and the use of quoits”. Dhillon said Nihangs Their clout came to an end afterthe fall and horsemanship. As per Dr GurmeetSingh CHANDIGARH,APRIL13 the creation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind observe theKhalsa code of conduct in its of Sikh Empirein1849when the British au- Sidhu, professor-in-charge Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. The word nihang,hesays,also strictestsense. “Theydonot profess anyal- thorities of Punjab appointed amanager Singh Chair at Punjabi University,Patiala, THE PATIALAincident in whichagroup of occurs in ahymn in the Guru Granth Sahib, legiance to an earthlymaster... Instead of (sarbrah) forthe administration of the “With theadvent of modernity,the balance Nihangs attackedaPunjab police party and whereitalludes to afearless and unre- saffron theyhoist ablueNishan Sahib (flag) Golden Temple in 1859. “In the recent past, betweenBani(Guru GranthSahib) and Bana choppedoff the hand of an assistant sub-in- strainedperson. “However, thereare some atop their shrines,” said Dr Dhillon. the Nihang chief, Baba SantaSingh, at the (outer form) brokedown, resulting in prob- spector when stoppedfor acurfew pass,and sources whichtrace their origin to Guru Nihangsusetheslogans‘chhardikala’(for- instance of Indian Government had fallen lems and unethical actions. Earlier,Nihangs thesubsequentseizureofweaponsand nar- Gobind Singh’syounger son, FatehSingh ever in high spirits) and ‘tiar bar tiar’(stateof afoul of the mainstreamSikhs as he went would neverattackanunarmedperson.” cotics, has putthe spotlight on the Nihangs. (1699-1705), who once appeared in the ever preparedness) forunforeseen events. on to rebuild the Akal Takht that wasdam- Guru’s presence dressedinablue chola... “The Nihangsare fond of apopular drink aged duringOperationBluestarinJune Who can become aNihang? Who is aNihang? and blue turban with a dumala (piece of called shardai or sharbati degh (sacrament 1984.Some Nihangs, namelyAjit Singh According to Budha Dal chief Baba Balbir Nihang is an order of Sikh warriors, char- cloth formingaplume). On seeing his son drink)whichcontains groundedalmonds, Poohla, collaborated with the Punjab police Singh,any personirrespective of caste,creed acterisedbyblue robes, antiquated arms look so majestic, the Guru remarkedthat it cardamomseeds,poppyseeds,blackpepper, to eliminate Sikh militants,” saidDrDhillon. or religion can be includedprovidedhehas suchasswordsand spears, and decorated shall be the dress of Nihangs,the reckless rose petals and melon seeds. When asmall unshornhair as per theSikh traditionsat the turbanssurmountedbysteel quoits. Sikh soldiers of the Khalsa,” Dhillon said. measureofcannabisisaddedtoit,itistermed Ayoung Nihang in traditional What is their current status? time of entering the sect.“That person should historianDrBalwant Singh Dhillon said, sukhnidhan (treasureofcomfort). Ahigher costume. GurmeetSingh Dr Dhillon said the Nihangs todaycon- also remember the five banis, should wake “Etymologicallythe word nihang in Persian HowwereNihangs different from other dose of cannabis in it wasknown as shaheedi stituteasmall community.About adozen up at 1amfor dailyablutions, should do his means an alligator,sword and pen but the Sikhs, and other Sikh warriors? deg,sacrament of martyrdom. It wastaken bands, eachheadedbyajathedar (leader), prayers in the morning and evening. Anyone characteristics of Nihangs seem to stem As per an account by the EastIndia (while)battling enemies,” said Dr Dhillon. five battalions in 1734,one Nihang or Akali arestill carrying on withthe traditional or- who fulfils these conditions is initiated as a morefromthe Sanskrit word nihshank Company’sColonel James Skinner (1778- battalion wasledby BabaDeepSingh Shahid. der.Prominent among these areBudha Dal, baptisedSikh in an Amrit Sanchar ceremony, whichmeans without fear,unblemished, 1841), Khalsa Sikhs were dividedintotwo What is their role in Sikh history? Nihangs also took control of the religious Taruna Dal and their factions. In the absence following whichheisgiven anew name, pure, carefree and indifferent to worldly groups: “Those who put on blue attire Nihangshad amajor role in defending affairsof theSikhsatAkalBunga(nowknown of acentralisedcommand,the Nihangs are robesand weapons similar to the ones car- gains and comfort.” The 19th centuryhisto- whichGuru Gobind Singh usedtowear at the Sikh panth afterthe fall of the firstSikh as Akal Takht) in Amritsar.Theydid notcon- looselyorganised. Forthe wholeyear they riedbyGuru Gobind Singh when he founded rian Rattan Singh Bhangu describedNihangs thetimeofbattle”and those who “donot rule(1710-15)whenMughalgovernorswere sider themselvessubordinatetoanySikh remain stationedattheir respectivederas the Khalsa,” said Balbir Singh, who asserted as “unaffectedby pain or comfort”, “givento followany restrictions on the colour of their killing Sikhs, and during the onslaught of chief andthusmaintainedtheirindependent (centres) but setout on their annual pilgrim- thattheattackers of policemenin Patialaare meditation, penance and charity” and “com- dress”though both of them “followthe pro- AfghaninvaderAhmedShahDurrani(1748- existence. At Akal Takht,theyheld the grand ageofAnandpur Sahib, Damdama Sahib notassociated with Budha Dal. “A Nihang plete warriors”. fession of soldieryand arebrave without 65). WhentheKhalsaarmywas dividedinto council (Sarbat Khalsa) of Sikhs and pro- Talwandi Sabo and Amritsar,takepartinre- does notattackanunarmedperson.” WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,APRIL14,2020 WORDLY WISE Ihaveachoice —Ican either watch all the dailies, or Ican follow the social media. I

8 THE EDITORIAL PAGE can’tdoboth. —STEVEN SPIELBERG It will take acillage

§ FOUNDED BY § RAMNATH GOENKA Covid crisiscan help us rework relationship BECAUSE THE TRUTH INVOLVES US ALL between city andvillage

EASE THE PAIN Anil Kakodkar

Government and RBI have takensteps to address economic WITNESSINGTHE REVERSE migration of daily We arenow in the knowledge era. And research,technology developmentand man- wage earners in large numbers despitethe knowledge-eratechnologies, in contrasttoin- agement,as well as technology-enabledrural fallout of coronavirus crisis. Moreneeds to be done lockdown to contain the coronavirushas been dustrial-eratechnologies, promotedemocra- livelihoodenhancement. Itwouldtake awhile distressing. Manyevenresorted to walking tisation (social media, forexample) and facil- forthe rural youth to becomeempowered tisdifficult at this moment to accuratelygauge the extent of the economic hurt backtotheir hometowns, hundredsofkilo- itatedecentralisation (workfromhome). It enough to convert the challenges intooppor- causedbythe lockdown to preventthe spread of the coronavirus in India. The metres away,astheir survivalincities, with should thus bepossiblefor an adequatelyed- tunities in rural areas. The emergence of a sharp divergence in the various growth projections that have been put out un- no jobs in hand, became untenable. In con- ucated andtrainedyouth residing in arural new-agesociety is an inevitability.How soon Iderline this stateofuncertainty.For instance, the WorldBank expectsthe Indian trast, some in tune with knowledge-eratech- domain to support asignificantpart of the the rural domain canembraceit and howcon- economytogrowbetween 1.5-2.8 per cent in 2020-21. Nomuraexpectsthe economy nologies have been able to continueworking, manufacturing and service needs of urban ar- currently, comprehensively that can happen, manyfromtheir homes. Whilethelockdown eas, justasanurban youth can supportasig- is the real challenge:That willdecidewhether to contract by 0.5per cent,while Moody’sInvestors Servicehas pegged growth at 2.5 necessarilymeans alivelihood crisis of un- nificant partofthe knowledge and applica- India will gain in the knowledge eraorlag as per cent forthis calendar year.Inlarge part, howdeep the slowdown is will depend not precedentedmagnitude, particularly fordaily tion needs in rural areas. Withtechnologies it did in the industrial era. onlyonhowand when the lockdown is lifted, but also on howquicklynormalcy is re- wage earners, it’s time to thinkwhether are- likeadditive manufacture, internetofthings, Can the migration of daily wage earners stored afterthat. The informal sector is likelytobear thebrunt. But as the GDP num- turntonormalcy should mean backtobusi- and artificial intelligence, well-trainedpeople from cities to villagesdue to theCOVID crisis bers do notfullycapturethe informal economy, they areunlikelytoaccuratelyreflect ness as usual or to seek anew normal. can address needs in both urban and rural ar- hastenthis transition?Theprocesscould also the effect of the lockdown on the informal sector whichisnow facing itsthirdshockaf- The tendency to migratetourbanareas eas from wherever theyare.Iamaware of an beseenasthe migrationofasetofexperiences has been anaturalconsequence of better op- Indian group addressing the troubleshooting, and skills to villages. Can we look at this as a terdemonetisation and the GST. Regardless, the headline economicgrowth forthe full portunities that got createdthere—incon- plant modification and technical documen- potential two-way bridgefor anew relation- year will be well shyofthe 10 percent nominal growth assumedinthe Union budget. trasttolifeinrural areas becoming increas- tation needs of plantsabroad, sitting in India. ship between cities and villages in whichnot Extending the lockdown might well bedeemednecessaryinthe fight againstthe virus, inglyunsustainable.Whiletheremay be Thus, the knowledge erashould, in principle, all needtoreturn to cities, but canrathermeet but it willmean afurther loss of output. Agradual opening up will mean that recovery in several drivers of this situation, the indus- become asignificant income leveller between the needs of citiesaswell as villages by re- large partsofthe countrywill beaprotractedprocess. Duringthis period, as firms’ cash flows trial-eradynamics that ledtocentralisation theurbanand rural domains,with alarge rise maining in villages. Several initiativeswill be remain constrained, and as balance sheetstress intensifies, some of them will beforcedto in support of mass production or massive in theoverall nationalincome. As we embrace neededtorealise suchapossibility. scale up wasclearly amajor one. This, in turn, the knowledge eraand focus on capacity Facilitating anumberofnew skills, tech- retrenchtheir labour force—this will have implications forthe labour market anddomes- also ledtoconcentration of higher educa- building of rural youth, the opportunities in nologies and supportsystemsthat can further tic demand—while some will notbeinaposition to repaytheir loan obligations,which tion/capacity building processes to urban ruralareasshould,in principle,becomehigher leverage current capabilities of these people willhaveimplicationsfor thefinancial system. Thus, policyinterventionsshould be de- centreswhere therewas job growth, quite than those in urban areas since the rural seg- forstartinganew enterprisewouldbeimpor- signedtoensurethat these disruptions areminimisedtothe extent possible. to the detriment of the muchlargerrural do- ment can nowbenefit from all three (agricul- tant. Immediatearrangementstofacilitate While the government and the RBI have takenseveral steps so fartodealwiththe main wheresignificant wisdom did exist. ture, manufacturing and services) sectors of their livelihood, and leveraging their present economic fallout, moreneeds to be done. To begin with, cash transfers to the morevul- The education and training environment be- the economy. capabilities could help retain at leastsome of nerable can be ramped up to ease liquidity constraints. Next, all government dues, espe- camemyopic, essentiallymeeting the man- In the knowledge era, with emphasis on these people in villages. It could trigger afaster ning requirementstorun systems created by capabilityand capacitybuildingofrural youth movement towardsaninevitablelong-term ciallytomicro,smalland medium enterprises (MSMEs), should be cleared immediately. others —with little confidence in creating in terms of holistic education, appropriate equilibrium.Goingforward,weshould take Credit guarantee funds can be setuptoencouragebank lending to MSMEs, and the broader one’sown systems to address needs inde- technology and enhancedlivelihood, thereis knowledge activities to ahigher levelsothat economy, notjusttoinvestment grade firms. Further,the timelinesfor classifying loans pendent of others. In the knowledge era, with apossibility foramorebalanceddistribution the productsand services created by these as NPAs can be relaxed.And as the finance ministerhas previouslystated, sections 7, 9and Whilemany countrieswhichcreatednew emphasis on capabilityand of income as well as population. This would, peoplebecomemorecompetitive.Lookingat 10 of the IBC, whichdeal withinitiationofbankruptcy proceedings, can be temporarily systems and technologies in the industrial era capacitybuilding of rural however, needknowledge bridges to be built disruptivetechnologies forexploiting local op- suspended. The current situationcalls forbold steps by both the government and RBI to climbed up the powerladder,India’s impor- between citiesandvillages,andthe creationof portunities should follow. tance grew primarily because of her demo- youthinterms of holistic an ecosystemwhichhasbeen conceptualised The disruption causedbythe COVID-19 limit the economicstress. Even afterthe lockdown is fullylifted, coordinated action will graphic dividend andthe largemarket that education, appropriate as a“cillage” —asynergistic combination of crisis, particularly in the contextofloss of be required to nurse the economybacktohealth. her people constituted.Rural India suffered technology and enhanced city andvillage. One can safelysurmise that livelihoods at the base of the socio-economic severe neglect in the process, probablyasare- bridging the knowledge gapbetween acity pyramid, is bound to have adeep impact. It sult of poor job opportunities thereand edu- livelihood,there is thus a and avillagewould also bridgethe income will needevery effort to return to normal. cation having lostits role as an enabler of lo- possibilityfor amore gapbetween the two, and lead to afaster Giventhatthe newnormalwould, in any HOMEAND UNSAFE cal development. TheAnanddairyrevolution balanced distribution of bridgingofthe gapbetween theaverageindi- case, be quitedifferent, the rightcourse and sugar co-operativeswereexceptions income as well as vidual income in India and that in industrially would be to channelise the stimulus caused drivenbyafew visionaries wherelivelihood advancedcountries.Democratisation pro- by this crisis towardsacceleratingthe shift Lockdown strategies mustnot be gender blind —mustreach enhancement needs inspired development, population. This would, motedbyknowledge technologies,if properly to anew normal. This will notonlyhelp a whichinturn pulledineducation —inwhat- however,need knowledge leveraged, can in principle reduce disparities, moredispersedpopulation, but will also re- out to women caught in abusive and violent situations ever form it could be leveraged—to rural ar- bridges to be built between which, unfortunately, areonthe rise today. duce disparities and lead to faster growth of eas. Slowly,the countryislearningtocreate cities and villages, and create Realising this dream would naturallyre- the economy. ILLIONS OF PEOPLEacross the worldare under lockdowns in the attempt to systems and technologies to addressher quirealot of preparationand time. Developing flatten the spikingcurveofnovel coronavirus infections.But as the unfolding needs. However, the exercise is, by and large, an ecosystem whichhas been a“cillage”ecosystemwould needarootedand The writer is former chairman of the crisis has also revealed, formillionsofwomen, staying home does notequal urban-centric. conceptualised as a“cillage” integratedapproachtoholistic educationand Department of Atomic Energy Bto staying safe. Home is notasanctuarybut abattlefront, wheremanywomen have little defence againstviolence from intimatepartners and familymembers. The United Nations has warnedagainsta“shadowpandemic” —aspikeinphysical andsex- ual violence againstwomen and girls, as families, facing the pressures of joblosses, hunger and illness, turn on the vulnerable amid them. In France, Argentina, Singapore, the US and the UK, distress calls to helplines areup, as arereports of domestic violence. THE SHADOW OF TERROR In India, the National Commission forWomen has flagged arise in complaintsofdo- mestic abuseand violence, with severalwomen emailing the commission forprotection againstabusive husbands and in-laws —the lockdown means that theyare effectively 2019 EasterSundaybombings showedhow IS regroups by co-opting local affiliates shut in withtheir abusers. Manyhelplines arealso reporting adip in distress calls —in- creasedsurveillance from familymembers might be stopping women from reaching out forhelp. The lockdown has sharpenedthe edge of inequality forother minorities and CUdayBhaskar marginalised, from queer people lockedinwithhostile families to children who face abuse at the hands of their parents. LAST YEAR, ONEasterSunday, Sri Lanka was KasargodinKerala, who went to the Gulf in ated claimsmade by the IS-K about itsprofile At the sametime, in asense, thelockdownisalso afamiliar reality forfar toomany subjected to avicious terror attackbysuicide 2018 fromwhereheisbelievedtohave joined andreach, andthe efficacy of the groupby way bombers. The death toll exceeded250 people, the ranksofthe IS in Afghanistan. of human and material resources. women in India. The home and the lakshman rekha drawn around it stymies the choices, including foreigners. Alocal group, the Howserious is theIS asasecuritythreatto In itsmostvirulentphase(2016-17),theIS freedoms and rightsofseveralwomen, forwhom the worldoutside could be an allyand NationalThoweedJamaat(NTJ) anditsleader, India and the South Asian region? According projecteditself as ade-facto stateinWestAsia. an opportunity.Asthis lockdown shutsdownthat vital breathing space, the government Zahran Hashim,were identifiedasthe perpe- to India’s leading terrorism think-tank SATP It has since been militarilydecimated and its cannotstaygender-blindintheir emergency response. Muchliketheyhavescrambled, trators. The Islamic State(IS) swiftlyclaimed (South Asia Terrorism Portal), 99 persons from leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi neutralised. if belatedly,torespondtothe needsofmigrant workers, agender-sensitive response responsibility and described the bombers as India were confirmedtohavejoinedthe IS in The IS has demonstrated aproclivity to needs to be thoughtthrough, pooling in the resources of community healthworkers and “Islamic Statefighters”. Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. Of these, 48 are re-group by co-opting or merging with cred- activists,toreachout to women caught in potentiallyviolent situations. Shelters and ForIndia, the presence of sleeper cells and already dead and 35 have since returned. ible domestic affiliates, even if theyare lit- modules in the countrythat have linkswith LastOctober,the NIA disclosedthat it had tle-known. The Sri Lankan NTJiscase in helplines forwomen mustbeupand running.The UN,for instance, has advisedcountries Islamic jihad groups is an abiding internal se- arrested127ISsympathisersfrom across India point. In Afghanistan, the IS-K has sought to to sendout astrong messageagainstdomestic violence via lawenforcement agencies; curity challenge. In the immediateaftermath since2014,andthe highestnumberof 33 were position itself favourablyinthe factionaltus- this is the time forpolice officers across the country, too, to exhibit zerotolerancefor of 9/11, therewas speculation aboutthe de- Thepattern that now from Tamil Nadu. Nineteen persons were ar- sle, and the Kabul gurdwaraattackisseen as abusers. The weight of the unfolding economiccrisis will also, mostlikely, fall dispropor- gree to whichalQaedahadbeenableto make obtains is that countries like restedfrom UP,followedby17fromKerala,14 partofthis murderous strategy.Islamic ter- tionatelyonwomen and girls —fromloss of jobs to hunger and the shrinking of school- inroads in India. from Telangana, 12 from Maharashtra,eight rorgroups in the Af-Pak region aredeemed Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and ing opportunities.Asthe lockdown stretcheson, urgent measures might be neededto In recentyears,the focus hasshiftedtothe fromKarnataka, sevenfromDelhi, four each to be as credible as the supportthat theyre- IS. The creation of an IS-Khorasan (IS-K) in from Uttarakhand and West Bengal, three ceive from the deep-state in Pakistan. It is keep India’swomenand children notonlyhome —but also safe. Afghanistan have their own early 2015 with avisible presence in internal surveillance in place from theerstwhile J&K, and twopersons each pertinentthat the mainaccused in the Kabul Afghanistan-Pakistan, seemedtosuggest that fromRajasthan andGujarat andoneeachfrom gurdwaraattackisAslam Faroqi, aPakistan the group is nowtargeting South Asia. The to monitor the activities of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. This degree of national based. propaganda disseminatedbythe IS has made the IS-Khorasan (IS-K). One granularity is testimonytothe close watchthe AfghanistanVice-President Amrullah WORD OF THEYEAR extravagant claims about itsagenda and the characteristic that merits Indian security agencies aremaintaining con- Saleh, aformer intelligence chief, had percep- group is nowonthe regional security radar. notice is the inverse cerning the IS and one mayconjecturethat tively notedthatthe IS-Khorasan presence in The recent terror attackonagurdwarain close intelligence cooperation has been estab- Afghanistanis“an intelligence game played No contest, it’s infodemic —the neologism is actually10years Kabul (March 25) wasalso claimedbythe IS. relationship between the lishedwithin and beyond South Asia. by some of ourneighbours”. India andthe exaggerated claims made by old, but Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has givenitnew life TheIS releasedaphotographof oneof theper- The patternthatnowobtains is thatcoun- other affectednations will have to strive indi- petrators brandishing an assault rifle and iden- the IS-K about its profile tries likeSri Lanka, Bangladesh and vidually and collectively to foilsuchnefarious tifiedhim as Abu Khalidal-Hindi —the suffix Afghanistanhavetheir owninternal surveil- designs. HE INTERNET GIANTS of SiliconValleymustfear thatthe horsemen of the and reach, and the efficacy of indicating that he wasfromIndia. lance in place to monitor the activities of the Apocalypse areabout to step on their tails. Nothing less would have persuaded Investigations indicatedthat thisterroristwas the group by wayofhuman IS-K. One characteristic that meritsnotice is The writer is director,Society forPolicy Studies, the eyeball-collectors to setaside the maximisation math and leadusersdirectly MohammedMuhsin (28), aresident of and material resources. the inverse relationshipbetweenthe exagger- NewDelhi Tto verifiedinformation, without trying to detain them with the claims of ad- vertisers and charlatans. When he announcedthatCOVID-19had been elevatedtothe sta- tus of apandemic, the director general of the WorldHealth Organisation had said that on another front, the worldwas fighting an “infodemic”.Andrew Pattison, digital solutions manager of WHO, had travelledtoSilicon Valleytopleadwith tech firmsabout the false APRIL 14,1980, FORTY YEARS AGO information and charlatans’ cures,whichwerespreading faster than the virus itself. “Infodemic” does notappear in the dictionaries, but seems to have been in use from S ADHUS ARRESTED the defianceofthe ban US OLYMPICS BOYCOTT 2010,todescribeasituation wherethe search forasolution is complicated by abarrage OVER 700SADHUS of theRam Dal sect THE US OLYMPIC committee voted at of dubious dataonthe subject. The word “infodemiology” is slightlyolder,and describes were arrested in Ujjain on the second day INDO-PAK TALKS Colorado Springs (1,604 to 797) nottopar- of the ceremonious Kumbha bath foral- THE HIGH-LEVEL TALKSbetween India and ticipateinthe MoscowOlympics. The com- the use of internetdatatotrack the progress of outbreaks. It is legitimateresearch,while leged violationofprohibitoryorders in force Pakistanonthe “newsecurity problems in mittee acted in response to astirring appeal infodemics arethreatstoour civilisation. over awide area aroundthe Kshipra South Asia” endedinIslamabad withmutual by Vice President Mondale and the promise The internet is agreat equaliser,reluctant to discriminatebetween credible informa- bathing ghats. Theywerereleasedlater. understanding of eachother’spoint of view, of $19million over the next five years if the tion and fringeopinions, and betweenprince and pauper.Inits early years, this wasseen Asserting as an exclusive right to bathebe- although their perceptions of the strategic committee supportedJimmyCarterand as ademocratising virtue. Afterthe advent of bloggingand social media, it became mon- fore anyone else touchedthe holywatersof environment were notidentical.After his Congress. Mondalesaid: “History holdsits strous, as dubious sources elbowedaside hitherto trustedinformation, and the omi- the Kshipra, the sadhus had engaged offi- talkswith Swaran Singh, specialenvoy of breath, forwhat is at stakeisnoless than the nously-named“influencers” swung intoaction. During the COVID-19pandemic, fake cials in an angryseven-hourdebate, but the Prime MinisterIndiraGandhi,Pakistanfor- futuresecurity of the civilisedworld.” He authorities refusedtoconcede to them any eign affairs adviser AgaShahi said: “Weare drew aparallel betweenpost-Afghanistan claims and conspiracy theories about the origin and treatment of the contagion have specialrights. The sadhus had gathered in confident that our discussions with Mr Moscowand Hitler’s Berlin, and said that de- floated up fromthe mostdisreputable neighbourhoods of cyberspace and were ampli- large numbers carrying their paraphernalia Swaran Singh will greatlycontributetothe spiteathlete Jesse Owens’ magnificent per- fied by prominent personalities and worldleaders. Fake news already posedathreat to in contravention of the Section 144CrPC or- creationofapolitical climateconducive to sonal triumph in the 1936 Olympics, it wasa the social health of communities. Now, it is adirect threat to public health. derenforcedlastnight. The arrestsfollowed the building of mutual confidence”. coup forHitler. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,APRIL14,2020 WHATTHE OTHERSSAY “Taiwan is the only one behind Wa shington to attack Ghebreyesus. TheTsai Ing-wen authorities don’t have anydignityasthe island is not acountry.” 9 THE IDEAS PAGE — GLOBALTIMES,CHINA Trump versus ‘ChinaJoe’

ChinahasreplacedRussiaas‘theforeignhand’in Americanpolitics

his investment in the darkartsofdisinfor- mation and social media manipulation has come in handy.Moscowcertainlyhad apo- litical incentive to pokeintothe domestic politics of the Westernworld. After all,the Obama Administration wastouting the virtues of the internetinforcing open Russian politics dominated by Putin. What RAJA MANDALA goes around surelycomes back. The problem wasnot the extent of by CRajaMohan Russianinvolvementorthenatureofits im- pactontheoutcomeofthe 2016 elections.It wasfinding something to (politically) hang AS THE US presidentialpoll due in early Trumpwith.As Trumpgainedground in the November became atwo-horseracewith battle forthe Republican presidential nom- the withdrawalofBernie Sanders, Donald ination, Democratsinevitablybegan to dig Trump’s reelection campaign greetedthe fordirtonhim. (Both parties do this.) presumptiveDemocratic nominee, Joe Butit wasonlyafter Trump’s unexpected Biden, with an attackadaccusing him of victory that the Russia storyacquired alife standing up forChina. of itsown. Democratsrefusedtocome to While Trumpisputting America and its terms with Trump, whom theysaw as a working peoplefirst,the narrative goes, “pretender” in the WhiteHouse. And CRSasikumar Biden, former senator and vice president un- “Russian collusion” became the weapon to der BarackObama, is shilling forAmerican beat him with. The intensepolarisation of corporates who have outsourcedmanufac- US politics around the Russiaquestion has turing to China. Moreimmediately, the had apowerful impact on foreign policy.To Trumpcampaignargues that Biden is shield- thenakedeye,itwouldseemRussiawithits On Ambedkar Jayanti, areminder ing aChina,whichkeptthe worldinthe dark GDP of $1.6 trillion can hardlyposeachal- about the coronavirus. lenge to the US that stands at $22 trillion. Yet, Toosimplistic?Perhaps.Manyhave the US political debatewas obsessedwith calledthe attackadmisleading. But no one the “Russian threat” and it prevented Indian people have alwayssteppeduptoacrisis, reaffirmedcommitment does nuance in the election season. The Washington from evenlimitedcooperation moreinteresting question is whether the with Moscowbasedonself-interest. Russia to shared constitutional values charge againstBiden will stick.As the US be- alsocloudedthe US establishment thinking comes the largest victim of the coronavirus on the natureofexternal challenges con- his call. As aresult, women from poor fami- uted as best to subservethe common good”. —over22,000 dead and counting—the fronting it. lies were givencookinggas connections un- The duty of everyIndian towardsthe fulfil- question of China’srolein triggeringthe pan- As the virusand China move to the top der the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala ment of thecommon good thus is aconsti- demichas inevitablybecomeamajor do- of the US domestic agenda, their impact on Yojana. When he launchedthe Swachh tutional obligation. Article 49 enjoins the mestic political issue, whichcutsacross the Washington’srelationswithBeijingis bound Bharat Mission, PM Modi asked the government to protect everymonument or dividebetween Republicans and Democrats. to be significant. And unlikeRussia, China is peopleofIndia to voluntarilyparticipate placeofartistic or historical importance. The American argument over China in farmorecentral to theUSeconomyand a in the construction of rural toilets. At thesametime, this Articlealsoimposes an election year —Trumphas already powerful political challengertoAmerica’s Swachh Bharat has become amass move- aduty on us to protect thesehistorical brandedBiden as “China Joe” —comes at a global leadership. Ravi Shankar Prasad ment in the lastfive-and-a-half years and monuments. time when the relations between When he launchedhis presidentialcam- large partsofthe countryhavebecome open Article 51A, addedlater,contains the Washington and Beijing have been heading paign lastyear,Biden downplayedthe eco- defecation free. People respondedwith en- chapteronFundamental Duties.Important downhill forawhile. By the time the elec- nomic threat from China and underlinedthe INDIA IS PASSINGthroughadifficult time. thusiasm to PM Modi’s inspiring call to be- amongthese isshowingrespect to the na- tionsareover, the stagemightwellbesetfor importance of continuing political engage- The coronavirus outbreak has turnedintoa come swachhagrahis —theybelieved it was tional flag and national anthem, upholding aprofound rearrangement of the relations ment with Beijing. But Biden wasatodds pandemic that threatens people’s livesall their duty to acceptClean India as anational and protecting the sovereignty, unity and in- between the US and China. with manyinthe Democratic Party, includ- over the world. The virus has no antidote, mission. tegrity of Indiaand protecting and improving But firsttothe “foreign hand”. In India, ing Sanders and his socialistsupporters. does notseem to discriminatebetween rich Last month, the PM appealedtopeople the natural environment. An important duty the role of the “foreign hand” and itspower Theybackcalls forameasureofeconomic and poor and does notrecognise race and re- of India to observeajanata curfew.Healso has been enshrinedbyArticle 55A(j), which to generatepolitical emotion endures. Last decoupling from China. ligion. Confronting it, therefore, requires ade- asked them to clap forall the doctors, para- asks“everycitizen to strive towardsexcel- week,wesaw howquicklythe outragewas Powerful interests —inWall Street and terminedeffortfromall of us. But this chal- medical staffand others who have been lence in all spheresofindividualand collec- built up over the claim that India decidedto Silicon Valley—certainlycautionagainstan lengeisalsoanopportunity.Atthis moment, working amongstCOVID-19patientsatgreat tive activity so that the nation constantly exportHydroxychloroquineto the US under American breakup with China. Meanwhile, we must reaffirm our commitment to the risk to theirlives.Hetook the extraordinary rises to higher levels of endeavour and the presumedthreat of retaliation from the securityestablishmenthas been mov- values enshrinedinour Constitution, whose measuretodeclarealockdown in the entire achievement”. President Trump. ing towardsastrategy of balancing China, architect, Babasaheb Ambedkar,was born on countryfor 21 days.The people of India took It’sIndia’sgreat tradition It would be agreat achievement forthe Thankstothe bitterlegacy of Partition especiallyinthe Indo-Pacific. Manyinthe April 14.Agreat social reformer,Ambedkar it as aduty to payheedtohis message and that the resolve of its people nation if the peopleofthe countryrespond andtheaccumulatedgrievancessincethen, Democratic Partythat support human- described theConstitution as asocial docu- remainedconfinedtotheir homes, since is strengthened whenever the to the challengeposedbythe coronavirus by India and Pakistanare foreverthe “foreign rightscentred foreign policy areequallyea- ment, whichemphasises the significance of maintaining social distancing wasimportant countryfaces acrisis. In the exercising their collective will and perform- hands” in eachother’s domestic politics. gertochallengethe “authoritarian China”. rightsand obligations and also underlines to contain the contagious virus. The entire ing their duties. ManyinitiativesofPMModi Those whodeal with India’sotherneigh- While Trumptries to tarBiden as the the importanceofsocial inclusion and em- countryalso responded to his call to light 1960s, when India faced a and some stategovernmentsare being ap- boursknowhow the “foreignhand”of India “Manchurian candidate”, Beijing is said to powerment of people in the march of free lamps to show unity and resolve during these food crisis, the then prime preciated globally. is always thefirstfactor to explainanyinter- be betting on the formervice president as India. challenging times. minister,Lal Bahadur Today, everyIndian mustremember nal development. the man who might yetsavethe bilateral re- It’s India’s great tradition that the resolve Rights and dutiesare integral to our con- Shastri, appealed to the nottoask what the countrycan give Until recently,itwas assumed that the lationship. Under pressuretoprove Trump of itspeople is strengthenedwheneverthe stitutional architecture, even though fun- them but also reflect as to what theycan problemof the “foreignhand”was afeature wrong, Biden is very likelytoadoptamore countryfaces acrisis.Inthe 1960s,when damental duties were incorporated in the people of the countrytoskip give to the country. Even the Supreme of weak developing countries and their inse- criticalstance, at leastfor thesakeofappear- India facedafood crisis,the then prime min- Constitution muchlater.For instance, citi- one meal everyday.The Court, in its2012verdict in the curepolitical elites. But in the lastfew years, ances, againstBeijing. ister, Lal Bahadur Shastri, appealedtothe zens of the countryhavefreedom of speech, entire countryresponded to Ramlila Maidan incidentcase, observed we have seen the politics of “foreign hand” When domestic contestation over- peopleofthe country to skip one meal every assembly,movement and residence under that therehas to be abalance between infect mostdevelopedstates. The concerns whelmsforeignpolicydiscourse,there is no day. Theentire countryrespondedtohis call. Article19ofthe Constitution. But the same his call. Showing rightsand restrictions on the stateonthe one of the smallerEuropeancountriesinCentral knowingwhere it might lead to.Whatwe Showing commitment to thenational cause Article also talksofaduty:Article 19(2) commitment to the national hand and rightsand duties on the other.It Europe living under the shadowofalarge do knowisthat China has replacedRussia as during times of waris, of course, quitenatu- notesthat the freedoms providedunder cause during times of waris, will createanimbalance if undue or dispro- Russia areperhaps understandable. But,why “the foreign hand” in American politics. ral, but the people of Indiahaverisen to the Article19havetobeexercised in amanner of course,quite natural, but portionateemphasis is giventothe rightsof arethe richand mighty Western Europe and occasion during momentsofnational diffi- that does notadverselyaffect the unity and acitizen without considering the signifi- the US so anxious? The writer is director,InstituteofSouth culties as well, providedthe leadership was integrity of India, the security of the state, the people of India have risen cance of duties. The true source of aright is Russian interference in the domesticpol- Asian Studies, National University of capable of inspiring them. and publicorder and morality.Ittalks of rea- to the occasion during duty.Iamsureduring these trying times iticsofthe West,itisargued, is born out of Singaporeand contributingeditor on Prime MinisterNarendraModi has, on sonable restrictions. Article 17 abolishes un- moments of national everyIndian will remember this. Surely, we Russian political resentmentsbeingchan- international affairs for severaloccasions, appealedtothe people of touchabilityinany form and itspractice is difficulties as well, provided shall overcome. nelledbyPresidentVladimirPutin. And that The Indian Express India and theyhavenever lethim down. forbidden -not to practice untouchability, When he asked those who could paythe thus, is aduty forevery Indian. Article 39 the leadership wascapableof The writer is theUnion Ministerof market price foranLPG cylinder to give up states, “Ownership and controlofmaterial inspiring them. Communication, Law&Justice and their subsidy,croresofpeople responded to resources of the community aresodistrib- Electronics &Information Technology LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR

COME TOGETHER THIS REFERS TO theeditorial, ‘UNSC LETTER OF THE and COVID’ (IE, April 13). During the WEEK AWARD Defender of the sunshine Second Italo-Abyssinian War, when the League of Nations accusedItalian sol- To encouragequality reader diers of targeting RedCross medical intervention, The Indian In memoriam: Ashok Desai worked to protect Constitutional freedoms tents, BenitoMussoliniresponded that “theLeague is very well when sparrows Express offers the Letter of Menaka Guruswamy shout, but no good at all when eagles the Week award. The letter fall out”. Unlikethe League, whichthe adjudged the best forthe US did notjoin, it would be in the global week is publishedevery IWAS 20 years old, afinal-year lawstudent, open up to their readers. when he wasappointedAttorneyGeneral married, as ayoung man. The richtexture interestif, keeping aside their egos, the Saturday. Letters maybe whenIfirstwent to intern forthe Attorney Early on in hislegal career,Desai would forIndia in July1996. Therehewouldargue of hislifeand thelegacy he leavesbehindis five Permanent Members of Security e-mailedto General forIndia. Ishowedupsoearly that teachathis almamater and alsoworkasa awide array of cases representing the in- notjustthat of his deep craftasalawyer, Council come together to discuss [email protected] the office had notopenedyet,and wastoo legal correspondent forthe Times of India. terestsofthe Unionsuccessfully. His array butthe success of his personal life—ofa threadbarethe causes and work out so- or sent to The Indian nervoustocontemplateswitching on any He returnedtothe BombayHigh Courtsoon of dramatic wins as alawyerdidn’tchange partnership built on mutual respect. lutionsfor the pandemic. Express, B-1/B, Sector 10, lights. Isat in acorner in the dark. Afew min- afterand beganwhat would becomeanil- his world, forashetoldushis juniors, “if An eveningattheir home would have at Krishan KumarChug, Delhi Noida-UP 201301. utes later, someone boundeddownthe lustrious and much-storiedlaw practice. youover-celebratethe wins,you the dinner table,writers, artists, scholars steps, looked at me,and said,“It’s always Believinginthe freedom of speechand ex- will have to over-mourn the losses”. and dissidents. His three children Jai, Ami BETTER MANDIS better to be alawyerworking in the light pression, the youngcounsel Ashok Desai It is agood philosophy forall lawyers to andHarsh,overwhom he doted, com- thaninthe dark”. AshokHaribhai Desai had would fight offanobscenity banonVijay live by. pletedthe well-roundedlifethat Ashok THIS REFERS TO the article, ‘After line grocerstomakethe model sus- arrivedathis office. It took me another Tendulkar’splay—Sakharam Binder,about An instance of Desai’s remarkable craft Desai lived. the fire-fighting’, (IE, April13).Asthe tainable. monthtomusterupthe couragetoask fora patriarchy—that debuted in 1974 on the wasmade clear in cases like Nandini Sundar Iamoften asked by young lawyers who countryisheading towardsthe second Sudip Kumar Dey, Kolkata position as ajunior. stageinMarathi. Afew years later, in 1977, vUnion of India,whichhelitigated probono nevermet my senior what he waslike. Isay phase of thenationwide lockdown, Ashok Desai grew up in thecitycalled Desai would be designated asenior advo- for12years. He wasconfronted with are- to them,Ashok Desai waslikeaflowing whichcouldbemorestringentin FEARHURTS Bombay, graduated with adegree in law cate,inrecognition of his craftand integrity portprepared by 15 police officers that steady riveronabeautiful sunnyday. some pockets, the agri-marketing from Government LawCollege, and then as alawyer. That integrity would move him wasdeeplyunsympathetic to the peti- If yousat by that stream, and letthe sun- system forperishable commodities THIS REFERS TO the article, ‘Destitution studiedfurther at the London School of to contestmanyalawand detention dur- tioner’s case —whichchallenged theap- shine fall on you, as it reflected on the can be remodelledtogiveabetter deal or disease’ (IE, April12).The fear and Economics. At Government LawCollege, his ing the Emergency years. He recognised pointment and use of private vigilante water, youcould experience alarger to bothproducers and consumers, stigma associated with the coronavirus seniors includedhis old friend Fali S that the Constitution demanded the pro- groups likethe marauding SalwaJudum. world, of knowledge and light. Likehe while keeping the spiritofthe pandemic aregrowing constantlydue Nariman. He wascalledtothe Bar from tection of her freedoms. This spirit of civil Desai studiedthe reportcarefully, and then told me manydecades ago, it is better lockdown intact. The marketplace- to misinformationand rumours. People Lincoln’s Inn in London in 1956. liberties would stay with him throughout picked and chose everysmall instance and forall of us to work in the light and move basedmodel forlocallygrown agricul- feel unsafe,uneasy,and anxious when He oftenreminisced abouthis time in his life. presented it as an overwhelming case to the away from darkness. In these constitution- tural commodities canbeachieved theirenvironment is suddenly changed England,whereheread voraciously and ex- As is customaryinthe legal profession, SupremeCourt. He would be responsible for allychallengingtimes,Ashok Desai through atie-up with the online gro- and the cause of the diseaseisunclear. plored the city.His romance with the writ- the senior counselfromBombay soon ensuring thatSalwaJudum wasfound un- would tell us, move towardsthe light, and cerystores. The village-basedfarmers’ This is the time forfactsand solidarity tenword, whether poetryorliteratureorpo- movedtoDelhi.Hefirstmovedtothe cap- constitutional. defendthe sunshine that the Constitution collective can be givenvisible slots, instead of fear and stigma, whichcan litical philosophy, startedearly.FromTS ital to assumethe position of Solicitor His equanimity came from Buddhism, guarantees. withpricing,grading, and listingsup- be moreharmful than the disease itself. Elliot’s poetrytoKarlMarx’s Das Kapital or a General of India in 1989, and later estab- whichhelived by.His senseofjoy came portthat can be providedbythe on- Hargunpreet Singh, Patiala Shakespearean play, Desaienjoyedimmers- lished aprivate practice. But, his profes- from his wifeand partner of manydecades, The writer asenior advocateatthe ing himself in the other worlds that books sional legacy would be firmlyestablished Suverna, who he met, fell in love with and Supreme CourtofIndia WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM 10 THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,APRIL14,2020 THE OUTBREAK TheWorld

PANDEMIC WATCH NewYorkgovernorsays‘worst Spain eases lockdown as isover’;tollcrosses10,000 paceofdeath toll slows REUTERS MADRID,APRIL13 REUTERS MEANWHILE NEWYORK,APRIL13 SPAIN, ONE of the countries worsthit by the global coron- NEW YORK Governor Andrew ■ NewYorkCity is in danger avirus epidemic, on Monday Vladimir Putin. AP File Cuomo on Mondaysaid “the of running out of swabs for startedtoease tough lockdown worstisover” forthe state hit COVID-19tests and should restrictions that have kept peo- RUSSIA hardestbythe novelcoron- onlytesthospitalisedpa- ple confinedtotheir homes for Putin:Situation avirus, as hospitalizations ap- tients,thecityhealthdepart- morethan amonth and put a peared to be reachingaplateau ment said in amemo to brakeoneconomicactivity. worsening,army and deaths increasedby671,the healthcareproviders.“Asthe Spain’s cumulative death toll lowest dailytotal in aweek. swab supplycontinuesto from the coronavirus rose to couldbecalledin Cuomo, who has been work- decline, thereisareal possi- 17,489 on Monday, up 517from ing closelywith the governors of bility hospitals will com- 16,972 on Sunday, the Health Moscow: President NewJerseyand Connecticut in pletely run out,”the April 11 Ministrysaid. Confirmedcases Commuters wearing face masksatthe platform of Atocha Vladimir Putin said on response to thepandemic, also health alertsaid. totalled169,496, up from train station in Madrid on Monday. AP MondayRussia might indicated thathewould an- Aworkerinthe healthcare industry greets his daughter 166,019 the previous day. needtocallinthe armyto nounce acoordinated regional through acloseddoor in NewRochelle,New York. Reuters ■ An effort to rush fresh as- However, this wasthe small- help tackle the coron- plan on reopening businesses sistance to US small busi- estproportional daily increase in notrestart,” Interior Minister bustling Atocha train station on aviruscrisisand warned and schools later on Monday. nesses struggling againstthe the number of deaths and new Fernando Grande-Marlaska told Mondaymorning.Road traffic the contagion wasgetting Cuomo told abriefing that an New York,the epicenter of “You’ll starttoopen that valve coronavirus outbreakstalled infections. Cadena Ser radio station. waslighttoo, with mainly public worse afterthe number additional 671New York resi- the outbreak in the United on the economic activity,and in Congress on Monday, as With signs indicating the sit- Lockdown restrictions have buses on the streets. of confirmedcases rose dentsdiedonSunday, down States, has nowrecorded10,056 you’ll turn that valve very the health emergency failed uation wastakingatentative helpedslowaspiralling death Spanish Prime Minister by arecord daily amount. from 758 aday earlier and the deaths —nearly half of the total slowly,”hesaid. “Do it carefully. to overcome differences be- turn forthe better,some busi- rate that reachedits peak in early PedroSanchez said on Sunday Russia reported2,558 lowest dailytotal since April 5. across the US. Do it slowlyand do it intelli- tween Republicans and nesses, including construction April, but theyhavetestedthe re- the decisiontorestart some sec- newcases on Monday, He also pointed to the apparent While he did notprovide de- gently-moretesting, and more Democrats. SenateRepubli- and manufacturing, were al- solve of people cooped up inside tors wastaken afterconsulting a bringing the overallna- plateauingofhospitalizations as tails on the reopening plan, precautions.” cans, who arepressing law- lowedtoreopen. their homes. committee of experts.Any fur- tionwide tallyto18,328. apositive sign. Cuomohas said thatitmakes makers to agree to $250 bil- But mostofthe population “You finallyconvince yourself ther winding down would de- Eighteen people diag- But he hedged his declara- sense to work closelywith the Trump: It is my lion in additional small were still confinedtotheir that we areathome foragood pend on gains made againstthe nosed with the virus died tion that NewYorkhad passed neighboring states of businessaid, chose notto homes, and shops,bars and pub- cause,” said BenitoGuerrero,28- virus, he said. overnight, pushing the the deadlieststage with awarn- Connecticut and NewJersey, decision when to bring the measure forward lic spaces will remain closedun- year-old communication con- “Weare still farfromvictory, death toll to 148. Putin ing thatall thegainsachieved giventhe interconnectedness of reopen economy during abrief Senatesession. til at leastApril 26. sultant still lockedathomein from the moment when we can told officials at atelevised through social distancing could businesses and workers in the People at main transport Madrid. “I wouldn’t want to go pick up ournormallives again, meeting held by video be undone if “wedosomething region. Washington: President Donald ■ The US Supreme Court hubs were handedface masksby backtoworkagain until it is but we have made the firstdeci- link to consider using the stupid” and relaxthose restric- Cuomo said the reopening Trumpsaid on Mondayitwas his said Mondayitwill hold ar- police as theywent to work on strictlynecessarysince that sive stepsinthe path towards armytohelp tackle the tions tooquickly. would be in incremental steps decisionwhen to reopen the US gumentsbyteleconference Mondaymorning. would put my health and others victory,”Sanchez said. crisis, noting howithad “Wecan control the spread. and that he believedthose steps economy, notthatofstate gov- in Mayinkey cases, includ- “The health of workers must at risk.” However, some regional lead- sent doctors and medical Feel good about that,” Cuomo should be informedmainlyby ernors. ing President Donald be guaranteed. Ifthis is mini- Only afew commuters came ers criticisedthe moves, fearing equipment to Italyand said. “The worstisover, if we public health experts and not “It is the decision of the Trump'sbid to shield his tax mallyaffected,the activity can- in and out of Madrid’s usually aresurgenceofthe outbreak. Serbiainrecent weeksto continue to be smartgoing for- politicians. President, and formanygood and other financial records. help. REUTERS ward.” In reopening the economy, reasons. With that being said, The courtwill makeliveau- The United States,withthe Cuomo said the focus would be the Administration and Iare dio of the arguments avail- Italy’s dailyvirus world's third-largest population, on “re-calibrating whatisessen- working closelywith the able forthe firsttime. It had WHO chief: Confident has recordedmorefatalities tial” and wouldatfirstinvolve Governors, and this will con- previouslypostponedcourt- cases decline, IRAN from COVID-19than anyother more“central” workers. He said tinue. Adecision by me, in con- roomarguments forMarch US funding will continue country, with morethan 22,800 moretesting would be needed junction withthe Governors and and April because of the death toll 111newdeaths, deaths as of Mondaymorning, to collect information about who input from others, will be made coronavirus. totalrisesto according to aReuters tally. should be going to work. shortly!” Trumptweeted. REUTERS crosses 20,000 4,585 GENEVA,ZURICH,APRIL13 Pakistan SC THE HEAD of the WorldHealth REUTERS Tehran: Iran’s health min- Organization (WHO)voiced con- ROME,APRIL13 istryonMondayreported questionstop fidence on Mondaythat the another 111deaths from United States would continue DEATHS FROM the COVID-19 thecoronavirus,takingthe health advisor’s funding his agency,despite epidemic in Italyrose by 566on overalltollintheworst-hit President Donald Trump’s criti- Monday, up from 431the daybe- Middle Eastcountryto integrityon cism of WHO’s handling of the WHO chief Tedros Adhanom fore,but the number of new 4,585. Ministryspokes- COVID-19pandemic. Ghebreyesus cases slowedto3,153 from apre- man Kianoush Jahanpour tackling crisis The US is the biggestoverall vious 4,092. said 1,617new infections donor to WHO, contributing The number of newcases took the total number of morethan $400million in 2019, supportive and Ihope that the wasthe lowest since April7. cases in the country’s out- SAJJADHUSSAIN roughly15per cent of itsbudget. funding to WHOwill continue. The totaldeath toll since the break to 73,303, of whom ISLAMABAD,APRIL13 US SecretaryofState Mike The relationship we have is very outbreak came to light on Feb. 21 45,983 had recovered. Pompeo said lastweekthat the good and we hope that this will rose to 20,465, the Civil “Thetrendof relatively sta- EXPRESSINGDISSATISFACTION Trumpadministration wasre- continue,” Tedros said. Protection Agency said, the sec- ble and decreasing new over the performance of Special evaluatingUSfundingto thebody, He said countries in Europe ondhighestinthe worldafter cases of contamination, Assistant to the Prime Minister sayinginternationalorganisations considering lifting restrictions as that of the United States. whichhas been observed on Health in tackling the coron- utilising US taxpayermoney the number of newcases sta- The number of officiallycon- in recentdays,has also avirus crisis in Pakistan, the neededtodeliverontheir goals. bilisesordrops mustbeguided firmedcases climbed to 159,516, continuedoverthepast24 SupremeCourtonMondaydi- Tedros Adhanom by the needtoprotect human the thirdhighestglobal tallybe- hours,” he said. AFP. rected the government to re- Ghebreyesus, WHO director- health. “While COVID accelerates hind thoseofthe United States move him from his post. general, asked about reports that very fast,itdeceleratesmuch and Spain. BELARUS During ahearing on asuo Trumpmight “cut off” funding moreslowly.Inotherwords the Therewere3,260 people in SCARE TACTICS motu caseonthecoronaviruscri- this week,said he had spoken waydownismuchslowerthan intensive care on Monday Nobodywilldie sis in Pakistan, afive-member with him twoweeksago. the wayup. Control measures against3,343 on Sunday-atenth fromvirus,says Twovolunteersplaythe role of a'pocong',or'shroud ghost' to makepeople stay at home benchofthe apexcourtled by “What Iknowisthat he is must be liftedslowly...,” he said. consecutive dailydecline. amid the spread of the coronavirus at Kepuh villageinIndonesia's Central Java province. The Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmedques- president villagehas deployed acastof"ghosts" to patrol thestreets, hoping that age-old superstition tionedthe integrity of Zafar willkeep people indoors and safelyawayfromthe coronavirus. Reuters Mirza, Special Assistant to the Minsk: Belarus President PrimeMinisteronHealth, in tack- Britain’scoronavirus death Alexander Lukashenko ling the COVID-19 crisis andthe said on Mondaynobody transparency of his work done. would die from the coro- “There is an army of minis- toll rises above 11,000 navirus in his countryand Protect women from domestic ters and advisors in place but no again rejected anyneed work is being done,” the Chief forstrict lockdown meas- Justice said,adding that “corrupt tionswould soon be lifted. tive kitfor medics and questions ures. It wasthe latest violence during lockdown:Pope people” have been kept as advi- REUTERS TheBritishdeathtollisthefifth about whether Johnson wastoo showofdefiancebythe sors in the government. LONDON,APRIL13 highestglobally and asenior sci- slowtoimpose alockdown. strongman leader,who prisonguards and sales staffin he said. “Theprime minister’s Cabinet entificadviser to thegovernment Johnson is nowconvalescing has dismissedworries REUTERS stores selling essentialgoods. Domestic violencehas risen has become ineffective...Allthe THE DEATH toll from COVID-19 hassaidthecountryrisksbecom- at Chequers, his official country about the disease as a VATICANCITY,APRIL13 But, speaking from his official as manycountriesimposed provinces aredoing whatever in British hospitals rose to 11,329 ingthe worst-hit in Europe. residence, with his pregnant fi- “psychosis” and variously libraryrather than from awin- tougher restrictions on people theydesire,” he remarkedand di- on Monday as the government - Johnson leftLondon’s St ancee Carrie Symonds. His suggesteddrinking vodka, POPE FRANCIS said on Monday dowoverlooking St Peter’s leaving their homes to halt the rected the government to re- without itsrecuperating leader Thomas’ HospitalonSundayaf- spokesman said on Mondayhe going to saunas and driv- society had to stand behind Square, Francis said: “Sometimes spread of the coronavirus. move Mirza from his post. BorisJohnson -facedquestions terspending aweek there, in- had spokenoverthe weekend ing tractors to fight the women victims of domestic vi- they(women) risk being victims Domestic violence programs Mirzaenjoys thestatus of a over itshandling of the outbreak cludingthree nightsinintensive with Foreign SecretaryDominic virus. The health ministry olence, as abuse increased of violence in acohabitation that across the United States have stateminister. He wasappointed and the impact on the economy. care,beingtreated forthe dis- Raab, who is deputisingfor him. has reported 29 deaths in around the worldduring coron- they bear likeaweightthatisfar citedincreases in calls forhelp. In Special Assistant to the Prime Finance ministerRishi Sunak ease. He said “things could have It wasnot known when Belarus. But Lukashenko avirus lockdowns. tooheavy.” Spain, calls to ahelpline forvic- MinisteronHealth lastyear af- has told colleagues Gross gone either way” forhim while Johnson would return to work. said the fatalities were the Francis praisedwomen in “Letuspray forthem, so the tims of violence increasedby12.4 terthe then HealthMinister Domestic Product could shrink he washospitalised. “Anydecisions whichhe resultofunderlying frontline roles in helping society Lordgrantsthem strength and per cent in the firsttwo weeksof Amir Kayani wasremovedfrom by up to 30% this quarterbecause The government has had to makes in relation to when he re- health conditions in the weather the crisis, mentioning that our communities support the lockdown comparedtothe his postfor failing to checkspi- of the coronavirus lockdown, defend itsresponsetothe out- turns to government work willbe patients. REUTERS doctors, nurses, police officers, them along withtheir families,” same fortnight lastyear. ralling drug prices. PTI The Times newspaper reported, break,with complaintsofinsuf- following the advice of his med- and therewas little hoperestric- ficient testing,adearth of protec- ical team,” the spokesman said. OTHER TOP GLOBAL STORIES North Korea’sKim Jong Un Forest fire near Chernobyl US special representative to poses radiation risk: activists reshuffles top governing body scorched,blackenedearth and meet Taliban negotiators REUTERS the charredstumps of still ameeting of the country’s rub- pandemic that has sweptthe KIEV,MOSCOW,APRIL13 smoulderingtrees. insurgentsofgovernmentde- calledfor the freeing of up to AGENCEFRANCE-PRESSE ber-stampSupreme People’s worldsince emerging in neigh- “According to satelliteim- REUTERS tainees. 5,000Taliban detainees and up to SEOUL,APRIL13 Assembly(SPA) parliament on bouring Chinahas been reported AHUGE forest fire in Ukraine ages takenonMonday, thearea WASHINGTON,APRIL13 Adisputeoverprisoner re- 1,000government prisoners as a Sunday, the state KCNA news in the country. that has been raging formore of the largestfirehas reached leases, an increase in Taliban vi- prelude to aMarch 10 opening of NORTH KOREAN leader Kim agency reported. Pyongyang put thousands of than aweek is nowjustone kilo- 34,400hectares,” Greenpeace THE CHIEF US negotiator of a olenceand other issues have peace negotiations between the Jong Un has carriedout amajor “Thisisarather large scale of itsown peopleand hundredsof metrefromthe defunct said, adding that asecond fire, deal with the Taliban foraUS stalledthe US-ledefforttoend TalibanandanAfghandelegation reshuffle of his StateAffairs SACmembershipshuffle,” said foreigners —including diplomats Chernobyl nuclear powerplant stretching across 12,600 troop withdrawal from America’s longestwar and that includedKabul officials. Commission, official media re- formerUSgovernment North —intoisolation and mounted and poses aradiation risk, hectares, wasjustone kilometre Afghanistanwas to hold talkson decades of strifeinAfghanistan. The Taliban, however, de- portedMonday, replacing more KoreaanalystRachel Lee. disinfection drivesasitsoughtto Greenpeace Russia warnedon away from the defunct plant. Mondaywith insurgent officials AState Department state- manded Kabul release all 5,000 than athirdofits members. Pictures carriedbythe offi- prevent an outbreak,whichex- Monday, citing satelliteimages. Ukrainian officials did not in Doha on “current challenges” ment issuedonMonday said detainees at once before they Kim has establishedaniron cial Rodong Sinmun newspaper perts saycould be devastating Ukraine’s Emergency immediately respond to are- to theUS-ledpeace process, the that Khalilzad departedfor Doha wouldattendthetalks,ademand grip on the levers of authority in showedhundredsoflawmakers givenits weak health sector and Situations Service said it wasstill questfor comment. StateDepartmentannounced. on Sunday. He wastomeeton rejected by Afghan President his nuclear-armedcountrysince sitting in close proximity to each widespread malnutrition. fighting the fires, but that the sit- The firesbegan on April3in The talksbetween US Special Monday with Taliban represen- Ashraf Ghani,whosegovernment inheriting powerin2011. other without wearing protec- “State emergency anti-epi- uation wasunder control. the western partofthe exclusion Representative ZalmayKhalilzad tatives“to discuss current chal- wasnot aparty to the deal. He is chairman of the SAC- tive masks. demic campaign willcontinue to Aerialimages of the 30 km zone and spread to nearby and his Taliban counterpartsfol- lenges in implementing the US- Ghani ordered aphasedre- the North’shighestdecision- Acabinetreport reiterated be intensifiedtoprevent the exclusion zone around the plant, forests. Police identifiedalocal lowthe Kabul government’s free- Taliban Agreement,” it said. leaseof1,500Taliban prisoners, making body -and five of its13 the North’s insistence that“not spreadofCOVID-19,” the cabinet siteofthe world’s worstnuclear residentwho theyaccuse of de- ing of some 300insurgent pris- The February29deal fora of whom some 300havebeen other members were replacedat asingle case” of the coronavirus reportsaid. accident in 1986, showed liberatelystarting the blaze. oners and the firstrelease by the phasedUStroop withdrawal freedsince Wednesday. WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM

THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,APRIL14,2020 11 ECONOMY GOLD RUPEE OIL SILVER `41,705 `76.27 $26.15 `38,100

Note:Spotgold marketsshut duetolockdown in major states. *Indian basket as on March 19,2020 SENSEX: 30,690.02 ▼ 469.60 NIFTY: 8,993.85 ▼ 118.05 NIKKEI: 19,043.40 ▼ 455.10 HANGSENG: 24,300.33 ▲ 329.96 FTSE: 5,842.66 ▲ 164.93 DAX: 10,564.74 ▲ 231.85

*Internationalmarket data till 1900IST COVID-19 EFFECT APP HAS CLOCKED OVER 1.5CRDOWNLOADS WITHIN 2WEEKS AUTO SECTOR AarogyaSetumaybeusedase-pass PV sales fall by over forcitizens;expertsdoubtefficacy 50% in March amid thatagood number of testshave thesignatoriesinthelettersentto Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, wearing a AASHISHARYAN& CONCERNSRAISED been performedacross the coun- the Centre, said that it had home-madeprotective mask,arrives to resume office,in lockdown; bleak PRANAVMUKUL try. And thesepatientsought to analysedtheappandfoundmany NewDelhi, Monday. PTI NEWDELHI,APRIL13 ONPRIVACYTOO have asmartphone withthe app, problematic issues. onlythen can aclusterbeformed Among them, the group said outlook for April too THEAAROGYA Setuapplaunched ■ Ever since itslaunch, forbigger inter-mobile commu- inapublication,wasaclauseinthe by theCentreearlier this month, AarogyaSetuhas raised nication,”aChennai-basedindep- app’s privacy policy whichal- LOCKDOWN IMPACTS DATACOLLECTION whichhas clockedover1.5 crore privacy concerns endentcybersecurityexpertsaid. lowedthe government to “to ENSECONOMICBUREAU PRODUCTION downloads within twoweeksof ■ as manyasnine Anotherfactorthatmighthin- sharepersonal information up- March retail inflation NEWDELHI,APRIL13 going live,might soon be made organisationsand at der the working of the app is that loadedtothe cloud withsuch SHUTONMAR22 intoane-pass formovement of least11individuals it requires Bluetoothand GPSto othernecessaryandrelevantper- ASTHEcountryenteredintoa citizens. Government officials writing to theCentre be always functional. sons in order to carryout neces- easesto5.91% on muted lockdown in the lastweek of ■As manufacturers pointedoutthatafunctionalityfor flagging the usageof “Thereisatechnical concern sarymedical and administrative March onaccountof spreadof closedproduction the app has been suggested and “processing of too, called‘signal interference’. interventions”. demand, low food prices coronavirus and leading pas- from March 22, wherein it can approvepeople, personal dataof Bluetoothoperatesonthe2.4GHz “Thisisproblematic as the senger vehicle(PV)manufac- domestic passenger whoareclearof anythreatof con- individuals” band. When youhavetoo many clause is broadlyworded, allow- food items have increasedquite turersclosedproductionfrom vehicle sales fell 51% tracting or spreading COVID-19 Bluetoothenableddevices work- ing the datatobeshared with ENSECONOMICBUREAU sharply. Thefoodpriceinflationof March 22,the auto industry lastmonth, from a disease, formovement. ing in close proximity withde- practicallyanyone that the gov- NEWDELHI,APRIL13 8.7 per cent will tend to increase. witnessedits biggestdip in year ago “Therehavebeensuggestions thoritiesif therewasanysuspicion vicessuchasWiFirouters, which ernment wants. India does not Also,the food price inflation of salesinatleasttwo decades.If to buildinthisfunctionalityinthe of theuserhavingbeenincontact alsowork onthesamefrequency, have alaw dealingwithpersonal RETAILINFLATIONeasedtoafour- various items likevegetables, domestic PV sales fell 51 per ■Commercial vehicle AarogyaSetuApp;theideaisgood withanyinfectedperson.Oncein- it might cause interference. This, dataprotection whichshould be month lowof5.91per cent in spices, pulses continue to be in centinMarch,thecommercial sales, meanwhile,fell andtechnical feasibilityofthe stalledinasmartphone, the app in turn, will againhamper the ef- limiting datacollection and pro- March from 6.58 per cent in double digits andwith theshort- vehicle (CV) sales fell sharply sharplyby88% same is being worked out,” a detectsother devices with ficiency of the app,” the expert cessing,”theSFLCpublicationsaid. February, with the foodinflation ages witnessedindifferent cen- by 88 per cent. spokespersonfor Ministryof AarogyaSetuinstalledthatcome said, asking nottobenamed. Another area of concern, ex- moderating to 8.76per cent from tres with mandi arrivals being af- Industryinsiders,however, ElectronicsandInformationTech- in the proximity of that phone. Ever since itslaunch, Aarogya perts pointedout,wasthelimited 10.81per cent amonth ago, data fected,thepressurewillbethere,” saythatAprilwillbeworsefor ufacturers (OEMs) struggled nologysaid,addingthatafinalcall Theappcanthencalculatetherisk Setu has raisedprivacy concerns, liability clause of the app, which releasedbytheNationalStatistical MadanSabnavis,chief economist, theindustryastherehasbeen to meetfixed costand work- will be takenbyanempowered of infection basedonseveralpa- whichhad ledtoasmanyasnine says that the government would Office (NSO) Monday showed. CARE Ratings said. zerosalethis month till date, ing capital requirements, he groupconstitutedfor logistics. rameters if anyofthese contacts organisationsandatleast11indi- notberesponsibleif inaccuratein- The retail inflation rate was Among the food and bever- andevenif productionwere to added. “As per our estimates, Apotential move by the gov- is tested positive. vidualswritingto theCentreflag- formation wasfed. based on 66 per cent of the usual ages segment, inflation rate for startonaccount of anyrelax- the auto industryislosing Rs ernmenttouse the app forcon- Cybersecurity experts have ging theusage of and“processing “Whileitexemptsthegovern- price quotations as the nation- vegetableseasedto18.63percent ation in the lockdown norms, 2,300crore in production trollingthemovementof citizens said that while thereislittle clar- of personaldataofindividuals”. mentfrombeingblamedifthein- widelockdownto counterCOVID- in March from 31.61per cent in “wedon’t know if vehicles turnoverfor everyday of clo- to containthespreadof COVID-19 ity on howthe Centrewill track On similar lines, lawyers and formation is notcorrect, italso 19 pandemichadledtosuspensi- February. Inflationrate forcereals couldbetransportedand sure,”Wadherasaid.Headded in thecountry notwithstanding, theseinteractions, the app’s effi- legalexpertshave raisedconcerns means that no liability can be onof fieldworkforpricecollection andproductswasrecordedat5.30 showroomswouldopen,”said thattheindustryisengagedin cybersecurity and legal experts cacy also depends on howmany of proportionality,askingwhether fixedonthe government even if afterMarch 19,while the rest of per cent forMarch against5.23 asenior official withaleading adialogue with the Centre on have raisedanumber of privacy- COVID-19positive users had compelling the app on citizens is the personal information of the the datawas generatedthrough per cent amonth ago, while that automobile manufacturer. policymeasures that could related concerns with the app. downloaded it. “For the app to proportional to benefitsitpro- users so collected and stored is simulations,detailsof whichwere forpulses and productswas at Accordingto datareleased minimise the impact of Theapptracksitsusers’“inter- work efficiently,three conditions vides.TheSoftwareFreedomLaw leaked in the future,” another ex- notprovidedinthe release. 15.85 per centinMarch against by theSocietyofIndianAuto- COVID-19ontheIndianecon- actionwithothers”,andalertsau- aretobefulfilled. The firstone is Centre (SFLC), whichwas among pertsaid. The inflation rate in March re- 16.61per cent in February. mobileManufacturers(SIAM), omyand especiallythe do- mainedwithin the Reserve Bank Inflationforthefuelandlightseg- PV sales lastmonth fell to mestic automobile industry. of India’s(RBI’s) medium-term ment rose to 6.59 per cent from 1,43,014 unitscompared to “Therewould be chal- target of 4±2per cent for 6.36 per cent in February. 2,91,861units in March2019. lenges on the supplyside, de- ● 50%: Share of automotive ● DEMAND SLUMP BEFORE Consumer PriceIndex(CPI) infla- Economists expect the RBI to Similarly,theCVsalesstoodat mand side and also on the is- ‘Autoindustryneeds low industry in India’s industrial VIRUS: The industry was tion,due to suppresseddemand, undertake further rate cuts, 13,027unitsinMarch as agai- sue of availability of finance, GDP; the industry is one of already facing demand especiallyfornon-essentialitems, though inflation maynot remain nst1,09,022unitsinthecorre- whichwouldallneedtobead- costproducts, localisation’ the biggest employers, both slump for over18 months asthelockdownwasimposedto- the primarydeciding factor in spondingperiodlastyear. dressed to bring backgrowth through direct and indirect before novel coronavirus hit wardsthe endofthe month. viewofthe other economic im- While two-wheeler sales inthesector,”Wadheranoted. India’s automotiveindustry will have adoptvarious employment the world Going ahead, economists ex- pact due to COVID-19. “Minutes fell 39.8 per cent in Marchto In the lastfinancial year measures to stabilisebusiness in thepostCOVID-19 pectinflationto beweigheddown from theMarch meeting under- 8,66,849 units, sales of three- (April1, 2019-March 31,2020), situation, areport by Nomurasaid by lowenergypricesandsubdued scorethe RBI’s readiness to act to wheelers also declined by 58 PV sales sawadecline of 17.82 Stepsthatindustryshould ■ Productdevelopment economic activity,evenassome defend againstriskstofinancial per cent to 27,608 units. percentto27,75,679 unitsas adoptpostlockdown: measuresaimedattrimming rise maybeseenonthe food side stabilityand growth outlook.For Totalsales across all cate- compared with 33,77,389 ■ Lowcostproducts coststomarketfornew due to supply-side disruptions. one, moreratecutsofaround 50 gories declinedby44.95per unitsinthe preceding fiscal. ■ Increasedlocalisation products “Thenumberdoesgive asense bps arelikelyafter March’s sub- cent last monthto10,50,367 Similarly,CVsalesdeclined ■ Investmentindigitisation ■ Continuedfocusonexisting of improvement in inflation, duedinflationandincreasinglike- unitsasagainst19,08,097 by 28.75per cent to 7,17,688 ■ Automation cleanmobilitysolutions whichismisplacedgiventhatthe lihoodof anextensioninthelock- unitsinMarch 2019. unitsin2019-20 compared to ■ In-plantstayoflabour real impact of the lockdown will down,” Radhika Rao, economist, “... March 2020 wasone of 10,07,311units in FY19. ■ Enhancedhealthandsafety Challengesfacedbyindustryat be felt sharplyinApril as prices of DBS India, said. the mostchallenging months Two-wheelersalesalsofell practices eachstageofvaluechain: forthe auto sector as the21- by 17.76percentto 1,74,17,616 ■ Productdevelopment daylockdown resulted in unitsinlastfiscal as against Measuresforstabilising ■ Procurement MPC minutes: Outlook bringing the production and 2,11,79,847 units in 2018-19. businessintheCOVID-19 ■ Manufacturing sales of vehicles to astandstill Totalsales across cate- phase: ■ Finance in the lastweek,” SIAMpresi- gories lastfiscal declinedby ■ Adoptionofcosmeticdesign ■ Logistics heavilycontingent dentRajan Wadhera said. 17.96 per cent to 2,15,48,494 changestofacilitateeaseof ■ Sales,marketing&aftersales As revenues took severe unitsasagainst2,62,66,179 surfacedisinfecting Source: Nomura/PTI hit, original equipmentman- unitsinthe preceding fiscal. upon intensity, spread, duration of pandemic BRIEFLY Staffopting for Pharma, medicaldevices industries EGMsthrough Sensexslides new tax regime video, e-voting: ENSECONOMICBUREAU seek ‘essential’ tag for courier services MUMBAI,APRIL13 470points must inform MCA issues “Theyputforwardsomesuggestionssuchastheneedto THE MONETARYPolicyComm- Mumbai: The Sensex employers ENSECONOMICBUREAU declarecourierservicesasessentialservicesgiventheir circular for cos ittee(MPC)of theRBIhassaidthat Monday tumbledabout NEWDELHI,APRIL13 importantroleindeliveryofmedicinesincludingthoseof arresting riskstothe growth out- Steppingup 469.60pointsto30,690.02, look and preserving financial sta- while the broaderNifty fell ENSECONOMICBUREAU PHARMACEUTICALANDmedical diabetes,anti-cancerandotherhighvaluedrugs” ENSECONOMICBUREAU bility should receivethe highest creditflowa by 118.05to endat8,993.85. NEWDELHI,APRIL13 devicecompanieshave askedthe DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS NEWDELHI,APRIL13 priority at atime when the coro- challenge The rupee endedat76.27 government to declarecourier navirus’ “danse macabre” is tak- againstthe dollar. PTI Employees will have to inform services as “essential” and allow FOLLOWINGITS notification last ing acatastrophic toll on human theiremployersabouttheirinten- “all” ancillaryservices and prod- “Theproblemof congestionof Northeast. Zirakpur is the main week that allowedcompanies to lives, economic dislocation is se- THE RBI’Spolicy panel tionto optforthenew optionaltax uctsinpharma productiongiven JNPT portand Mumbai airport distribution centrefromwhere holdextraordinarygeneralmeet- vere andmarketsare in turmoil, says that banks andfina- Paytmoffers regime to enable the latter to their importance in the industry wasalso specificallymentioned. medicines aresuppliedtothe ings(EGMs) viavideo conference according to minutes of the MPC ncial institutions should freee-paper deductTDSwhilepayingsalaries, duringthenationwidelockdown. Dr Vaghela exhorted everyone to wholeofPunjab, Haryana, and pass resolutions requiring meeting releasedMonday. do alltheycan to keep the Income TaxDepartment said “Theyput forwardsome sug- dotheirbest sothatuninterrupted Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & shareholdersto votethroughelec- “Evenasitfights the corrosive credit flowing to econo- NewDelhi: Readers of The in acircularonMonday. gestions suchasthe needtode- supplyofmedicines and medical Kashmir and Ladakh. Similarly, tronic voting, the Ministryof impactof COVID-19onmacroeco- mic agentsfacing finan- IndianExpresscannowread The newincometax regime, clarecourierservices as essential devicesinall parts of the country Baddi,DamanandSilvassaareim- Corporate Affairs(MCA) Monday nomic and financial conditions, cial stress on account of the electronic version of the announcedinthe Budget,pro- servicesgiventheirimportantrole is ensured. portant centres of pharmaceuti- clarifiedmeasures that compa- monetary policy has to provide the isolation the virus has dailynewspaper on the videsanoptionto individualsand indeliveryof medicinesincluding “AIOCD wasasked to ensure cal production. niesmusttaketoallowsharehold- confidence and assuagefear,” imposed. However, it re- Paytm app free of cost, an HUFs to be taxedatlowerratesif thoseof diabetes,anti-cancerand thatmedicineswhichrequire pre- Thepharmaceuticalsindustry ers to participatewhen availing MPCsaidinitsmeetingonMarch mains to be seen howthis initiative by the payments theydonot availspecifiedexemp- otherhighvalue drugs. The need scriptionby lawshouldnotbedis- is producing enough stocksof es- the above twooptions. 27.Inthesechallengingcircumsta- will be done at atime app to provide news amid tions and deductions,likehouse to allowall ancillary services and pensedbyany chemistwithout sentialmedicines,particularly hy- TheMCA,inacircular, clarified nces, monetary policyhas to as- when credit offtakeis the lockdown forced the rent allowance, interestonhome productsrequiredforsmoothrun- prescription,”the release stated. droxychloroquine, to meetboth that companies using this option sumeanavantgarderole.“Thisin- floundering at 6per cent, COVID-19 outbreak. loan, investmentsmade under ningof thepharmaceuticalindus- Vaghelaassured“fullsupport” domesticdemandandexportob- would, through apublic notice, volveseasingfinancingconditions bad loans areset to rise Sections80C,80Dand80CCD.The trywas stressedupon,” stated a from the government in address- ligations. announce howall shareholders forpeople and institutions, keep- and small unitsare CBDTsaidanemployeeintending release by the Department of ing theirgenuine difficulties. The “The production and trans- including those holding physical ingfinanceflowingto allagentsin downing shutters. Assocham to optfor concessionalratesofin- Pharmaceuticals (DoP)following industryalsogave itsfeedbackon portation is being ensured sharesandthosewhohadnotreg- the economy,ensuring that mar- seeksstimulus cometax as providedinthe Bud- avideo conference between DoP issues facedatBaddi (Himachal throughout the countrybythe isteredtheiremailaddresseswith kets do notfreeze up, providing getmay intimatethe deductor or SecretaryPDVaghelaandvarious Pradesh), Zirakpur (Punjab), Departmentwithhelpof State/UT the companycould take partin theassurancethattheRBIisatthe adverse feedbackloop to worsen NewDelhi: Industrybody his employerofsuchintention. industrybodies on Monday. Daman and Silvassa, and in the administrations,” stated the DoP. and voteinthe meeting. forefront in the waragainst thegrowthoutlookevenfurther.” Assocham has approached COVID-19,” the Committee said. “COVID-19isaglobaldanger; thegovernment foranim- OnMarch 27,theReserveBank our defence mustbecollective mediateand an impactful Oil rises 2% after output cut, of India (RBI) announcedathree- and coordinated even with social stimulus package, without Govt likely to table new clause to month moratorium on loan and distancing,”RBIDeputyGovernor gettingweighedinbyany card repaymentsand slashedits Michael Patrasaid. MPC member possible downgrade by but demand worries weigh pause initiation of CIRP for 6months main policyrate—repo rate —by Chetan Ghatesaid the monetary global rating agencies, with alarger-than-expected 75 basis policy onlyhelps to mitigatethe the three-week lockdown well,inanestimated totalcut of wouldconsidersuspendingSect- sionintheproposedordinanceto points (bps)and mandatorycash worse effectsofshocks,and havingimpacttradeandthe REUTERS about 19.5 million bpd. ENSECONOMICBUREAU ions 7,9and 10 of the Insolvency 12 months as the impact of the reserve ratio (CRR) of banksby speedsuptherecovery.“Asnoted broadereconomy. LONDON,APRIL13 Brent futures rose 63 cents, or NEWDELHI,APRIL13 and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). lockdown mayonlyshowupaf- 100bps, releasing Rs 1,37,000 recentlybyformerFedChairman 2.0 per cent, to $32.11 abarrelby Sections7and9oftheIBCpro- terthemoratoriumonloanrepay- croreintothe banking system. Ben Bernankeinan AERarticle, OIL PRICES gained2per cent on 12:36p.m.EDT(1636GMT),while THE MINISTRYofCorporate videfor lenders and operational mentsannouncedbytheReserve The MPC is of the viewthat monetarypolicyhasneverproved TataAIAoffers Monday, afterarecorddeal amo- US West TexasIntermediate Affairs(MCA)haspreparedapro- creditors, respectively,toinitiate BankofIndia endedonMay 31. macroeconomicrisks,bothonthe able to reverse largeshocks.” incentives ng oil producers to cut the rapid (WTI)crude rose 42 cents,or1.9 posal to suspend the initiation of corporateinsolvency resolution “The real impact of this lock- demand and supplysides, Das said the situation cur- rise in supply, amuted impact on per cent, to $23.18.Worldwide corporateinsolvency against process(CIRP)against acorporate down will be felt once morato- brought on by thepandemic rentlyfacing the countryisun- Mumbai:Tata AIALifeInsur- the market as the coronavirus fuel consumption is down roug- companies foraperiodofsix debtor,whileSection10 of theIBC rium is givenbythe RBIonterm could be severe.The needofthe precedented.“It becomes imper- ance has said that,tillJune pandemic hammersdemand. hly30per cent due to COVID-19 months to preventcompanies allows acompanytoinitiateinsol- loans and working capital. hour is to do whatever is neces- ative to makeall-out effortsto 30,itsindividualpolicyhold- The Organization of the pandemic that has killedover from being dragged into insol- vency proceedingsagainst itself. Paymentswill begin to fall due sarytoshield the domestic econ- protect the domestic economy erswillgetCOVID-19related Petroleum Exporting Countries, 100,000 people worldwide and vency,dueto theimpactof thena- TheMCAhad,inMarch,raised andcompaniesmaydefault,”said omyfromthe pandemic. from the adverse impact of the additional benefit up to Rs 5 alongwithRussiaandothercoun- kept entirenations on lockdown. tionwide lockdown amid the thedefaultthreshold forthe initi- ManojKumar,partneratlawfirm RBIGovernorShaktikantaDas pandemic.” lakh at no additional cost, tries—knownasOPEC+—agreed Thatisexpectedtoproducean COVID-19outbreak.Theproposal ation of insolvency proceedings Corporate Professionals. said growth impulses face strong “The outlook is nowheavily while its‘active’agentsand at the weekend to cut output by overhangof supply formonthsor issettobeplacedbeforetheUnion fromRs1lakhto Rs1crore to pre- TheReserveBankof Indiahad headwinds from sluggish aggre- contingent upon the intensity, their spouse and children 9.7 millionbarrels per day(bpd) yearsevenwiththe production Cabinetsoon,accordingto sources vent micro,small and medium allowedallbanksandNBFCsto al- gate demand and disruptions in spread anddurationofthe pan- will be reimburseduptoRs in Mayand June, representing cuts. That maylimit oil-price awareofthe development. enterprises (MSMEs) affected by lowborrowers athree-month supply of labour and keyinputs, demic.Thereisarisingprobability 25,000 in case of hospitali- about10 percentof globalsupply. gains, even afterthe OPEC+ deal, Finance MinisterNirmala the outbreak and lockdown. moratorium on paymentofin- includingimports.“Theerosionof that largeparts of theglobalecon- sationdueto COVID-19.ENS In addition, severalother whichtook severaldays of nego- Sitharaman had earlier an- Experts said the government stallmentsofall term loans out- consumerconfidenceandinvest- omywill slip intorecession,”the countries will reduce output as tiations to complete. nouncedthat the government mayneedtoextendthe suspen- standing as of March 1. mentsentimentcanoperateinan MPC members said. THEINDIANEXPRESS,TUESDAY,APRIL14,2020 ZLATAN SHRUGS OFF COUGHING FIT

AC Milanstriker Zlatan Ibrahimovic trained with Swedish club Hammarbyasthe global football shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic continues, and abrief bout of coughing didn't appear to 12 SPORT trouble him as he practised his shooting.

In his village, Munaf spreads InArizona,golfintimesofpandemic social distancing message Bleachedcarts,tin cups with foam, six-feetdistance: Noida girlAnika’s unusual outing on the greens

playing golf during apandemic.“The Cactus DEVENDRAPANDEY NITINSHARMA Tour is adevelopmental tour,sowedon’t MUMBAI,APRIL13 CHANDIGARH,APRIL13 have anyspectators walking, whichcon- tributes towardssocial distancing. Every FORMER INDIA pacer Munaf Patelisbusy GOLFERS ON the greens were asked to main- stateand county(districts) followtheir own spreading the messageofsocial distancing tain asix-feetdistance. Theywerenot al- setofrules and guidelines. At present, Ican afterfour persons tested positive forCovid- lowedtotalk to eachother,asstrict no-con- onlyspeak about Arizona, wheregolf courses 19 in Gujarat’s Bharuchdistrict lastweek. tact policy wasinplace. Everyplayergot an areopen to playwith the safetymeasures in Patelispartofacommittee in his village exclusive golf cartthat waswashedand place. Playing againstsome LPGAgolfers has Ikhar that helps people in the vicinity to deal bleachedafter eachround everyday.The tin addedtoAnika’s confidence. As acoach, Iaim with the virus. cups at all holes were filledwith foam so that to provide my studentswith awell-rounded On April 10,four individuals tested posi- the golfers didn't have to dip their hand too training and that’s what this tour provides tive in the district whichhad hitherto not deep to take out the ball afteraputt. The us,” says Montgomery. seen anycases. The four cases were detected washroom doors at the venue were never Anika says it wasbecause of her parents among members of aMajilis-e-SooraJamaat shut and everycartonthe course wasstuffed that she could think of travelling to this tour- travelling from Tamil Nadu and put up at a with disinfectant wipes and sanitisers. nament. “My parentsweresupportive of my mosque on the outskirts of the village. Noida girlAnika Varma, 15,got afeel of decision to playgolf in Arizona. Adjustments AWorld Cup winner and an influential golf during the coronavirus pandemic when likethe use of foam and other things arees- figureinthe region, Patelwas asked by the she participated in aCactus Tour event -ase- sential precautions to maintain health safety local administration to spread the messageof ries of tournamentsfor professionals and forthe players. The tour committee has also social distancing. The popular cricketer was amateur players -atPhoenix, Arizona, in the made surethat the carts arewashedwith morethan willing and took to the road on his United States. “Once Istart playing the game, bleachand waterevery day. My coachhelped biketobeatthe villagemarket and addresses Localadministrationwantedme Iamentirelyfocusedongolf. The precautions me adjusttothis newway of training during the people there. torequestpeopletofollow of no-contact policy and sanitising were at this outbreak.Hehelpedmerealise that “Things were normal till lastweek when socialdistancing,theytookme firstabit abnormal but vital to prevent the everyone is fighting the outbreak in their four positive cases were found. The whole toanearbydistrictandasmall spread of the virus and also to continue play- ownway,” the teenager shares. villagehas been sealedand we areunder village.Iwentandrequestedthe ing the sport,” says Anika. With the coronagraph refusing to flatten lockdown now. The panchayatand the com- Arizona takesits golf seriously. While all in the US, the number of golfers participating mittee whichI'm partofhas ensured that es- peopletofollowwhathasbeen big golfing tournamentsaround the world, Afterfinishing acreditable fifthlastweek,Anika Varma has nowmoved to Sun in everyevent on the Cactus Tour has gone sential commodities reachhomes,” Pateltold told.Idon'twantvirustoenter including the US Open, were cancelledor City in Arizona whereshe will be in action at the Union Hills Golf Course. PaigeLee down from 40’s to less than 20. Mother Sonal The Indian Express. andcreatehavocinmyvillage.” postponed, Arizona hasn't yetshut itsgreens. is keeping aclose watchonthe stateguide- He believessocial distancing is mucheas- Since the corona outbreak,the sporthas been lines and latestCOVID-19developments. ier to practise in villages as houses in his area MUNAF PATEL bannedin14American states, adecision that Once Istart playing the game, I Open at Gurgaon. It wasonMontgomery's “When we decidedtotraveltoArizona, our arenot clustered. Afterheretired from the FORMER INDIA INTERNATIONAL closed40percent of the total 16,000 golf am entirely focused on golf. advice that the parentstook a13-hour road relativesinIndia were worried. But theyun- game, Patelchose to live in his villagewhere courses. However, lastmonth, Arizona The precautions of no-contact trip to Arizona. derstood our decision. We areassafehereas he is still called'Munna'. wasdecidedthat poor families will be given Governor Doug Ducey, while announcing re- Mother Sonal speaksabout the impor- in anyother place. Iwould sayweare safer “Barring afew places, mosthouses are priority;that ration will be sent to them first. strictions listedthe exceptions that included policy and sanitising were at tance of golf to the familyand howthe virus than my elder daughter,who attends univer- spread out. It’s notlikeacity whereone The local authorities were requestedtoal- hiking, biking, and activities at the 300golf first abit abnormal but vital to outbreak had made things difficult forthem. sity,works at her labs and goes forgroceries shares walls withneighbours. So social dis- lowthe farmers to work in the fields since it courses in the state. prevent the spread of the virus “I have been in USAwith my twodaughters in California. If something wasnot right, as a tancing is easy to followinvillages. It's sim- washarvesttime. The administration On Monday, the Arizona StateHealth and also to continue playing since lastJune. The situation in California was parent, Iwould notlet Anika play,”says Sonal. ple: Don’t stay in groups, wash your hands agreedbut put in place abasic protocol of so- Department put the number of COVID-19 the sport.” under control when we left. We made sure While Sonal ensures that Anika attends frequently,”Patel advises. cial distancing. The next task forPatel and positive cases thereat3,539 and the death that we had disinfectant wipes and sanitisers all her online classes while travelling forgolf, “The other day, the local administration hiscommittee is handling the Ramzan pe- count at 115. The corresponding overall num- ANIKA VARMA with us. As an amateur,Anika does notget father Sonel drivesAnika’s cartonthe course. wanted me to requestpeople to followso- riod whichstartsonApril 24. bers forthe US have reached5.5 lakh and toomuchofprofessional golf, so this outing “With no crowdatthe courses, her father is cial distancing; theytook me to anearbydis- “Weare working towardsRamzan now. 20,000 respectively.Despitethis semi golf- wasimportant. We had afamilydiscussion taking careofdriving her cartand Ifollowin trict and asmall village. Iwent and requested We have requestedthe vendors to storefruits lockdown in the US, Anikaisbusy.After fin- terAkaansha that the Varmas movedto and afterthat booked an Airbnb in Arizona. another one. Ican see them discussing golf. the people to followwhat has been told. I and all other essential commodities. The ishing acreditable fifthlastweek at Apache California lastyear in June. Once in the US, We undertook a13-hour car trip aftercon- We will take it week by week and decide don't want the virus to enter and create panchayatand the committee have planned Creek Golf Course, she has nowmoved to Sun Anika enrolledatGraniteBay High School at sultations and followedall safetymeasures,” whether or nottocontinue,” says the mother. havocinmyvillage,” he said. to cook food and distributeitdoor to door City in Arizona whereshe will take partina Roseville, California and startedworking she says. Is thereanything that Anika misses dur- during Ramzan. Things arebacktonormal tour event at Union Hills Golf Course. with coachNoah Montgomery, who trains Montgomery, aformer police officer,is ing these restrictive times? Thorough planning here. Those who were positive were taken Forthe young Indian golfer,the journey nine-time Asian Tour winner Gaganjeet also accompanying Anika. His 16-year-old “Anika is atalkative playeronthe course Even before the positive cases were de- fortreatment and those who were in touch from Noida to Arizona has been long. It was Bhullar.Lastyear,Anika got the best amateur daughter Hanna is also aparticipant in the and that’s what she is missing these days,” tected,Patel and his committeehad planned with them were sent forquarantine,” he to facilitatethe education of Anika's elder sis- trophywith afifth-place finish in the Indian tournament. He toounderplays the risk of adds Sonal. howtogodeal with the potential problem. It added.

OVER THE HEDGE by Michael Fry &TLewis CROSSWORD 4091 DAYTODAY BYPETERVIDAL

ARIES (Mar 21 -Apr 20) LIBRA (Sep 24 -Oct 23) One setofplanetary Surprisesawait. I patterns is reckless, cannotpromise that another is optimistic. everything will be The end result could easy,but Ican assure be interesting to saythe least! If youthat in amongstthe thorns, youfeel liketaking amoderate roses will bloom. Be patient and risk then go ahead, as long as wait until next week forthe real your timing is right and you’ve magic, though. But, then, at the consulted all the experts.After risk of sounding trite, magic is all, sometimes lifeisjusttoo all around you-all youhaveto shorttostayinone place. do is look. TAURUS (Apr 21 -May 21) SCORPIO (Oct 24 -Nov 23) Challenging MayIremind you relationships that pride is one of between Mercury the sevendeadly and anumber of sins? I’m pointing CALVIN &HOBBES by Bill Watterson other planets mean that you this out nowbecause you’re maybeforcedtoshiftyour currentlyquiteprepared to position alittle this week.Infact, listentootherpeople, youmay as well give amile as an but Ihope you’ll remember inch, and resolve along-term this piece of advice in about difficulty while you’reabout it. amonth’s time when you’ll be convincedyou’re GEMINI (May22-June 21) number one. CROSS Down Everythingrevolves around your SAGITTARIUS (Nov 24 -Dec 22) 1Bowedold soldiers (7) 1Cares forsome land (5) attitudes and Youare having to do 4Wheredrivers stop (5) 2Theymay be smoked and opinions. The big atricky juggling act, eaten with butter (4,4) question is, areyou prepared to and it seems as if you 7Evenwell-done steaksmay be moreflexible? If not, you have takenonone be nowadays (4) 3Small -and that’s howit’s mayfind that youlose the commitment toomany. You meant to makeone feel (6) 8Its population wasliterally advantageand perhaps sacrifice mustdecide what is to go and very small (8) 4Hestays well away from afriendship. The lastthing you what is to stay.Ifyou don’t work (10) want to do nowisdriftapart makeupyour mind then the 10 It’s usedonwatch(6,4) from somebody who has been choice maybemade foryou. 5Theytaketurns on and off(4) 12 Be bold, perhaps, and aimed so special. And if that happens then you high (6) 6Tear all to pieces sideways (7) maynot be able to influence CANCER (June 22 -July23) the outcome. 13 All the difference between 9Though concerned, possibly MARVIN by Tom Armstrong Jealousy is nota lifeand death? (6) resented it (10) pleasant emotion, CAPRICORN (Dec 23 -Jan 20) but youdofind it far Iknowthat when 15 In charge at the zoo, he’s not 11 Does she preachno tooeasy to become eventsmovefastit the man to panic (4,6) involvement? (8) envious of others’ apparently mayall be alittle 18 Idleness in battle (8) 12 Badlyalignedatthe front (7) marvellous situations. Stop fora scary, but everything moment and think about just in astrology comes in phases. If 19 Fastener forajumper (4) 14 Dexterous, but foradoctor exactlyhow muchyou have youdeal well with current there’s nothing to it (6) 20 Agreed to lose aselfish going foryou. Perhaps, you tension then you’ll be in an ideal characteristic (5) 16 Understood he maybejolly(5) might discover, theythink it’s position to enjoyrelaxed youwho has got it made. conditions next month. You 21 Wrong terrain foracoach 17 It hinges on the number of mayalso be feeling somewhat (7) spectators attending (4) LEO (July24-Aug 23) moreaffluent. Youmay be on SolutionsCrossword4090:Across:11Cardiograph,9Account,10Louse,11Hits, tenterhooksas AQUARIUS (Jan 21-Feb 19) 12Cannibal,14Landed,16Hebrew,18Gorgeous,19Acre,22Spilt,23Eclipse,24 generous Jupiter As things are Uglyrumours.Down:2Ascot,3Drum,4Outlaw,5Relented,6Plumber,7 approaches afresh starting to go right Pathologist,8Yellowfever,13Recently,15Nursing,17Bureau,20Caper,21Alto. relationship with in one area, youmay your chart. You’reonalong- imagine that they term cycle of emotional arestarting to run offcourse in exploration and it’s possible another.Perhaps you’vebeen that you’realready looking doing something wrong: it’s JUMBLED WORDS DifficultyLevel1s forwardtoanengagement important nottobend the Instructions that’s notscheduledtotake rules at this stage, at least Givenbelowarefourjumbledwords.Solvethejumblestomakeproperwordsandmovethemto TosolveaSudokupuzzle, place until next year. notuntil youcan see the lie of therespectivesquaresbelow.Selectthelettersintheshadedsquaresandjumblethemtoget everydigitfrom1to9 4178 the land. VIRGO (Aug 24 -Sep 23) theanswerforthegivenquip. mustappearineachofthe Thetimenottobecomeafatheris______beforeawar-EBWhite(8,5) Youcan payabit PISCES (Feb 20 -Mar 20) nineverticalcolumns,in moreattention than One particular eachoftheninehorizontal 4179 usual to professional disagreement does IREEE CHINST rowsandineachofthe qualms and queries. notwant to go away, nineboxes. You’rebound to feel alittle howevermuchyou SUDOKU emotional about your place in wish it would! It’s the world, but nothing will notinyour naturetogrit your SERAI NRUGHY DifficultyLevel suffice exceptcommonsense teethand carry on, so do what and an appreciation of reality. youcan to makesurethat SUDOKU 1s=Veryeasy;2s=Easy; Justbecause other people have everyone sees that peace 3s=Medium;4s=Hard; their heads in the clouds, that and harmonyare the

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Vol. LXIV No.87Printed forthe proprietors, The Indian Express (P) Ltd by Ms Vaidehi Thakar at The Indian Express Press, PlotNo. EL-208, TTCIndustrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai -400710and publishedfrom1st floor,Express Towers, Nariman Point, Mumbai -400021.Editorial &Administrative Offices: Express Towers, Nariman Point,Mumbai -400021.Phone: 22022627/67440000.Fax: 022-22835726. Chairman of the Board: Viveck Goenka, Chief Editor:Raj Kamal Jha, Editor:Unni Rajen Shanker,Editor (Mumbai): Nirupama Subramanian.* (*Responsible forselection of News under the PRB Act) Additional air surcharge of `1 .00-Goa. Copyright:The Indian Express (P) Ltd. All rightsreserved.Reproduction in anymanner,electronic or otherwise, in whole or in part, without prior written permission is prohibited.The Indian Express®