AP Govt to Take Over Private Hospitals If Needed

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VIJAYAWADA l TUESDAY l MARCH 31, 2020 l `7.00 l PAGES 12 l LATE CITY EDITION SAME TIME NEXT YEAR: NEW NO CHANGE IN DURATION OF GAMES ICONIC STADIUM TO BE QUARANTINE FACILITY The Games will be held over 16 days, as had been originally planned and The Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex in New Delhi will be used as a TOKYO OLYMPICS DATES OUT will now end on August 8. They were due to open on July 24 this year but quarantine facility. As reported by this newspaper, Sports Authority 10 the COVID-19 pandemic forced the first peace-time postponement of the of India had already offered it last week if the need arises. A letter The Tokyo Olympics will begin on July 23 next year, officials Games. In a statement, the IOC said the new dates would give officials the district magistrate sent to the SAI secretary on Monday said it SAI HAS TEN REGIONAL said, just a week after they decided to defer it by a year time to deal with the disruption caused by the pandemic would acquire the complex with immediate effect CENTRES ACROSS INDIA

CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOGGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ WARANGAL ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI AP govt to take over private hospitals if needed Medical institutes told to provide resources to fight COVID-19; State may use hotels, wedding halls, colleges and hostels too

@ Vijayawada This is because there is an im-  beds, rooms, wards, ICUs, ventila- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE Surgical masks, N95 minent need to scale up medical WHAT tors, testing labs, pharmacies, san- CAN YOU DO? masks, PPE, hand THE Andhra Pradesh government facilities for isolation rooms, iso- sanitisers itised mortuaries, and manpower, has passed orders allowing it to lation beds, ventilators and test- Chief Minister YS Jagan  Volunteers (aged 20-35) to for emergency response, rescue use private and non-governmental ing labs, among other things, in Mohan Reddy has  Mobile X-ray machines work in quarantine centres/ and relief operations. The orders healthcare institutes and their in- view of the swelling number of appealed to civil society,  Ventilators isolation wards will come into effect immediately. frastructure to treat COVID-19 pa- positive cases, Reddy explained. philanthropists, NGOs, Meanwhile, Agriculture Minis- tients. “Private medical college- Directives were issued to au-  Pulse oximeters  Supply of food, water, linen, ter K Kanna Babu said officials trusts, organisations sanitation support at attached hospitals and other thorities of private and non-gov- and individuals to chip in  Bi-PAPs were told to identify private hospi- private hospitals in the State are ernmental medical institutes un- quarantine centres/ tals and medical colleges and have and supply medical gear. isolation wards/hospitals required for their services to be der the AP Epidemic Disease He also asked medical  Medical personnel and them empanelled for COVID-19 JOY OF GIVING used in toto for COVID-19 treat- (COVID) Regulations 2020 and Dis- personnel to help the support staff  Philanthropists may contact treatment. Collectors have been ment,” the order, issued by Special aster Management Act 2005, ask- government fight COVID-19. District Revenue Officer told to take over hotels, wedding Farmer R Srinivasulu Reddy, who couldn’t get a good price for his crop, Chief Secretary (health and medi- ing them to make available all  Transport, logistic halls, and even colleges and hos- Here’s what’s needed support (DRO) to get involved distributed bananas to the needy in Kadapa on Monday | EXPRESS cal) KS Jawahar Reddy, said. their resources such as isolation tels to treat patients, if needed.

TWO MORE POSITIVE CASES IN AP The number of coronavirus-infected people in the State rose to 23 on Monday, with a 72-year-old and a 49-year-old testing positive. Both the men had returned to Rajahmundry from Delhi

SIX DEAD IN TELANGANA The Telangana government late on Monday said it has recorded a total of six COVID-19 deaths. The first was reported on March 28. However, no clarity was given on whether the five subsequent deaths occurred in a day or over a longer period | P5 Six nurses at chest hosp in Vizag fall ill

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Visakhapatnam

SIX nurses, who were working in the isolation ward at the Government Chest Hospital in Visakhapat- nam and treating COVID-19 patients, have been quarantined as they reportedly fell sick. The nurses said they were working under stress and had been on the job for eight hours a day without weekly off days. They alleged the hospital management was informed about the shortage of nurses Now, 17 nurses in the ward, but no action was for 70 patients taken. The isolation ward, housing With the six nurses over 70 patients, had just 23 being quarantined, nurses, according to AP Nurs- just 17 nurses will es Association State president have to cater to the Nirmala Kumari. These 70 pa- 70 patients in the tients include six who tested isolation ward. The positive for COVID-19. Kumari nurses had already said the nurses were staying complained of being on the hospital premises, away overworked, and had from their families, which add- said they were under ed to their stress. “The 23 nurs- stress and could not es were working in three shifts even get a weekly of eight hours each,” she said. day off Now, just 17 nurses will have to cater to the 70 patients in the ward, making it more difficult for them to discharge their duties effectively, Kumari explained. Incidentally, more nurses were attached to the VIMS, which is yet to start functioning in its full capacity, she said, adding that additional nurses were not allocated to the Government Chest Hospital. Hos- pital superintendent Dr Ravi Kumar could not be contacted over the phone for his response. Exodus ebbs after Centre cracks whip

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi

A day after the Centre cracked the whip against four senior Delhi government officers for failing to curb the migrant exodus to check the spread of coronavirus and directed all states to seal their borders, there was a semblance of normalcy across India, though some officials exceeded their brief and sprayed bleach on bunches of migrants in at least two states to disinfect them. The government also sought to quell rumours on the extension of the 21-day lockdown, with Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba describing them as “fake news”. It was those rumours that had prodded migrants to leave Delhi in large numbers for their native places. The Army, too, did its bit to dispel fake news, rub- bishing social media posts about a possible declara- tion of emergency in April. The matter of the migrant exodus reached the Su- preme Court as well, with a bench headed by Chief Justice of India S A Bobde and Justice L Nageswara Rao observing that panic and fear had become a big- ger problem than coronavirus. The bench sought a report from the Centre on the measures taken to prevent the migrant workers from going to their native places, after hearing two different petitions through video conferencing. The court said it would not like to create further confusion by issuing directions on measures the government is already taking. 7,060 BOOKED FOR VIOLATING LOCKDOWN NORMS Police have booked around 7,060 persons in the state for violating the lockdown norms, said DGP Gautam Sawang. He conducted surprise checks near PVP and Trendset malls on Mahatma Gandhi Road here on Monday. Sawang said every VIJAYAWADA TUESDAY individual should take responsibility to prevent the spread of 02 31l03 l2020 COVID-19 and strictly follow lockdown guidelines. “We have West Godavari: 08812222376; East Godavari: 8841361763 Srikakulam: 6300073203; Guntur: 08362271492 intensified our vigil against foreign returnees. So far 22,000 foreign returnees have been identifief. Apart from that, Prakasam: 9381470327; Visakhapatnam: 9666556597 1902 Chittoor: 9849902379; Nellore: 9618232115 HELP for any instructions were given to officials to provide exemption for Vizianagaram: 08922227950 / 9494914971; complaints Kadapa: 08562245259; Anantapur: 08554277434 goods carrying vehicles,” the DGP said. He said a help desk has not related to been set up to create awareness on door delivery. LINES 0866-2410978; 9491058200 AP: Krishna district: your health Kurnool: 9441300005

110 KEPT IN ISOLATION Cops emerge unlikely heroes in a pandemic ‘280 from Prakasam Police personnel on duty share problems they face on daily basis during the ongoing 21-day lockdown

RITIKA ARUN VAISHALI and neither let my children go took part in Hazrat @ Vijayawada any way near him till he cleans himself up. But I am proud to EVEN as civilians find safety be a wife of a police officer.” Nizamuddin meeting’ in the comfort of their homes, Meanwhile, there were police and traffic officials have many who were scared to go IVNP PRASAD BABU @ Ongole with sodium hypochloride and been putting themselves in near their family members bleaching powder. The teams great danger and distancing even after sanitising them- AUTHORITIES are said to have would continue surveying for themselves from their families selves. “Even though the very identified around 280 people the next 14 days. by reporting to duty every sin- first thing I do after reaching hailing from Prakasam district The authorities were also gle day amid the existing pub- home is take a shower, I isolate who attended a religious con- mulling to utilise the services lic health emergency. myself in a separate room. gregation at Hazrat Nizamud- of science teachers of govern- Despite knowing that they Usually my wife washes my din in Delhi recently. The de- ment schools. Last week, dis- are highly prone to the conta- clothes. Now I clean up after velopment came after some trict collector P Bhaskar had gion, thousands of cops still myself and wash my clothes, who attended the gathering inquired about the strength of stand firm on the streets to belt, badge and cap. I eat in a tested positive for COVID-19. teachers with district educa- make sure that the civilians separate utensils and wash After an elderly couple from tion officer (DEO) VS Subba don’t contract the novel them outside my house. I sleep Chirala tested positive for the Rao. coronavirus. alone and do not allow anyone virus recently, measures were He told the DEO that, if need- “We do wear gloves and face from my family to come to my taken to increase the number ed, the government would uti- masks, but we are still at a room,” head constable Dasari of quarantine camps and lise the services of these teach- higher risk of contracting the Babu Rao said. Considering strengthen the field-level ers at quarantine facilities and disease as we interact with sev- A traffic cop having his lunch under a tree in Vijayawada on Monday | P RAVINDRA BABU the dangers they have to face, workers. for creating awareness on eral people during the lock- the policemen urged people to As many as 110 of the COVID-19. Even education down. Many a times we have to coronavirus, when I got to said Shiva, another cop, as he whistle, badge and belt in soap cooperate with them and not around 280 people were minister Adimulapu forcibly stop vehicles by grab- home after duty, my children guarded the streets of water and take a shower, which venture out of their homes un- identified and shifted Suresh had previously bing the bike or the riders’ would come and hug me even Vijayawada. have become like a ritual. Only less there was an emergency. to the isolation wards said, headmasters and hands, which goes against the before I removed my shoes. On-duty assistant sub-in- after that I step inside my “We stop people as part of in RIMS-Ongole and education department social distancing norms,” said Now, I don’t allow them to spector Krishna described home.” His wife Lalitha Ku- our duty but some people yell area hospitals in employees would be en- Raju, a quick response team come closer to me till I take what he does after he reached mari went on to add, “I used to at us and throw tantrums. This Marakapur and gaged in the fight against (QRT) official. shower and get properly home. “There is a separate take his cap, watch, wallet, only creates more problems. Chirala. COVID-19, if necessary. The officials are also wor- cleaned up. They are too young bath and washing area in my handkerchief and belt after he We request them to cooperate Their swab and blood sam- On Monday, Ministers Ba- ried about the well-being of and I am scared that they will verandah. As soon as I reach got home. But now I don’t and bear with us in such hard ples were collected and sent to lineni Srinivasa Reddy and their family members. “Before be infected because of me,” home, I soak my uniform, touch any of his belongings times,” the cops noted. the virology laboratory in Suresh conducted a review Tirupati. Teams of police and meeting with the district offi- other officials were now focus- cials about the precautionary sing on tracing the remaining measures being taken in the 170 persons who recently re- wake of COVID-19. The minis- Special sanitation drive turned from Delhi. ters appealed to the public to Meanwhile, 75 teams were strictly follow the restrictions deployed for door-to-door sur- imposed during the lockdown, held in containment zone vey in Chirala-Nawabpeta “which was the only way to area; three rapid response curb the spread of the EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE teams sprayed sodium hy- teams were formed for immedi- pandemic”. @ Guntur pochloride solution on roads, ate response if suspected cases Action plan on the measures doors of the houses in these were identified. to be taken highly-vulnerable AFTER two positive COV- colonies. The teams also Municipal and health staff Chirala-Nawabpeta area was ID-19 cases were reported in cleared waste plants and also took up sanitation drive also discussed. Mangaldas Nagar in the city, drainage. Guntur Municipal Corpora- GMC commissioner C An- tion (GMC) has carried uradha asked the people Arrange food, shelter for migrant workers: Collector out a disinfection to cooperate with GMC Guntur: Guntur district collector I Samuel Anand Kumar has directed drive in the contain- officials and police officials concerned to provide food and shelter to migrant workers who ment zone declared during the lockdown were stranded in the district amid lockdown. The collector conducted a by the authorities. period. Police has re- meeting with officials and said more than 50,000 migrant workers The GMC also ex- stricted any kind of came to the district from different places to work in paddy, cotton, tended disinfection movement in the con- chilli farms. He said more than 20,000 migrant workers in Guntur measures in 36 colonies tainment zone. division and 5,457 migrant workers were identified in Achempeta to control the spread of coro- The commissioner said the mandal. He directed the officials to shift them to relief camps and navirus. The officials re- corporation was taking up arrange drinking water and food for them. Joint collector AS Dinesh quested civilians to stay in special sanitation pro- Kumar, Tenali revenue division sub collector K Dinesh Kumar, joint their homes. gramme in and around Man- collector-2 Sridhar Reddy, DRO Satyanarayana, DMHO Dr J Yasmin, GGH The GMC has formed 62 galdas Nagar in the city to superintendent Dr S Babulal were present. Meanwhile, Guntur Rural teams to spray disinfectants contain the spread of LOCKDOWN IMPACT Superintendent of Police (SP) Ch Vijaya Rao has directed police and bleaching powder. The pandemic. A ration dealer requesting customers to follow social distancing at a ration shop in Vijayawada on Monday | PRASANT MADUGULA personnel to identify stranded migrant workers in the district

Test your number crunching THE PHANTOM skill with our unique puzzle CROSS WORD PETER VIDAL SU KU 31 st March : Cautious alignments are emphasised today. In my opinion it’s DO a day for us all to slow down and take stock, even if our personal horoscopes disagree. Concentrate on what you can achieve in practical terms, and leave speculation for later. Today, I’m planning to steer clear of distractions like phone calls and emails and hope that, by the end of the day, I’ve actually got something to show for my efforts!

ARIES (Mar 21 - Apr. 20) LIBRA (Sept. 24 - Oct. 23) Life is a drama, and there is If you want to have a one particular role that you peaceful existence, then alone can play. The problem please stop making so many is that the way things look at the mountains out of so few molehills. To HI AND LOIS present, you may end up having to pay be perfectly plain, it is about time you as well! It will be truly galling to have stopped worrying about other people to foot the bill on top of putting in so making a mess of their lives, and much effort. started trusting them instead. TAURUS (Apr. 21 - May 21) SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22) If brand new involvements You should continue or associations are to to stick out for what you flourish as you hope, know to be right and just. MEDIUM Solutions to Yesterday’s puzzle everything must be above board from Also, be sure that with the Moon the word go. It is only fair to point out sailing through sensible regions of ■ Fill in the grid that if a partner does practise a little your chart, other people will be on your with digits in such deception, it will only be because they case, so no ducking out at the last BEETLE BAILEY wish for the best. minute. If you do let someone a manner that every row, every column GEMINI (May 22 - June 21) else down, do it gently. and every 3X3 box Personal trouble will only SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 - Dec. 22) arise now if you allow It’s true to say that in a accommodates the partners to feel left out, matter of weeks you will digits 1 to 9, without taken for granted or otherwise unfairly forget that you were ever repeating any. neglected. If that is indeed the case, racked by indecision, or that you were you will have to make amends sooner pulled in so many directions at once ■ Each sudoku has a unique solution that can be rather than later. If an apology is called that you thought you were going to reached logically without guessing. for, then summon up all your courage explode. However, you can expect to and offer it. change your mind one more time. ACROSS DOWN CANCER (June 22 - July 23) CAPRICORN (Dec. 23 - Jan. 20) Good, solid social Your discreet Capricornian BLONDIE 1 Hold forth gold blend tea (5) 2 Spot of wet weather (8) influences indicate that imagination should now be 8 Kind of grey coat (8) 3 High romance? (4,4) ordinary, friendly on show. If it’s meetings will be very much more entertainment you’re after, a spot of 9 Musical Shakespearean flower girl (5) 4 Better when he’s driving in reverse? (6) pleasant than potentially explosive, culture should go down well, and if 10 Sort of key found in a cupboard? (8) 5 A coin used by many passionate encounters. 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This is hardly your fault, so don’t 23 Turns out OK as a second city of Japan (5) 15 Make a deposit of paper money (8) hear, and this might be a let others blame you just because they LOCKHORNS DENNIS THE MENACE very wise policy at home. For the next couldn’t organise a decent get- 24 It’s all a nice change for 19 Make profit from a shipping two weeks, it is almost impossible to together. They have to take the confederation (8) company we hear (6) predict how partners will react. You’ll responsibility for their own actions - or 25 Diplomat taking part in maiden voyage (5) 20 Silent comedy film star (5) be walking on egg-shells part of the lack of action. 26 Egg-producer’s supply at capacity (8) 21 Put down a pound stake (5) time, so tread lightly. PISCES (Feb. 20 - Mar 20) 27 Sequence of command (5) 22 Wood spirit (5) VIRGO (Aug. 24 - Sept. 23) The Piscean temperament Although you are right to should be nicely make as much effort soothed by today’s helpful as you do to please those words and hopeful promises. There YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS you care for, it is fair of you is a vague chance that something to expect them to return the favour. might run into a brick wall. Perhaps Across: 1 Defeatists, 6 Alec, 10 Straw, 11 Cock-a-hoop, 12 Vignette, 13 Exert, 15 Oracles, 17 Stops Hopefully a family member, or you will collide head-first with reality, up, 19 Indiana, 21 Lancers, 22 Rumba, 24 Reveille, 27 Suspender, 28 Drake, 29 Send, 30 Left-hander. someone you’ve been living with, either in the form of financial Yesterday’s will reconsider their previously restrictions or opposition Down: 1 Dash, 2 Ferdinand, 3 Aswan, 4 Incites, 5 Tickers, 7 Loose, 8 Copy typist, 9 Careworn, unhelpful response. from a close partner. 14 Topiarists, 16 Leakages, 18 Steelyard, 20 Abridge, 21 Leveret, 23 Mason, 25 India, 26 Gear. INCREASE VENTILATOR STRENGTH AT CARE UNIT: CM

Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed health officials to increase the strength of ventilators at the critical care unit in Siddhartha Medical College from the existing 55 to 144. Speaking to Krishna collector A Md Imtiaz via video link, the CM also suggested increasing the capacity of non ICU beds VIJAYAWADA TUESDAY l l 03 31 03 2020 to 500 from 450 at the critical care unit. Apart from that, DIAL FOR Big Bazar: 9676786802, 7036274053, Reliance Mart, Chuttugunta: DIAL FOR Modern Super Market: 7799739000, 7799698786, 7799738000, instructions were also given to the collector to increase beds at Amaravati Super Market: 9121680084, Reliance Market: 0866- 6679888, the test care unit in Pinnamaneni Siddhartha Medical College to 800 from DOOR 8978040004, Spencers, Ring Road: 9000234758, Reliance Fresh - MG Road: DOOR 9705231344, Big Basket: (Mobile application best) 9398652199, 9989888333, 600 by Wednesday. Each assembly constituency be equipped with quarantine DELIVERY 9704999041, Reliance Fresh -One Town: 6305800028, Reliance Fresh DELIVERY D Mart: 0866-2434674, 8885760407, Grand Modern: 9701246155, facility for foreign returnees, CM said. Jagan also directed volunteers and ANMs to conduct door-to-door survey every 14 days. VIJAYAWADA -Suryaraopet: 7337328033, Metro: 7799794872 (Only for card holders) VIJAYAWADA Reliance Smart: 8008579698 RTC buses, mini lorries to ensure door-to-door delivery Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has decided to hire 20 RTC buses and mini-lorries for supplying essential commodities to public at their doorstep, says VMC chief V Prasanna Venkatesh. The initiative is aimed at promoting social distancing, which goes for a toss at hypermarkets during the permitted timings

n a conversation with Plans are afoot to shift the roadside tered in Vijayawada are from One with the corporation. Sistla Dakshina Murthy, fish markets to rythu bazars set up Town, Gayatri Nagar, Ayodhya Na- the civic body commissioner across 28 locations in the city. As gar and Ranigarithota. All these Has the civic body equipped the discloses details about the most of the farmers’ markets are es- wards have been declared as contain- sanitary staff engaged in disin- initiatives being taken tablished in open grounds, accommo- ment zones and special teams, com- fecting the containment zones during the lockdown. dating stalls selling fish will not be a prising ANMs and ward volunteers, with precautionary gears? I Excerpts: problem. A meeting will be convened are engaged for door-to-door surveys Around 18,000 masks, procured ini- with fishermen and retailers soon to identify persons suffering from tially, have been distributed among How is the corporation planning and necessary steps will be taken so cold, flu and fever. People in these 3,600 sanitation staff who are work- to ensure social distancing among that the vegetable buyers do not face wards are requested to cooperate ing round-the-clock now. 30,000 more the public? any inconvenience. masks are being procured and will be At present, citizens are panic buying distributed in coming days. Also, the essential commodities, which led to How many foreign-returnees have SENIOR CITIZENS FIRST VMC is taking help of jail inmates an unusual increase in their demand. reached the city? What measures The VMC has decided to prioritise for manufacturing of more masks. Even as people make beelines at su- are being taken by the VMC to senior citizens and those in home permarkets in the city, many return prevent the spread of isolation for door-delivery of essential What steps are being taken to empty-handed due to insufficient coronavirus? commodities from hypermarkets. shift migrant workers and desti- stocks. So, we have decided to hire 20 As many as 59 persons have Prasanna Venkatesh said the city has tutes to the shelter homes? APSRTC buses and mini-lorries for been home quarantined af- around 15 hypermarkets and, after Special teams of the VMC have shift- their use as mobile marts and deliver ter citizens provided infor- Q introducing the door delivery facility, ed around 1,000 migrant workers and food and other commodities at peo- mation to the authorities at & each of them was flooded with 300 homeless poor to the rehabilitation ple’s doorstep. Each vehicle will be the complaint cell set up in A calls per day against 30 during usual centres arranged at two municipal serving three wards in coming days. the command control room. days. Taking a serious note of the schools in the city. . Apart from that, Out of them, 45 have returned matter, the corporation has decided to the corporation has ordered 1,000 Are there any plans to suspend from abroad and the remaining are give instructions to the hypermarkets more beds to be arranged at indoor operation of shops selling meat from other states. One each positive to accord top priority to the senior stadiums and function halls. and fish during the lockdown? case of the novel coronavirus regis- citizens

‘Deny treatment, Further restrictions in place in coronavirus hotspot areas Probe against lose licence’ EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE quarantined in their homes,” excise cop @ Vijayawada he added. EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Vijayawada Elaborating further, the A few days after a patient special officer said the teams ordered GIVING a warning to private hospi- from Ranigarithota of Vi- were also collecting details of tals, Krishna collector A Md Imtiaz jayawada tested positive for those residing in the six EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE has said that strict action will be tak- coronavirus, the civic body wards and whether they were @ Vijayawada en against those who refuse to treat has earmarked a three-km ra- suffering from any symptoms patients suffering from common flu. dius from the patient’s resi- of the contagious disease. THE State government on “Licences of private hospitals will dence, as a hotspot for the Apart from that, focus was Monday ordered an inquiry be cancelled if they send back pa- virus. also on enumeration of sen- against a circle inspector of tients suffering from cold, cough, According to VMC offi- ior citizens living there. excise and prohibition depart- throat pain and similar problems,” cials, there are around 60,000 If any person showed the ment who was caught trans- the collector said. houses in the demarcated symptoms, they would be porting liquor bottles during The decision was taken after a wards of 16, 17, 18, 20, 21 and home quarantined and oth- the lockdown. meeting with Commissioner of Po- 22. ers in need of more assis- Rayavaram Excise CI Tri- lice Dwaraka Tirumala Rao. On Monday, police person- tance would be brought to the nadh Rao was caught trans- The collector directed the district nel, accompanied by special government general hospital porting liquor worth `1.5 lakh medical and health officer (DM&HO) teams from the corporation, in special ambulances, from the government liquor in this regard, and added that a meet- set up barricades to prevent Suresh Babu noted. outlet at Kutalukuru of Ana- ing be convened with Indian Medical vehicular movement and im- The special officer also in- parti mandal on Sunday. He Association every day. pose further restrictions in formed the hotspot zone were was carrying the liquor in his Not only the hospitals, even doc- the entire Krishna Lanka. being cleaned and disinfected own vehicle and another one tors will lose their licence if they The three-km-long service A road leading to Krishna Lanka blocked in Vijayawada on Monday | PRASANT MADUGULA with sodium hypochlorite without a registration num- hesitate to treat the patients. road from Kanaka Durga and bleaching powder. ber. He was caught by the po- “Those who come to the govern- Varadhi to Pandit Nehru Bus Speaking to TNIE, VMC one kilometre radius of the and put them in home He requested the inhabit- lice during the checking con- ment hospitals for treatment with Station (PNBS), has also been AMOH-I and Special Officer patient’s house, to identify isolation. ants to use the door delivery ducted as part of the ongoing complaints of normal cold, cough blocked following the high K Suresh Babu said the spe- the people suffering from “At present, the 65-year-old service to buy essential com- lockdown. Along with the CI, and flu, should be re-directed to the alert announced by the dis- cial teams have launched a normal flu like symptoms or patient’s family and relatives modities from four others were arrested too. private hospitals. trict administration. door-to-door survey within any respiratory syndrome are being examined and hypermarkets. Taking serious view of this, Excise Minister K Narayana Swamy ordered an inquiry. The minister asked excise officials to ensure closure of all DRONES TO bars, liquor outlets and toddy 2,000 food packets distributed compounds during the lock- FIGHT down. The minister also asked EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Vijayawada the department to regularly Exemption to COVID-19 check the stocks in bars and railway staff THE Vijayawada division of the South Central SPREAD restaurants. As per the request of Railway (SCR), in coordination with the Indian the general Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation The VMC may start using drones manager, South (IRCTC) and NGO Amrutha Vastham, has distrib- to disinfect the containment Central Railway, uted 2,000 food packets to migrant workers and zones and coronavirus hotspot Secunderabad, the residents of a few old age homes Budameru Cen- areas. A demonstration was State government tre, Gunadala and YSR Colony, Jakkampudi in the conducted at the isolation on Monday city. centres in New Government exempted the Representatives of the NGO also distributed General Hospital and Siddhartha movement of food to the patients at the railway hospital. While Medical College in Vijayawada railway staffers distributing food, social distancing on Monday. Civic chief V during the lockdown. and hygiene was observed. Prasanna Venkatesh told TNIE Those employees “With the aim to cater to the un- that the civic body has decided carrying their railway derprivileged, the IRCTC has pro- to hire two drones for the identity cards, will vided cooked food in bulk, pre- purpose. An agreement in this be allowed to pared in its kitchen in Vijayawada. regard is likely to be signed commute between Utmost care was taken to prepare with a Vijayawada-based their workplace and vegetable pulao, which was served drone operator soon residence. All district with pickle The CSR initiative was taken by collectors and the IRCTC all over India”, said Divisional Railway superintendents of Manager (DRM) P Srinivas. The DRM further said police were the initiative was part of the decision taken by the requested to initiate Indian Railways to partner with the IRCTC to pro- COVID-19 necessary action in vide bulk cooked food with paper plates to the this regard needy. 200 fishermen intercepted on Guntur, Prakasam border quarantined

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Ongole camp at Royal School in Giddaluru and made arrangements for food and AROUND 200 migrant fishermen from water. Prakasam district reached Diguvamet- Around 80 members from the group With the support ta check-post near Giddalur from Man- were sent to quarantine camp at Poly- of locals and galuru coastal area in four buses on technic in Cumbum. officials, we Monday morning. “With the support of locals, health made Police stopped them at the check-post and revenue officials, we made arrange- arrangements and informed the same to higher offi- ments for all migrant fishermen at the for all migrant fishermen at the cials. Giddalur tahsildar rushed to the Giddalur and Cumbum quarantine Giddalur and spot and took stock of the situation. camps. Food and water were provided Cumbum The officials explained the fishermen to them along with other essentials like quarantine about existing health emergency and blankets and sanitisers. As per the di- camps. Food and lockdown imposed to contain its spread. rections of higher officials, we are go- water were Later, the fishermen agreed to stay in ing to quarantine them here until the provided to COVID-19 quarantine camp. withdrawal of lockdown,” Giddalur cir- them — police RPF distribute food packets to the poor in Vijayawada on Monday | EXPRESS Authorities sent them to quarantine cle inspector Chaitanya Krishan said. official AMARA RAJA GROUP DONATES `6 CR

Tirupati: Amara Raja Group has donated `5 crore to Andhra Pradesh and `1 crore to Telangana. Amara Raja Group Chairman Galla Ramachandra Naidu and his daughter VIJAYAWADA TUESDAY 04 31l03 l2020 Ramadevi handed over a cheque for `5 crore for the AP Chief Minister’s Relief Fund Sum donated VIT-AP University to CMRF Aid provided by ONGC from its CSR fund to Chittoor District Collector Narayana `10 lakh - Telugu film producer Dil Raju Bharat Gupta on Monday. Further, Rajanna H25 H 300 `16 crore as employees’ contribution (two days of their Trust, CSR wing of Amara Raja Group, `1 crore - Aparna Constructions and Estates Private Limited salary) to Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief informed that it would provide aid from an lakh in Emergency Situations (PM-CARES) Fund exclusive fund to the fight against . `1 lakh Krishna District Multi Pharma Association Cr COVID-19 COVID-19 positive cases go up to 23 in State CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY Two more positive cases confirmed, one each from Rajahmundry and Kakinada; 42 people in Guntur isolated 3 lakh HCQ tablets, EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE on March 19, he reached Samal- tised. A total of 68 samples lation ward in a private medical them, 15 are those who trav- 10K masks donated @Vijayawada kot railway station and from were tested from Sunday night college. Their samples were elled from Delhi to Vijayawada there he went to his home in and of which 66 tested negative collected and sent for testing. in the same compartment of EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE will provide them to different THE number of COVID-19 posi- Kakinada on a bike. On March and two tested positive. In Visakhapatnam, 30 sus- the train in which the con- @ Vijayawada people and locations across tive cases in Andhra Pradesh 18 and 19, he visited Aqsa Meanwhile, 148 more people pected cases of COVID-19 were firmed case of COVID-19 from the State as and when neces- touched 23 on Monday with a Mosque. with COVID-19 symptoms were reportedly admitted to an isola- Guntur had travelled on March AS the number of coronavi- sary,” said Andhra Pradesh 49-year-old man from Kakinada On March 20, he visited Noor admitted to isolation wards at tion ward in the chest hospital 17. All of them hailing from dif- rus positive cases are increas- Medical Science and Infra- and a 72-year-old man from Ra- Mosque in Pithapuram on the government hospitals in Kaki- from Sunday evening to Mon- ferent parts of the district were ing in the State with each structure Development Cor- jamahendravaram in East Go- bike and on March 21 he again nada, Guntur, Eluru and Sri- day evening. However, officials admitted to the isolation ward passing day, several private poration (APMSIDC) Manag- davari district tested positive visited the mosque along with kakulam on Monday. As many are tight-lipped and only con- and samples sent for testing. firms have extended ing Director Vijaya for the virus. According to the a friend. On March 29, he devel- as 50 people from Pithapuram, firmed the total number of sus- The remaining nine people a helping hand to the Rama Raju V medical bulletin issued by the oped COVID-19 symptoms and Kakinada and Kadiri in Anan- pected cases in the isolation with virus symptoms were ad- needy people in view The State govern- State government, the 72-year- was admitted to Kakinada tapur district, who attended a wards till Monday evening are mitted to the hospital since of the lockdown. As ment when the com- old man returned from Delhi to GGH. He tested positive for the religious meeting at 72. Sunday night. Six of them part of their corpo- We have the stock panies approached, Rajamahendravaram via Vi- virus on Monday. Pithapuram organised recently In Srikakulam, two are from Tangelamudi rate social responsi- at present. But as had communicated jayawada. On March 17, he trav- The East Godavari district by the man tested positive for people got self-admit- area of Eluru while bility (CSR), they the companies are the information re- elled from Delhi to Vijayawada administration has initiated COVID-19, were admitted to the ted to the isolation three are from Gan- have volunteered to willing to help we garding necessary in Duronto Express. measures to contain the entire isolation ward in Kakinada ward at the Govern- dugolanu, Chataparru make available the thought of using products to it. As per He reached Vijayawada on region in a 3 km radius of the GGH. Their samples were col- ment General Hospital and Ponnangi villages. products, which are their aid to buy the information, the more stock, which March 18 and took bus for Ra- residence of the two patients lected and sent for testing. with complaints of cold Meanwhile, on the di- necessary to meet will be useful in State needs 2.5 lakh jamahendravaram. After and people who came in contact Similarly, 42 people from var- and cough. They were in rectives of Krishna District the medical needs in the coming days N95 masks and 2 reaching home, he did not go with them are being tracked. ious parts of Guntur district, touch with a person, who re- Collector A Md Imtiyaz, a total the prevailing as new makeshift lakh personal pro- anywhere. On March 29, he de- The localities of both positive who recently attended a reli- turned from Spain, but tested of 42 people were shifted to conditions. hospitals are tective equipment veloped COVID-19 symptoms cases in Rajamahendravaram gious meeting in Delhi and re- negative and discharged later quarantine centre. Among A few companies being set up in (PPE). and was admitted to the district and Kakinada are being sani- turned were admitted to an iso- form the hospital. That person them, 28 have returned from have donated 3 lakh the State “We have the stock hospital in Rajamahendravar- is now in home isolation. Sam- Delhi, where they attended a hydroxychloroquine Vijaya Rama Raju V, at present. But as the am where his samples were ples of those two people, who religious meeting one week (HCQ) tablets and APMSIDC MD companies are will- taken and sent for testing. On Man with COVID-19 symptoms succumbs are from Srikakulam were sent ago. On Monday, the mother of 10,000 N95 masks to ing to help we Monday, he tested positive. Kakinada: A 62-year-old with COVID-19 symptoms, who was for testing. one of them died. Though she the government. thought of using The 49-year-old man re- undergoing treatment in Rajahmundry district hospital, died on Health authorities of West was not having any COVID-19 This apart, some of the phar- their aid to buy more stock, turned from Delhi and tested Monday night, special chief secretary (medical and health) KS Jawahar Godavari district, shifted 24 symptoms, as a precautionary maceutical companies have which will be useful in the positive for COVID-19. On Reddy said. His test results were still awaited. The person reportedly people to isolation wards in measure 15 people who partici- also committed to provide coming days as new make- March 17, he travelled from came in contact with a coronavirus positive patient who recently Eluru Government General pated in her burial, were also anti-viral drugs. “We have re- shift hospitals are being set Delhi to Samalkot. At 1:30 am returned from Delhi after attending a religious meeting Hospital on Monday. Among shifted to quarantine centre. ceived the products and we up,” he said. Special teams in urban Dockyard designs portable areas to strengthen multi-feed corona surveillance oxygen device EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE der its purview,” he said. EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @Vijayawada The secondary level team @ Visakhapatnam comprises a doctor and a sup- FOCUSING on urban areas porting team for each division NAVAL Dockyard, Visakhapat- where the population density is in municipal corporations and nam, has designed an innova- more and susceptibility to cor- a doctor and supporting team tive portable multi-feed oxygen onavirus is higher, Chief Min- for 2-3 wards in municipalities. manifold (MOM) using a six- ister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy Every day data from the Prima- way radial header fitted to a on Monday directed the district ry Surveillance Team will be single cylinder. This innova- collectors and higher officials analysed and in case of any tion would enable one oxygen to form special surveillance suspects, it will act as per pro- bottle to supply six patients teams for containing spread of tocol and do the needful, Kan- concurrently, thus enabling COVID-19. The Primary Sur- nababu explained. As of now, critical care management to a veillance Team will be involved four hospitals -- VIMS in Vi- larger number of coronavirus in day to day monitoring of sakhapatnam, Siddhartha Hos- patients with existing limited each and every household pital in Vijayawada, Nellore resources. while the secondary level team GGH and Padmavathi Hospital The entire set up was made will be doctors and their sup- in Tirupati --have been dedicat- operational by the manufac- porting staff, which will act on ed for critical care of COV- ture of a fine adjustment de- the data provided by the prima- ID-19,” he explained. ducer and specific adapters of ry team and coordinate with He said the CM directed the requisite dimensions for con- higher officials. officials concerned to increase necting the oxygen cylinder Briefing mediapersons after the bed strength at various lev- and the portable MOM. A typi- the Chief Minister’s video con- els by Wednesday (April 1). The CORONA WARRIOR cal oxygen providing facility at ference with the district collec- officials were asked to have the hospitals comprises an oxygen A municipal worker goes round the deserted APSRTC bus station in Tirupati on Monday on a mission to sanitise it | MADHAV K tors, SPs and municipal com- total number of non ICU beds cylinder feeding only one pa- missioners on measures taken in these four hospitals to 1,680 tient through a ventimask ar- for containing the spread of and the number of beds with rangement. During the ongo- virus and their preparedness to ventilator facility from the pre- ing pandemic, ventilator face any eventuality, Minister sent 148 to 444. Similarly, the support will be required for for Agriculture Kurasala Kan- number of non ICU beds in the Stay indoors, help fight corona: Guv to people about five to eight per cent of nababu said the Primary Sur- district COVID-19 hospitals patients with symptoms, while veillance Team consists of will be increased to 850 from EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE grave threat to the entire lamity. It is essential that each a large number would require ward volunteers, SGH resourc- the present 676 and the ICU @Vijayawada humanity. and every citizen remains oxygen support. A need was, es persons, health secretaries beds from 336 to 515. All these “In response to the PM’s ap- alert and cautious,” he said. therefore, felt to design a suit- in the ward secretariats, beds will be dedicated to COV- GOVERNOR Biswabhusan peal, I have decided to con- Thanking the people of AP able portable arrangement that ANMs, additional ANMs and ID-19 treatment only. The col- Harichandan on Monday ap- tribute one month’s salary to for diligently observing Ja- could provide oxygen through ASHA workers. “The team will lectors were asked to person- pealed to the people who re- the PM CARES Fund. And as nata Curfew on March 22, in masks to many patients using conduct re-survey of every ally supervise these hospitals turned from foreign coun- a responsibility towards my response to the call given by a single-cylinder during emer- household to identify those and inspect quarantine facili- tries, to voluntarily come State, I have decided to donate Prime Minister Narendra gencies. The preliminary trials who returned from foreign ties. They were also directed to forward and share details of `1 lakh to the CMRF,” he said. Modi, the Governor said that of the entire assembly were countries. It will keep a vigil on appoint a special officer for their travel history, stay in- In a message to the people after assessing the situation conducted at MI Room at Naval each and every household un- each hospital, he said. doors and notify the health of the State, the Governor on the ground and to prevent Dockyard, followed by rapid authorities in case they expe- said the country is passing the potential risk of further trials at the Naval Hospital, In- SHELTERS FOR HOMELESS AND rience any symptoms related through a difficult phase now spread of coronavirus, Modi dian Naval Hospital Ship MIGRANT WORKERS to coronavirus. The Governor in view of the spread of COV- announced complete lock- (INHS) Kalyani where the port- also appealed to the general ID-19. “Coronavirus has down throughout the country able MOM was set up within 30 public to stay indoors till spread among many coun- for 21 days beginning from minutes. The Chief Minister wanted no homeless or migrant worker April 14 or till such time as tries in the world and we in the midnight of March 24. After successful trials, the stranded in the State go hungry and complain of lack of shelter. declared by the authorities. Chief Minister’s Relief Fund India are not immune to it He said it is making ar- Dockyard has commenced As of today, about 5,000 such people were provided with Harichandan also made an to strengthen the hands of and cannot remain compla- rangements for door-to-door manufacture of 10 portable shelters. Every homeless or migrant worker should be treated appeal to the people to offer government and enable the cent to the developments survey by village volunteers MOM with two six-way radial with a humane approach. Officials were asked not to worry about their generous contributions country and the State to pre- across the world. The entire to track and monitor the headers catering for 120 pa- the cost but ensure that no one complained of hunger. They to the (PM CARES Fund) as pare itself to deal with this humanity in the world is ex- movements of persons who tients at makeshift locations to should be provided breakfast and two meals a day. The menu well as the Andhra Pradesh calamity, which is posing a periencing the COVID-19 ca- returned from abroad. cater to the needs of corona. should be changed every day just like Jagananna Goru Muddha scheme for schoolchildren. Further, necessary toothbrushes, toothpaste, soaps, bedsheets and blankets should be provided to them. The same treatment should be provided to those stranded CORONA CARE at the State and district borders. Each shelter should have a resident officer, Kannababu explained. Two railway rakes proposed as isolation wards: DRM CM’S INSTRUCTIONS EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE a couple of days, Divisional here on Monday, he said these The entry and exit points at cleaning of bathrooms at regu- Provide masks to Permit workers in rice mills, dal mills, oil mills, @ Visakhapatnam Railway Manager (DRM) CK coaches will have a separate the railway station have been lar intervals in these coaches. sanitary workers, food processing and cold storage units and Srivastav said. table, isolated places for doc- sealed. About 45 passengers, The ECoR, Waltair Division warehouses to take necessary precautions volunteers, EAST Coast Railway (ECoR), Currently, they are being tors, nursing staff and stranded at the railway sta- is now running 100 to 120 goods ASHA workers Ensure sanitation in urban and rural areas Waltair Division, has placed used for quarantine purposes; medicines. tion here, were given trains against 150 trains per and ANMs Visakhapatnam, two rakes of sleeper coaches each coach can accommodate The designs of the shelter on the premises d a y. Ensure social Rajamahendravaram, on platform Nos 7 and 8. Each between 30 and 40 people, he coaches have been pre- of the railway station Priority is being given to es- distance is Guntur and Kurnool rake can accommodate 500 to said. Any migrant worker or pared at the integral and being provided sential goods as per the policy maintained at municipal corporations 600 persons. The coaches stranded person can be accom- coach factory at Chen- food, Srivastav added. of the Union government. For fair price shops which registered COVID-19 have been proposed to be set modated here after due clear- nai and RCF at Kapur- Stating that the divi- running trains, all railway sta- and if needed positive cases should take up as isolation wards for treat- ance by the district adminis- tala and zonal railways sion has taken many tions have to be manned for increase the extra precautions ment of infected patients; 20 to tration. The rakes are fully have been asked to keep steps in this hour of crisis, which a large number of em- number of shops Initiate tough against those 23 patients can be accommo- disinfected and cleaned, Sriv- them ready for treatment of Srivastav said apart from ad- ployees were deployed. Track, who are fleecing people dated in one coach. A decision astav said. infected persons, the DRM equate drinking water supply, signal and coaching staff are in this regard will be taken in Addressing mediapersons said. arrangements are made for carrying out their job. SSC examinations, which were already postponed EXAMS and were to be held from March 31 to April 6, have been further deferred as the lockdown in Telangana NOT NOW has been extended till April 14. A circular issued by the Director of Government Examinations on Monday

VIJAYAWADA TUESDAY 05 31l03 l2020 Five more Covid-19 deaths in TS CCMB receives 60 samples EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE of 14 people have recovered, in Gadwal. The special teams @Hyderabad including the first case that under the Collectors have EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE tested positive on March 1. identified those who came in @Hyderabad IN a shocking turn of events, Currently, the State has a to- contact with these persons, the State government on late tal of 61 active cases, who are and they were shifted to the THE Center for Cellular and Monday night announced being treated at Gandhi and hospitals for treatment. Molecular Biology (CCMB) that a total of six Covid19 Chest hospitals. The press release also stat- will start conducting tests for deaths have been recorded in A statement by the CMO, ed that since those who par- Covid-19 on samples sent by the State. This includes the said, “Coronavirus has ticipated in Markaz prayers the TS government from Tues- first death that was reported spread among some of those were infected with Coronavi- day. The central research insti- at a private hospital on March who attended a religious rus, all those participated in tution received around 1,000 28. However, no clarity has prayer meeting at Markaz in the prayers should inform the test kits along with reagents Pigeons swarm the deserted road near Erragadda in Hyderabad on Monday | R V K RAO been provided if the five new Nizamuddin area in Delhi be- officials concerned. The gov- on Monday. The CCMB also re- deaths occurred in a day or tween March 13 and 15. ernment would conduct tests ceived around 60 samples on over a period of time. Among those who attended and offer treatment to them Monday, said CCMB Director, Apart from this, the State were some people from Telan- free of cost. Anyone who has Dr RK Mishra.The Ministry of also recorded six new positive gana. Of them, six have died information about them Civil Aviation had said that a cases on Monday. This takes -- two at Gandhi Hospital, one should alert the government, consignment of medical sup- KCR slashes salaries of the total count of positive pa- each at Apollo Hospital, Glob- said the Medical and Health plies were delivered to various tients to 77. However, a total al Hospital, Nizamabad and Department of Telangana. parts of the country. govt employees by 50% Drastic decision in view of poor financial situation of the State TN sees biggest jump in a day with 17 cases

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE sons who tested positive on Now, get isolation EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Hyderabad @ Chennai Monday are said to have had rooms in CORONA EFFECT direct or indirect contact with Hyderabad hotels IN an unprecedented development, SEVENTEEN people tested the two Thailand nationals the Telangana government on cut for CM, Ministers, positive for COVID-19 on Mon- who earlier tested positive for Hyderabad: Amid the MLAs, MLCs, other Covid-19 outbreak, hotels, Monday decided to cut salaries of day making it the biggest jump COVID-19 and are undergoing its employees by 50 per cent, in the 75% elected reps in Tamil Nadu so far and tak- treatment at Perundurai in food delivering services and hospitals have joined wake of the coronavirus lockdown ing the total to 67, Chief Min- Erode district. hands to launch a unique across the country, which has had cut for IAS, IPS, IFS, ister Edappadi K Palaniswami This includes the 10 patients pay-per-use isolation an adverse impact on State financ- other all India services said. Of the 17 cases, 10 are in in Erode district. The man service at hotels. Under es. The salaries of the Chief Min- 60% officers Erode district, five in Chennai, who tested positive in Madurai this initiative, ‘Project ister, Ministers, MLAs and MLCs one each in Madurai and is a 25-year-old family contact Stay I (stay isolated)’ will also be cut by 75 per cent. Karur. of the 54-year-old man who Chief Minister K Chan- cut for all other The Chief Minister was died in Madurai after testing isolation rooms are category employees created in hotels with drasekhar Rao took a decision to 50% speaking to reporters after re- positive for COVID 19. The de- medical supervision for this effect after holding a high-level viewing preventive measures. ceased had been in contact quarantine patients. As meeting at the Pragathi Bhavan. Asked about the reason for the with the same Thailand na- cut for fourth class, part of Phase 1, around The salary cut is applicable for sudden surge, Palaniswami tionals, Vijayabaskar said in contract employees Boxes drawn on the floor to ensure social distancing at a vegetable and fruit 500 rooms are already March. Asked if salaries would be 10% said, “A group of 1,500 people an earlier press conference. operating in Hyderabad. slashed in subsequent months too, had gone to Delhi recently. market at an open space near Ayanavaram in Chennai on Monday | R SATISH BABU The patient who tested posi- The project will be scaled a top official replied that it depends Tests have so far been conduct- tive in Karur district is a up to 5,000 rooms across on the financial situation. There is ments and industries, the State ed on 981. Many of those who 119 more from the State are man from West Mambalam 42-year-old man with a travel other cities. Speaking to no clarity on when the State gov- government’s revenues have come were part of this group have awaited. He later tweeted say- who tested positive on March history to New Delhi. He is un- Express, the inquiry desk ernment would pay the balance down drastically. Besides, the lock- contracted the infection. Be- ing Union Health Minister 28 after his return from the dergoing treatment at Karur on Apollo informed that amount to the employees. “When down period is extended up to cause of this, the number of Harsh Vardhan called him US. Medical College Hospital. The as of now in Hyderabad, will the deducted amount be paid April 14. positive cases has gone up in over phone and enquired The four family contacts of fifth patient from Chennai these ‘special rooms’ are depends on how the financial situ- “In this backdrop, the govern- Tamil Nadu.” about the current situation in the West Mambalam resident who tested positive on Monday available at OYO and ation pans out,” the official told ment has decided to act cautiously. With six patients having the State. include a 15-year-old girl, a is a 50-year-old woman living Lemon Tree Hotel. The Express. After reviewing the State financial been discharged and one dead, A media bulletin issued by 20-year-old man, a 52-year-old in Broadway. cost of a single room for a From the Janata Curfew, i.e. Jan- situation, the State government Tamil Nadu has a total of 60 the Directorate of Public woman and a 76-year-old wom- She is undergoing treatment day is `1,200 per person uary 22 onwards, the State has has decided to impose a cut in the active COVID-19 cases under Health on Monday said of the an. All four are undergoing at Rajiv Gandhi Government at OYO and `3,200 at been under lockdown along with salaries of government employees treatment. Health Minister C five patients who tested posi- treatment at a private General Hospital. However, Lemon Tree. the rest of the country. Due to the and elected representatives,” a re- Vijayabaskar tweeted on Mon- tive in Chennai, four are fam- hospital. the media bulletin did not closure of all business establish- lease said. day that swab test results of ily members of the 25-year-old As many as 11 of the 17 per- state her contact history.

HOW IT WORKS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC?

If anyone has FOR HOME-QUARANTINED PEOPLE fever 32 new corona cases reported symptoms, The app geo-tags people under home they can click quarantine on the Will help civic body to channelise more particular from four districts in Kerala resources option in the app Corporation workers on door-to-door EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ T’Puram inspection already instructing people to A photo of their download the app COVID-19 positive cases continue house premises to spiral in Kerala as on Monday to identify the Over 1,000 people have already 32 new cases were reported. Of location  downloaded the app and marked themselves them, 17 are imported cases and As more people 15 are primary contacts of labo- notify fever ratory-confirmed cases. The lat- symptoms, GCC NOTIFYING ABOUT CROWDS est cases have been reported from officials can There is an option in the app is to notify the Kasargod (17), Kannur (11) and identify clusters civic body about crowd in an area. Anyone can two each from Wayanad and and send click a picture and send it through the app. Idukki. Meanwhile, despite the health workers Corporation staff will immediately come to off-day, the health sector of the there clear the crowd state could take the credit for saving the lives of an elderly couple from Pathanamthitta who contracted the virus after coming into contact with three Italy re- Chennai civic body’s app to turnees. The couple aged 93 and 88 respectively was admitted to Councillors coming out of Tagore Hall after the budget session of Kozhikode Corporation help check spread of virus the Government Medical College on Monday | MANU R MAVELIL Hospital, Kottayam. KV NAVYA @ Chennai unteers from Mr Cooper will be “There is no community trans- units. “The government held that Kerala is optimistic about officially launched within a mission in the state. While some talks with the representatives of the matter. “Though Kerala has THE Greater Chennai Corpora- week. are imported cases, others are Confederation of Indian Indus- taken up the matter with the Un- tion has developed a mobile ap- “Currently, most of the ur- those who came into contact with try. They had agreed to set up di- ion Cabinet Secretary and Union plication to geographically ban civic bodies in the country them. Such people tested positive alysis units at Kasargod on a fast- Minister for Chemicals and Fer- map people having fever, the are actively monitoring only when they were under the sur- paced manner. This is of great tilizers DV Sadananda Gowda, most common symptom of people under home quarantine. veillance of the health depart- help to the government especial- who has been made incharge of COVID-19. Touted as the first But, there could also be a clus- ment,” said CM Pinarayi Vijay- ly when Karnataka government Kerala for coordinating Covid19 such technology to be used in ter of people with fever symp- an, during his press briefing. is yet to amend its stance on dis- related activities, nothing has any city in the country, the app, toms in a particular area. Since Meanwhile, with the number allowing even patients needing materialised. On Sunday, a call named GCC Corona Monitor- most people are staying in- of positive cases in Kasargod critical care to enter their state,” was made to the PMO. Following ing, will mark people in home doors, nobody knows if the per- touching 97, the CM said that added Vijayan. that Union Home Minister Amit quarantine as well as the areas son next door has fever. This some urgent interventions will Mentioning the state govern- Shah called. The state apprised where crowd gathers against can lead to community spread,” be made in the district for ensur- ment’s intervention to clear the him of the seriousness of the is- social distancing norms. The said M P Pandia Raja, a re- ing ventilators and other health- blockade set up by Karnataka at sue. But a result is yet to come,” app developed by a team of vol- search fellow. care facilities including dialysis the border roads, the CM said said Vijayan.

LOCKDOWN BLUES Lockdown effect: 100 alcoholics turn up at Erragadda

OISHANI MOJUMDER @ Hyderabad Mental Hospital. Around 45 of drawal symptoms. Close to 90 ranges between 25 to 55 years. banging their heads against them have been admitted to the per cent of them are dealing There are also some women. The walls. THE Institute of Mental Health, hospital whose condition is said with withdrawal of alcohol. Of patients who have been admit- One middle aged man, who Hyderabad, on Monday, wit- to be of some concern. them, 45 have been immediately ted, have been given an IV fluid works at a textile shop in Secun- nessed a surge in the number of Doctors fear that the number admitted and are under as many are severely dehydrat- derabad, had forgotten his own patients with severe alcohol of such patients may rise in the treatment. ed, and detoxins were adminis- name and his wife’s name. He withdrawal symptoms. They coming days. The others have been treated tered to them,” he added. kept imagining that he is the had apparently developed symp- It may be mentioned that two in the OPD and had been asked When Express visited the hos- owner of a cloth shop in toms as there is no access to al- homeless men died of suspected to go home. Many of them have pital, many daily wage workers Afzalgunj. cohol following closure of liquor alcohol withdrawal symptoms been prescribed medication as and migrant labourers along “A person may develop alcohol shops due to the ongoing lock- and starvation in Raidugram on well.” with their spouses were spotted. withdrawal symptoms any- down in the State. Sunday. “The age of these patients Many were seen shivering and where from two hours to four Close to 100 patients with Speaking to Express, Dr M days after stopping consumption symptoms like disillusionment, Umashnakar, superintendent of of alcohol. The symptoms may vomiting, chills and cramps the hospital, said, “We have re- A person may develop alcohol withdrawal symptoms anywhere include headaches, nausea, anx- from two hours to four days after stopping consumption of alcohol turned up at the Institute, which ceived 96 to 100 patients today iety, hallucinations and sei- is also known as Erragadda who are suffering from with- Dr Umashankar, Erragadda hospital superintendent zures,” Dr Umashankar said. Faced with threats to our well-being, it is natural to feel anxiety ... I take great solace in the following wise advice to examine the problems before us: If there is something to be done—do it, without any need to worry; Dalai if there’s nothing to be done, worrying about it further wont help’ Lama

VIJAYAWADA, TUESDAY 06 31l03 l2020 THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS

INDIAN EXPRESS IS NOT AN OPINION INDUSTRY. IT IS A MISSION. PRASANNA TANTRI — Ramnath Goenka The author teaches at the Indian School of Business (ISB) Email: [email protected]

WHY DO WE Due to ever-greening, the bank appears healthy as a delinquent loan is not recorded as TREAT FELLOW an NPA. Here is a way to keep a tab on banks HUMANS LIKE THIS? aybe, as genomic studies seem to indicate, the coronavirus that has TACKLING THE come to India is milder. We certain- ly hope so. But the genome se- EVER-GREENING Mquence of the Indian mind still shows a depressing capacity to cause incal- culable harm to humanity and human PROBLEM IN BANKS AMIT BANDRE principles. This genetic trait is very pro- nounced among Indian officialdom. The mong important reasons that new loan, probably of higher In a recent paper titled “Do ever-greening. Our measure rithm and ask the banks to ex- nation is in the midst of an unprecedented, lead to a banking crisis, the in- value, and borrower B repays measure of bank audit quality flags such cases in advance. plain significant deviations. If multi-pronged battle: At the epidemiologi- herent opacity of banks is his/her original loan using the really measure audit quality?” As per our measure, the most this measure is implemented, cal level, it is fighting an unknown, new one of the most prominent. proceeds of this new loan. Of (Abraham and Tantri (2019)), important variables that mat- the regulators need not resort Several influential research pa- course, this is a simplified ver- Jefferson Abraham of the Lon- ter include (i) interest coverage to draconian measures such as enemy. But in the battle that proceeds pers have shown that it is ex- sion but captures the spirit of don Business School and I, ar- ratio; (ii) medium term profit- the AQR (asset quality review). alongside, a socio-political one, the enemy A tremely hard to assess the true ever-greening. gue that an audit of bank books ability; (iii) quality of auditors; This stress test information is sadly all too familiar. Too endemic, too fundamentals of a bank by It is easy to see that, on paper, is unlikely to detect ever-green- (iv) volume of related party need not be made public. ingrained in our genes, too resistant to looking only at the bank bal- the bank appears healthy as the ing practices. We suggest a way transactions; and (v) credit rat- It is possible that, in line with change…too powerful. Why do we treat fel- ance sheet. This is because un- loan is not recorded as an NPA. of keeping a tab on banks. The ings of the borrowers. Using the Lucas critique, the banks low humans like this? like a regular business, banks To add insult to injury, the bank idea is to burrow a layer below machine learning algorithms and firms will collude and man- As if the present epoch had not already can easily transform the na- shows higher credit growth be- Between 2011 the bank books and examine and more granular data, it is age the numbers together. ture of an asset or a liability. In cause of the fictitious loan. and 2014, we the health of the borrowers. Us- possible to estimate a more so- While I cannot completely rule been marked and tainted by the long march this article, based on some of However, when exposed to se- ing the natural experiment pro- phisticated model. However, out such a possibility, I believe of poor India, we saw another blood-cur- had high credit my own research and those of vere economic crisis where the growth and low vided by the asset quality re- data availability is a big chal- that collusion is practically dif- dling sight today. It happened in Bareilly, others, I suggest that banks bank cannot continue renew- NPAs even when view, we estimate a model that lenge for researchers like us. ficult as there are a number of Uttar Pradesh. A bunch of broken Indians, should be asked to disclose the ing dubious loans or a thor- the underlying predicts the likely bank NPAs The findings have two im- third-party sources, including broken by the unseen hand of fate, were economic situation of their ough audit, the practice gets economic growth based on the average financial portant policy implications. the GST returns and audits seated stoically, resignedly on their haunch- large borrowers. exposed. Unfortunately, mar- was slow. It health of the borrowers. First, banks should be asked to available to track firms. It is no secret that banks the kets have repeatedly failed to appears that most The underlying idea is very report changes in key financial It is also important to invest es—the way rural India still sits. A few of- world over ever-green loans. In recognise this practice in ad- simple: It is unlikely that a variables of their large bor- more efforts in designing early of the high credit ficial workers, all decked out in space suits, simple terms, ever-greening is vance and discipline the banks bank could have low NPAs rowers. This will enable inves- warning measures of ever- growth was driven were circling them with hose pipes. And a process where an in-spirit de- by bringing down their share when many of its large borrow- tors and depositors to take ac- greening. In my paper titled by ever-greening. linquent loan is shown as cur- prices. Markets, in most cases, ers are under distress. Consid- tion before it is too late. An “Identifying Zombie Lending: from those pipes, there emanated a white The measures rent by showing a fictitious react as enablers of ever-green- er a bank that reports close to adverse stock price reaction Evidence Using Loan Level spume of chemicals. We do not know what suggested in this payment and issue of a new ing by rewarding banks that 0% NPAs when a large chunk could act as a credible deter- Data”, I attempt to show that a chemicals those were, but it had the unmis- article can help loan. Let me illustrate with a indulge in ever-greening with of its borrowers do not have rent. In the absence of this in- loan that is renewed quickly takable look and feel of a farm machine flag such cases in hypothetical example. Assume rich valuations. However, when enough cash flows to meet their formation, unfortunately, mar- just before the due date by the advance spraying pesticides or an industrial-level that a borrower A borrowed the deeds get exposed, the stock loan obligations. It is likely that kets fail to do the surveillance same officers who lent the ini- fumigation. At a distance, some senior of- `100 crore from a bank B. Also prices collapse, depositors run the low NPA levels are engi- job. Second, using a supervised tial loan is likely to be an ever- ficials nonchalantly took videos on their assume that A’s business suf- for cover, regulators step in, neered by ever-greening. Be- machine learning program, it greened loan. If given data and smartphones. Wait, we know what that fers heavy losses, and hence, and the whole cycle repeats tween 2011 and 2014, we had is possible to estimate the ac- resources, researchers can de- white spume was. It was nothing but the he/she cannot repay the loan. leading to another round of high credit growth and low tual relationship between bor- sign better methods. I hope that hate and contempt our rulers and babus In many such cases, the bank B, ever-greening. The above de- NPAs even when the underly- rower fundamentals and bank the right lessons are learnt instead of recovering whatever scription fits in well with what ing economic growth was slow. fundamentals. The regulator from this crisis and regulators have for real Indians: those teeming ‘mass- is possible and writing off the happened in India after the 2008 It appears that most of the high should regularly calculate the push for more transparency in es’ separated from them by class and caste. part not recoverable, gives a global financial crisis. credit growth was driven by expected NPA from the algo- bank balance sheets. The exodus of millions of poor Indians, many without food or shelter except that granted by the open road, was already a sign of uncaring. That a bunch of them Humans are lazy creatures ‘Old-school woodsman’s skills’ should find themselves subjected, at the TRACKING A MISSING BOY IN A SWAMP ■ Schumacher is 25. Inspired by an uncle who ■ It was a lesson much on Schumacher’s mind on that day last end of their march, to a post-modern ver- Austin Schumacher, a rookie worked as a cop, he majored in criminal November. He started looking for broken brush and branches, sion of a sickening ‘purity’ ritual shows us Wisconsin Department of justice and took up a job that would combine backtracking, moving forward, backtracking again. The temperature the real virus! Natural Resources warden, police work with his love for the outdoors. He had dropped to 2.78°C. After over an hour, Schumacher picked up a had just popped the lid of spent two months learning to track people in trail of tracks left by a kid. He followed the footprints for about 3 km his salad container when the the wilderness without the aid of technology ■ radio squawked: a 13-year-old The boy had been in the swamp for a long time. Doubts began to THE DARK PAST OF ■ The most important lesson that he learnt: creep into Schumacher’s mind. Overhead, a sheriff’s drone broadcast boy, missing. The boy had run Humans are lazy creatures. Animals will the voices of the boy’s parents. Come out, they said. Don’t be scared. THE EPIDEMIC ACT away from his school after a crawl under or go around obstacles. People Galvanised, Schumacher pushed on. He reached the swamp’s edge dispute with his teachers—he will push them aside or plough through and caught a flash of maroon. The boy was curled up under a tree, he year was 1855. A third wave of the swore at them before heading them. Everything in nature is vertical as it T-shirt and pants soaked, his hands, feet and legs bloody. The kid bubonic plague pandemic was sweep- into the swamp across the tries to reach the sun; if you see something asked him if people would be mad at him for running away. This ing the world. The epicentre of the street. The temperature was horizontal, like a branch on the ground, month, Schumacher received the DNR’s Lifesaving Award for his outbreak, as is the case today, was 3.89°C and falling chances are a human was there “old-school woodsman’s skills”, AP reported TChina—a place called Yunnan. The plague rapidly spread to every single conti- nent on which man lived. India was the Write to: [email protected] Write to: [email protected] worst affected. Rough estimates are that MINDSPACE MAILBAG over 10 million people died in British India, and the pandemic continued to be active Make sure water scarcity doesn’t hit virus battle here till the 1960s—for over 100 years. To Social distancing This is with reference to Corona: Kickstart tech-based learning Doc’s optimistic message welcome control the outbreak, the British intro- Prepare for water scarcity now This is with reference to Covid im- Padma Bhushan awardee Dr duced the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. (Mar 30). The percentage of the petus to tech-based learning (Mar Nageshwar Reddy saying we Nearly 125 years later, India is using the population of India having access 30). The education industry has shouldn’t panic and that we can very same Act—with minor amendments of another kind to safe water is deeply distressing. been making great strides world- conquer the virus is welcome at a in 1956—to combat Covid-19. As the editorial says, water scar- wide. It is important to use the time when panic is looming large In British India, the Act created furore ears ago, I travelled from Delhi to Cochin by train. One of my city is going to make it difficult for current situation to introduce on- in the minds of people. Whether and uprising among Indians, who found co-travellers was a septuagenarian. He was a gregarious hu- us to win the corona war, if it is not line dissemination into the indus- the Centre’s 21-day lockdown gets man being and conversed with me as if we had known each given proper attention. try. The government would do well extended or not, it is all part of the provisions extremely oppressive—for- other for a long time. He had spent time with his son’s family Ambika S, Thoothukudi to start upgrading tech in schools the grand design of the creator. cible segregation, demolition of affected in Delhi and was returning home. He proudly narrated the as this will make a big difference We can play our part by following places, seizure of private property, strip achievements of his grandchildren in school. A ray of hope even in non-corona times. the instructions of the govern- searches and consequent violence against Y He had purchased a good amount of sweets and savouries It is an open secret that the coro- Swami Nagarajan, Chennai ment on social distancing, wash women. In June 1897, Chairman of the Spe- from Delhi to distribute among relatives back home. He navirus will not disappear com- hands frequently and ensure per- cial Plague Committee Walter Charles opened a box and asked me to taste the sweets. Those were pletely after the lockdown. Water Classrooms too are needed sonal hygiene. Rand was shot dead by Pune-based nation- the days when people had faith in each other. Drug-laced bis- scarcity is a perennial problem in It is undisputed that tech advance- R Pichumani, Kumbakonam cuits exchanged to steal valuables from co-passengers were India that gets worse during the ments have made human life easi- alists, the Chapekar brothers. Though the not prevalent. Though I was not fond of sweets, out of rever- summer. However, there is a ray er. During the lockdown, people State borders should remain open Act was modified in 1956, legal and health ence for the man’s kindness, I tasted some. of hope this time as water-guz- are able to work from their homes, The blocking of the border road to experts say it is grossly inadequate to deal In the evening, when I returned from a trip to the bath- zling sectors like tourism have administrators are able to dis- Karnataka from Kerala is quite with disease outbreaks in the modern day. room, I found a paper plate with a few vadas on my seat. The suspended their operations in charge their duties using video- cruel as it stops even ambulances The British, who introduced this Act in In- kind co-passenger said a server from the pantry brought va- view of the pandemic. conferencing, etc. Learning should carrying patients in critical con- dia, have a much more robust policy back das and he had asked him to keep a plate of vadas for me. Deepak Singhal, Chennai not be an exception. Yet, it should dition. At least on humanitarian Because of my sociable compan- not replace classroom learning in grounds, border roads between home. Their Public Health Act of 1984 fixes ion, the long train journey Consider increasing number of tests toto, as that would put lakhs of states should remain open at all the responsibility of each agency clearly CONNECTED, YET APART proved pleasant. With scientists ruling out the pos- people out of employment. times in case of emergency. during such outbreaks. Legal experts say When he got down at his sta- sibility of a vaccine within the Dharmarajan A K, Thalassery Aravindaksha Menon, Pattambi the UK Act removes any scope for confu- P SUBRAMANIAN tion, I felt a tinge of sadness, year, only testing and isolation can sion over jurisdiction. Email: [email protected] missing him. Smartphones were prove to be effective deterrents. In- Looking after migrant labour Back in India, the Epidemic Diseases Act not in vogue then and one never dia had only conducted about It is quite natural that migrant la- exchanged phone numbers on 26,000 tests, too few compared to bourers returning to their villag- has been put to use several times in the re- the go. Hence, the man remained only in my memory. That the size of our population. We es in West Bengal, Bihar, Ra- cent past, to deal with outbreaks of swine was rail sneham. should consider increasing the jasthan, etc., are barred by locals flu, cholera, dengue and even malaria. The other day, a couple rang my doorbell. When I opened number of tests being conducted. from entering as they fear the THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS However, not much has been done to update the door, they asked for my wife. She came from the kitchen M Jeyaram, Sholavandan spread of the virus. As the PM has Chairman of the Board: Manoj Kumar Sonthalia the Act. The Act is largely used only to ban and invited them to be seated. They had come to invite us for urged, the labourers should have Editor: G S Vasu public gatherings, stop schools and institu- their daughter’s wedding. After they left, the wife informed Pak menace in Afghanistan been kept in camps and looked af- Published by R K Jhunjhunwala on behalf of Express Publications (Madurai) Private Limited, at tions from functioning, and penalise those me that they lived in an apartment two blocks away and she This is with reference to Massacre ter by state governments. had played badminton with the lady. I said that I had never signals sinister Pak game is afoot M Haneef, Kottayam First Floor, Surya Plaza, D.No. 29-28-39, Dasarivari escaping tests or quarantine. There is a seen them. The wife said that I was a reserved person and in Af (Mar 30). The editorial right- Street, Suryaraopet, Vijayawada - 520 002 and dire need to completely replace or mas- printed by him at Sakshi Press, D.No 5-625, walked around without looking at people. I pleaded that the ly warned India about the possi- Awareness about food, shelter Vadlamudi Road, Atmakur Village, Mangalagiri sively strengthen this colonial-era law to apartment complex had 50 flats and how was I to know all the bility of Pakistani perfidy after Migrant labourers in various Mandal, Guntur District -522 503 people living there. the US exits Afghanistan. Stern parts of Kerala and other states fight disease outbreaks in the future. Activ- Vijayawada: Vol. 62, No. 76. ists have been attacking the current Act as I hoped to get acquainted with the family when we went to action from the international are seeking travel arrangements RNI Reg. No. 3463/59. Phone: 0866 2444162, it gives the state the right to penalise media the marriage hall. To my disappointment, loud music was community is needed to tackle to their hometowns. The govern- Fax: 0866-2444262. played in the hall and hundreds of people jostled around. this senseless terrorism. The Ker- ment should ensure awareness Copyright: houses spreading ‘misinformation’. The Standing in a serpentine queue to congratulate the couple ala government should also weed about its food and shelter arrange- British themselves used the Act to impris- Express Publications (Madurai) Private Limited. took a long time. By the time we left, I realised that I failed to out the sleeper modules of radi- ments and make sure they don’t All rights reserved. Reproduction in any manner, on a journalist for 18 months. His name was get familiar with the family. That was another kind of social calism in the state. congregate in one place. electronic or otherwise, in whole or in part, without Bal Gangadhar Tilak. distancing. D Srinivasa Rao, Vijayawada Suresh Babu N C, Aluva prior written permission is prohibited. Those walking miles on the roads... ARRESTED do not need fitness videos. They Forty-four people were arrested in need immediate and urgent help Kupwara and Baramulla districts of J&K CASES REPORTED for violating prohibitory orders imposed 25 from Centre — Sitaram Yechury fresh to contain the spread of coronavirus IN DELHI MONDAY

VIJAYAWADA TUESDAY 07 31l03 l2020

TRACKING COVID-19 Procuring protective gear for docs, assures govt Gives out figures of masks and personal protective equipment inventory in the country and the numbers being procured

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi State-wise mortality rate SECURING DOCS AGAINST THE VIRUS AMID concerns and complaints PPES BEING DEATHS REPORTED of acute shortage of preventive gear for healthcare workers and 3.34 lakh PROCURED (%) PER 100 12 MANUFACTURERS ventilators for COVID-19 pa- personal protective 8.6 CONFIRMED CASES HAVE CLEARED THE QUALITY TESTS TO tients, the government, for the equipment available Source: Ministry of Health 26 lakh MANUFACTURE PPES first time, made public the details in hospitals across Orders for 6.5 and Family Welfare of these supplies and said all Personal stops are being pulled to increase protective their availability. 4.1 3.8 3.8 11.95 lakh Equipment 6,000-7,000 As of now, 3.34 lakh personal N95 masks in stock (PPE) coveralls coveralls being supplied per Gujarat J&K Maharashtra Delhi Karanataka protective equipment (PPE) — in various hospitals placed day currently crucial to prevent infection in 60,000 healthcare workers — are avail- PPEs procured A-I, Alliance Air to move able in hospitals across the coun- 3 lakh try, said the Ministry of Health 14,000 3 lakh Order for three lakh PPE kits 10,000 PPEs cargo with medical equipment and Family Welfare, while the ventilators to be put donated PPEs to placed with ordinance being arranged The government has deployed Air India and its stock of N95 masks they have is aside for COVID-19 arrive by April 4 factories from China subsidiary Alliance Air to provide cargo facilities to 11.95 lakh. The ministry said that ensure uninterrupted supply of medical equipment 14,000 ventilators will be put A doctor checks the temperature of a police officer on duty in Jammu. The shortage of PPEs for doctors and healthcare professionals in the country has sparked concerns| PTI and medicines to different parts of the country. aside for COVID-19 patients but The Civil Aviation Ministry is coordinating with did not give detail of how many “So far, 11 manufacturers have The ministry also said that N95 come available in a week’s time. in various hospitals across the state governments for the supply of medical ventilators hospitals in India cleared the quality tests. Orders masks are being manufactured An additional 5 lakh masks country for treatment of COV- equipment and related essential items needed for have. for 21 lakh PPE coveralls have by two domestic producers. were distributed in the past two ID19 patients. protection against and testing of COVID-19. “Based “PPEs were not being were not been placed on them,” it added. “They are able to supply 50,000 days and 1.40 lakh masks are be- A domestic manufacturer, on requirements received from various states on an being manufactured in the coun- Currently they are supplying masks per day at the moment, but ing distributed on Monday. Apart Agva Healthcare in Noida, has urgent basis, the senior officials of the ministry are try. With the prospect of huge re- 6-7,000 coveralls per day and this are ramping up capacities to from this, 10 lakh masks would be been able to develop suitable ven- coordinating with vendors and other supply quirement of PPEs arising in is expected to go up to 15,000 per make 1 lakh masks per day with- part of the PPE kits being tilators and an order of 10,000 agencies to provide required material, which can be near future, the Government of day within next week. One more in the next week,” it said. The sourced from Singapore. ventilators has been placed with further transported to the desired destinations,” India made proactive efforts to manufacturer has qualified on DRDO is also collaborating with The ministry said less than 20 the firm. Supplies are expected to the MoCA said in the statement. promote their manufacturing in Monday and an order of 5 lakh local manufacturers to produce patients are on ventilator support start by mid-April. The MEA is the country,” said a government coveralls has been placed with about 20,000 N99 masks per day. at this moment while over 14,000 also approaching suppliers in statement on Monday. the firm. This supply is expected to be- ventilators have been identified China for 10,000 ventilators.

CRPF sets up helplines to Income Expenditure Balance 3,800.44 Income, Expenditure help families of its personnel and Balance under 3,229.76 (in `cr) The CRPF has directed its field offices to set up PMNRF 2,923.96 round-the-clock helplines, backed by quick 2,510.02 2,637.03 reaction team, to assist the families of troops, with special focus on elderly parents in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. The 23 sectors of the force have been asked to establish and publicise a standalone landline connection and a WhatsApp- 870.93 751.74 783.18 enabled mobile number to be manned round-the- 624.74 372.29 491.42 486.65 clock by a sub-officer. “...The DG has directed that 204.49 180.85 212.50 we should proactively take care of the families of our officials... All systems should be put in place to 1914-15 1915-16 1916-17 1917-18 1918-19 respond to emergent needs of the family members to keep our officers and troops stress-free,” according to a communication from the CRPF. RELIEF FUND MONEY LIES UNUSED, IN NUMBERS Daily wagers and homeless jostle as they try to snatch food from volunteers during the DONATIONS POUR IN FOR PM CARES railway nationwide lockdown in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, on Monday | PTI hospitals EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi primary objective of dealing PM’s penchant for catchy acro- 125 in India 6,500 with any kind of emergency or nyms, instead of creating a sep- hospital THE PM CARES fund (Prime distress situation, like posed by arate Public Charitable Trust beds are Minister’s Citizen Assistance the COVID-19 pandemic, and to whose rules & expenditure are 5,000 being and Relief in Emergency Situa- provide relief to the affected, a totally opaque? @PMOIndia rail coaches readied to tions Fund), which has been public charitable trust under you owe the country an expla- meet the Modi tells mission to be started to meet the mounting the name of ‘Prime Minister’s nation for this highly unusual converted railway hospitals possible expenses to fight the COVID19 Citizen Assistance and Relief step.” into isolation being readied for surge of pandemic has seen million- in Emergency Situations Fund’ Two days ago, PM Narendra wards 70 contingency patients heads to take care aires and celebrities open their (PM CARES Fund)’ has been Modi had urged people to con- purse strings. However, data set up.” The PM is the chair- tribute to the PM Cares fund. from the past few years shows man of this trust. The appeal had led to massive that thousands of crores of ru- However, PMNRF also serves donations from various sec- Five-star stay for Delhi docs of Indians abroad pees are lying unused in the a similar purpose. The funds tions of society. Billionaire Prime Minister National Relief are used to render immediate Gautam Adani announced a fighting the deadly virus EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi international travel restric- Fund (PMNRF). relief to families of those killed `100-crore contribution by his In a move to ensure the safety of the doctors who tions,” he was quoted as saying. PMNRF has income exceed- in natural calamities and assist group’s philanthropy arm. are on the frontline fighting the coronavirus, the PRIME Minister Narendra Modi Urging the diplomats to stay ing its expenditure. At the end partially to defray expenses of Tata Sons and Tata Trusts Delhi government has decided that they will be on Monday held a video confer- alert and identify best practices, of 2018-19, it had an unspent medical treatment for the have pledged to contribute quarantined at five star hotels in the national ence with all the Indian heads of innovations and scientific break- balance of Rs 3,800 crore. needy. `1,500 crore for the cause while capital. As per the directions of the health missions to discuss the prevail- throughs, the PM urgedthem to While setting up the PM Pointing towards the unused Reliance Industries had made department, all the doctors working at Lok Nayak ing situation arising out of the publicise the PM-CARES fund to CARES fund, the government funds, Congress leader Shashi an initial contribution of `5 and Guru Tegh Bahadur hospital will be housed at COVID-19 pandemic. mobilise donations from abroad. had clarified that “keeping in Tharoor on Monday tweeted, crore, besides opening India’s The Lalit, a five-star hotel in the heart of Delhi. Modi emphasized that India’s Pointing out that the COVID-19 mind the need for having a ded- “...Why not simply rename PM- first COVID-19 hospital in “Doctors working in the Lok Nayak Hospital and Missions abroad may well be far crisis has impacted the economy, icated national fund with the NRF as PM-CARES, given the Mumbai. G.B. Pant Hospital on COVID-19 duty would be from home, but they remain full Modi advised the heads of mis- provided accommodation at the Hotel Lalit and participants in India’s fight sions to ensure commerce in es- payment of the same shall be borne by the Delhi against COVID-19. He empha- sential supply, logistics and re- government,” the order, approved by the Health sized that the unity and alertness mittances is not affected. “The LOCKDOWN Minister satyender Jain, said. of all Indians would help safe- PM also asked the diplomats to guard the nation’s future. keep track of the evolving inter- DST okays tech that can The PM said extraordinary national political and economic PM urges social times called for extraordinary situation especially arising out clear room air in an hour measures and hence even in this of the COVID-9 pandemic,” a organisations to globalised era, most of the world statement from the MEA said. NEW DELHI: TO ensure the well-being of the health staff, doctors had quarantined itself. Compli- The heads of Missions in Bei- and nurses working, the Department of Science Technology (DST) menting the diplomats for their jing, Washington DC, Tehran, has approved a technology that can clean up the air and disinfect help the needy efforts to help stranded Indians, Rome, Berlin, Kathmandu, Abu areas exposed to COVID-19 infection in hospitals and quarantine Modi urged them to take steps on Dhabi, Kabul, Male and Seoul facilities. The pilot project has been approved for 1,000 hospitals EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi five specific counts. shared feedback regarding ap- in Maharashtra. The technology, developed by Pune-based com- Modi urged the diplo- preciation in their countries pany Scitech Park, reduces the viral load of infected areas within WITH migrant labourers and mats to take care of of accreditation of the reso- a room significantly within an hour. the poor facing hardships on themselves and their lute steps taken by India to The technology has been developed under the NIDHI PRAYAS account of the nationwide lock- families and “attend to combat the pandemic. program initiated by DST, which has released `1 crore to manu- down, PM Narendra Modi on Indians who remain in The heads of missions facture and scale up the product. Monday reached out to social various foreign coun- also outlined their ef- The negative ion generator, titled Scitech Airon, helps to con- welfare organisations to enlist tries, given the un- forts to help Indi- trol virus, bacteria, and fungal infections in a closed environment their support in alleviating the certainty of con- ans stranded and could clean up the air and disinfect the areas exposed to infec- sufferings of the vulnerable tinuing abroad. tion, said the DST. ENS sections of society. The PM interacted with the representatives of a cross-sec- HUNGER tion of such organisations, including Art of Living, RSS, Pa- tanjalia and Isha Foundation, Police personnel distribute food among needy people living through video-conferencing. in slums during the nationwide lockdown | PTI India’s biggest transporter turns caterer for poor “The nation... needs the service of social organisations and their resources like never 18 foreigners found hiding in EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi Keeping in view environmen- IRCTC BASE KITCHENS before,” the PM told the repre- tal concerns, the IRCTC is taking sentatives, including Sri Sri Ranchi mosque, quarantined WITH the migrant crisis looming up bulk production of food and South Central Railway: Vijayawada Ravi Shankar, Baba Ramdev, The district administration in Jharkhand capital large following the 21-day lock- serving them to people in paper Western Railway: Ahmedabad and Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and Ranchi on Monday recovered 18 foreign nationals down announced by PM Naren- plates. According to data from Mumbai Central East Coast Railway Suresh Joshi. along with six other persons during a raid dra Modi, the Indian Railways is IRCTC, over 11,000 meals have Khurdha Road South Eastern Railway: The PM suggested that such conducted after a tip-off. They have been sent in stepping up to provide food to the been served across various rail- Balasore Northern Railway: Paharganj, organisations arrange basic ne- isolation for 21 days at the quarantine centre in homeless and the needy. way zones of the country, as of Delhi North Central Railway: Jhansi, cessities for the poor, besides Khelgaon in Ranchi. According to police, they had The catering arm of the rail- March 28. Prayagraj and Kanpur Central Railway: medical facilities and volun- been staying in a mosque for over a month after ways, the Indian Railways Cater- Officials said IRCTC is taking Pune, CST Mumbai, Solapur and teers to serve the patients and they reached Ranchi for some religious purpose. Of ing and Tourism Development up distribution of meals in col- Bhusawal West Central Railway: Itarsi the needy. “Social organisa- the 17 foreigners, eight belong to Malaysia, three Corporation (IRCTC), is supply- laboration with the Railway Pro- South Western Railway: Bengaluru and tions have a big role to play in are from Britain, two from West Indies, two from ing free meals through its base tection Force. “Social distancing Hubbali Southern Railway: countering superstitions and Gambia while two others from Holland and kitchens in various zones. norms are being followed during Chengalpattu, Thiruvananthapuram, misinformation,” the PM said. Bangladesh. Police officials said they will be Officials said 13 of the 24 base food distribution,” an official Mangalore and Katpadi Eastern He said it’s necessary to released if everything is found in place. Further kitchens of IRCTC have been con- said. IRCTC is also preparing to Railway: Sealdah and Howrah East make people aware of the im- information about all of them is being gathered. verted into nodal points for dis- meet higher demand of food for A railway employee prepares a train coach to Central Railway: Rajendranagar North portance of “maintaining so- tribution of food to the needy. the poor during the lockdown. be converted into isolation ward | PTI Frontier Railway: Katihar cial distancing”. INDIA Max Min Max Min Ahmedabad 38 21 Mumbai 34 24 STRANDED Bhopal 35 18 Panaji 34 25 Hundreds of Vaishno Devi pilgrims Jaipur 30 17 Patna 34 21 from all over India are stranded in SHELTER HOMES Amritsar 22 15 Lucknow 37 18 Jammu due to the ongoing 21-day 129 New Delhi 32 17 Port Blair 32 24 RELIEF Kolkata 36 24 Imphal 31 18 nation-wide lockdown. SET UP IN HARYANA Srinagar 12 4 Chandigarh 27 16

VIJAYAWADA TUESDAY 08 31l03 l2020

Dahirsar Ganpat Patil Nagar 1 lakh TRACKING MUMBAI Dharavi Worli Colaba COVID-19 SLUM 15 lakh 1 lakh 1 lakh COVID cases in Mumbai POPULATION Mankhurd 2 lakh Govandi Malwani Bandra – east Kurla 3 lakh – Malad Bahiram pada 2 lakh NEIGHBOURHOOD slums a major challenge 1 lakh 2 lakh CORONA COUNT Nearly 54 per cent of Greater Mumbai’s population lives in these slums

We are now getting more patients from the slums and chawls. The four SUDHIR SURYAWANSHI @Mumbai tient succumbed to death two against time as it is a diffi- Covid 19 positive cases detected in Worli’s fishermen’s colony have no 1,526 115 114 48 5 days ago. cult task to trace people in international travel history —Health official Pakistan Sri Lanka Afghanistan Bangladesh Nepal THERE is now real fear that Health department officials the slums. If the disease slums of Mumbai could turn out agree that COVID-19 has now spreads, we may not be Source: WHO to be a big challenge in Maha- travelled from upscale areas and able to control it.” rashtra’s war against COVID-19, high-rises to slum pockets in With more than half of 12% 65 mn 55% 3,293 with an estimated 54 per cent of Mumbai. Mumbai’s population living in Racism: Two CMs come out the total population of Greater “We are now getting more pa- some 115 slums — the biggest be- of Mumbai’s people in is population slum clusters Mumbai residing in them and 89 tients from the slums and chawls ing Dharavi with an estimated geographical Mumbai live of slum spread across in support of Naga duo of the 203 positive cases in the of Mumbai. The four Covid 19 population of 15 lakh within a 2.1 area is slums in slums dwellers Mumbai Guwahati: Mizoram and Megjhalay chief ministers ‘Maximum City’ being reported positive cases detected in Worli’s sq km area where 73 per cent of have raised concern over an incident of racial from such clusters. fishermen’s colony have neither people use community toilets — discrimination against two youth from Nagaland in The number of positive cases international travel history, nor the spread of the disease could be sealed off. “Efforts are on to dis- and locked for public movement Mysuru. “I am pained, shocked and in my worst awe detected in Shiv Sena’s youth any immediate contact with posi- fast, say policy experts. infect, fumigate the areas, while in coordination with the police seeing this video! When has humanity stooped so leader and minister Aaditya tive patients. It is a matter of con- They say, in Dharavi, the aver- speeding up contact tracing,” the department. low?” Mizoram CM Zoramthanga tweeted. The Thackeray’s constituency Worli cern for us. All of them were usage household size was 4.5 living minister added. “Disinfection and fumigation video in question was filmed by a youth from is among the highest. Out of 9 pa- ing community toilets,” said a in very small rooms, while shar- The General Manager of process has been initiated as a Nagaland. He and his friend had gone to a tients, 4 are from Worli’s fisher- health official requesting ano- ing community service points Southern areas under Brihan- precautionary measure. All resi- shopping mall in Mysuru on Saturday evening to men colony, 2 from Kurla, one nymity. “We are tracking their which could turn out to be major mumbai Municipal Corporation, dents have been asked to cooper- buy groceries but the employees refused to extend each from Pantnagar (Kalina), contacts who may have been in vehicles to spread the disease. in which the Koliwada- fisher- ate by staying at home. Together, the service to the duo. “It’s a mall. You guys don’t Prabhadevi and one in Govandi. direct touch with them over the Aaditya Thackeray said Koli- men colony falls said Worli Koli- we will overcome this crisis,” accept us as human beings because you don’t The Govandi Covid positive pa- last few days. We are racing wada and Janta colony were wada has been completely sealed he tweeted. know about Nagaland and the Northeast India. Why are you discriminating against us? ” one of the (All figures youth is heard saying. Zoramthanga sought the Himachal Pradesh As India’s economy expands, more and intervention of PM Narendra Modi and Union Home in lakh) MIGRANT more people are moving out of their native 26.4 states in search of job opportunities Minister Amit Shah. Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma Punjab 21.3 HOTSPOTS Khap diktat leads took up the matter with Mysuru MP. He said the MP had informed him that the accused were arrested. Uttarakhand Sikkim Haryana 3.83 5.2 Arunachal Pradesh 1.4 to sealed villages 29.5 Bihar Ambulance driver abandons Rajasthan Delhi 17.9 HARPREET BAJWA @ Chandigarh “No one is being allowed inside Assam 10 the village even if it is close rela- father and son on the road 18.4 56.4 Uttar Pradesh VILLAGES across Haryana are tives. Marriages have been post- Kolkata: An ambulance driver forced an Madhya Pradesh 29.7 West Bengal 55.8 now seeing ‘thikri pehra’ , a poned at least by a month. We octogenarian suffering from fever to get off his round-the-clock community sur- have told villagers not to assem- vehicle suspecting him to be a coronavirus patient 23 Jharkhand veillance, to prevent the entry of ble in groups. Initially, the people Gujarat 26 outsiders in their were not agreeing to fol- and sped away. Standing on the middle of a road in 17.9 a summer noon, the elderly man’s son sought help Chhattisgarh neighbourhoods. low the rules but after from the police who finally took them to the Teams of 8-10 mem- several reports (of hospital where they were heading for. “My father Maharashtra 10.2 Odisha bers are now manning COVID cases), they are entries of their villages No one is being now complying with was suffering from fever since past two days. 79.5 Because of lockdown, I found difficult to arrange a 19.4 after the khap panchay- allowed inside the the rules,’’ Jaglan said. village even if it is vehicle to take him to the nearby hospital. An Andhra Pradesh INDIA ats issued diktat to or- He informed that vil- der social distancing close relatives. lagers, who had re- ambulance driver agreed but he demanded `1,500 Goa 10.5 Marriages have been for checking the spread turned from cities and to travel a four-km stretch. I agreed because we 1.3 postponed. We have had no option left. I took my father to Kolkata of COVID-19. told villagers not to towns before the lock- Rashtriya Maha down was announced, Medical College from where he was referred to Tamil Nadu assemble in groups Beleghata ID Hospital,’’ the son recounted. The Karnataka Khap Maha Panchayat were told to go on self Khap leader father and son duo stood helplessly on the 21.5 13.3 convener Sunil Jaglan quarantine. deserted road. “I contacted the PCR and a police had shot off the diktat Mehan Khap chief vehicle arrived within 10 minutes.” Luckily, the old to all the khaps and sarpanches Tulsi Grewal claimed the system man was not found to be down with the infection. Kerala 20.5 through WhatsApp. is better than policing. Marriages have been post- “Villagers are using tractor trol- (Source: Census 2011) poned and villagers advised not leys to spray disinfectants for (Data for other states not available) to assemble at meeting places sanitising their neighbours,” Assam cops name and shame such as ponds in these villages. Grewal said. lockdown violators Guwahati: If the cops in Assam are helping the poor and stranded, they are also wielding the Nepali workers Entire village sticks against those violating the COVID-19 RANCHI BIZMAN ON A MISSION lockdown. Additionally, the men in uniform are desperate to in Bengal goes shaming the lockdown violators by sharing their photos on the social media. The Assam Police TO FEED 500 PEOPLE DAILY uploaded the photos of some violators on its return home on quarantine Twitter handle. The offenders are seen holding MUKESH RANJAN @ Ranchi FIRs against placards with confessions: “I am an enemy of the VINEET UPADHYAY@ Dehradun KOLKATA: The people of en- public” and “I am an enemy of the country”. Ever rumour- IN times of uncertainty, local mongers tire Barnia village in Nadia since the nationwide lockdown was clamped, OVER 600 daily wagers, labour- businessman Rajesh Gupta is district, from where five coro- scores of people, who had ventured out, were ers from Nepal who are stuck feeding over 500 poor and needy The Dumka navirus patients were taken to beaten up by the cops. Women were also not in border town of Dharchula in people in Ranchi as a mark of hu- police on Monday a Kolkata hospital, decided to spared. In some places, the violators were forced to Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh manity. Gupta is humble as he registered FIRs quarantine themselves. do push up, crawl, kneel etc. There have been some district are restless to return. says it is his effort to simply do against two They refused vegetable sell- incidents of backlash as well. The cops were Nepal is just 100 meters away his bit to ensure that the city does persons for ers, fish vendors, grocery item attacked with stones by traders and public. The after crossing a bridge over not sleep hungry. allegedly suppliers to enter their village police said the incidents of shaming the people Kali river. But the Nepal gov- “I prepare food myself spreading and kept themselves confined took place at “one or two districts”. ernment not allowing them to for around 500 people coronavirus- in their houses. Only health return yet amidst ongoing every day and distribute related rumours department personnel, who COVID-19 outbreak. it among the poor and on social media, are sanitising the village, are a senior official 2,500 Man Bahadur, a migrant needy people whom I see being allowed. PRISONERS worker from Jajarkot of Nepal on the streets of Ranchi. said. Deputy Fish vendors and vegetable RELEASED who worked in Char Dham Some of my friends in Commissioner sellers and milkmen were re- 1,600 Pariyojana, complained he and my locality, who also Rajeswari B. said fused entry since five neigh- BY STATES others have no basic facilities have nothing to do at the FIRs were bours were tested positive such as place to sleep or proper home during lockdown, help me registered at three days ago. “We don’t know toilets. “Food is being provided out in this work. They even help Rajesh Gupta is being helped by some of his friends in his mission the Shikaripara who among us had mingled 726 police station. but unhygienic conditions are me sometimes with donations,” to feed the poor and the infirm | MUKESH RANJAN with the five. We are maintain- 370 a problem. Our government is says Gupta. ing social distance and it will being so cruel that it has aban- The food is prepared at his continue for next two weeks,’’ Source: ENS Food is distributed twice in the morning and in the evening. We are also doned us,” he rued. backyard while ensuring all pre- providing food to several people who arrived here from other cities and are Mithun Sarkar, a resident of ASSAM PUNJAB Indian authorities have ar- cautions of hygiene and nutrition stuck here —Rajesh Gupta, businessman the village. CHHATTISGARH HARYANA ranged food for them for now in mind, he adds. The health department has and told them to maintain so- “Today, I distributed ‘khichdi’ . already identified 49 people cial distancing. Pithoragarh Next day, I will be preparing veg- are stuck here,” he says. mission to ensure that he can feed who came in contact with the district magistrate Vijay Ku- etable pulao for them. Food is dis- It gives immense satisfaction as many as helpless people. The five. Block Development Offic- prisoners to be released mar Jogdande confirmed that tributed twice in the morning and when a hungry person gives businessman also appealed other er Subha Singha Roy said the in UTTAR PRADESH and Nepalese authorities have in the evening. We are also pro- blessings when food is served, citizens in Ranchi to help at least villagers were told to alert 11,000 MAHARASHTRA locked down border and are viding food to several people who he adds. five-ten persons every day in their them if anyone shows COV- not taking anyone back. arrived here from other cities and Gupta continues with a single localities. ID-19 symptoms. ENS

VINEET UPADHYAY Interactive comics Tight rules at Doon markets Plastic ban in secretariat removed Our correspondent in Dehradun To help kids during the For Dehradun, the district administration has The Uttarakhand government has stalled its previous order, which banned the vineet.upadhyay@ lockdown, an IIT-Roorkee regulated the timing of Arhat Bazaaar, the use of plastic products such as plastic water bottles in meeting and workshops newindianexpress.com startup, TBS Planet Comics wholesale grain market, and Niranjpur inside the secretariat due to the need of personal hygiene in the fight against Studio, is offering interactive vegetable market. The move is expected to COVID-19. A letter in this regard written by chief secretary Utpal Kumar Singh comics free of cost. The comics keep away the general public. The Dehradun was circulated last week. In August last year, additional chief secretary Radha DIARY Raturi had passed directions, through a circular, to all senior officials that no are available in Hindi, English, DEHRADUN Smart City Project Limited has started the plastic products should be used inside the secretariat. But now, the state Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, and online facility of issuing lockdown passes to essential services providers. The wholesale government decided that the order will be put on hold for the time being. Marathi. “Interactive comics Govt ensures wheat flour reaches all market remained opened on Friday from 2 enable kids to choose a pm till 4pm for dealers and retail shop character and shape adventure The government will procure wheat from FCI depots for ensuring that there is no shortage of wheat flour during the 21-day lockdown. District supply officers will gather owners. Traders were allowed to enter the according to the choices they details of requirements of flour mills and the list will be forwarded to the regional food market only with a valid pass. Similar make in the story.,” IIT-Roorkee controller. For this purpose, an account will be opened in a nationalised bank. District arrangements were made at Niranjanpur director Ajit K Chaturvedi said. supply officers were told to immediately prepare the list. On behalf of the flour mills where officials had to close the gates of the Rajeev Tamhankar, founder owners, the government, under the ‘Open Market Sale Scheme’, will procure wheat from market for some time after many residents &CEO, TBS Planet Comics FCI depots. Food and Civil Supplies Secretary Sushil Kumar directed regional food gathered inside the market. Officials then Studio, said the initiative will controller of Kumaon and Garhwal to reach out to flour mills operating in their vacated the market and only traders and encourage kids to read during jurisdiction areas. They have also been named the nodal officer for ensuring that the buyers with permission were allowed to their leisure hours. districts do not run short of flour continue with their activities. Beijing 17 6 SNY Los Angeles 19 10 SNY Colombo 32 24 TDS Melbourne 24 15 LR Doha 33 20 SNY Moscow 15 1 LC 69-year-old GLOBAL Dubai 32 24 LC New York 12 9 LC WEATHER Houston 26 19 SNY Singapore 34 24 LC American songwriter Alan Merrill passed away on LR: Light Rain HR: Heavy Rain Istanbul 11 9 HR Toronto 17 7 TDS Monday due to complications from the coronavirus TDS: Thundershower LC: Light Cloud SNY: Sunny London 8 3 LC Washington DC 23 13 LC

VIJAYAWADA TUESDAY 09 31l03 l2020

RIYADH WASHINGTON SEOUL KABUL BEIRUT ATHENS BEIJING Saudi-led coalition strikes US will not pay for Harry’s N Korea tests ‘super-large’ Attacks by Taliban kill 11 ISIS terrorists escape amid Greece’s anti-Nazi hero One killed, 127 injured in Yemen’s rebel-held capital security cover, says Trump multiple rocket launchers soldiers in Afghanistan prison riots in eastern Syria Glezos dies aged 97 train accident in China The Saudi-led military coalition on President Donald Trump has said North Korea successfully tested Taliban attacks in Afghanistan’s Islamic State militants rioted inside Greece’s foremost anti-Nazi A passenger train derailed after Monday said it carried out multiple that the US will not foot the bill “super-large multiple rocket north and south have killed at least a prison in northeastern Syria, resistance hero Manolis Glezos striking debris from a landslide in air strikes on Yemen’s rebel-held for Britain’s Prince Harry and his launchers”, state media said on 11 Afghan soldiers, the country’s wrestling control of an entire floor died in a hospital Monday at the central China on Monday. A railway capital Sanaa in retaliation for wife Meghan Markle’s security Monday. Unusually, the official Defense Ministry said on Monday. in the facility while a number of age of 97, state TV ERT said. The police officer was killed and 122 Sunday’s missile strikes on Riyadh. amid reports that the royal couple Korean Central News Agency did The violence comes even as Afghan prisoners managed to escape, a wartime icon, who had been passengers were hurt, four of them The operation was aimed at have moved to Los Angeles from not say in its report that Kim had President Ashraf Ghani last week Syrian Kurdish official said Sunday. hospitalised earlier this month seriously. Five rail staff also destroying “legitimate military Canada. Last week, The Sun, a directed the test. He is almost announced his 21-member team to The prison is believed to house with gastroenteritis and a urinary suffered light injuries. The accident targets” including Houthi ballistic British tabloid, reported that the always shown overseeing the negotiate peace with the Taliban, foreign IS militants. The US-led infection, had died of heart failure. occurred in Chenzhou City. A probe capabilities which “threaten lives”, royal couple and their 10-month- North’s launches, but on this only to have his political opponent, coalition said it was assisting the Glezos had been placed in showed that the incident was the coalition said in a statement old son Archie moved to Los occasion KCNA said it was led by Abdullah Abdullah, reject it as not SDF with aerial surveillance as they emergency care in November with caused by a landslide as a result of released by Saudi Press Agency. Angeles, where Markle was raised. party vice chairman Ri Pyong Chol. inclusive enough. quell the riot. respiratory problems. continuous rains.

2,490 2500 Near-vertical climb The death toll in the US from the novel coronavirus US extends curbs on social life till April 30 has gone up from six on March 2 to 2,490 on March 30 Americans told to prepare for another 30 days of severe economic and social disruptions amid war on Covid-19 2000

The US recorded 518 new coronavirus-linked Military hospital ship deaths in the span of 24 hours, arrives in New York 1500 according to data published A military hospital ship arrived on Sunday by Johns Hopkins 1,295 in New York on Monday as University. The number of cases America’s coronavirus 1000 shot up 21,333 in just one epicenter prepares to fight the day, the data showed peak of the pandemic. The navy’s 1,000-bed USNS Total number of deaths number of Total Comfort entered a Manhattan pier around 10:45 am (local 500 time). It will treat non-virus- 150 414 related patients, helping to 6 15 30 57 ease the burden of hospitals overwhelmed by the crisis. Governor Andrew Cuomo was 0 expected to greet the vessel Mar 2 Mar 6 Mar 10 Mar 14 Mar 18 Mar 22 Mar 26 Mar 30 when it reaches the harbour. In addition to the 1,000 beds, the Comfort has 12 operating rooms that could be up and running within 24 hours of Italians cheer officials reaching the city’s shores A man crosses a road in New York City’s 5th Avenue on Monday; (right) Health workers from the US state of Georgia pose for a photo aboard a special plane to New York| AP as toll dips for 3rd day 68-bed field hospital under construction WASHINGTON after Trump made a dramatic from business leaders, met a The federal guidelines rec- ROME A 68-bed field hospital will be course reversal and announced sober reality check from health ommend against group gather- constructed by Tuesday in the SIDING with public health ex- that he would not be moving to experts, including Dr. Anthony ings larger than 10 and urge IN a situation unimaginable city’s iconic Central Park to perts’ dire projections, US Pres- ease the guidelines and get the Fauci, the government’s top in- older people and anyone with only a month ago, Italian offi- help enhance New York City’s ident Donald Trump on Mon- economy back up and running fectious disease expert, who on existing health problems to cials were cheered when they medical capacity to treat the day defended his decision to by Easter, as he said last week Sunday said the U.S. could ex- stay home. People are urged to reported only 756 new deaths rapidly increasing coronavirus extend restrictive social dis- he hoped to do. perience between 100,000- work at home when possible in one day. Italy said the num- cases. Mayor Bill de Blasio told tancing guidelines through the In the face of stark projec- 200,000 deaths and millions of and avoid restaurants, bars, ber of deaths has dropped reporters on Sunday that end of April. tions from his team and sear- infections from the pandemic. nonessential travel and shop- about 10% a day since Friday. Mount Sinai Hospital, working “The worst that could hap- ing images of overwhelmed Americans are now being ping trips. ‘’We are saving lives by stay- with a relief organisation pen is you do it too early and all hospitals in his native New asked to prepare for at least an- For more than a week, Trump ing at home, by maintaining named Samaritan’s Purse, is of a sudden it comes back,” York City, Trump instead ex- other 30 days of severe econom- had been bombarded by calls social distance, by traveling creating the 68-bed field Trump said during a nearly tended to April 30 the social ic and social disruption, with from outside business leaders less and by closing schools,” hospital in the sprawling hour-long call-in interview distancing guidelines, which schools and businesses closed who urged him to begin reopen- said Dr. Luca Richeldi, a lung Central Park. The hospital with Fox & Friends as mem- had been set to expire Monday. and public life is upended. One ing the nation’s economy, at specialist. should be operational by bers of his coronavirus task Many states and local govern- in 3 Americans remain under least in places with low infec- Prime Minister Giuseppe Tuesday, he said. Crews started force fanned out across other ments already have stiffer con- state or local government or- tion rates, and warned of cata- Conte’s government prepared People stand in their balconies amid a construction of the long, white media outlets to warn the vi- trols in place on mobility and ders to stay at home to slow the strophic consequences that Italians for a “very long” lock- nationwide lockdown on Sunday | AP medical tents in the park’s East rus’ spread was only just gatherings. spread of the virus, and em- could damage his reelection down on Sunday that would Meadow lawn beginning. Trump’s impulse to reopen ployment claims have already chances if it remained shut- only be lifted gradually de- fections reached 85,195, an 8 The comments came a day the country, driven by pleas skyrocketed. tered for longer. Agencies spite its economic hardship per cent rise from the previ- and traumatic impact on daily ous day but down from earlier lives. The message from min- increases that had rocketed TALE OF WOES isters and health officials up to 20 per cent. Top EU official urges Germany came as Italy’s world-topping Spain also reported 812 new toll rose by 756 -- well bellow deaths, raising its overall con- Virus curbs Friday’s record of 969 -- and firmed death toll to 7,340. to compromise on debt pooling the rate of coronavirus infec- Experts say those figures choke Persian tions slowed to under six per- and ones in every other coun- BRUSSELS cent for the first time. try are much lower than the Yet the government ap- actual impact of the pandem- Gulf’s migrant THE European Union’s economics commissioner said on Monday peared more focused on the ic, due to limited testing, that member states would never all agree to blanket mutualised nearing April 3 deadline to lift counting irregularities and workforce debt, but that a compromise with Germany was crucial to give a national lockdown that had mild cases that have been Europe a credible rescue plan from the coronavirus crisis. never been tried by a Western missed. It is the first decline DOHA One way to finance the massive effort needed to shore up democracy—and has since in the number of deaths in a Europe’s economy during the crisis “is to issue bonds, but not been replicated across Europe 24-hour period since Thurs- MILLIONS of migrant workers generically to mutualise the debt, which will never be accept- and the United States. day in Spain. across the Gulf face uncertainty ed,” EU Economics Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni told Italy’s Meanwhile, Spain overtook Spain and Italy make up as host countries lock down, em- Radio Capital. China on Monday in con- more than half the world’s ployers withhold wages or mull Ongoing disagreements among member states on what policy firmed coronavirus infections death toll of over 34,800 people Volunteers prepare food packages for people stuck in their homes due to a redundancies, and strict corona- to take risked splitting and dooming the European project, add- as the pandemic stretched from the virus that has upend- lockdown in Karachi on Monday| AP virus containment measures ed Gentiloni, a former prime minister of Italy. scores of Spanish hospitals to ed the lives of billions. lead to deportations and Gentiloni’s comments came after Italy and other southern their breaking point. Experts say the critical seen confinement. countries lobbied unsuccessfully last week for so-called “coro- With a population of only in hospitals in Italy and Spain “We’ve been in lockdown for nabonds”, money raised jointly by the 19 countries that use the 47 million people to China’s will be soon heading toward China building special the last eight to 10 days, we don’t euro single currency. AFP 1.4 billion, Spain’s tally of in- the United States. Agencies know when it will end,” said a 27-year-old Pakistani engineer hospital for Pakistan in Qatar beginning a second OUTDOOR FISH AND CHIPS week under mandatory PRAYERS suits and ventilators to Paki- quarantine. How essential items differ across cultures ■ Britain, which was initially ISLAMABAD In a nod to Israel’s stan. And we will also help Pa- “The basic issue we are facing reluctant to shut down The coronavirus PASTRY, vibrant religious CHINA, which has sent medi- kistan to set up adhoc make- now is groceries. The govern- business, has issued pandemic is defining NO SMALL life, people can cal teams and supplies to Paki- shift hospital,” she said. ment is providing us with food orders to close for the globe BUSINESS gather for outdoor stan where coronavirus cases China had built two major but only after some days — and nonessential operations what’s “essential” prayers — with a are increasing steadily, said on makeshift hospitals with 2,300 little things only.” He is among In France, shops and what things maximum of 10 ■ Monday that it was building a bed capacity in Wuhan in early tens of thousands of workers specializing in Restaurants and eateries we really can’t worshipers makeshift hospital there to February at the height of the strictly confined to Doha’s In- pastry, wine and must be shut, but Britons do without, even standing 2 meters treat COVID-19 patients. coronavirus outbreak in the dustrial Area after dozens in the cheese have can still get fish and chips (2 yards) apart. The number of coronavirus city. Hua said China has invit- blue-collar district tested posi- though we might been declared and other Demonstrations — cases in Pakistan reached 1,664 ed Pakistan to attend the video tive for the COVID-19 virus. not need them for essential meals, as also allowed — while the death toll stood at 18, conference on COVID-19 and a They also face salaries going survival People wait in line to buy guns in California | AP businesses long as have occurred health officials said on Mon- medical expert team is in unpaid and arbitrary dismissal they’re outside parliament day, underlining that local Islamabad. or deportation — an outcome GUNS AND GOLF INTERNET carry-out and the Supreme transmission of the deadly On Saturday, a special plane that could spell disaster for fam- In some US states, golf, guns and ganja have Some countries including US ■ Court Britain at COVID-19 is increasing. from China carrying a team of ilies at home dependent on their been ruled essential, raising eyebrows and — states have listed listing the first kept liquor “Recently, the pandemic is eight medical experts and re- income. Some labourers in Sau- in the case of guns — a good deal of anger information technology sector stores off its list of also spreading in Pakistan. We lief assistance arrived in Paki- di Arabia, home to 10 million as essential. The world’s Several states where marijuana is legal, businesses allowed to totally relate to what they are stan. Besides airlifting sup- expat workers, complained that dependency on the internet has such as California and Washington, remain open, but after experiencing,” China’s For- plies, China also sent medical they were required by bosses to become even more apparent as deemed pot shops and workers in the reports of supermarkets eign Ministry spokesperson supplies to Pakistan through work while Saudis were permit- countless people confined to market’s supply chain essential running out of beer, wine Hua Chunying said. the Pakistan-occupied Kash- ted paid quarantine leave. One their homes communicate, and spirits, the “The Chinese government mir to fight the steadily in- said he was told to accept un- For some, the emphasis is on medicinal uses, stream movies and play games government quickly has donated supplies such as creasing coronavirus case paid leave if he felt unwell, but not enabling cooped-up people to get stoned online to stave off cabin fever added them testing kits, masks, protective there. AP opted to continue working. PTI MARKET GOLD SILVER FOREX Market 1,375.27 Sensex 28,440.32 H8 24 carat (1 gm) H4,391 H0 Per kg H41,700 Dollar 75.54 Watch 379.15 Nifty 8,281.10 H8 22 carat (1 gm) H4,193 H0 Per gm H41.70 Euro 83.65 VIJAYAWADA TUESDAY 10 31l03 l2020 FOREIGN TRADE TO DIP THIS YEAR Crude oil prices nosedive to India’s exports estimated to drop by nearly 10% this fiscal year, from 20-30% in March 17-year low of $22.75/ barrel

ENS ECONOMIC BUREAU @ New Delhi will result in around `39,000 JAYANTA ROY CHOWDHURY @ New Delhi crore in additional income per AS the demand for oil has A3 per litre annum to the government. HIT by the sudden lockdown and logistics dis- drastically fallen in the wake increase in excise duty After the increase, the total ruption on top of a global slowdown, India’s of lockdown in many parts of announced on March 14 incidence of excise duty on exports sector is likely to face a nearly 10 per the world, crude oil prices will result in about petrol has risen to `22.98 per cent dip this financial year and between 20-30 dropped to a 17-year low of `39,000 crore litre and that on diesel to per cent in the crucial month of March. $22.75 on Monday. additional income per `18.83 at present. This levy “If the whole year was a period of challeng- Since February 20, Brent year to the government was just `9.48 per litre on pet- WHAT’S HIT es, this month has been a disaster with facto- crude oil rates have declined rol and `3.56 per litre on diesel Pharma exports, ries shut, orders cancelled by foreign clients over 60 per cent from $58.50 a when the Modi government which accounts and huge logistics disruptions hitting us,” barrel. However, retail fuel Petroleum Corporation — are took office in 2014. for $20 billion, said Sharad Kumar Saraf, president of the In- Tirupur garment cluster rates in India have stayed still absorbing the impact of In a fresh amendment have been hit by dian Exporters Organisation. “We are staring largely stable despite the the Centre’s `3 per litre hike in passed by Parliament, the Cen- the snapping of at orders being cancelled for the rest of the crash, going from `72.01 for a excise duties on transport fuel tre has also given itself room raw material year and many of our companies being re- litre of petrol in Delhi to the made earlier this month. to increase excise duties by an- supplies from placed by Chinese and Vietnamese suppliers stares at a bleak future `69.59 per litre — a decline of A large majority of the price other `8 per litre on petrol and China, while the who are working.” just 3.3 per cent. decline is being absorbed by diesel each in the future. jewellery and Foreign trade as a percentage of India’s BINITA JAISWAL @ Chennai the brands have not made our Retail prices of petrol and the Centre through the excise Crude oil prices are set to diamond GDP accounted for over 43 per cent of India’s payments. Besides, the ship- diesel in India have remained duty increase in a manner drop further going forward as exporters face an foreign trade with merchandise exports ac- RAJA Shanmugham, president ments released in March are unchanged since March 16. similar to what was done the Saudi Arabia, which has al- even sharper counting for $331.02 billion last year, out of the of Tirupur Exporters’ Associa- right now on high seas or lying Sources say the three state- last time crude oil prices ready announced a sharp pro- disruption in total exports of $535 billion. Saraf does not tion, receives 60 calls on an av- at the ports. Nobody knows owned oil marketing compa- plunged in 2015. duction ramp-up, said on Mon- supplies from expect merchandise exports to top $300 billion erage from worried garment when these shipments will be nies — Indian Oil Corpora- According to officials, the `3 day that it would raise its oil markets abroad. this financial year. traders and exporters, who are cleared and taken to warehous- tion, Bharat Petroleum per litre increase in excise exports to a record 10.6 million Passenger flights, Prof. Biswajit Dhar of JNU, who is also a clueless on their future as the es or when we will get the dues. Corporation and Hindustan duty announced on March 14 barrels per day from May. which have been member of the Board of Trade, agrees. “Both coronavirus outbreak has put Even after the lockdown is grounded by most exports and imports are going to take a beat- an abrupt stop to their busi- over, we may hardly be able do countries, used to ing. Transport logistics have been snapped nesses. Shanmugam patiently any business in April. Even the PROJECT KAVACH carry cargo in their with flights grounded and trucking halted, lends an ear and apprises them domestic market, which is also ITD order seeking to chase bellies. With just though that is being restarted now. The pan- of the association’s efforts to worth `2,500 crore a month, is the cargo flights demic has also broken supply chains and revive the industry. He said he affected. We may see `10,000- left, the cost of many of our producers are starved of raw ma- is trying his best to allay fears, 12,000 crore loss in just three taxpayers irks employees freight from India terials from abroad.” ever since a 34-year-old gar- months,” Shanmugam said. to US has Pharma exports, which accounts for $20 bil- ment manufacturer ended The business hub of Ta- reportedly shot up lion, have been hit by the snapping of raw ma- his life on March 24. mil Nadu is wearing a ENS ECONOMIC BUREAU @ New Delhi from $3-5 per kg terial supplies from China, while the jewel- The Tirupur garment deserted look. The asso- earlier to $10-12 lery and diamond exporters face an even industry, which has ciation says chances of THE income-tax department’s direction asking its employees now. sharper disruption in supplies from markets over 10,000 manufactur- its revival depend sole- to follow up tax collections via phone and mail from their abroad. Passenger flights, which have been ing units, is facing the ly on government pa- homes have not gone down well with the tax officers. grounded by most countries, used to carry worst time ever. The gar- tronage as most firms In a letter to tax officers, Rakesh Gupta, commissioner of cargo in their bellies. With just the cargo ment clusters that employ have bank loans and insuf- income-tax (coordination & systems), Central Board of Direct Apollo Hospitals flights left, the cost of freight from India to US over 6 lakh people is staring at ficient working capital. Taxes, have asked them to follow up large tax cases over phone has reportedly shot up from $3-5 per kg earlier a loss of over `10,000 crore in The association has request- and submit a daily report of their actions. “While the ITBA partners with If the whole year just three months. For both the ed the government for a mora- (Income-Tax Business Application) platform is not available to was one of to $10-12 now. challenges, this “We are asking the government to allow ex- small and big firms, the road to torium of at least one year. “It’s the officers for discharging statutory functions, it is still possible hotels to add 5K month has been a port units to work at least at half the strength. revival seems difficult. clear that in next three months to follow up the pending collection matters by contacting large disaster with That way, along with regular health-screen- Shanmugam said the Tiru- we won’t get any major export taxpayers telephonically/electronically,” Gupta wrote. isolation beds factories shut, ing, we keep functioning. We will be risking pur exports industry used to orders as coronavirus has bat- With the nationwide lockdown, several tax officials are work- orders cancelled by fewer workers to any infections,” Saraf said. see a turnover of `2,500 crore tered economies globally. So, ing from home. “On one hand, there is a moratorium announced foreign clients and Much of what India manufactures for the per month on an average, but how will we pay our loans? The by the government and on the other, we are being asked to pur- ENS ECONOMIC BUREAU @ Hyderabad huge logistics world, such as textiles, engineering goods and the units have not yet received government should also infuse sue cases. And then they say we harass businesses. We have disruptions automobiles, can be made by rivals such as their payment dues for Janu- at least 25 per cent of working taken up the matter with our association,” said an officer. THE Apollo Hospitals Group Sharad Kumar Saraf, China, Vietnam and Bangladesh. This lends ary and February. capital into the industry, else The joint body of Income-Tax Employees’ Federation and on Monday brought on board president of the Indian anxiety to the long-term future of India’s vital “As coronavirus affected the we have no chance of a reviv- Income-Tax Gazetted Officers’ Association has already written multiple partners to set up Exporters Organisation foreign trade sector. EU, Canada and other markets, al,” said the association. a letter to the CBDT in this regard. 5,000 isolation beds across the country as part of its Covid-19 Project Kavach programme. The hospital chain has Stimulus to wait as taskforce takes even tied up with the coun- India’s biggest mutual fund buying a try’s largest lender SBI who, significant stake (in SpiceJet) shows along with Hindustan Unile- that it has confidence in the airline stock of sectorwise impact of virus coming out of the present crisis ver Ltd, will sponsor half of the rooms made available by An executive in the aviation industry OYO rooms free of cost for ANURADHA SHUKLA @ New Delhi sectors, so that the stimulus is down, along with insurance the needy. utilised judicially. Any an- covers for frontline medical CRISIL has recently downgraded rating Besides, it also roped in INDIA Inc’s wait for an eco- nouncement will only happen personnel. The measures in- of SpiceJet’s short-term loans on Duetsche Bank, OYO Hotels nomic stimulus might get after that,” a senior finance cluded giving free cereals and deteriorating business risk profile and Homes, Lemon Tree Ho- longer. This is because an eco- ministry official told TNIE. cooking gas to about 800 mil- tels, Zomato and others to be nomic taskforce, headed by The official said that the re- lion people, apart from direct part of Project Kavach. Union Finance Minister Nir- port will start coming only by cash transfers to Jan Dhan ac- “There will be a rise in the mala Sitharaman, will give a the first week of April and not counts for three months. HDFC Mutual Fund subsidiary buys number of individuals re- sectorwise report to assess the before. “The report will start Ever since the 21-day lock- quiring to be quarantined impact of coronavirus, before coming only in the first week down began on March 25, In- due to contact with Covid-19 deciding on any sector-specific of next month. Till that time, dia Inc, which had already patients. This will put a huge stimulus. the government will take deci- been reeling under the eco- 5.45% SpiceJet stake from open mkt load on the government’s “The taskforce is on its toes, sions on a case-to-case basis as nomic slowdown, has been de- quarantine facilities. This is monitoring the situation close- and when required,” the offi- manding a stimulus package ENS ECONOMIC BUREAU @ New Delhi fidence in the airline coming aviation sector may incur loss- the time for private sector to ly. It will not announce meas- cial added. to sustain businesses. The out of the present crisis,” said es of over $3 billion by Q1FY21 step up to the challenge to ures based on demand, but The government last week most severely hit are the avia- AT a time when the rating an industry executive. due to the suspension of flights. aid, augment and support only after carefully assessing had announced `1.7 lakh crore tion, travel, hospitality, retail, agencies and investors are Shares of the Ajit Singh-pro- According to Centre for Asia our government,” said Dr the sectorwise impact of the relief package to provide a manufacturing and automo- skeptical about the survival of moted carrier have nosedived Pacific Aviation, IndiGo and Sangita Reddy, joint manag- lockdown. The taskforce will safety net for those hit the tive sectors, and small many airlines, HDFC Trustee in the last one year. From trad- SpiceJet, the two listed carri- ing director, Apollo be submitting a report on the hardest by the Covid-19 lock- businesses. Company Limited, a subsidi- ing at a 52-week high of `156.90 ers, alone could report com- Hospitals. ary of HDFC Mutual Fund, has a share, it fell 5 per cent intra- bined losses of $1.25-1.5 billion The proposed isolation bought 3.4 crore shares of do- day on Monday to close at across FY20 and Q1 of FY21. It rooms will be rolled out in EXPRESS READ TODAY’S STOCK PICK mestic carrier SpiceJet from `35.15 on the BSE. added that the pandemic im- Hyderabad, Chennai, Mum- the open market, which ac- Industry observers believe pact will be so severe that small- bai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and GMR Airports’ global Current Price TATA CONSUMER counts for 5.45 per cent stake in that GoAir and SpiceJet have er carriers may go bankrupt. Delhi, starting with approxi- partner raises €2.5 bn PRODUCTS the private airline. been hit the worst due to the SpiceJet is said to be taking mately 500 beds in Bengalu- A282.40 The merger of Tata Chemical’s The open market stake pur- ban on international and do- multiple steps to conserve its ru, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata Hyderabad: GMR Airports’ consumer biz with Tata Consumer chase comes days after rating mestic flights, as they don’t cash flow. Recently, it said its and Mumbai, and going up international partner, Groupe Target Price Products (TCP) is in sync with the agency CRISIL downgraded the have the requisite cash flow. fleet of five dedicated freight- by 50 rooms every three ADP of France, said it has group’s focus to create a single rating for SpiceJet’s short-term For SpiceJet, and the avia- ers are crisscrossing the coun- days, to reach an eventual raised €2.5 billion in bonds in A439 FMCG-focused firm. TCP’s India loans from ‘BB-’ to ‘B’ on sig- tion industry in general, a lot is try daily and flying to nearby target of 5,000. The ramp up two parts, with different tea business is its breadwinner nificant deterioration of busi- dependent on the soon-to-be- countries including to those in will be calibrated based on — Motilal Oswal Securities Limited maturity prices at effective and has clocked revenue/EBITDA ness risk profile amidst the announced relief package from the Middle East, South East the need and cities will be interest rates of 2.125 per cent Disclaimer: The views and recommen- CAGR of 10%/13% over the past coronavirus lockdown. the government intended at Asia, among other places with added based on government and 2.75 per cent, respectively. dations made above are that of the indi- decade. Starbucks (50% JV) is “India’s biggest mutual fund supporting the sectors finan- cold chain medical supplies, requests, support of local The bonds were oversubscribed vidual analyst or broking company, and well positioned in a market with buying a significant stake (in cially hit by coronavirus. Re- medicines, medical devices and healthcare providers and by more than five times. In not that of The New Indian Express. very little competition. SpiceJet) shows that it has con- cent reports have claimed that more to fight Covid-19. support for CSR. February, GMR signed a pact with Groupe ADP to divest 49 per cent stake in GMR Airports LOCKDOWN EFFECT (GAL) for an equity considera- tion of I10,780 crore. The deal valued GAL at I22,000 crore. Indian e-commerce sector to lose $600 mn in next two weeks: Forrester Unicorn India Ventures closes 2nd equity fund BISMAH MALIK @ Bengaluru categories — such as large ap- taking in account of the lock- forms to hoard essential sup- pliances, smartphones, con- downs and long-term impact on plies like groceries and person- ONLINE RETAILERS TO SEE $1BN LOSS Mumbai: Mumbai-based early THE 21-day lockdown an- sumer electronics and fashion spending, we expect the growth al hygiene products, and several stage fund house Unicorn India nounced by the Indian govern- — which constitutes 70 per cent rate to slow in 2020, to around 5 start-ups are venturing into the $2bn was Ventures has announced the ment to prevent the spread of of the e-commerce sector in In- per cent,” it added. segment. This will boost their the size of first close of its second equity coronavirus will cost the coun- dia, is likely to hit the indus- The usual supply chain sales by 30 per cent in 2020. But $1bn $33.5 bn online fund at $12 million. The second try’s e-commerce sector nearly try in a big way. disruptions for manufac- the share of groceries in the estimated as loss was the size of online grocery sale equity fund of `400 crore was $600 million in the next two Forrester’s research turers and online retail- overall sector is very small. In for online retailers retail sales in 2019 in 2019. announced last year. Unicorn weeks, according to market re- note, shared exclusive- ers are also expected to 2019, the share of online gro- during the and was expected to Online India has raised funds from search firm Forrester. ly with TNIE, stated pose huge problems for cery sales stood at less than $2 lockdown period grow 26% grocery sale domestic investors comprising There has been a loss of near- that it has downgraded e-commerce compa- billion,” said Satish Meena, sen- due to supply growth is of family offices and investors ly $400 million over the past one the growth outlook for nies, as they will strug- ior forecast analyst, Forrester. chain disruptions, is the new expected to from the first fund. The fund week due to the slump in over- India’s online retail busi- gle to fulfill the growing Apart from BigBasket, Gro- inventory issues, estimated grow at a expects to reach final close in all sales, especially after the ness by 20 per cent due to the demand. The demand, as per fers, Amazon and Flipkart, last-mile delivery 5% growth in faster rate next one year. With the first government barred the retail Covid-19 impact. It said that In- the research firm, is likely to start-ups like Meesho, Snap- and lack of demand 2020 now, than the close, Unicorn India has also and e-commerce industries dia’s online retail business pick up only during the festival deal, Shopclues and Zomato in categories other taking into account the overall announced its first investment from selling non-essential stood at nearly $33.5 billion in season in 2020 or next year. have also started selling grocer- than grocery and lockdown and long-term online retail in a Trivandrum-based start-up products. The slump in sales of 2019 and was expected to grow “More and more Indians are ies on their platforms to tap the personal care impact on spending sales SaScan Meditech. products under non-essential by 26 per cent in 2020. “After turning towards online plat- growing market. Dirk Hordorff, vice-president of the German tennis federation, has said that Wimbledon cancellation Wimbledon will be cancelled on Wednesday. “They will announce that they are cancelling Wimbledon,” Hordorff said. “You could reorganise Roland Garros on the cards? for September or October, but not Wimbledon, the grass would be too damp.”

VIJAYAWADA TUESDAY 11 31l03 l2020 newindianexpress com

MAT FINISH COUNTDOWN BEGINS ONCE AGAIN Yoga and meditation Tokyo organisers announce July 23 to August 8 window for deferred Olympic Games helping wrestler Pooja AFP @ Tokyo he said an emergency tele- conference had been held with The Tokyo Olympics will begin the IOC and the date finalised. on July 23 next year, organisers “We agreed that the timing iron out her flaws said on Monday, after the coro- of the event will be in summer navirus forced the historic de- as originally planned, consider- FIROZ MIRZA @ Chennai quite often but these days I am cision to postpone the Games ing the coronavirus... and a cer- in the best shape and free of until 2021. The announcement tain amount of time needed for SHE was offered a role to por- all injuries. I am confident comes less than a week after preparations, selection and tray Babita Phogat in Bolly- that I will make the Olympic the organisers were forced to qualification of athletes,” he wood blockbuster Dangal but cut,” said the 2018 Worlds delay the Games. added. In a statement, the IOC Pooja Dhanda declined it to medallist. said the new dates would give concentrate on wrestling. In She has been spending health authorities and organis- her words, “It’s better to tell quality time with her family WORLD ATHLETICS ers “the maximum time to deal the world your story rather after quite a few years and IN 2022 with the constantly changing than portraying someone Pooja doesn’t want this oppor- To accommodate the Tokyo landscape and the disruption else’s role.” tunity to slip out of her hand. Olympics in 2021, the 2021 caused by the COVID-19 pan- Pooja did tell the world her “This is a unique situation. World Athletics Championships demic.” The decision would story three years later when Even my parents haven’t seen will be shifted to 2022. It was also cause “minimum” disrup- she defeated Geeta Phogat, anything like this before. But supposed to be held in Eugene, tion to the international sports Babita’s elder sister, in the as this situation has been Oregon, from August 6-15. “We calendar, the body said. 2018 Commonwealth Games’ forced upon us, we try to make support the new 2021 dates for The Tokyo 2020 Olympics selection trials and went on to good use of it. I am also cook- the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games were due to open on July 24 this win silver in the internation- announced by the Japanese year and run for 16 days, but al event. For the record, she organisers and the IOC,” World the coronavirus pandemic had defeated Babita a couple Athletics said in a statement. forced the first peace-time post- of years before the offer. “This gives our athletes the time ponement of the Games. The A man wearing a mask walks past posters of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in a subway station in Tokyo on Monday | AFP Confined to her home in they need to get back into IOC and Japan had for weeks Hisar due to the countrywide training and competition. insisted the show could go on lockdown amid the COVID-19 Everyone needs to be flexible but the rapid spread of COV- outbreak, the 26-year-old and compromise and to that ID-19 prompted growing disqui- Will be a level playing field: Batra grappler is making the most end we are working with the et among athletes and sporting of her free time by ironing out organisers of the World Athletics federations. There was specula- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE ing. Batra, who is also an In- during the Cherry Blossom her flaws and practising med- Championships in Oregon on tion that Japanese organisers @ Chennai ternational Olympic Commit- season in spring, but Batra itation and yoga to improve new dates in 2022 for our World could take advantage of the tee member, happened to be said he never heard of that. her concentration. Athletics Championships.” Track blank canvas to shift the Games THE new dates of the deferred part of the discussions involv- “The IOC has communicated “It (lockdown) has given me and field is the traditional to spring, avoiding the heat of Tokyo 2020 Olympics will not ing National Olympic Com- these dates to us and I don’t time to practice yoga and centrepiece of an Olympic the Tokyo summer that had be give any athlete or nation an mittees (NOCs), international know about any other dates,” meditation. In the national Games. en their main concern before advantage. According to the sports federations (ISFs) and he said. camp, we have training ses- It (lockdown) has given me time to coronavirus struck. Due to the Indian Olympic Association other stakeholders. IOA secretary general Ra- sions twice a day but struggle practice yoga and meditation. In heat, the marathon has been president Narinder Batra, it “The dates are a surprise jeev Mehta felt it would give to work on the mental aspects. the national camp, we have training “The Olympics will be held moved to Sapporo. will give a level-playing field because the IOC has been in India an opportunity to send a Wrestlers need to be mentally sessions twice a day but struggle to from July 23 to August 8, 2021. The postponement has hand- for everyone. touch and has been discussing few more athletes. “We can strong as well. These days, I work on the mental aspects. These days, I meditate and do yoga for at The Paralympics will be held ed organisers the “unprece- “Everyone is affected by the the best possible time to host prepare well and hopefully we meditate and do yoga for at least 1-1.5 hours in the morning and from August 24 to September dented” task of rearranging an coronavirus outbreak and the Games with all of us,” will be able to send more ath- least 1-1.5 hours in the morn- undergo physical training in the 5,” Tokyo 2020 chief Yoshiro event seven years in the mak- every country is facing a cri- said Batra. “I have been part letes and give ourselves a ing and undergo physical evening for around 1.5 hours. Mori said at a hastily arranged ing, and Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshi- sis so when the Games are of their meetings. They have chance to win more medals,” training in the evening for evening news conference. The ro Muto has admitted the addi- hosted, I don’t think anybody consulted all stakeholders – he said. “I welcome the deci- around 1.5 hours. Various Pooja Dhanda, 57kg wrestler 2020 Games were scheduled for tional costs will be “massive”. would have an advantage,” he the NOCs, ISFs, the Tokyo sion of the IOC and we will yoga asanas help me in main- July 24 to August 9. According to the latest budg- said. “It will be a level playing Games Organising Commit- work towards making the taining weight and improving ing a lot these days. Being a Mori had said only hours ear- et, the Games were due to cost field for everyone.” tee, the Japan government, Games a success.” flexibility and agility while vegetarian, I faced difficulties lier that he expected a decision $12.6 billion, shared between Batra also said that the sponsors, etc to finalise the Athletes, who have already meditation helps me in im- while being away from the from the International Olym- the organising committee, the dates had not been chosen dates,” he added. qualified, will also be relieved proving my concentration country. So I am learning how pic Committee during the cou government of Japan and To- randomly but all stakeholders There were speculations with the announcement of the power,” said the 57kg to cook healthy and nutri- rse of the week. But on Mon day, kyo city. were consulted before finalis- that the Games could be held new dates. wrestler. tious vegetarian food. Deco- Physiotherapist Satyap rating the house is the other rakash Singh has given Pooja thing which is keeping me en- a programme to follow during gaged these days.” this period and she is abiding The wrestler is also making Forget lockdown & focus on by it to keep herself fit and in sure she attends online work- the best of her shape. “People shops started by the Sports Mercedes team helps Barcelona players might be struggling to find Authority of India for ath- develop breathing aid to take 70% pay cut things to get themselves in- letes. “It’s really helpful. The future, expert tells athletes volved in but nothing has lecture by the nutritionist the LONDON: Researchers have MADRID: Lionel Messi confir changed for me. Given the other day really made me SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN and Behavioural Sciences at oriented goals rather than com- teamed up with Formula One med on Monday that Barce schedule my physio has given aware of a few things. It’s also @ Chennai Fortis Healthcare in New Delhi. petition-wise goals.” outfit Mercedes to adapt a lona’s players will take a 70% to me, I hardly find free time. very useful for the “It’s been an abrupt change... A few of the athletes have breathing aid for mass pay cut to ensure the club’s The two sessions keep me beginners.” ELITE athletes are creatures of athletes are usually well pre- said they will view the last 8-12 production that could keep other employees are paid in busy throughout the day.” Pooja is also analysing her habit. Most of them lead monot- pared with a certain timeline in months as a year lost. But Divya coronavirus patients off full during the state of alarm The Haryana wrestler has opponents by watching their onous lifestyles, perfecting mind. But at the same time, if doesn’t buy that argument. “I ventilators. University College in Spain. In a message posted not yet qualified for the Tokyo competition videos. “While their chiselled bodies in their they can recalibrate, it’s not don’t think that’s correct. Any- London said UK regulators on his Instagram, Messi also Games and lost twice in the competing, we hardly get time pursuit of excellence. This hab- necessarily the end of the road.” thing that you have trained and had appro v ed its adaptation took another swipe at the selection trials held to pick a to do this but these days I am it usually sees them chart out The plans usually revolve learned, stays with you. Even if of the continuous positive air Barca board, led by president national team for the Olympic watching videos of my prob- course months in ad- around training you take a slight step back- way pressure device (CPAP), Josep Maria Bartomeu, whom qualifiers. “I’ve never felt so able opponents and doing vance. For an Olym- camps and exposure wards, you are still a lot better which helps patients with he accused of undermining confident in the past. Injuries shadow-practice to stay in pics, the planning trips keeping in mind than what you were (last year) breathing difficulties. the players recently. have hampered my progress touch with the game.” usually begins a good upcoming events, in terms of skills. A lot of things 12-18 months in ad- It’s been an abrupt qualifiers and current you have learned is now part of vance. With the change... athletes rankings. With all your memory. I wouldn’t think HELPING HANDS Games postponed to are usually well those out for the fore- of it like that (a year lost).” BHAICHUNG MANU WRESTLING FEDERATION next year thanks to prepared with a seeable future, Divya A few, according to Divya, are BHUTIA BHAKER The Wrestling Federation of India the spread of COV- certain timeline in says athletes will be also bound to have withdrawal The football Teenage (WFI) has given `11 lakh to the ID-19, athletes, for mind. But at the better off taking it day icon is shooting same time, if they symptoms because this is the PM’s relief fund. want of a better can recalibrate, it’s by day. “Rather than first time that most of them will providing sensation phrase, are currently looking at when all have an enforced break. shelter to G SATHIYAN Manu MC MARY MITHALI & POONAM not necessarily the KOM swimming in unchar- end of the road. the rearranged events “Even if they are training on VIRAT KOHLI & migrant The table Bhaker has The India women’s captain in tered waters. will happen... those their own, there could be restle- ANUSHKA SHARMA workers in tennis star committed Boxing ODIs has promised `5 lakh each Divya Jain, mental Their plans have are things that are out sness, agitation and general The cricket captain Sikkim and contributes `1 `1 lakh to legend gives to the PM & Telangana CM’s relief health expert been gutted for no of your circle of con- worry. They are used to expend- and movie star have providing lakh to the the Haryana a month’s funds. Poonam Yadav contributed fault of theirs. Some trol. Avoid worrying ing a lot of energy, so that’s nat- pledged support to basic ration. Tamil Nadu goverment. salary as `2 lakh to the UP CM’s fund. could even develop stress be- about those. We should look at it ural. But finding ways of con- the PM & CM’s public Rajya cause of the changes to the this way: ‘I have these many ex- tinuing to train if possible and Maharashtra CM’s relief fund & Sabha MP, SPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA schedule. So it’s only natural if tra weeks to prepare, what can I also working on specifics that relief funds. `25,000 to the `1 lakh, to Employees of the Sports it throws ‘people off their do at this time to make sure I am they may have ignored in the However, amount CM’s relief the PM’s Authority of India have donated plans’, says Divya Jain, head of ready once the lockdown is lift- past (should do them a world of was not disclosed. fund. relief fund. `76 lakh to the PM’s relief fund. Department of Mental Health ed?’ There should be process- good.”

TRENDING ONLINE Regaining momentum Sharath’s challenge, learning keyboard can wait

AYANTAN CHOWDHURY @ New Delhi “To tell you the truth, such a things in life. So, that was the they fix the schedule. A lot of dreamed without being sure if grets. That got me pumped up long period where my entire plan initially. But now these variables are involved and it would happen in his lifetime. and it showed in the way I was If everything had gone accord- family is free has not been the plans have to be put on the there is no point getting too That gave the Chennai athlete playing.” ing to plan, A Sharath Kamal case for a long time. Maybe at back-burner.” ahead of myself at this stage,” the motivation to give it anoth- Now that the entire country would have taken a six-month the start of my career, we had Sharath adds. er shot at the grandest stage. is under lockdown and the sabbatical post the completion such extensive off-seasons. But **** By the sound of it, it is obvi- However, all of it was almost world is reeling from the effects of the Tokyo Olympics. He had in this day and age, the calen- The news of the Olympics get- ous that it will be an arduous snatched away after India’s dis- of the novel coronavirus, ath- planned to utilise that time to dar hardly gives players time to ting postponed has hit a few task for the nine-time national appointing show at the World letes are finding it hard to deal do two things in particular, just sit and talk with family athletes harder than most. champion, with a lot depending Team Qualification tourna- with the period of inaction. apart from spending some without the pressure of having Sharath is one of them. He had on what the world body decides ment at the start of the year While Sharath has seen it all in much-needed time with his to decide what’s next. started preparing from Novem- with regards to ranking points where they failed to make the his career, these are unprece- family. He wanted to learn to “I see a lot of negativity ber, slowly building up a head and Olympic qualifying rules. cut despite being one of the dented times even for him. How play an instrument, preferably around during these testing of steam which saw him clinch Is there any silver lining? “If I favourites. is he coping? the keyboard, and then, to con- times. I understand it is a very the Oman Open on March 15. In manage to make the cut for To- The World No 38 had to seek “Many players have called template his future as a table difficult time for all, but we his own words, the Common- kyo next year, only six months the help of a mental trainer to me and expressed their fears tennis player. must not forget what is most wealth Games gold medallist ment. After those two aspects, I or so will be left for the next edi- get it out of his system. “I was and anxiousness. That is a nor- But as the paddler himself dear to us — our family. Getting was in the best shape of his ca- need to focus on my playing tion of the Commonwealth not only disappointed, I was mal reaction but as of now, says, the universe works in this time with them is truly a reer. Starting the process again style which means fine-tuning Games. I can play there as I will hurt inside. We were favour- safety is paramount. After that, mysterious ways and what blessing,” Sharath says. will not be easy, considering he both my forehand, backhand as be in shape. When happens af- ites, something none of us were I always tell them to lead a dis- would otherwise have been one And why does he want to is 37. well as working on service. De- ter that, my wife will decide,” used to. Maybe the pressure got cipline life and have a routine of the busiest and most men- learn to play the keyboard? “I know how my body re- pending on when the world- he laughs. to us and it happens. I have and adhere to it. That has al- tally draining months of the “My daughter is learning the sponds now and it takes me two wide situation comes under seen so many lows but this par- ways helped me in my profes- calendar has suddenly been same and I want to make music months to prepare for a major control, I need to plan my **** ticular one hit really hard. My sional life. If you remain sin- converted into an off-season pe- with her. In the pursuit of ex- competition physically. Then schedule accordingly. A lot de- The 2018 Asian Games was one trainer told me to give it my all cere and do the right things, riod due to the coronavirus cellence, athletes sometimes do comes the sharpness on the ta- pends on the International Ta- the biggest highs in Sharath’s in the remaining six months so results will follow sooner or pandemic. not get to enjoy the smaller ble with regards to feet move- ble Tennis Federation and how career —something he had that I don’t go out having re- later.” Oppo has reportedly filed a new patent Cupertino-based tech giant Apple is application in China for a wearable device reportedly planning to include a touch ID that will have a screen that can display time, fingerprint sensor built into the crown of its and can also display notifications. upcoming Watch Series 6.

VIJAYAWADA TUESDAY 12 31l03 l2020 newindianexpress com

US FDA approves FILE WHEN FRIENDS COLLIDE 62years 11K FT When Cold War submarine USS Stickleback rose from the depths of the Pacific it has lain on the ocean beneath the surface the malaria drugs for Ocean on May 28, 1958, the last thing the crew must have expected was the floor off the coast of submarine wreck was treating Covid-19 submarine to be sunk to the bottom again by a friendly American ship Hawaii undiscovered found, split in two A major producer of hydroxychloroquine, India has banned export of active ingredient in drug HOW DID THE COLLISION HAPPEN The Stickleback and VIRUS MEDICATION public to remain cautious until larger clinical trials validate Silverstein were taking part NO ONE WASHINGTON: A limited smaller studies. in training drills HURT emergency-use authorization Last week, India’s health The submarine had just The most for two antimalarial drugs tout- ministry restricted the sale and “finished simulated torpedo surprising thing ed as game-changers by Presi- distribution of hydroxychloro- run” on Silverstein, about the dent Donald Trump has been quine stating it as an essential according to the Lost 52 submarine issued by the US Food and Drug drug to meet the requirements project, which recovered accident was Administration to treat corona- of any emergency arising due the vessel the crew virus patients. to the pandemic. manage to get In a statement published India had earlier banned ex- While it was diving deep onto Silverstein Sunday, the US Department of ports of the drug. into the ocean, it lost power before the Health and Human Services de- ICMR has recommended the and surfaced 180 metres in vessel sank. use of hydroxychloroquine as a front of Silverstein Submarine $10 preventive medication for Sailors on the Silverstein missions healthcare workers involved in backed the ship fully and generally MILLION the care of suspected or con- put her rudder left, but they do not offer firmed cases of Covid-19 and could not avoid colliding the crew WAS THE COST also asymptomatic household with Stickleback a way to OF THE contacts of laboratory con- survive DECOMMISIONED firmed cases. This created a hole on the during SUBMARINE Two US medical bodies -- the submarine on its port side disasters National Institutes of Health and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Au- The Stickleback is one The Stickleback was commissioned in 1945 and tailed recent donations of med- thority -- are currently working of four submarines the began her war patrols around the time the US icine to a national stockpile -- to plan clinical trials. US has lost since World dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and including chloroquine and Some in the scientific com- War II. The others are Nagasaki. When the collision happened, the hydroxychloroquine, both be- munity fear Trump’s endorse- Cochino, Thresher and submarine had come out of retirement ing investigated as potential ment of the medicines could 4 Scorpio 1945 (decommission) to serve in the Korean War Covid-19 treatments. create shortages for patients It said the FDA had allowed who need them to treat lupus them “to be distributed and and rheumatoid arthritis, dis- prescribed by doctors to hospi- eases for which they are FOOTLOOSE CASES symptoms to stay at home early people, as demonstrated in ed quarantining Covid-19 cases talized teen and adult patients approved. Italy on during the outbreak, some Indian cases, also move with mild symptoms in make- with Covid-19, as appropriate, The US has more than 140,000 ROME: Italy is making the Bloomberg reported. The doc- outside their homes freely. shift hospitals, which signifi- when a clinical trial is not novel coronavirus cases and same mistake China did by not tors had wanted to reduce the A crackdown by Italian au- cantly slowed the spread. This available or feasible.” 2,489 deaths, as per Johns Hop- repeats mass-quarantining coronavi- strain on overwhelmed thorities on Saturday found strategy has proven successful, Trump said last week that kins University. rus patients with mild symp- health systems. some 50 people —known with local infections in the city the two drugs could be a “gift Some French doctors and toms, said Chinese experts who Three months into the to be infected — min- falling to zero in the last week. from God,” despite scientists politicians also are pushing to China error are in the European country to outbreak, researchers gling in the streets rath- Chinese experts are advising warning against the dangers of expand hydroxychloroquine’s advise authorities. now know that people er than isolating them- Italy to forcibly quarantine pa- hyping unproven treatments. use currently. The mayor of Liang Zong’An, who heads with mild symptoms and selves, Bloomberg cited tients with mild symptoms. Many researchers including the French city of Nice, Chris- with home the respiratory department at asked to stay at home tend the newspaper Corriere del- They say that research shows Anthony Fauci, the United tian Estrosi, said he was on his West China Hospital at Sichuan to pass on the pathogen to fam- la Sera as reporting. that in one province 80 per cent States’ leading infectious dis- sixth day of treatment and has University, said doctors in Wu- ily members and people in In early February, Wuhan of infections stemmed from ease expert, have urged the “the sense I’ve been cured.” quarantine han urged patients with mild their neighbourhood. Those corrected its mistake and start- people told to stay at home. Soft brain Snitching Kiwis crash FACT OF THE MATTER implants cop site amid lockdown 775% rise in $100 mn for MS cloud use virus-hit media 3D-printed CONSCIENTIOUS nz/105support opened on Sunday afternoon and re- NEURAL DEVICES WELLINGTON: New Zea- ceived such heavy traffic that landers have become so keen it temporarily crashed. BOSTON: Scientists at MIT to report their neighbours for “We’ve had 4,200 reports of have developed a way to 3D breaking coronavirus lock- people believing others print soft, flexible neural im- down rules that police on weren’t complying,” he told plants that they say can gently Monday said a website reporters. conform to the brain’s contours dedicated to address- “It shows how deter- and monitor activity over long- ing the issue crashed mined Kiwis are that er periods. soon after going live. everyone complies WORK FROM HOME PANDEMIC REPORTING Such flexible electronics The South Pacific with us.” could be softer alternatives to nation is in the midst Bush said breaches icrosoft has seen a acebook said on Monday existing metal-based electrodes of a four-week Cov- included a party of Mhuge 775 per cent in- Fit was donating $100 mil- designed to monitor brain ac- id-19 lockdown, with res- about 60 people at a back- crease in its Cloud services lion to support news organi- tivity, the researchers said. idents under orders to stay at packer hostel in Queenstown in regions that have en- zations globally hurting They may also be useful in home or remain at least 6.5 and tourists continuing to forced social distancing or from the coronavirus pan- brain implants that stimulate feet apart if they must go travel the country in camp- ‘shelter-in-place orders. Mi- demic, citing the need for neural regions to ease symp- outside. ervans. PM Jacinda Ardern crosoft Teams now has reliable information about toms of epilepsy, Parkinson’s Police commissioner Mike backed the informants and more than 44 million daily the crisis. “The news indus- disease, and severe depression, Bush said that a police web- also urged the public to re- users and they generated try is working under ex- according to the research pub- site www.police.govt. port any price gouging. over 900 million meeting traordinary conditions to lished in the journal Nature and calling minutes, ac- keep people informed dur- Communications. cording to Jared Spataro, ing the Covid-19 pandemic,” The team developed a way to Corporate VP for Microsoft said Facebook’s news part- 3D print neural probes and oth- Hawaii telescopes shuttered 365. “Windows Virtual nerships director, Campbell er electronic devices that are as Desktop usage has grown Brown. “At a time when soft and flexible as rubber. OBSERVATORIES more than 3 times. Govern- journalism is needed more The devices are made from a ment use of public ‘Power than ever, ad revenues are type of polymer, or soft plastic, HONOLULU : Observatories on Hawaii’s tallest mountain have BI’ to share Covid-19 dash- declining due to the eco- that is electrically conductive. shut down operations in response to the governor’s stay-at- boards with citizens has nomic impact of the virus. The team transformed this home order aimed at preventing the spread of the virus. surged by 42 per cent in a Local journalists are being normally liquid-like conduct- The shutdown of telescope operations on Mauna Kea is ex- week,” Spataro said in a hit especially hard, even as ing polymer solution into a sub- pected to affect more than 500 technicians, astronomers, in- statement. Despite the people turn to them for crit- stance more like viscous tooth- strument scientists, engineers, and support staff who work at spike in demand, Microsoft ical information to keep paste -- which they could then the Big Island summit and at observatory bases below, The said it has not had any sig- their friends, families and feed through a conventional 3D Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Sunday. nificant disruptions. communities safe.” printer to make stable, electri- STARVING ANIMALS This is the second time operations on Mauna Kea have shut cally conductive patterns. A man feeds monkeys and dogs on Monday during the lockdown in Guwahati | PTI down in a year, following protests that began in July. Nature takes back empty streets IMMUNISATION PAST HABITATS

s humans retreat into their homes as more and more Acountries go under coronavirus lockdown, wild animals Century-old TB vaccine investigated as coronavirus defence are slipping cover to explore the empty streets of some of our biggest cities. STOP-GAP SOLUTION know if the BCG vaccine can tries including the Nether- rapid advancement of the most Wild boar have de- help fight the disease while a lands, Germany and the United promising candidates to clini- scended from the NEW YORK: A vaccine that has coronavirus-specific vaccine is Kingdom. cal practice, giving us the most hills around Barce- been used widely for about 100 being developed. “This trial will allow the vac- number of shots on goal lona while sika deer years to treat tuberculosis is The trial of the BCG vaccine cine’s effectiveness against against Covid-19 as possible,” are nosing their way now being tested by research- will be conducted with 4,000 Covid-19 symptoms to be prop- she said. around the deserted ers to see if it will protect peo- health workers in hospitals erly tested, and may help save The vaccine is given to more metro stations of ple from the new coronavirus. around Australia to determine the lives of our heroic frontline than 130 million babies annu- Nara, Japan. Gangs The bacillus Calmette-Guer- if it can reduce Covid-19 symp- healthcare workers,” said ally for immunity against of wild turkeys have in, or BCG, boosts humans’ toms, the researchers said. Kathryn North, director of the tuberculosis. been strutting the ‘frontline’ immunity, training “We hope to see a reduction Murdoch Institute. The priority for the research- streets of Oakland, it to respond to germs with in the prevalence and severity within weeks under a fast- She said the hope was that ers is to help protect health California, while a greater intensity, according to of Covid-19 symptoms in tracked process with the ap- improving people’s “innate” workers while they treat virus puma turned up in the centre of the Chilean capital Santi- researchers at the Murdoch healthcare workers receiving proval of state and federal immunity against Covid-19 patients. “There’s going to be a ago, which is under curfew. While sightings of dolphins in Children’s Research Institute the BCG vaccination,” said health authorities. “The clock symptoms would buy time to particular need to reduce the Venice’s canals turned out to be fanciful, they have been in Melbourne. lead researcher Nigel Curtis. is definitely ticking,” he said. develop a specific vaccine amount of time that our health- popping up in ports elsewhere in the Mediterranean as em- The World Health Organiza- He said the 4,000 subjects Similar trials are being con- against the disease. care workers are absent,” Cur- boldened wildlife takes free rein to wander our cities. tion has said it’s important to would be enrolled in the trial ducted in several other coun- “These trials will allow the tis told Bloomberg.