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Home , Himanta Biswa Sarma, Ivan Zhdanov, Loktantrik Janata Dal, Mehbooba Mufti

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O some time, but not permanently: PM I T A CBI seeks details from WB N DGP on post-poll violence www.thehillstimes.in Voice of the hills people Vol .No. XXII Issue No. 214 Regd. NGG-709 RNI-ASSENG/2000/128T62 HDIPHU, E KARBI AHNGLONG, ISATLURDALY , AUS GUST 21 , T2021 PIAGEMS 8 PREICE `S 5 TO MAKE HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY COMPULSORY UP TO CLASS X Assam aims for emission free transport: Electric, CNG buses to replace diesel-run buses diesel-run buses with electric and SEBA to be merged with CNG buses in by the day this government completes one year,” Sarma said. The replacement process will be completed within six months to mented from April next year, he said. one year, he also said. AHSEC under NEP 2020 The also an - “From now on all junior colleges will have to open class IX and X classes,” he said. nounced relief packages for the The state government has also decided to bus driver and bus handymen who withdraw its previous decision to reserve 75 per have been facing financial crisis as cent seats in undergraduate courses for state the inter-district travelling was board pass-outs across all government-run col - banned. Sarma informed that an leges. amount of ` 10,000 will be given The chief minister said that the government to 60,000 bus drivers and bus would upgrade the academic infrastructure of handymen as one time financial the educational institutions for this purpose HT Bureau purchase a total of 200 electric aid. The state government will in - within a year. GUWAHATI, Aug 20: The buses and 100 CNG buses, which troduce a portal in which the driv - He further said that a new teaching model Assam government is planning to will replace ASTC’s diesel-run ers and handymen can apply for would be introduced in the senior secondary replace diesel-run city buses in the city buses,” Sarma said. the benefit. schools under which Science, Maths and Eng - capital city with those operated on The state cabinet has also given Earlier, several bus drivers and lish would be taught in English language and electricity and CNG (Compressed its nod for purchase of a total of other staff protested against the re - rest of the subjects in mother tongue. Natural Gas). 200 electric buses and 100 CNG vised Covid-19 protocol as it did The state government would continue imple - This was announced by chief buses, which will eventually re - not lift curbs on the inter-district menting new provisions of the policy every year minister place ASTC’s diesel-run city movement. to bring about a transformative change in the while briefing the media on the buses, Sarma said. According to the protesters, the HT Bureau History as well as Geography upto class X. It Education department in the next five years, the completion of 100 days of his gov - “ASTC city buses will cease to prolonged suspension of the inter- GUWAHATI, Aug 20: Stating that Assam gov - will be included in the education syllabus,” chief minister observed. ernment here on Friday. operate diesel-run city buses. Our district movement has already ernment has decided to implement ‘Senior Sec - Sarma said briefing the media on the occasion Earlier, state Education minister Ranoj Pegu “The government has decided to goal is to completely replace badly hit (CONTD. ON PAGE-2) ondary School’ concept of National Education of 100 days completion of his government on said the board-based reservation will exist in the Policy (NEP) 2020 from 2022 academic ses - Friday. colleges of rural areas, while seats will be open sion, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on With the implementation of the scheme, all for students from all boards in the colleges in Friday said his government has decided to make high schools in the state will be automatically urban areas. both History and Geography subjects compul - upgraded to higher secondary level, the chief “The 75% reservation of seats for Assam Ex-militant’s death: DGP warns sory for schools from the next academic ses - minister said. board students will not be applicable in urban sion. This step will lead to a merger of the Board areas. In urban areas, students from all boards “Both the subjects will be added as compul - of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) and will have to compete for a seat in degree cops against sympathy posts sory subjects for all students invariably from all Assam Higher Secondary Education Council courses. It will be purely on the basis of their SHILLONG, Aug 20 (PTI): In an mediums. They will learn Assam and Indian (AHSEC). The new provision will be imple - merit,” he said. (CONTD. ON PAGE-2) embarrassment to the Meghalaya government, a section of police of - ficers and constables has shown HT BRIEFS sympathy on social media for a Mission 1 lakh: former militant leader who was KIGER to Lovlina Sonia tells Oppn killed in an encounter, leading to HT Bureau Appointment letters arson and curfew on Independence GUWAHATI, Aug 20: Renault Day in Shillong. presented Renault KIGER to the It took a stern warning from the Arjuna Awardee and Tokyo parties: Fix goal of distributed to 767 director general of police R Ra - Olympics 2020 Bronze Medal - HT Bureau machandran to get the police per - list in boxing Lovlina Borgohain GUWAHATI, Aug 20: Kick start - sonnel to withdraw offending for her stunning performance on ing the process for giving employ - winning 2024 polls social media posts that included On August 15 when his body ence with officers,” the officer the world stage. Sudhir Malhotra, NEW , Aug 20 (PTI): It is "to reaffirm our individual and col - ment to 1 lakh unemployed youth displaying black flags, an SP- was taken for the funeral, violence said. On August 16, the authorities vice president – Sales & Market - time to rise above political compul - lective resolve", Gandhi assured the of the state as promised by the ranked officer told PTI on condi - erupted in the state capital forcing sent a message to all police stations ing, Renault handed over the sions to realise the ‘ultimate goal’ of Opposition leaders, saying "the In - Assam government, chief minister tion of anonymity. the authorities to clamp curfew directing the officers-in-charge to keys of the brand new Renault winning the 2024 polls, dian National will not be Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, the which was partially lifted on issue orders to all concerned to KIGER to Lovlina. Congress president Sonia Gandhi found wanting". distributed appointment letters to told top Opposition leaders on Fri - The virtual meeting - one of the 767 candidates in different direc - former self-styled general secre - Thursday. delete those posts immediately, Birth anniv of ex-PM day as she pitched for a broad unity biggest gatherings of Opposition torates of Education department on tary of the outlawed Hynniewtrep “Some officers and constables otherwise the staff concerned will HT Correspondent of the anti-BJP forces. leaders in recent times - was at - regular and compassionate ground National Liberation Council were found to have set black flags face strict disciplinary action. BOKAJAN, Aug 20: The 77th The Congress will not be found tended by NCP's Sharad Pawar, at a function held at Srimanta (HNLC), was shot dead by the po - as their display pictures or status. Those posts were then removed birth anniversary of Bharat wanting while working towards this TMC's , Shiv Sankardev Kalakshetra here. lice on August 13 when the force Some posted comments against the and no action was taken against Ratna Rajiv Gandhi was ob - goal, she said at a virtual meeting of Sena's and While 616 candidates were ap - raided his home in Shillong's police force showing sympathy to anyone, the officer said. served at the conference Hall of the leaders of 19 Opposition parties, DMK's M K Stalin among others. pointed under the directorate of el - Mawlai area in connection with the Thangkhiew. The DGP himself has Thangkhiew's family members (CONTD. ON PAGE-2) Bokajan Mandal Congress office adding that the 75th year of inde - Banerjee also urged the parties to ementary education, 32 candidates recent IED blasts across the state. noticed this during a video confer - told PTI that in which former MLA and in- pendence is an apt occasion keep their differences aside were given appointment under sec - charge of Karbi Anglong District "to reaffirm our individ - and work towards de - ondary education directorate, 113 Congress Committee (KADCC), ual and collective re - feating the BJP in candidates under higher education Huge quantity of Roslina Tirky, graced the occa - solve". 2024. She proposed directorate and 6 candidates under Dima Hasao marks sion as the chief guest. On the "Of course, the setting up a core the directorate of state council of occasion, former Prime Minister ultimate goal is the group to chalk out educational research and training. Assam-bound explosives Rajiv Gandhi was commemo - 2024 Lok Sabha joint Opposition Speaking on the occasion, rated with lighting of candles election for which programmes. Sarma said that the state govern - 100-days of Assam govt seized at Byrnihat and floral tributes by the Con - we have to begin The meeting ment after coming to power made HT Correspondent ICU beds in government hospitals gress rank and file. As part of the to plan systemati - convened by a pledge to provide employment to HAFLONG, Aug 20: On comple - of Assam including the newly occasion fruits were distributed cally with the single- Gandhi came after 1 lakh youth of the state. tion of 100 days of the Assam gov - completed 11 bedded Covid ICU to the patients in the Bokajan minded objective of the washout of the re - While fulfilling this promise the ernment, a meeting was convened at Haflong Civil Hospital. CHC. (CONTD. ON PAGE-2) giving a government to cent Monsoon Session of state government launched the ap - at Haflong Circuit House in pres - With an endeavour to make our country that believes in Parliament due to a united pointment process and soon adver - ence of local citizens, NGOs and Assam a drug free society, the Bhasa Manyata Divas the values of the freedom move - Opposition's demand for a discus - tisement would be published for media persons. deputy commissioner conveyed ment and in the principles and pro - sion on the Pegasus snooping con - several thousand jobs in the Edu - The meeting was addressed by how the made great HT Correspondent visions of our Constitution," Gandhi troversy, which the government Dima Hasao deputy commissioner strides in demolishing the infra - BOKAJAN, Aug 20: The 29th cation department besides conduct - said. declined. ing TET, he said adding that this Paul Barua, stating about the structure that facilitated supply of Gorkha Bhasa Manyata Divas was "This is a challenge, but together The Congress chief said that the achievements and works taken up drugs and narcotics. Speaking observed by the All Assam Gorkha process would be completed within we can and must rise to it because Monsoon Session of Parliament was March next year. during the first 100 days since the about all the reforms in culture, Students Union (AAGSU), Boka - there is simply no alternative to a washout entirely due to the gov - formation of the new government. sports, infrastructure, etc., he said jan at Naukata. On the occasion, a While principal secretary of Ed - working cohesively. We all have our ernment's "obstinate and arrogant ucation department B Kalyan Conveying about how the med - that the present government has HT Bureau meeting was organised in which compulsions, but clearly, the time unwillingness to discuss and debate ical fraternity has worked day and made exemplary progress to put an SHILLONG, Aug 20: Ri Bhoi Karbi Anglong AAGSU president Chakraborty delivered the wel - has come when the interests of our urgent issues of public importance" come speech, the programme was night during the pandemic to bring end to several pertinent state is - Police on Friday intercepted a ve - attended as the chief guest. The nation demand that we rise above such as the Pegasus row, a repeal of down an overall positivity rate sues. hicle bearing registration number day was observed to commemo - also addressed by Education min - those," she added. three ‘anti-farmer’ laws, price rise, ister Ranoj Pegu. State Handloom from 9.13% to 0.73%, there have The DC also spoke about the AS-01–BV–8065 at Byrnihat Po - rate the day when the Constitution Noting that the 75th anniversary the assault on federalism and the in - been a tremendous reform in med - success of the Orunodoi imple - lice Outpost and recovered a huge of India recognised Gorkha as one and Textile minister UG Brahma, of the country's independence is in - stitutions of democracy that affect advisor to Education department ical field such as increase of oxy - mentation in Dima Hasao district quantity of explosive devices. of the (CONTD. ON PAGE-2) deed the most appropriate occasion each and (CONTD. ON PAGE-2) Nani Gopal (CONTD. ON PAGE-2) gen generation plants, increase of and about (CONTD. ON PAGE-2) According to police, the vehicle was intercepted after being tipped off that an XUV was ferrying ex - plosive devices from Khliehriat in Organisation takes up project of making 25,000 Assamese gamochas Jaintia Hills. Assam now Covid Accordingly, the Naka checking was set up on the National High - way. The vehicle was intercepted vaccine surplus state: CM Janmabhoomi Karmabhoomi to give at Byrnihat while it was on its way HT Bureau are administering vaccines to to Guwahati at around 1:10 am. GUWAHATI, Aug 20: 11 people from one vial using On checking a huge quantity of Assam has become Covid-19 the finest cutting edge tech - explosives were recovered from vaccine surplus with 5 lakh nology. Each vaccine is vial socio-economic boost to Titabar’s weavers inside the vehicle. These include more doses administered than with 10 doses, but our nurses HT Correspondent 25,000 traditional Assamese gamo - 2044 aluminium instantaneous what was allocated by the have administered vaccines to , Aug 20: In a bid to give a chas in the next few months, Kalita electric detonators and 4027 Neo- Centre to the state, chief min - 5 lakh additional people socio-economic boost to Titabar sub said that immediately 5,000 would be Gelatin sticks. ister Himanta Biswa Sarma against the total vaccines allo - division and its adjacent areas and in produced in collaboration with the Accordingly, the explosives said here on Friday. cation given by the Centre,” keeping up with the concept of a self- Pub Titabar Samabai Samiti. along with the vehicle have been “We have administered vac - he further said. Assam is now reliant India, the Janmabhoomi “Machine made gamochas which seized. cines to 5 lakh more people, known as a vaccine surplus Karmabhoomi organisation based at come from outside the state do not “Necessary action will be taken against the total allocation by state, not a vaccine wastage Titabar has taken up an ambitious have proper length and are usually up against the driver of the vehicle the Centre,” Sarma said. state, he added. project of making 25,000 traditional mixed with other thread,” he said. who has been identified as “Till August 19, the state The state has recorded a Assamese gamochas. The president “The handwoven traditional gamo - Moynul Hoque from Rangsaswari has administered 1,51,73,826 total of 708 Covid-19 positive of the organisation Hemanta Kalita, chas are qualitatively superior and we village under Nagarbera Police doses of Covid-19 vaccines cases on Friday with overall who was a former MLA of Titabar, will not allow fake imitations to take Station, Kamrup district of and out of these, the state has positivity rate of 0.71% (708 said that the organisation had met over what is traditionally ours,” he Assam,” police said. administered 1,21,59,162 cases out of 1,00,079 test chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma added. Meanwhile, Mukesh Kumar doses of vaccines in the last 99 done). Of the fresh cases, 164 during his visit to Jorhat on Thursday a slender margin. In 1996 he won the concept, which meant that farmers He added that Janmabhoomi Singh, inspector general of police, days. On average, the state has cases have been reported from and the chief minister had assured seat on an AGP ticket. would be able to sell what they pro - Karmabhoomi had earlier feted (Law & Order) Meghalaya, im - administered around 1.3 lakh Kamrup (Metro) district. them of all help and also of buying Addressing a press meet here on duced in the market. craftsmen who had worked with mediately rushed to Byrnihat to doses per day,” Sarma said. The state has recorded 13 the handwoven gamochas. Friday, Kalita said that the initiative Kalita said that Janmabhoomi bamboo and would always encourage take stock of the development. “Assam has now become a Covid death cases during the Kalita who contested the Titabar was on the lines of freedom fighter Karmabhoomi also worked with the weavers and craftsmen who worked He, however, refused to divulge surplus state on Covid-19 vac - past 24 hours. The recovery seat on a BJP ticket against Con - and nationalist Ambikagiri Raichoud - motto of ‘My Village, My Work’. with indigenous items and showcased anything claiming that this is a cination because our nurses rate is 97.63%. gress's Bhaskar Jyoti Baruah, lost by hury's - Amar Kaam, Amar Bazar Regarding the production of the culture and traditions of Assam. sensitive issue. Page 2 August 21_Normal Pages 8/20/2021 11:08 PM Page 1

2 THE HILLS TIMES BUSINESS SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2021 RBI guv pitches for continued policy support Govt cuts basic customs duty on crude, NrEWe fDEiLnHIe, Adug 2s0 (oPTyI): Tohe iglov,e rnsmeunt nhas flsounfwloweer oirl a ttoracti al 2 0t pierl clen tS agrieculpturet in f3rast0 ruc - halved basic customs duty on crude soy oil and sun - ture and development cess and a 10 per cent social wel - flower oil to 7.5 per cent to boost domestic supply and fare cess. The refined versions of soy oil and sunflower MUMBAI, Aug 20 (PTI): Given the be carried without endangering sus - bring down prices. oil attract only the social welfare cess. to revive growth, monitoring inflation The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs On June 29, the government had slashed import duty uncertainties on account of the tainable recovery in growth, he said. Covid-19 pandemic, Reserve Bank External member on the MPC (CBIC) in a notification also cut basic import duty on re - on crude palm oil, refined, bleached and deodorised palm governor Shaktikanta Das opined Varma was of the view that economic fined soy oil and sunflower oil to 37.5 per cent, from 45 oil, palmolein, palm stearin and other palm oils till Sep - that continued policy support with a growth was unsatisfactory long be - per cent with effect from August 20. tember 30. The import duty on crude palm oil was cut focus on revival and sustenance of fore the pandemic, and even if the The reduced levies would be applicable till September to 10 per cent, and that on refined, bleached and de - growth was the most desirable and economic ill effects of Covid-19 30. The reduced duties are intended to boost domestic odorised palm oil, palmolein, palm stearin and other judicious policy option at the mo - abate to some extent, substantial supply and ease rising prices of vegetable oil in the do - palm oils to 37.5 per cent. ment. Das, according to the minutes monetary accommodation is war - mestic market. Edible oil is India's third-largest imported commodity, of the MPC meeting released on Fri - ranted. Persistent high inflation On top of the basic customs duty, crude soy oil and after crude oil and gold. day, also underlined the need for means that the monetary accommo - closely monitoring the price situation dation has to be somewhat restrained. with a view to anchoring inflation ex - He argued for raising money market pectations. rates towards the repo rate of 4 per Rupee declines by 15 paise to "The need of the hour is twofold: cent from the current ultra-low level first, continue the monetary policy of 3.35 per cent. support to the economy; and second, Another external member on the 74.39 on heavy dollar demand remain watchful of any durable infla - panel Ashima Goyal said the MPC MUMBAI, Aug 20 (PTI): The tled at 74.24 against the US dollar. derail the global recovery and the US tionary pressures and sustained price tinue to mitigate the impact of Covid- that inflation pressures are transitory has a difficult job as it battles both rupee on Friday declined by 15 paise The forex market was closed on Federal Reserves may start tapering momentum in key components so as 19 on the economy, while ensuring and do not warrant a change in the the slowdown and the inflation to close at 74.39 against the US cur - Thursday on account of 'Muharram'. earlier than expected. to bring back the CPI inflation to 4 that inflation remains within the tar - policy stance. In others, Central which the pandemic has triggered. rency, tracking a lacklustre trend in "Rupee fell in the opening session On a weekly basis, the rupee de - per cent over a period of time in a get going forward. banks have pre-emptively tightened Even so, marginal moderation in the domestic equities and strength - as the dollar rose sharply against its preciated by 15 paise against the non-disruptive manner," he said. Varma expressed reservations on the policy stance despite assessing inflation has twice this year provided ening of the American currency in global rivals after the release of American currency. "Indian rupee All members of the Monetary Pol - this part of the MPC resolution, ac - inflation as transitory. just in time relief - pointing again to - the overseas market. FOMC meeting minutes that showed marked the biggest weekly loss in icy Committee (MPC) - Shashanka cording to the minutes. "This is a razor's edge dilemma wards supply-side causation and Analysts said concerns over ear - Fed members largely expect that six weeks and remained the worst Bhide, Ashima Goyal, Jayanth R RBI deputy governor Patra said and responding to it, in my view, in - volatility, she said. lier than expected tapering of asset later this year they will reduce the performer among Asian peers in Varma, Mridul K Saggar, Michael amid the extreme uncertainty encir - volves a judgment call that puts both Goyal said research shows that purchase by the US Federal Reserve central bank's emergency monthly today's session," Parmar said. Debabrata Patra and Shaktikanta Das cling the path of the pandemic, mon - foresightedness and inflation fighting while temporary commodity spikes and Delta variant hurting the global purchases," said Gaurang Somaiyaa, Meanwhile, the dollar index, had unanimously voted to keep the etary policy authorities have sought credibility on the line," he said. are looked through, a persistent rise economy reduced the appeal of Forex & Bullion Analyst, Motilal which gauges the greenback's policy repo rate unchanged at 4 per to impart some certainty by a com - Saggar, who is RBI's executive di - tends to affect inflation expectations. riskier assets like emerging curren - Oswal Financial Services. strength against a basket of six cur - cent after the three-day meet of the mitment to a stance of accommoda - rector, opined policy focus to revive According to her, the volatility of cies. Forex outflows also impacted The minutes also magnified the rencies, was trading 0.09 per cent panel earlier this month. tion extending into the future. growth on a durable basis needs to Indian fuel prices is much lower than the local unit. importance of the next few monthly higher at 93.65. Further, except Varma, other mem - With the upsurge of inflation continue and should entail consider - international and average rise is At the interbank foreign exchange jobs reports, with solid gains needed Brent crude futures, the global oil bers voted to continue with the ac - worldwide, this effort to anchor ex - ation to avoid inflation risks that may more, since taxes are not decreased market, the domestic currency to meet the Fed's expectations and benchmark, fell 0.59 per cent to commodative stance as long as pectations is under scrutiny. Patra emanate when credit demand im - as much when international oil prices opened lower at 74.38 against the show the virus has not begun to USD 66.06 per barrel. necessary to revive and sustain said in some countries, markets have proves, likely ahead of output gap rise, as they are increased when oil American currency and finally set - again slow the economy. On the domestic equity market growth on a durable basis and con - acquiesced with the authorities' view closing. This arduous task needs to prices fall. tled at 74.39. During the session, the HDFC Securities research analyst front, the BSE Sensex ended 300.17 local unit touched an intra-day high Dilip Parmar also said that heavy points or 0.54 per cent lower at of 74.38 and a low of 74.47 against buying in the dollar has been seen as 55,329.32, while the broader NSE the US currency. risk sentiment deteriorates amid con - Nifty declined 118.35 points or 0.71 CSC, Vodafone Idea Foundation join Govt panel recommends On Wednesday, the rupee had set - cern that the Delta virus strain could per cent to 16,450.50. EUA to Zydus Cadila’s Contd. from Page 1... handHTs B urfeaou r Covid-Vi1llag9e L evvel Eantrceprecneuirsn (VaLEst). ion 3-dose Covid vaccine GUWAHATI, Aug 20: The Common Services Centers, CSC has been identified by National Health Authority , Aug 20 (PTI): An under the Ministry of Electronics & IT, has partnered and Ministry of Health & Welfare to mobilise and help expert panel of India's central drug SEBA to be merged with AHSEC with Vodafone Idea Foundation, the CSR arm of Vi, for the citizens for CoWIN platform registration. Vodafone authority has recommended granting Officials of the state Education department said that since the schools affiliated to CBSE and other boards registration of citizens to receive vaccination against the Idea Foundation has a long-standing partnership with Emergency Use Authorisation mainly exist in urban areas, the 75:25 formula for the entire state would have deprived a large number of mer - deadly Covid-19 virus. The initiative will focus on vul - CSC Academy and has supported the deployment of (EUA) to Zydus Cadila's three-dose itorious students from a seat in undergraduate courses. nerable and disadvantaged communities. The CSC over 30 mobile vans that are taking financial and digital Covid-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D, sources Academy, the CSR & The Education wing of CSC will literacy to the grassroots level. Since last year, these vans said. facilitate registration and scheduling of one million ben - have been also used extensively for promoting Covid-19 The Subject Expert Committee eficiaries for vaccination across the country through the appropriate behaviour, dry ration distribution, etc. (SEC) on Covid-19 of the Central Assam aims for emission free Drugs Standard Control Organisa - the drivers and other buses’ employees, halting their income avenue. The chief minister also announced tion (CDSCO) deliberated on the ap - cash relief to bus operators and heads of religious institutions who have been adversely affected by Covid-19 plication given by Zydus Cadila on restrictions in the state. Sarma said that a one-time relief of Rs 10,000 each would be given to bus drivers, Thursday and recommended grant - conductors and handymen while Rs 15,000 each would be given to heads of religious institutions, including Tata Motors launches Tiago NRG in Guwahati ing emergency use authorisation to temple priests and namghorias. HT Bureau its three-dose coronavirus vaccine. Due to a ban on inter-district movement of public transport in the past three months due to Covid-19 re - GUWAHATI, Aug 20: Tata Mo - The recommendations have been strictions, nearly 60,000 persons associated with transport buses have been affected. Closure of religious tors has finally launched the Tata sent to the Drugs Controller General places to the public since May has also impacted all religious places in the state. Tiago NRG variant in the North- of India (DCGI) for final approval. The chief minister informed that the cabinet has approved to increase the monthly allowance given to over eastern markets on Friday. Tata Mo - The Ahmedabad-based pharma 2.2 million women as part of its flagship Orunodoi scheme from the existing Rs 830 to Rs 1,000 with imme - tors regional manager Soumen Paul major had on July 1 applied for diate effect. and Gyan Doley, regional head Emergency Use Authorisation Henceforth, every month, one cabinet meeting would be held in district headquarters away from Guwahati. common service centre inaugurated (EUA) with the DCGI for the vac - Sarma informed that the government will soon ink a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with microfi - the Tata Tiago NRG vehicle at cine. The company said it has con - nance companies to waive off loans taken by women in the state. He added that the Reserve Bank of India Bimal Cars in Basistha Chariali. ducted the l argest clinical trial for the (RBI) has given statutory clearance to the move. With a 4-star safety rating by vaccine in India in over 50 centres so GNCAP, this vehicle will be far. If approved, ZyCoV-D will be launched in 4 a ttractive colours – the world's first DNA vaccine Foresta Green, Fire Red, Snow against the novel coronavirus infec - Ex-militant’s death: DGP White, Cloudy Grey, and will be tion, developed by an Indian com - they have lodged a complaint against two police officers - East Jaintia Hills district SP and East Khasi Hills available in showrooms from Friday pany and become the sixth vaccine district SP (Traffic) accusing them of being involved in the encounter killing. at a starting price of ` 6.57 lakhs. which has been approved for use in The Meghalaya government has instituted a judicial inquiry to be conducted by Justice (retd) T Vaiphei, the the country after Serum Institute's chairperson of the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission, into the incident. Covishield, Bharat Biotech's Cov - Meanwhile, the curfew was further relaxed from 5 am till 6 pm on Friday as there were no fresh reports of axin, 's Sputnik V and the US- violence, East Khasi Hills district deputy commissioner I Laloo said. On Thursday, the curfew was lifted for made Moderna and Johnson and 12 hours from 5 am. Keeping children safe from Covid-19 top priority Night curfew will remain in place from 6 pm onwards until further orders, as per reports. HT Bureau dren. It also contains nine natural ingredients like Giloy, Johnson. GUWAHATI, Aug 20: The focus of the Covid vacci - Amla, Pippali, etc., that help in building a strong im - Plasmid DNA-based ZyCoV-D is nation efforts in the countries abroad have already mune system in children. to be administered intradermally shifted to the under-18 population. Children are most The Central government has issued directives to pre - using a needle-free injector. Sonia tells Oppn parties Sharvil Patel, managing director, susceptible to coronavirus among the unvaccinated. At pare for a third wave and contain the spread. In the last every citizen of the country. In spite of this, the session was marked by the determined unity that all the Oppo - the peak of the second wave, almost 80,000 kids had week alone, there has been an increase in the number of Cadila Healthcare had said that the vaccine, when approved, would help sition parties demonstrated for over 20 days in both the houses, she said. tested positive across five states according to govern - cases reported across 12 states. In view of all these de - "We functioned in a coordinated manner with daily discussions among our floor leaders. ment data. Natural home remedies and time-tested in - velopments, immunity for the kid below 18 becomes a not only adults but also adolescents in the 12 to 18 years age group. "I am confident that this unity will be sustained in the future sessions of Parliament as well, but the larger political gredients like Giloy, Amla and Pippali that are also matter of paramount importance. Most of the leading ex - battle has to be fought outside it," Gandhi said. recommended by Ayush Mantralaya can be administered perts in this field recommend home-cooked food as the She claimed that it was entirely due to the Opposition parties that the Constitution (127th Amendment) Bill was to help children build their natural immune system. source of balanced nutrition and thereafter a key passed to restore the long-standing rights of the states to identify and notify the other backward classes (OBCs). For the same, Lupin’s Aptivate comes as an ayurvedic provider of immunity. Parents must ensure that their IFGL lines up Rs The Congress chief blamed the government, saying the bill was required to rectify the mistake it committed syrup that helps in improving appetite and mothers can children are provided healthy nutritious food including three years ago and a subsequent ruling of the Supreme Court. easily give home-cooked nutritious food to their chil - fruits, vegetables and adequate homemade food. 70 crore capex She also said after their intervention, crucial changes were made in the policy of procurement of Covid vaccines, but as always, someone else has taken the credit. by FY 23 Gandhi said Pawar has raised with the government the issue of creation of the Ministry of Cooperation, which KOLKATA, Aug 20 (PTI): City- is a blatant interference in the constitutional rights and responsibilities of the states. HDFC Life launches HDFC Life Saral Pension based IFGL Refractories Limited The meeting was part of the Congress leadership's efforts to unite various Opposition parties on key issues before HT Bureau Parthasarathy, chief actuary, HDFC will invest Rs 70 crore by FY23 in the country, including the upcoming Assembly elections in some states and the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. GUWAHATI, Aug 20: HDFC Life Life said, “Annuity plans are suitable three manufacturing plants to en - chief minister , former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir and has announced the launch of HDFC for individuals who are closer to re - hance capacity and productivity, an , CPI(M) general secretary , CPI's D Raja and of the Loktantrik Life Saral Pension, a single pre - tirement age or have retired. These official said. were also present at the meeting. mium, non-linked, non-participating plans can act as a safeguard against The company said the ongoing In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the Opposition parties said they will jointly organise protests all product that offers life-long guaran - market volatilities and falling interest capex will boost its performance in over the country from September 20-30. teed annuity rates, right at the time rates. One sta rts receiving regular both profitability and revenue. "The forms of these public protest actions will be decided by the respective state units of our parties, depending of purchase. HDFC Life Saral Pen - be paid to the annuitant, subject to payments right after purchasing the "We have acquired 10 acre of land on the concrete conditions of the Covid regulations and protocols existing in the states. These forms, amongst sion is a standard, individual, imme - deduction of outstanding loan product which ensures steady and in Visakhapatnam for manufacturing others, may include dharnas, protest demonstrations, hartals etc. diate annuity product with simple amoun t and loan interest, if any. An regular income with locked-in annu - of new products including mono - "We, the leaders of 19 Opposition parties, call upon the people of India to rise to the occasion to defend our sec - features and standard terms and con - annuity is an important product cate - ity rates for the rest of their life. lithics and precast shapes. In two ular, democratic, republican order with all our might. Save India today, so that we can change it for a better tomor - ditions that enables customers to gory given the absence of social secu - HDFC Life Saral Pension is a sim - phases Rs 50 crore capex will be de - row," they added. make an informed decision for plan - rity in India. It enables an individual ple and easy to understand product. ployed. The Kandla expansion and The leaders who took part in the meeting were from TMC, NCP, DMK, , JMM, CPI, CPI(M), NC, ning their retirement. On approval to continue receiving regular income It is a helpful instrument for retire - debottlenecking of Odisha units will RJD, AIUDF, VCK, Loktantrik Janata Dal, JD(S), RLD, RSP, Congress (Mani), PDP and IUML. of surrender, 95 per cent of the Pur - even after retirement. ment planning and we hope cus - entail an investment of Rs 10 crore Leaders of AAP, BSP and SP were not present at the meeting. chase Price, excluding taxes, shall Speaking on the launch, Srinivasan tomers make the most of it.” each," official sources told PTI. "The Rs 30 crore first phase of the Vizag project is expected to be com - pleted in Q2FY22 and phase 2 is ex - Mission 1 lakh: Appointment letters pected to be completed by Q2FY23 Mahanta, special commissioner to Education department Pritom Saikia and chairman of AHSEC Rukma Guwahati chooses Vi as Smart City Partner Gohain Barua were also present in the function. HT Bureau where Rs 20 crore will be pumped GUWAHATI, Aug 20: The Guwahati Municipal Cor - in," officials said. poration (GMC) has appointed Vi Business, the enter - The Kandla and Odisha capex will prise arm of Vodafone Idea, as implementation partner also be completed by FY23. Dima Hasao marks 100-days under the Guwahati Smart City initiative. Under this IFGL has appointed the president the steps undertaken to keep a check on use of narcotics such as poppy plantation etc. partnership, the GMC will provide Vi Intelligent Mobil - of the company's US step down sub - The meeting was also attended by ADC Lalrohlu Khiengte and other the departmental officials and members ity solutions to Guwahati Municipal Swatch Bharat sidiary, EI Ceramics LLC, James of NGOs viz Blue Hills Society and AROH society. workers. The Vi SIMs that can be used with feature Leacock McIntosh as the managing phones as well as smartphones will keep GMC employ - director of the company from Sep - ees connected on the Vi network and help GMC ensure tember 1. the safety of field staff as well as enhance the efficiency The company is a strong player in Birth anniv of ex-PM of day to day cleaning operations. The partnership was both domestic and the international KADCC vice president Ratan Ingti and leaders from Mondal, Mahila Congress Committee attended the pro - officially launched in Guwahati by the chief minister of markets for refractory products. It gramme. Assam, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma. expects in the coming years, steel de - The strategic focus of the Governments Smart City unified operations through integration of functions are mand will recover firmly, both in the programme is to improve mobility, improve situational some of the objectives of the Smart City programme. The developed and developing awareness, enhance public safety and security, and intro - partnership with Vi is a part of System Integration efforts economies, supported by pent-up de - Bhasa Manyata Divas duce data-driven decision making. Improved manage - under the pan-city project division of the Guwahati Smart mand and governments' recovery languages of India. Bokajan Regional Committee AAGSU president Narayan Chetri and others also attended the oc - ment of utilities, enhanced safety and security and City plan. programmes. casion. Page 3 August 21_Normal Pages 8/20/2021 10:41 PM Page 1

SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2021 REGION THE HILLS TIMES 3 Assamese boy wins New building of Govt Old Age Home inaugurated at Sonapur top animation prize Assam CM launches Elder Line, a national helpline number for senior citizens HT Bureau HT Bureau is preparing a blueprint to implement it in a GUWAHATI, Aug 20: Gaurang GUWAHATI, Aug 20: Assam chief minister time bound manner. CM Sarma also said that Deka, an 11 standard student of Mil - Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday dedicated a the existing around 6,000 Anganwadi Centres lennium School, Dubai has brought new building of government Old Age Home at would be given a facelift to make them ideal laurels to the Assamese community by Sonapur to the service of the inmates. It may places for the growth of children. He also said achieving international recognition in be noted that the building constructed at a total that the government has taken all possible the areas of Environmental Sustain - cost of Rs 3.5 crore would help the senior cit - steps to provide nutritious food to children for ability, STEM (Science Technology, izens who really need government’s help to their physical and mental development. Chief Engineering Mathematics) and social have a roof over their heads. Chief minister minister on the occasion also distributed wheel work. Gaurang is the son of Utpal Sarma on the occasion also laid the foundation chairs to a number of beneficiaries. He also in - Deka, currently advising the govern - of 1,000 Model Anganwadi Centres to be built teracted with the inmates at the old age home ment of Dubai as chief specialist who across the state. He also launched 14567 and assured them to meet all their needs. So - is a native of Village , Puthi - ‘Elder Line’ a national helpline number for the cial welfare minister while speak - mari, Kamrup Assam. On the occasion of Environment Day, in senior citizens. ing on the occasion gave a brief outline of her synchronisation with the theme ‘Ecosystem Restoration’, the Speaking on the occasion, chief minister department’s agenda of priorities for the next UAE based Gems Group invited schools for SCOPE (Schools Sarma said, “I feel privileged to have inaugu - few months to ensure welfare of all sections Conference of Parties Expo) from around the world to find solu - rated the new dwelling of government Old of the people of the state. tions and amplify their voices in support of climate action. The Age Home for our mothers who really need struction of the dwelling house for the senior said that his government would also set up an MP, Guwahati Lok Sabha Constituency overarching theme for Environment Day 2021 focused on natural our help on a day when our government has citizens. integrated complex consisting of Old Age Queen Oja, MLA , MLA East processes, emerging green technologies and innovative thinking completed 100 days in office. There could not He also said that the state government is Home and Children’s Shelter Home including Guwahati Siddhartha Bhattacharya, chairper - that can restore the world’s ecosystem, redefining mankind’s deep have been a better way to commemorate the committed to ensure welfare of the senior cit - other facilities at a sprawling plot of land of son Assam State Commission for Protection of connection with nature. Gaurang participated in the contest under day than dedicating our old age home to the izens to every possible means. He said that his 65 bighas in Boko spending Rs 100 crore. The Child Rights Dr. Sunita Changkakoti, principal the sub-theme Animat(E)arth and created an animation to pro - service of our mothers.” He, therefore, government has already taken the decision to project would be completed in two years. He secretary Social Welfare Mukesh Sahu, direc - mote Earth Day. He won the 1st Prize, amongst 40 participating thanked minister of social welfare Ajanta allot seven days of leave to all government also informed that every district of Assam will tor Social Welfare Bibhash Modi and host of international schools. He is also one of the three students selected Neog in leading the team to complete the con - employees to be with their parents. He also have Model Old Age Home as the government others were present on the occasion. from UAE by the esteemed New York Academy of Sciences. He has therefore proved himself as one of the 1,000 worlds brightest STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) stu - dents to become part of the Junior Academy wherein he has been Students feted in Tingkhong’s working on the collaborative Launchpad (Academy’s unique, on - Foundation day of Gramya Sangbadik line platform to compete in project-based challenges focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals). Kenya Pather village Gaurang has actively participated in the Emirates Environmental Santha Asom observed Club, wherein he participated in the project called “recycle, reforest, HT Correspondent ADC repeat project” and played a crucial role in mobilising resources, SIVASAGAR, Aug 20: Gramya spreading awareness and bringing sustainable development goals Sangbadik Santha Asom (GSSA), to the forefront. He is also a Student Volunteer with Emirates Nature the premier rural reporters' forum, – WWF. During this pandemic, he also contributed to CRY (Child observed its foundation day on Fri - Rights and You) for their social media campaigning on issues re - day at a function held in Sivasagar lated to child labour, child marriage, etc. Gaurang is currently the Rongpurjyoti club which was ad - HT Correspondent founder of ‘Blooming Buds’, a social initiative dedicated to ‘Edu - dressed by Akhil Gogoi, MLA TINGKHONG, Aug 20: A felicitation programme for the HSLC and cate, Empower and Elevate’ the children in rural Assam. During Sivasagar, Dr. Saumerjyoti Ma - HS passed candidates was observed here at Kenya Pather LP School in this unprecedented pandemic – Blooming Buds is providing aca - hanta, principal, Sivasagar Com - Kenya Pather No. 70 on the auspicious occasion of 75th Independence demic online sessions for these students regularly. In the future, merce College, Manoj Kumar Day by the village's Deepjyoti Yuva Sangha. The programme started off Gaurang hopes to be able to continue creating a positive impact in Borthakur, senior journalist, Manoj with the hoisting of the National Flag by Mridul Kalita, the headmaster society through his multifaceted endeavours. Gogoi, secretary, Journalists Forum, of the Kenya Pathan LP School who also presided over the programme. Rajendra Mili, social worker and A mong revered persons of the locality, Jiten Newar, Chandra Kanta many others. L uhit Gogoi, adviser without any pecuniary gain and hence Sivasagar Bitupon Neog urged scribes Lama, Gobin Newar, and others were present. The students were encour - Vaccination drive in Darrang sees KASS and Nari Adhikar Surakhya we should acknowledge their sacrifice. not to use adjectives unnecessarily aged to pursue higher studies seriously and bring laurels to the village. Samity, Assam, presi ded over the He said that he needs no appreciation while writing. Manoj Kumar Borthakur thousands flocking for their jabs function, and Rajanikanta Panging, from the journalists for the works he urged the scribes newly entering the in - HT Correspondent secretary, GSSA, spoke on the ob - does for society as it is his duty and re - tricate job to be honest, truthful and ac - DALGAON, Aug 20: Vaccination drive is picking up pace in the Sadvabana Divas jectives while Brajen Phukan, presi - sponsibility but the journalists should countable to the people for whom one entire country as well as in Darrang. People who were afraid of get - dent of the ad-hoc body hoisted the never stop criticising him. writes. Syeda Hashnahana, DIPRO, ting the jab earlier were now seen standing in long queues at the flag. Manoj Kumar Borthakur, Pur - He assured the members his uncon - Sivasagar, in her brief address, urged vaccination centre. A total of 16 vaccination camps were organised observed in Nagaon nakanta Buragohain and Jehiruddin ditional assistance to GSSA for a per - the scribes to be cautious against sen - under Kharupetia Block Primary Health Centre where thousands Khan planted saplings on the occa - manent office in Sivasagar. Dr sationalism and fake news. Manoj of people gathered on Friday. Surprisingly, no covid protocols were sion. Saumerjyoti Mahanta said that new Gogoi recalled the days when the or - followed in the centres. Very few faces had the mask on and phys - Addressing the meeting, Akhil journalism knows no barriers and one ganisation first saw the light of the day ical distancing was also not maintained. Vaccination drive was de - Gogoi said that the journalists that con - can make top class journalistic stories and the inspirations they received from layed due to insufficient health workers and slow internet services vey the messages of the people from even from the remotest area in these writers like Mamoni Raisom Goswami while registration. People expressed their annoyance at the services even the remotest areas to the rulers days of global internet connectivity. and Homen Borgohain. The meeting but later calmed down when internet services resumed. honestly and truthfully, should be re - He said that Indian journalism is was also addressed by Bulu Chetia, spected by one and all. Scribes from dominated more by Bollywood and Trailukya Chetia, Rajendra Mili and a rural areas do their job voluntarily Cricket than by anything else. number of other speakers.

HT Correspondent NAGAON, Aug 20: Nagaon District Congress Committee (NDCC) Assam’s Kaji Nemu now observed the 77th birth anniversary of Prime Minister Bharat Ratna Rajiv Gandhi as Sadvabana Divas at Nagaon Congress office here on Friday. The programme started with floral tributes by Nagaon District Congress Committee (NDCC) president Tapan Sarma. A tree planta - in foreign market stands tion programme was also organised to mark the occasion. The pro - HT Correspondent and Fruit Processing in BTC. Dubai. gramme was attended by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) , Aug 20: It is a Borah interacted with officials of He said that Assam's Lemons are secretary Ikramul Huda, Suresh Bora, Suren Saikia, Nagaon DCC gen - moment of great pride for the peo - the horticulture division under the very juicy for which they are being eral secretary Sunder Neog, Nagaon DYC president Azhar Ali, Nagaon ple of Assam that Assam’s Kaji Agriculture department in Kokra - preferred in foreign lands. District Mahila Congress president Rupali Saikia, state NSUI secretary Nemu is now gaining market share jhar on Friday and took notes He also said that the BTC area's Tanz Hussain and other leaders and workers of the party. in places like London and Dubai. about the projects and schemes of soil and farming lands has the po - Director of Assam Horticulture the horticulture sector in BTC dis - tential to be a hotbed for horticul - and Food Processing, Triranga tricts. Talking exclusively in ture crops including lemon. Social worker Tarun Das of Bharatiya Borah who on his two Kokrajhar, Borah said that the He has urged the farmers of the day visit to Kokrajhar and Chirang Assam lemon produced at Panbari state to come forward and take up districts of Bodoland Territorial Bodofa Farming of Chirang district horticulture farming as Assam has Bakaliaghat passes away Council took stock of various proj - has been gaining market base by potential to become a booming HT Correspondent ects and schemes of Horticulture exporting Lemon to London and state in horticulture farming. BAKALIA, Aug 20: Tarun Das, a social worker and former president of Assam Anusuchit Jati Parishad Karbi Anglong district committee passed away at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital on Tuesday morning. He was 63 yrs. He leaves behind his wife, three sons, two daughters and a Huge cache of arms recovered lot of family members and well wishers. He was known for many devel - opmental works in the area. He was involved with various social organ - isations. Assam Anusuchit Jati Parishad Karbi Anglong district committee neaHrT IBunreadu o-Myateanm mhad spaecrifi c binfoormartidon oef thr e pres - condoled the demise of Das. Bakaliaghat press club secretary Lambudar GUWAHATI, Aug 20: In a major suc - ence of a cache in the jungle near village Bora while condoling Das’s demise said Tarun's contributions will always cessful operation against anti-national ac - Hmawngbu, 3 km north of Indo-Myanmar be remembered. The Bakaliaghat market was shut down for four hours tivities, Lunglei Battalion of Assam Rifles border. The Assam Rifles team along with on Wednesday from 6 am to 10 am to mourn Das’s death. of Headquarter 23 Sector Assam Rifles police representatives carried out a de - under the aegis of Headquarters Inspector tailed search of the area nearby and recov - General Assam Rifles (East) recovered a ered a huge cache of arms, ammunition Fisheries dept hands over promising huge cache of arms, ammunition and other and other war like stores. Use of such war- war like stores on Thursday. The operation like stores could have endangered the proposal for fisheries development was carried out near Hmawngbu Village lives of innocent people and led to various HT Correspondent of Lawngtlai district based on specific in - illegal activities. This recovery has pre - DISPUR, Aug 20: The fisheries department has submitted a project pro - formation. vented the loss of precious lives. The re - posal on ‘construction of village community tanks for enhancing fish An operation was launched by Assam coveries made were 3 Pistols, 174 live production at revenue village level in the state’ worth Rs 218 crore. Rifles personnel from Zorinpui post of rounds of bullets, 3 kgs of explosives, 9 The finance department has given interim allocation of Rs 200 crore Lunglei Battalion alongwith police repre - detonators and other stores including mo - to the fisheries department under RIAS for the financial year 2021-22. sentatives stationed at Bungtlang outpost bile phone modified IEDs (Improvised The project will be funded by NABARD. of Lawngtlai district on Thursday. The Explosive Devices). Cachar DC inaugurates ‘Silchar Study circle’ for competitive exam aspirants HT Correspondent selected aspirants in an interactive set - SILCHAR, Aug 20: The inauguration ting between the aspirants and re - ceremony of 'Silchar Study circle' was source persons. held at the conference hall of the office It's worth mentioning that a total of of the deputy commissioner Cachar 1,327 applications were received for the here on Thursday. entrance exam to the Study Circle, out At the outset all the dignitaries pres - of which 711 were shortlisted based on ent were felicitated with a traditional the UG/PG qualifications. A total of 162 shawl followed by lightning of lamp by applicants appeared for the entrance the dignitaries. Deputy commissioner exam held on 7 August, out of which 30 Cachar Keerthi Jalli presided over the aspirants were selected to be a part of meeting. While speaking on the occa - the Silchar Study Circle, 2021. The pro - sion DC Jalli said, “I urge upon the stu - The internet is flooded with materials, Cachar who have volunteered them - gramme was attended by the District dents to take the benefits of this course. but while choosing what to study you selves and their professional expertise Development Commissioner (DDC), All of you are quite mature and should need to be very cautious. We will extend to teach the selected aspiring youths of Cachar, Rajib Roy, additional deputy inculcate a positive attitude so that you all sorts of possible help so that you may Cachar district. The resource persons' commissioner i/c personnel and training can overcome all hurdles and come out achieve your goal,” Jalli quipped. panel also includes volunteering offi - branch, Dipak Jidung. with flying colours.” “The faculty mem - The deputy commissioner and other cers from district administration who Sudarshan Gupta, HOD, History, bers from various colleges, universities officers of the district administration are ready to help bridge knowledge Radhamadhab College also attended the and officials of the administration will motivated and encouraged the selected gaps of various topics as per the needs inauguration ceremony on behalf of the impart the essentials of their respective aspirants to work hard and achieve of the aspirants. It is pertinent to men - Assam College Teachers' Association subjects,” she added. their goals. The district administration tion that the Silchar Study Circle is a (ACTA), Cachar. In addition, the 30 “You should try to extract the maxi - also heartily expressed gratitude to the pet project of the district administra - APSC/ UPSC aspirants selected to the mum. You should keep yourself updated resource persons from the Assam Col - tion, Cachar and its main objective is Silchar Study Circle were also present about the happenings around the world. lege Teachers' Association (ACTA), to facilitate doubt clearing sessions of on the occasion. Page 4 August 21_Normal Pages 8/20/2021 11:04 PM Page 1

4 THE HILLS TIMES VOL. XXII, ISSUE 214, , SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2021 QUOTE OF THE DAY Modi’s last-ditch effort to stall ‘Nobody ever drowned in his own sweat.’ - Ann Landers

inhe nvext ten dayss are tgoinig tgo be eax - tion into Pegasus pesratelyc tryinga to denny its idnvolveament, l but tremely crucial for Prime Minister its submission before the apex court that dis - Ban on beef and his government as closing the operation of snooping would tThe Supreme Court on Tuesday served a no - compromise the national security obliquely tice to the Modi government telling it in clear confirms its involvement in the scandal. export from India words that it will hear the Pegasus snooping Modi government has indirectly confessed eef export was one of the major contributors to the coun - case in which petitioners have sought an in - to the apex court that it has been involved in try's economy during the UPA government. But after the dependent inquiry into the allegations that the obnoxious design of spying on the intel - power shuffle in Delhi in mid-2014, Prime Minister Naren - the government used Israeli-based Pegasus lectuals, academics, journalists, judges and Bdra Modi-led NDA government announced a ban on cattle ex - spyware to snoop on citizens. politicians of the country who were per - port. This ban led to job-sacking for lakhs of people associated The reluctance of the government to ac - ceived to be anti-Modi. Else there was no ra - with the industry. Notably, India itself has a sizeable beef-eating cede to the court-monitored inquiry was ev - tionale in saying that disclosure would population, and given it being ruled by the Mughals and British - ident from the mood of the Solicitor General endanger the security of the country. ers for a good period of time, both having beef in its staple diet, Tushar Mehta, who stood firm by his two- This confession underlines that it has come the meat has its deep roots in even Indian history and food cul - page affidavit denying “all and any” allega - to realise that it can no more hide behind the ture. Previously, India did not have a problem with the food be - tions. Mehta said any revelation about any veneer of the countenance of ignorance. Ear - haviour of different cultures, races and tribes. Many in India are software allegedly used by the government lier it lied to the people by denying that it did known to eat dogs, insects and even snakes, but never before to counter terrorism would compromise na - not have any information about the snooping, was there such a blanket ban on meat or an eating commodity. tional security. now after the matter has reached to the Beef, no doubt, is available in the Indian market even today but Unfortunately, the government was un - Supreme Court it is busy creating confusion is very limited and mostly located in Muslim-dominated areas. willing to relent notwithstanding the fact that and mislead the court. It never did achieve the status of being a commodity able to be the court made it clear that “none of us want The government which so far has been in sold openly barring some specific states. to compromise the defence of the nation... curity. The government outside the house who are involved in the “illegal surveil - denial mood has even agreed to constitute a Revered as a deity, the Hindu people always did have a prob - but there are citizens, some of them persons continued to maintain an ambivalent stand. lance”. Seeking a revival of his case, he said committee of experts to examine all the as - lem with the slaughtering of Cows. This was only aggravated of eminence, who have complained of hack - Last month, there were reports in the media his was the first petition filed when the Pe - pect and submit its report before the top with the coming of BJP to power which ultimately resulted in a ing of their phones”. that said that the central government al - gasus snooping allegations came to the fore. court. This sudden change of heart of Modi blanket ban on slaughtering and selling of cow meat in many The apex court has been seeking the Modi legedly got the Israeli spyware Pegasus to He tore apart the claim of the government has been quite intriguing. Even a layman states. Some states who have beef included in their staple government’s response on the petitions seek - spy on politicians, activists, and journalists. that human rights have not been infringed. knows that nothing moves in Modi’s New choice of meat, were, however, exempted from the same. The ing a court-monitored inquiry into the matter. As on the previous occasion, the Modi He said; “The targeted nature of Pegasus has India, without his permission. Obviously one state governments were asked to regulate the same in such But so far it has been government tried to club caused huge fear in the minds of the public. can infer that the offer to the court has come states. The Union government then went a step further to ban evading it though it was DEGREE OF THOUGHT the Pegasus issue with This illegal surveillance presents the biggest from him. Really disgraceful he has been the export of beef from India. Being a country that treats cows caught on the wrong nationalism by saying threat to life and personal liberty... A fair, im - keeping the people in dark and fooling them. as their mother and deity, it would look bad to be one of the side on some occasion. By: Arun Srivastava that national security partial and responsible investigation is re - Strange enough the government can place largest exporters of beef in the world. This is what the NDA gov - On August 9 the defence ministry in - was involved in it. The quired to ascertain the magnitude of the use the national interest in the hands of some ernment must have thought. Yes, India was one of the largest formed the Parliament that it had not entered government desperately tried to evade the of Pegasus in India, and the entities respon - handpicked individuals who it claims are the exporters of beef in the past. But with the export ban, it seems into any kind of sale or purchase relation basic question of whether it has ordered Pe - sible for the same,” experts. But it is not willing to take the peo - that the neighbouring countries are having a field day in the with the NSO in the matter of Pegasus. In gasus surveillance though the Supreme Court True speaking it was the reluctance of the ple of the country into confidence and ven - market. China and Bangladesh have now taken over the beef sharp contrast to its stand in Parliament the said that it does not want to force the govern - government to reply to the Supreme Court’s ture to smear the image of some people. The market and are trying to fill in the vacuum created by India after Modi government today refused to share any ment to disclose any information related to queries that made the bench issue the notice. observation of the government that it will not it restricted itself from the same. information. It obviously implied that the national security, but it wants to know It was manifest in the observation of the CJI tell anything to anyone and that they do not Many observers believe that the NDA government has been government was pursuing to the divergent whether orders were given for alleged sur - Ramana; "This is all before the stage of ad - wish to say this publicly is really vague and underestimating and analysing the consequences of its mega line. While the Supreme Court is busy pur - veillance of common people. 11 petitions mission. We had thought a comprehensive mysterious. It is not clear what they intend to initiatives. The banning of cattle export, especially to suing the issue cautiously the government have been filed in the Supreme Court on the reply will come but it was a limited reply. We say. Bangladesh, is proving to be a very fatal affair for India. Already has adopted a stubborn attitude and in the Pegasus case. Solicitor General Tushar will see, we will also think and consider what The NSO is supposed to provide the reeling under extreme unemployment and economic slowdown, process getting exposed. In Parliament, the Mehta simply said that government and the can be done". The court had even asked equipment only to a government to eradicate losing the revenue which cattle export brought in, is heavy for government had described the opposition de - army use various types of software to keep Mehta whether the Centre is willing to file terrorists and their activities. Under the rules the nation. Moreover, why should an eating habit be the reason mand for debate and inquiry as a conspiracy anti-national and extremist activities under an affidavit clarifying whether it purchased of the company, it cannot be applied on a behind a country’s policy? Assam chief minister Dr. Himanta against the Modi government. While France, control. It is beyond imagination why the and used Pegasus or not. But his reply was common law-abiding citizen. But Modi and Biswa Sarma also banned the sale and consumption of beef Morocco and Israel have ordered for an in - government was hell-bent on concealing the noncommittal; "My submission is that what - his aides have been using to keep watch on within a 5 km radius of temples and in Hindu-dominated areas quiry into the scandal, Modi government re - facts. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sub - ever we submitted in the last affidavit covers the people who are on their hit list. Modi and of the state. Interestingly, right after this announcement, during fused to have any inquiry. mitted that the government is ready to place all the case". his lieutenants are aware that any judicial an interview, Dr. Sarma insisted that temples be built in every Even on Tuesday, the government refused the facts before a technical committee consist - Modi government’s reluctance to agree to probe would not inflict any kind of damage locality so that beef slaughter is completely banned. Having said to give a fresh additional affidavit as accord - ing of neutral and independent experts. an independent probe into the Pegasus to the security of the country. Instead, it this, cattle smuggling cases have drastically been lowered after ing to it submission of any fresh affidavit was Meanwhile, former RSS ideologue K.N. snooping speaks louder and exposes the con - would clear the polity of the weeds. It would the ban. Whatever be the reason, perhaps the ban is in the best related to national security. The most surpris - Govindacharya has asked the Supreme Court spiracy in an immaculate manner than its strengthen the democratic and Constitutional interest of the nation and that post the Covid cloud the sun waits ing has been the government’s offer to have to revive his 2019 petition seeking a court- posturing that disclosing anything might ethos of the country. In this backdrop, it is re - for us on the other side. it investigated by a group of experts. Aston - monitored investigation into the Pegasus compromise national security. From the be - ally intriguing why they are not agreeable for ishingly it would not jeopardise national se - spyware and lodging of FIR against those ginning, the Modi government has been des - a judicial probe. (IPA Service) American debacle in Afghanistan Opposition has firmly defended has big lessons for Modi regime parliamentary values in Monsoon session By: morphed into an instrument of aggression the logistical facilities offered by India By: Binoy Viswam for pursuing the hegemonic designs of and instead relied on . The lining merica’s ignominious exit from US imperialism. The next target after up with the United States over the years government indebted to the ide - Afghanistan, the collapse of the Afghanistan was Iraq in March 2003. In has now culminated in India becoming a ology of fascism would have no Afghan National Army, the flee - the most duplicitous act of aggression, strategically. The series of military agree - regard for Parliament and its iAng of President Ashraf Ghani and the Saddam Hussein was accused of having ments that the Modi government had Apractices. For namesake, they may do lip rapid takeover by the Taliban, have all links with Al-Qaeda when, in fact, signed have given this alliance a military service to the parliamentary system. In been stunning developments. Osama Bin Laden had denounced him as character. The signing up onto the actual terms, their intention is to under - Twenty years after the United States an “atheist” for running a secular regime. Quadrilateral Alliance (Quad) was the mine the institutions of democracy, of and its NATO allies invaded Afghanistan The trail of destruction continued with final step. The strategic tie-up has effec - which Parliament is an inevitable com - and toppled the Taliban regime, the Tal - the extension of the war on terror into tively blocked India’s strategic autonomy ponent. The more they talk about parlia - iban are back in power in Kabul. The US Libya and Syria. and undermined an independent foreign mentary discussions and debates, the spent over $ 2 trillion in these two It is an irrefutable fact that wherever policy. more they attempt to sabotage it from decades and at the height of the occupa - imperialist aggression and occupation oc - If the United States launched its “war within. The RSS-BJP government has tion, there were 130,000 NATO troops curred, that spawned more terrorism and on terror” to strengthen its hegemony excelled in implementing fascist strategy stationed in Afghanistan. Over $ 88 bil - terrorist outfits. In Iraq and Syria, the Al- mainly in West Asia, the Quad is an ex - with its pseudo adherence to Parliament lion was spent to build the National Qaeda and even worse the Islamic State pression of its strategy to contain and iso - and the debates there. The happenings Army. This does not include the billions sprung up. After Libya was devastated, late China. during the recently concluded monsoon allow any mentioning of the word Pega - Jaitley had stated, “Parliament’s job is to of dollars spent by the United Kingdom various Islamic extremist groups Last week, foreign minister S Jais - session of the Parliament unveiled these sus in the Parliament of India caused all conduct discussions but many a time Par - and other NATO allies. emerged, who later spread their influence hankar said that while there is conver - very intentions of the BJP and its govern - the unfortunate happenings in the house. liament is used to ignore issues and in The current narrative of how in the last into north-western Africa. Imperialist ag - gence with the US in the East, there are ment. The Parliament session was sched - The opposition members tried to raise the such situations, obstruction of Parliament 20 years the United States and the West gression and terrorism have gone side by divergences in the West, particularly uled to be held from July 19 to August issue of the state-sponsored snooping is in the favour of democracy. Therefore, created a “democratic” State does not in - side. Afghanistan. This means, the govern - 13. After conducting a stormy session for through the Israeli malware. The opposi - parliamentary obstruction is not undemo - clude the thousands of civilians who died The Taliban take-over is a deeply dis - ment wants to cling onto the Quad while 17days, both the houses of the Parlia - tion members attempted to use all the op - cratic". Now the very same BJP is look - in the aerial bombardment by the US and turbing development given its reac - expressing its dismay at the way the US ment were adjourned sine die. Within portunities entitled to them through the ing to malign the opposition for their its allies; 40 per cent of the civilian casu - tionary fundamentalist character. With prematurely left Afghanistan. this time span, they managed to pass 32 rules of procedure to raise the burning is - justful attempt to uphold democratic alties were caused by the aerial bombing. the Taliban ensconced in power, the Giving primacy to the alignment with bills, 19 in the and 13 in sues like Pegasus, farmers struggle, price principles of dissent and discussion. That the Ashraf Ghani government had shape of the future of Afghanistan is un - the United States, as evident from the Lok Sabha. Many of these bills carry far- rice, unemployment, atrocities on weaker The monsoon session witnessed the no worthwhile popular support and was clear and uncertain. Much will depend on Afghanistan policy, has ended up isolat - reaching effects on the country's socio- sessions, etc. atrocious face of the BJP government. riddled with corruption and the venality how the new Taliban-controlled set-up ing India in the region. It is significant economic conditions. Yet, they were On every step, the government tried to They tried to convert the Parliament, the affected the army too was something deals with the issues of ethnic diversity, that Russia and Iran who were on board passed within 85 minutes on average. prevent them in an arrogant and cow - Sanctum sanctorum of democracy into a which was deliberately hidden in all the women’s rights and treatment of minori - with India in supporting the Northern Al - The irony was 14 of these bills were ardice manner. Even the questions re - military barrack. They mobilized un - media narratives. ties. The previous Taliban regime had a liance, when the Taliban was in power passed in less than 10 minutes. In his In - lated to Pegasus were suppressed. known musclemen in blue uniform to The “war on terror” proclaimed by brutal and retrograde approach towards between 1996 and 2001, have now estab - dependence Day message, the Chief Jus - RSS-BJP unleashed a vicious propa - manhandle the opposition members, es - President Bush after the September 11, all these three issues. The United Nations lished relations with the Taliban. They tice of India has pointed to this shameful ganda campaign accusing the opposition pecially targeting the left MPs. This act 2001 attacks had dubious antecedents. It Security Council emergency meeting on have, along with China, already held state of affairs, where bills are passed for the ruckus in Parliament. It is true that was their natural reaction to the role of should not be forgotten that its targets in the situation in Afghanistan held on Au - talks with the Taliban before the take- with no clarity and sense of purpose. The the opposition tried to oppose the bull - the left in the Parliament, though small Afghanistan, the Taliban regime and gust 16 saw a common understanding over. The current policy of the Modi gov - government in its frenzy to pass as many dozing of anti-people bills. They tried to in numbers. Irrespective of the govern - Osama Bin Laden were themselves the emerge – that a redline should be drawn ernment with its narrow anti-Pakistan, bills of their choice has forgotten even reflect the anger and anguish of the peas - ment tactics of high-handedness, the products of the jihad launched by the on not providing shelter to terrorist anti-China focus is isolating it from all the essential features of lawmaking. They ants and workers, the dalits, and the monsoon session provided a broad plat - Mujahideen against the presence of So - groups like the Islamic State and Al- our South Asian neighbours. If it does not are afraid that debates on bills would ex - youth. The opposition was trying to ful - form for the opposition parties to come viet troops in Afghanistan in the 1980s. Qaeda on Afghanistan soil. This, of recalibrate its foreign policy and strategic pose their hidden agenda behind many of fill its duty by vehemently opposing the together for united resistance. Osama Bin Laden and the various Is - course, is a vital concern of India. The outlook, the Modi government will have their laws. draconian bills related to general insur - Through better floor coordination and lamic extremist elements, who flocked to Taliban is also affiliated to the Sirajuddin to brace up for operating in a more hostile For any effective legislation, it is im - ance, essential defence services, tribunal joint march in solidarity with the farmers' the jihad which was financed by the CIA Haqqani faction which had targeted In - regional environment in the coming days. perative to listen to the other side also. reforms, marine fisheries, insolvency, agitation, 14 opposition parties commu - and equipped through the Pakistan ISI, dian projects in Afghanistan. There is the danger of Islamist radical - The opposition has the right and duty to and bankruptcy code etc. At the same nicated a new message to the masses. transformed into the Al-Qaeda. As for the The US debacle in Afghanistan has les - ism growing in South Asia as a result of raise the people's voice during the course time the opposition parties cooperated Their struggle inside the Parliament was Taliban, they were the progeny of the sons for India. Right from the outset in the Afghanistan developments, the Hin - of law-making. A government need to with the government in passing the OBC to uphold the Constitution, which stated Afghan Mujahideen forces mainly be - 2001, the then Vajpayee government de - dutva policies of the BJP governments provide for such meaningful debates in reservation bill unanimously. It whole - in its article 107: ".... a bill shall not be longing to the Pashtun nationality. clared full support for the US military in - make our country vulnerable to such in - Parliament. The Modi government by its heartedly took part in the meaningful dis - deemed to have been passed by the The “war on terror” launched by Pres - vasion of Afghanistan. In fact, it was fluences. The persecution of the minori - very nature has no regard for this kind of cussion to face the COVID menace. That Houses of Parliament unless it has been ident Bush and his neocon advisors soon disappointed that the US did not avail of ties creates fertile grounds for this. Only parliamentary functioning. While they political maturity and sense of responsi - agreed to by both houses..." Outside, the pursuit of firm secular policies can talk about the productivity level of the bility was not shared by the government they tried to become the voice of the counter this trend. Parliament, the government ignore the not even for a single minute in the mon - struggling masses. That is why the gov - In immediate terms, the government truth that their undemocratic stance is the soon session. ernment and the are doing has to address some of the urgent con - main hindrance for this productivity. On The united plea from the opposition to an overtime job to tarnish the image of cerns of the Afghan people who have the eve of the session in his extremely refer the important bills like the GIC the opposition parties and their parlia - close historical and cultural ties with short speech to the floor leaders of the amendment to select committee was un - mentary struggles. India. India must facilitate the arrival of house, the Prime Minister assured that heeded by them. Reference of bills to se - A Parliament cannot sit idle and chant people who want to seek asylum as any issues can be raised, and the govern - lect committees or standing committees songs of praise to the government. When refugees. As for the hundreds of Afghan ment is ready to answer them. The mon - are tested measures of parliamentary the exploiters take away the rights of the students, who are studying in educational soon session proved that those scrutiny. BJP government has total con - people, the history of fascism says that institutions around the country, they need assurances were only part of Modi's style tempt for it. During UPA period 71 per - the appropriators and their government their visas to be renewed or extended. Fi - of rhetoric, hollow and meaningless! cent of the bills went for such scrutiny would not even hesitate to suppress even nancial assistance through scholarships When the Parliament loses its precious whereas BJP has brought it down to a the Parliament. In India, BJP is moving and grants must be ensured for the needy time and debates are not providing life to mere 11percent. The country can only on that path. Hence, the time has come ones. At the heart of our new policy on it, it is a matter of concern for every cit - laugh when such a party like BJP making for the countrymen and women, defend - Afghanistan must lie the interests and izen. But who was responsible for such a sermons on parliamentary ethics and pro - ers of democracy, to rally together to pro - welfare of the Afghan people, not geo- situation? It is none other than the gov - ductivity. When the BJP was out of tect our parliamentary democracy and political power play. (IPA Service) ernment. It is their adamant stand, not to power, the then leader of opposition Arun constitutional principles. (IPA Service) Page 5 August 21_Normal Pages 8/20/2021 4:05 PM Page 1

SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2021 ENVIRONMENT THE HILLS TIMES 5 Who gets to save the world? By: Omair Ahmad on Earth – or at least not quickly – then it is time University Press, 2017), editor of Climate Justice to manage the radiation coming from the Sun, by in India (Cambridge University Press, forthcom - s floods in Europe and wildfires in the US limiting the radiation that reaches Earth. ing), co-editor of the journal Environmental Pol - and Russia dominate global news cycles, This is a grand ambition, and by definition, one itics, and the co-founder and co-convener of the it seems that the conversation on climate that is only open to those with a great amount of Climate Justice Network. cAhange is moving forward. And maybe just in wealth in their hands. Kashwan uses the term Kashwan is also a member of the global expert time. The next UN Conference of Parties on cli - “colonising the global commons”. Ironically, group for Scoping of Transformative Change As - mate change – COP26 – is due at the end of this those that have colonised the global commons sessment by the Intergovernmental Science-Pol - year. The last one was disappointing, to say the with their pumping out of CO2, would largely be icy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem least. Shifted from Chile due to political unrest to the same ones who would be taking the lead in Services (IPBES), a member of the Academic Spain, it featured the US under the Trump admin - “saving us from ourselves”. Working Group (AWG) on International Gover - istration at its worst. But there was no lack of bad There is an internal, Indian, aspect to this as nance of Climate Engineering (2016-2018), a sen - actors, with the EU coming into criticism for well. The two richest businessmen in India, Gau - ior research fellow of the Earth System blocking green financing, China and India being tam Adani and Mukesh Ambani, both with huge Governance (ESG) Project, and a member of the blamed for dodgy projects, and name calling all and controversial investments in coal and oil, are Climate Social Science Network (CSSN) con - around. Greta Thunberg may have warned, now the leading investors in renewable energy. It vened by Brown University’s Institute for Envi - “We’re watching you,” but the results were so is worth noting that they are not phasing out their ronment and Society. meagre as to suggest we might just turn our eyes investments in coal or oil, perish the thought, but The questions are in bold. away. just using money to invest in a newer sector. What is solar geo-engineering? Why is it cles such as the monsoons. Over the years the issue has become more COP26 was supposed to be held last year, but Given that large solar parks envisaged under these being promoted? While some have argued that solar geo-engi - mainstream. The US National Academy of Sci - the pandemic had its impact. The venue of the projects will require substantial land acquisition, The idea comes from mimicking volcanoes. neering is likely to be relatively less disruptive ences, in March this year, proposed putting in conference itself – the Scottish Exhibition and these are likely to be justified under “green proj - Major volcanic eruptions spew ash particles compared to volcanic emissions, much depends $200 million over five years in researching the Conference Centre in Glasgow – had a section ects”, possibly displacing those who are not, in into the atmosphere, which reflect some of the on the intensity of solar geo-engineering. idea. Some scientists have backed the idea, al - made into a temporary hospital to deal with the any way, responsible for the type of emissions Sun’s radiation back into space and cool the The net impact is likely to be quite significant though the governance for these solutions which Covid-19 crisis. To say the omens have not been that the Ambani or Adani projects are involved in. planet. Climate scientists argue that this effect for Asia and Africa monsoons. India, with its crit - will have global impact are less clearly stated. good would be to put it mildly. Thus, any added It is not just rich countries colonising the global could be recreated to fight the impacts of climate ical dependence on monsoons, is one of the coun - The lack of governance thinking has led to face impetus – whether it is videos of the flooding of commons that is an issue, but also the rich pol - change. tries that should be addressing this proactively. offs. The Sami indigenous group managed to stop New York city, to news of permafrost melting in luters in developing countries who are colonising The argument is: it doesn’t look like the world About half of India’s farmers are dependent on an initial experiment from taking off. But this is Siberia – should probably be a good thing. The internal spaces in the name of giving us cleaner can act to stay below two degrees global atmos - rain-fed agriculture, and this is one of the least not a sustainable way forward. While some social Biden administration’s first act was to recommit energy, as story number 9 in our critical reading pheric temperature increase, which threatens to explored areas of concern. These are “diverse, scientists (including me) have called for a mora - the US to the Paris Agreement, from which list highlights. create runway climate catastrophes. Proponents complex, systems that depend on multiple sources torium in our submissions to publications such as Trump had pulled it out of, so there is a different While the issues with solar geo-engineering argue that the relatively cheap, and relatively of subsistence, including a reliance on seasonal Nature and Science, as the climate crisis intensi - energy going in. might find an easier fix – after all the main actors quickly executable solar geo-engineering projects regeneration of pastures in arid/semi-arid re - fies, people will be open to more radical ideas. All that said and done, it is still worth asking in the global systems are countries, and even if can be used to shave the peak off the emission gions”. Much of this is threatened by solar geo- We need to have a governance protocol for how what such a meeting will manage to achieve. De - the system favours rich countries over poor coun - curve. This will buy us the time needed to get our engineering related fluctuations. I should note the impact of such things can be assessed. spite the very real proof of how the climate crisis tries, there are mechanisms – there is less of a act together (on mitigation and carbon removal). that some modelling studies suggest that these What should we be thinking about? is destroying lives and livelihoods, the world is way to manage how wealth from polluting indus - There does seem to be a bit of “white man sav - concerns are not that serious, though it is worth It has become a stiff political battle already. still marked by too little ambition. Under the Paris tries is green-washed internally. It is past time that iour complex” in some of the writing around it, asking if we are going to take such risks on lim - Anyone who pretends otherwise is not being hon - Agreement countries were supposed to set their countries that suffer from massive air pollution not least in books like Kim Stanley Robinson’s ited data. est. The recommendation of the National Acad - own ‘nationally determined contributions’ to keep and climate change-induced disasters such as The Ministry of the Future. A good summary of Is there any regulatory mechanism? emy of Sciences brings it close to being a part of global warming below 1.5 degrees centigrade India start seriously thinking of carbon taxes on the opening plot is here. Academics have been pushing for it from 2016, the US climate policy portfolio. Parts of the sci - above pre-industrial levels. As the Climate Action those contributing to our problems. This will give Why should we be concerned? with extensive (and, often time very vigorously entific community are trying it very hard to legit - Tracker shows us, of the countries they are track - the developing world far more credibility in de - This allows for colonising the global commons. contested) debates on governance mechanisms, imise these experiments, with global South ing, only two are on track for that – Morocco and manding similar taxes for global giants that have There is unprecedented potential for one bil - including research governance. The Forum for scientists and civil society is being co-opted rap - the Gambia. Countries like China are still pursu - created the challenge we face. Otherwise we end lionaire to have his hand on the global thermo - Climate Engineering Assessment’s Academic idly. ing pathways that may be lead to warming above up in the laughable situation of having the poor stat. Working Group (AWG) on Climate Engineering There is some opposition by civil society or - 3 degrees, and countries like Saudi Arabia, for a being made to sacrifice to the rich, who have been It is THAT cheap (leaving aside the social, en - Governance assembled an international group of ganisations in the global North, but it is not very world that is more than 4 degrees hotter, on aver - instrumental in creating these problems, in the vironmental, and potential geostrategic security senior academics to formulate perspectives on the clear how well people understand the challenges. age, than the 19th century. name of saving themselves. costs/conflicts). There is a similar risk with car - international governance of climate engineering Mere opposition without a way to talk of gov - It is little surprise, therefore, that some people The interview bon removal, another form of geoengineering. research and potential deployment, with a focus ernance risks that these things may be pushed are pushing for radical solutions. Suggesting that Prakash Kashwan is an associate professor of Most important is the impact that shielding on proposed solar radiation management/albedo through in a laissez-faire manner, without trans - since the world is not going to get its act together political science and co-director of the Research Earth from solar radiation will have on global hy - modification technologies. parency and accountability. any time soon, we may require technological Program on Economic and Social Rights, Human drological cycles. This is simple physics. The discussion has not stayed just academic. It is interesting that there seems to be a strong fixes that give us more time. This is the topic of Rights Institute, University of Connecticut, The difference in temperatures of the sea and Switzerland and eight other countries raised the link (though no smoking gun) between the fossil this article’s interview with Prakash Kashwan, on Storrs. He is the author of Democracy in the land are what drive rainfall patterns. Once you issues in the UN, but this was blocked by the US fuel industry and solar geo-engineering. Pages solar geo-engineering. This point of view sug - Woods: Environmental Conservation and Social start tinkering with this on a large scale, it is im - and Saudi Arabia. 36-38 in this report points to some of those long - gests that since we cannot manage the problems Justice in India, Tanzania, and Mexico (Oxford possible to predict how these will impact large cy - What is the current situation? standing ties. (Courtesy: The Wire) Rising methane levels could be a big How changes in rainfall patterns is

enByd: Suanny nPratgap eringLack oIf fnacilitdies ia’s ‘putol fsour edistrsicts nabmelyo Gawya, Boldh’ gaya obstacle in climate change mitigation Due to lack of better drainage facilities, Nalanda and Nawada. The water will be dis - By: Tanvi Deshpande Methane is naturally occurring, or bio - cannot be achieved at a reasonable cost okama “Taal” is situated 90 kilo - the whole region is submerged in water for charged from the “taal” region so that the re - genic, ie produced during decomposition without reducing methane emissions by meters away from ’s capital more than four months. In case if the water gion will not hold the water for a longer n August 9, the Intergovernmen - of organic matter, including from vege - 40%-45% by 2030, said United Nations city Patna, which is part of central takes a long time to recede, the farmers have time. The government has said that this will tal Panel on Climate Change re - tated wetlands and inland water systems Environment Programme. Bihar. It is ephemeral in nature and com - to suffer due to this. They are unable to sow help to maintain the water table of those dis - leased its latest Working Group I (lakes, ponds, rivers), land geological Most countries address the issue of M prises a group of seven continuous “taal”. the seeds on time. Basically, 15th of October tricts which have water deficit issues. rOeport that, for the first time, included a sources (mud volcanoes, micro-seepage), methane emissions in general terms, The seven taal are Fatuha, Bakhtiarpur, is an ideal time to do so but for the last three People of “taal” region are concerned that chapter on short-lived climate forcers wild animals, termites, thawing terrestrial without a clear target to reduce emis - Barh, More, Mokama, Barhariya and Sing - years, it is done in the month of November. those districts which are being joined such as methane and aerosols. Short- and marine permafrost and oceanic sions, said Pekkarinen’s paper. While the haul. It starts from Fatuha in the west to According to a gaonconnection report, through this pipeline project that if the water lived climate forcers, as the name sug - sources. Less than half of global methane Paris Agreement favours absolute econ - Lakhisarai in the east. It covers an area of people said till date, no recommendations of in monsoon is to come to their region only gests, are greenhouse gases that remain emissions, however, are biogenic. The omy-wide emission reduction targets, 1062 sq km and their width ranges from 6 have been executed on the ground. People then why the government should not stop in the atmosphere for relatively shorter rest comes from human-caused emis - countries must also develop separate tar - km to 17.6 km. This part basically comes want this committee should be implemented the said water there? periods – compared to carbon dioxide. sions. gets for all climate forcers, including under the Kiul Harohar basin. After the because it gives security for a long period of I talked to the convenor of ‘Taal Samiti’ Human emissions of carbon dioxide The interaction of gases like methane methane, individually, the paper stated. monsoon, whole area has water up ranging time. Silt is also one of the main reasons for Anand Murari and asked him about the are the primary driver of climate change. with sunlight produces tropospheric Only nine of 174 signatories to the Paris from 4 meters to 6 meters. waterlogging. After the monsoon flood in promise which was made by the Water Methane remains in the atmosphere for ozone, a harmful greenhouse gases that Agreement, however, have set a separate Bihar’s northern and southern parts have North Bihar, the small rivers brought silt to Resources minister that the water will be just about a decade, compared to cen - damage human health, plants and ecosys - target for reducing methane emissions. two different weather conditions. The two Ganga following which a virtual jam has taken out during the monsoon. There is turies for carbon dioxide, but human tems, according to the United Nations Reducing emissions different weather conditions is one of the been created slowing down the flow of only one way for the drainage of water. emissions of methane are second only to Environment Programme assessment. “Methane can be captured from ma - main reason for the high density of water in water. Many experts believe the main reason that is through Harohar. He told me no carbon dioxide in contributing nure, waste and wastewater the “taal” area. It is situated in central Bihar. behind the building of Farakka Barrage after such things are happening and that since to global warming, according to management systems and The “taal” region has a high yield rate of its creation was the silt problem that arose he is a minister, he can say anything. the United Nations Environ - used to replace higher carbon crops but due to water stagnation, it fails to in the river Ganga. Deposition of silts is en - About “Ganga Udbhav Yojana”, he said ment Programme’s Global dioxide-intensive energy produce at its optimal capacity. Mokama hancing the concern of the people. that the government has ample money. Methane Assessment, 2021. sources such as wood, coal Taal is the second biggest producer of Are policies and schemes sufficient? They use it as they wish. However, this The latest IPCC report is the and oil,” Pekkarinen’s paper lentils. It is also known as ‘Lentil Bowl’. It “Ganga Udbhav Yojana” is one of the project would change nothing in the “taal” first of four expected ahead of stated. Methane emissions can feed the whole country for six months. most ambitious project of Bihar CM Nitish areas. “The government is not taking our the forthcoming United Nations can be effectively reduced by The varieties of lentils produce are Masoor Kumar. Under this project, the 190 kilome - problems seriously. They should plan Climate Change Conference, decreasing waste, especially Daal, Moong Daal, Chana Daal, and other ters long water pipe will be made through aloof for the taal region,” He concluded. COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland, food waste, as well as varieties. which the Holy Ganga water will be taken (Courtesy: Youth Ki Awaaz) this October. It comes at a time through increased compost - when the world is experiencing ing of biodegradable waste. extreme weather events more The paper also argued for frequently than ever, be it flood - substituting meat (especially ing in western India or wildfires beef) and dairy products with in southern Europe and the US. less greenhouse gases-inten - How IndiBay: S hcailashrnee T fewaarci e the tidaemlbr awce caircuvlare and osusfta inmable aecornoimnic perac tipcesl tharousghtouit cthe The IPCC report underlines sive foods, to reduce agricul - plastics value chain to accomplish this. the need for countries to take action to Thus, increased concentrations of ture’s methane emissions. Reducing he extensive use of plastic in India has reached a critical point, 2. Pricing: Plastics are inexpensive because they are made with curb methane emissions as a step toward methane in the atmosphere due to methane emissions through management which should concern everyone. The Central Pollution Con - substantially subsidised oil and may be produced at a lower cost, meeting the Paris Agreement’s target of human-caused emissions are a precursor of livestock manure and adjusting cattle trol Board’s (CPCB) Annual Report on Implementing the with fewer economic incentives to employ recycled plastics. Price limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees to tropospheric ozone pollution. Tropos - feed, and through solid waste and waste- PTlastic Garbage Rules, 2016, is the only regular estimate of the quan - structures that reflect the adverse impacts of plastic consumption Celsius of pre-industrial levels. pheric ozone pollution attributable to water management, were also high - tum of plastic waste generated in India. According to it, the waste and promote alternative materials or reused and recycled plastics are India is the third-largest source of human emissions of methane causes ap - lighted by United Nations Environment generated in 2018-19 was 3,360,043 tonnes per year (roughly 9,200 necessary. methane emissions, a paper supported by proximately half a million premature Programme. tonnes per day). Given that total municipal solid waste generation 3. Technologies and Innovation: Developing tools and technol - the European Union’s climate change deaths globally, per United Nations En - “Numerous cost-effective mitigation is between 55 and 65 million tonnes per day, plastic waste con - ogy to assist governments and organisations in measuring and mon - project has found. Both the paper and the vironment Programme. Reductions in technologies and policies are readily tributes about 5-6 per cent of total solid waste generated in India. itoring plastic garbage in cities. ‘Closing the loop’ project of the United Nations Environment Programme methane emissions thus have direct and available in the different methane-emit - Our relationship with plastic is short-term focused. We only use United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the assessment point to existing low-cost immediate benefits for public health via ting sectors,” said the paper. “In the it once before discarding it and would like to believe that it is being Pacific assists cities in developing more inventive policy solutions technologies to reduce methane emis - improved air and water quality. United States, landfill [garbage dump] recycled. But according to a 2017 science breakthroughs study, only to tackle the problem. A similar approach can be adopted in India. sions, including better waste and live - Human-caused methane emissions gas emissions declined by 40% from nine per cent of all plastic waste has ever been recycled. 4. Promoting a plastic-free workplace: All catering operations stock management practices. Methane largely stem from three sectors: fossil 1990 to 2016 through methane abatement Approximately 12 per cent has been burnt, while the remaining should be prohibited from using single-use plastics. To encourage released during fossil fuel production can fuel production and consumption (35% strategies such as landfill gas collection 79 per cent has accumulated in landfills. Plastic waste is blocking workers and clients to improve their habits, all single-use goods can also be captured for use as a valuable en - of human-caused emissions), waste and control systems. There is potential to our sewers, threatening marine life and generating health risks for be replaced with reusable items or more sustainable single-use al - ergy source. (20%) and agriculture (40%), per the spread these technologies to developing residents in landfills or the natural environment. ternatives. By reconsidering how we operate, this initiative can save Methane emission United Nations Environment Pro - countries.” The financial costs of marine plastic pollution are significant as tonnes of plastic waste each year. Greenhouse gases such as carbon gramme. In the energy sector, switching from well. According to conservative forecasts made in March 2020, the 5. Producer responsibility: Extended responsibility can be ap - dioxide and methane trap heat in the at - Methane is emitted during the extrac - fossil fuels to renewable energy sources direct harm to the blue economy of the Association of Southeast plied in the retail (packaging) sector, where producers are responsi - mosphere. They absorb energy that radi - tion and production of fossil fuels includ - will be the most effective way to reduce Asian Nations will be $2.1 billion per year. ble for collecting and recycling products that they launch into the ates upwards from the earth’s surface and ing oil, gas and coal. In agriculture, methane emissions, the paper argued. Notably, only the direct expenses of three industries are covered: market. re-emit heat to the lower atmosphere, methane emissions can come from burn - While a full switch to renewables is a Shipping, fisheries and aquaculture and maritime tourism. Boats 6. Municipal and community actions: Beach and river clean- thus warming the earth. Human emis - ing crop stubble after harvest and contin - long way away, disseminating existing may become entangled in abandoned or discarded fishing nets or ups, public awareness campaigns explaining how people’s actions sions of greenhouse gases such as uous flooding of paddy fields for rice technologies and policies for methane their engines may become blocked with plastic debris. contribute to marine plastic pollution (or how they may solve it) and methane and carbon dioxide have in - production. Decomposing organic mate - emissions mitigation would effectively According to the World Economic Forum report, 2016, under a disposable plastic bag bans and levies. creased their concentration in the atmos - rial in waste discarded by humans also reduce the near-term heating effect of this “business-as-usual” scenario, this $2.1 billion per year estimate is 7. Multi-stakeholder collaboration: Government ministries at phere. This has caused an increased produces methane. It is also a byproduct sector. During fossil fuel transportation, likely to rise, as plastics production is expected to triple between the national and local levels must collaborate in the development, warming influence on climate since the of digestion in cattle. India, with its huge for instance, methane leaks can be re - now and 2050. Enormous social costs accompany these economic implementation and oversight of policies, which includes participa - year 1750. Some greenhouse gases can cattle population, is the world’s third- duced through routine maintenance of costs. Residents of coastal regions suffer from the harmful health tion from industrial firms, non-governmental organisations and vol - remain in the atmosphere for decades, largest emitter of methane, according to gas pipelines. Methane released from impacts of plastic pollution and waste brought in by the tides and unteer organisations. Instead of acting in silos, all these stakeholders centuries or even longer, so the corre - a March 2019 paper by Veera Pekkari - coal mines can also be captured and used are inextricably linked to the fishing and tourism industry for their must collaborate and synchronise with one another. sponding effects of human emissions on nen, supported by the European Union’s as a valuable energy source, per the livelihoods. Therefore, we must begin finding solutions to prevent Solving the problem of marine plastic involves a change in pro - climate last for a long time. ClimaSlow project. United Nations Environment Programme plastics and other waste from polluting our oceans and clean them duction and consumption habits, which would help meet the Sus - Methane causes the second-most ra - The atmospheric concentration of assessment. “However, any measures to up. The problem of marine plastic pollution can — and must — be tainable Development Goals (SDGs). The central UN SDGs that diative forcing effect, i.e. warming, after methane has more than doubled since reduce methane emissions from the fossil tackled from a range of perspectives. Some of the solutions are as deal with marine plastics are SDG 12 and SDG 14. carbon dioxide, in terms of the quantum pre-industrial times, per the United Na - fuel sector should be undertaken as part follows: Apart from the solutions mentioned above, the government can of emissions of these greenhouse gases. tions Environment Programme assess - of a clear plan to ultimately phase out oil, 1. Designing a product: Identifying plastic items that can be re - take several steps to combat plastic pollution. Identifying hotspots The warming effect of methane itself is ment, and is increasing faster now than gas and coal production and consump - placed with non-plastic, recyclable, or biodegradable materials is for plastic leakage can assist governments in developing effective 28 times that of carbon dioxide, accord - at any time since the 1980s. The Paris tion,” the paper cautioned. (Courtesy: the first step. Find alternatives to single-use plastics and reusable policies that address the plastic problem directly. (Courtesy: Down ing to the Global Methane Budget 2020. Agreement’s 1.5-degree-Celsius target Scroll.in) design goods by working with product designers. Countries must To Earth) Page 6 August 21_Normal Pages 8/20/2021 9:07 PM Page 1

6 THE HILLS TIMES WORLD SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2021 Navalny marks year after Malaysian king picks ex-deputy PM as nation’s new leader poisoning with anti-corruption call ‘Ismail’s appointment was not unexpected. With this, UMNO is now back in the driver’s seat’ , Aug 20 (AP): Im - KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 (AP): driver’s seat,” said James Chin, an Asian ex - ister, Ismail courted controversy when he prisoned Russian opposition Malaysia’s longest-governing pert at Australia’s University of Tasmania. urged ethnic Malay consumers to boycott leader marked reclaimed the premiership it lost in a shock Ismail’s 114 votes exceed the 111 needed profiteering Chinese businesses. He was the anniversary of a poisoning at - 2018 election defeat, after the king on Friday for a simple majority but is close to the also slammed for supporting the vaping in - tack against him by urging global named its candidate, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, as backing Muhyiddin had and was unable to dustry, which is dominated by Malays, de - leaders on Friday to put more at - the country’s new leader. keep. Ismail is from UMNO, the larger party spite health warnings from the health tention on combating corruption Ismail was the deputy Prime Minister in the alliance, leaving him on firmer ministry. and to target tycoons close to under the government of Muhyiddin Yassin, ground, but he still needs Muhyiddin’s party In 2018 polls, Ismail waved the racial Russian President Vladimir who resigned Monday after less than 18 for enough support to lead. card, warning that every vote for the oppo - Putin. In an article published in months in office as infighting in his coalition Angry Malaysians had launched an online sition was akin to eliminating special privi - three European newspapers, cost him majority support. Ismail’s appoint - petition to protest Ismail’s candidacy, with leges given to Malays under a decades-old Navalny chided Western leaders ment essentially restores Muhyiddin’s al - more than 3,40,000 signatures collected so affirmative action program. for relegating the fight against liance. It also brings back the rule of the far. Many believe Ismail’s choice will re - Ismail was named defence minister when corruption to a secondary agenda United Malays National Organisation, store the status quo, with its perceived failed Muhyiddin took power in March 2020, and item and said that graft plays an essential part in policy failures, including which had led Malaysia since independence response to a worsening pandemic. became the government’s public face in Iraq and Afghanistan. “It is precisely the fact that the West failed to from Britain in 1957 but was ousted in 2018 Malaysia has one of the world’s highest through daily briefings on security issues re - notice the total corruption in Afghanistan that Western leaders preferred elections over a multibillion-dollar financial points the person he believes has majority infection rates and deaths per capita, despite lated to the pandemic. He was promoted to not to talk about a topic they found embarrassing which was the most scandal. King Sultan Abdullah Sultan support in Parliament as Prime Minister. a seven-month state of emergency and a deputy Prime Minister in July as Muhyiddin crucial factor in the victory of the Taliban,” Navalny wrote. Ahmad Shah said Ismail had secured the Sultan Abdullah said in a statement that lockdown since June. Daily new infections sought to woo support from UMNO, which Navalny was arrested in January upon returning to Moscow from Ger - backing of 114 lawmakers for a slender ma - he hopes Ismail’s appointment will bring an have more than doubled since June to hit a was unhappy at playing second fiddle to many, where he spent five months recovering from a nerve agent poison - jority. He said Ismail, 61, will be sworn in end to the country’s political turmoil. He new record of 23,564 on Friday, bringing the Muhyiddin’s smaller party. ing that he blames on the Kremlin. Russian officials reject the accusation. as Malaysia’s ninth Prime Minister on Sat - urged lawmakers to set aside their political country’s total to over 1.5 million cases. Ismail defeated opposition leader Anwar The politician and anti-corruption activist, who is Putin's most deter - urday. The announcement came after the differences and unite to tackle the country’s Deaths have surged to above 13,000. Ibrahim, whose three-party alliance is the mined political foe, received a 2 1/2-year prison sentence in February for monarch met state Malay rulers who advised worsening pandemic. A lawyer before he joined politics, Ismail biggest opposition bloc with 88 votes. Even violating the terms of a suspended sentence from a 2014 embezzlement him on the appointment. The king’s role is “Ismail’s appointment was not unex - held several ministerial posts in previous if all opposition parties support him, he still conviction that he dismissed as politically motivated. largely ceremonial in Malaysia, but he ap - pected. With this, UMNO is now back in the UMNO governments. In 2015 as trade min - falls short with 105 votes. On Friday, British newspaper The Guardian, Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and France's Le Monde published Navalny's article, in which he called corruption the universal, ideology-free basis for the flourishing of a new Authoritarian International, from Russia to Eritrea, China approves three-child Myanmar to Venezuela. He challenged international leaders to show a Report: Taliban killed minorities, stronger political will to track financial trails from Russia and other coun - tries beset by corruption and to more resolutely target corrupt officials. policy to encourage couples “Until personal sanctions are imposed on oligarchs, primarily those in the entourage of Putin, the role model for the entire world's corrupt offi - KABUL, Aug 20 (fAPu): Reepolrtls oif ng Afghans’ fears cials and businessmen, any anti-corruption rhetoric from the West will to have more children targeted killings in areas overrun by be perceived as game-playing and hot air,” Navalny said. the Taliban mounted Friday, fuelling In a separate Instagram post on Friday, Navalny again thanked Russian fears that they will return pilots and ambulance doctors for saving his life after he fell into a coma Afghanistan to the repressive rule while aboard a domestic flight from Siberia to Moscow on August 20, they imposed when they were last in 2020. He was transferred from a hospital in Siberia to a Berlin hospital power, even as they urged imams to two days later. Labs in Germany, France and Sweden, and tests by the push a message of unity at Friday's Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, established that prayers. Terrified that the new de he was exposed to a Soviet-era Novichok nerve agent. facto rulers would commit such Reflecting on his poisoning and recovery, Navalny also thanked his abuses, thousands have raced to supporters with a note of his usual sardonic humour. Kabul's airport and to border cross - “Thanks to you all it all went fine, I survived and landed in prison,” ings, desperate to flee following the searchers spoke to eyewitnesses in from being published. he said on Instagram. He added sarcastically that he also should thank Taliban's stunning blitz through the Ghazni province who recounted Separately, Reporters without Russia's corruption for helping disable Russia's secret services along with country. Others have taken to the how the Taliban killed nine ethnic Borders expressed alarm at the news other sectors. “The level of secret operations is on par with health care, BEIJING, Aug 20 (PTI): China's national legislature on Friday formally streets to protest the takeover acts of Hazara men in the village of that Taliban fighters killed the fam - education and municipal services,” Navalny quipped. endorsed the three-child policy mooted by the ruling Communist Party, defiance that Taliban fighters have Mundarakht on July 4-6. It said six ily member of an Afghan journalist Russian authorities have insisted that the doctors who treated Navalny in a major policy shift aimed to prevent a steep decline in birth rates in violently suppressed. of the men were shot, and three working for German broadcaster in Siberia before he was airlifted to Germany found no traces of poison the world's most populous country. The revised Population and Family The Taliban say they have be - were tortured to death. Hazaras are Deutsche Welle on Wednesday. and challenged German officials to provide proof of his poisoning. They Planning Law, which allows Chinese couples to have three children, was come more moderate since they last Shiite Muslims who were previ - “Sadly, this confirms our worst refused to open a full-fledged criminal inquiry, citing the lack of evidence passed by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress ruled Afghanistan in the 1990s and ously persecuted by the Taliban and fears,” said Katja Gloger of the that Navalny was poisoned. In a statement issued earlier this week, the (NPC). In an apparent attempt to address the reluctance of the Chinese have pledged to restore security and who made major gains in education press freedom group's German sec - Russian foreign ministry denounced Western accusations over Navalny's couples to have more children due to mounting costs, the amended law forgive those who fought them in and social status in recent years. tion. The brutal action of the Taliban poisoning as a planned provocation aimed at discrediting Russia. has also passed more social and economic support measures to address the 20 years since a US-led inva - The brutality of the killings was a shows that the lives of independent Navalny's arrest and jailing triggered a series of mass protests that chal - the concerns. sion. But many Afghans are scepti - reminder of the Taliban's past media workers in Afghanistan are in lenged authorities, who responded with mass arrests of demonstrators The new law stipulates that the country will take supportive measures, cal, fearing that the Taliban will record, and a horrifying indicator of acute danger. Meanwhile, a Nor - and criminal prosecutions of Navalny's associates. including those in finances, taxes, insurance, education, housing and em - erase the gains, especially for what Taliban rule may bring, said way-based private intelligence In June, a court outlawed Navalny's Foundation for Fighting Corrup - ployment, to reduce families' burdens as well as the cost of raising and women, achieved in the past two Agnes Callamard, the head of group that provides information to tion and a network of his regional offices as extremist organisations; a educating children, state-run China Daily reported. The NPC has revised decades. Reports of abuses are Amnesty International. the UN said it obtained evidence verdict that barred people associated with the groups from seeking public the law to implement the central leadership's decision to cope with new growing, and an Amnesty Interna - The rights group warned that that the Taliban have rounded up office and exposed them to lengthy prison terms. circumstances in social and economic development and promote balanced tional report provided more evi - many more killings may have gone Afghans on a blacklist of people Russian authorities also blocked some 50 websites run by his team or long-term population growth, the report said. In May this year, the ruling dence Friday that undercut the unreported because the Taliban cut they believe worked in key roles supporters for allegedly disseminating extremist group propaganda, and Communist Party of China (CPC) approved a relaxation of its strict two- Taliban's claims they have changed. cellphone services in many areas with the previous Afghan adminis - opened a criminal probe against Navalny's top allies, Ivan Zhdanov and child policy to allow all couples to have up to three children. The rights group said that its re - they've captured to prevent images tration or with US-led forces. Leonid Volkov, over a crowdfunding campaign. Texas Democrats return, end Sri Lanka announces

CO1LO0MB-Od, Auag 20y (PT In): Srai tion-wide lockdown Lankan President Gotabhaya Ra - A3UST8IN, A-ug 2d0 (APa): Ay stand - holdout over votyioun all bgeing h ereb,” Phielaln slaid. japaksa has ordered a 10-day na - off in Texas over new voting re - “It's time to get back to the busi - tion-wide lockdown from Friday strictions that gridlocked the state ness of the people of Texas.” night, amidst mounting pressure Capitol for 38 consecutive days The three Democrats who re - from medics and the powerful ended Thursday when some De - turned to the Texas House de - Buddhist clergy to curb the raging mocrats who fled to Washington, fended their decision, saying they third wave of Covid-19 infection. dropped their holdout, paving the had successfully pushed Congress The National Operations Centre way for Republicans to resume on voting rights legislation and for Covid Prevention said that the pushing an elections overhaul. pointing to the growing urgency of lockdown would start from Friday It abruptly and messily drew to surging Covid-19 caseloads in 10 pm till 4 am of August 30. a close one of the few and lengthi - Texas. One of them, Democrat “The quarantine curfew will be est quorum breaks in modern Garnet Coleman of Houston, did in force from 10 pm Friday night Texas history. not go to Washington because he until 4 am on August 30,” Army However, he was compelled to Health experts say the Western Instead of a unified and celebra - was recovering from having a leg chief Gen. Shavendra Silva, who is relent as the powerful Buddhist province with the capital district of tory return by Democrats, some amputation brought on by an in - also the head of National Opera - clergy and his own political al - Colombo was the worst hit. Over members lashed out at their col - weeks, if not sooner. in the House is normally 100 pres - fection. “One of the things in life tions Centre for Covid Prevention, liance members demanded the 75 per cent of the cases in leagues over what they criticised Only three new Democrats ent legislators. is that we have to know what our told reporters here. lockdown in view of the grave sit - Colombo were from the rapidly as breaking ranks. showed up on Thursday, meaning Growing impatience among Re - responsibilities are and we have to Rajapaksa earlier refused to uation facing the island nation. spreading Delta variant. Many of the proposed changes the vast majority of the more than publicans had led to escalating work to move something in the di - heed to calls by medics as coron - On Thursday, the daily death toll This will be the first time since to Texas voting that Democrats 50 Democrats who bolted for the threats that missing lawmakers rection we want it to be,” Coleman avirus infections overwhelmed due to Covid-19 hit a record 186. mid-June that the country will be have railed against for months re - nation's capital in July continue to could face arrest, but officers never said from a wheelchair while de - hospitals, morgues and crematori - The country also reported 3,800 re-imposing a lockdown. The on - main in a bill already passed the stay away from the Texas Capitol. appeared to do more than leaving livering the prayer on the House ums. fresh cases, another record. going third wave of infections is state Senate, and Republican gov - Still, Republican House speaker warrants at Democrats' homes. floor. But other Democrats who re - He held that closing down the Official figures show 6,790 peo - blamed on the traditional Sinhala ernor Greg Abbott could now sign Dade Phelan said enough were “It's been a very long summer. mained absent did not hide their country was badly impacting the ple have died of the virus while and Tamil New Year celebrations the legislation in a matter of there to achieve a quorum, which Been through a lot. I appreciate frustration. island's fragile economy. 3,73,165 have been infected so far. held in mid-April. Friday prayers quiet in Kabul, Taliban unseen AI helps identify existing drugs that can kill SARS-CoV-2 in cells The cells were treated with more than 1,400 individual US FDA approved drugs and compounds either before or after viral infection, resulting in 17 potential hits WASHINGTON, Aug 20 (PTI): Scientists Nine showed antiviral The team noted that over the course of the have used artificial intelligence (AI) to iden - activity at reasonable pandemic, other drug repurposing studies KABUL, Aug 20 (AP): Friday prayers were uneventful in the Afghan tify several drug contenders already in use doses, including lactofer - have identified different compounds with capital, with no Taliban gunmen seen guarding the entrances of mosques for other purposes - including one dietary rin, a protein found in potential efficacy against SARS-CoV-2. or enforcing dress code restrictions as they have in the past. Some supplement - that can block or reduce human breastmilk that is “The results seem to be dependent on mosques even saw higher numbers than normal in attendance. SARS-CoV-2 infection in cells. also available over the what cell system is used,” Sexton said. The Islamic-fundamentalist Taliban issued guidance to imams around The study, published in the journal Pro - counter as a dietary sup - “But there is an emerging consensus Afghanistan on Thursday, saying they should use the weekly sermons ceedings of the National Academy of Sci - plement derived from around a subset of drugs and those are the and prayers to appeal for unity, urge people not to flee the country, and ence, used AI-powered image analysis of cow's milk. ones that have the highest priority for clini - to counter negative propaganda about them. human cell lines during infection with “We found lactoferrin cal translation. We fully expect that the ma - The benefits of the state should be explained to all, a commission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid- had remarkable efficacy jority of these won't work in human beings, Taliban monitoring religious affairs and mosques said in the guidance 19. The cells were treated with more than for preventing infection, but we anticipate there are some that will,” they circulated. Kabul resident Jawed Safi was pleased to see the 1,400 individual US Food and Drug Admin - working better than any - he said.The study also identified a class of mosques secure. The Afghan government had previously posted guards istration (FDA) approved drugs and com - thing else we observed,” compounds called MEK-inhibitors, typically at mosques to ward off attackers due to frequent bombings in the past. pounds, either before or after viral infection, Sexton said. Early data prescribed to treat cancer, that appear to “People were as normal as in the past, but there were more of them,” and screened, resulting in 17 potential hits. M) Medical School in the US. “The thera - suggests this efficacy extends even to newer worsen SARS-CoV-2 infection. Safi said, adding that there were no restrictions so far. An imam in eastern Ten of those hits were newly recognised, pies we discovered are well positioned for variants of SARS-CoV-2, including the “People going in for chemotherapy are at Kabul, Bashir Wardak, said that Afghans should unite to stop the decades - with seven identified in previous drug repur - phase 2 clinical trials because their safety highly transmissible Delta variant, the re - risk already due to a lowered immune re - long bloodshed. “Allah has ordered us to peace and brotherhood so we posing studies, including Remdesivir, which has already been established,” said Sexton, searchers said. The team is soon launching sponse. We need to investigate whether must get united,” he said. is one of the few FDA-approved therapies one of the senior authors on the research clinical trials of the compound to examine some of these drugs worsen disease progres - Abdul Boghdi, another imam in northern Kabul, said that people to - for Covid-19 in hospitalised patients. “Tra - paper. The team validated the 17 candidate its ability to reduce viral loads and inflam - sion,” said Sexton. gether should collect money to help those displaced. One attendee, Qasim ditionally, the drug development process compounds in several types of cells, includ - mation in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infec - The next step, he noted, is to use elec - Ahmadi, saw people wearing jeans attend prayers as usual. There should takes a decade - and we just don't have a ing stem-cell derived human lung cells in an tion. The trials are adding to the list of tronic health records to see whether patients be no restrictions on us, we are already Muslims, he said. The Taliban decade,” said Jonathan Sexton, an assistant effort to mimic SARS-CoV2 infection of the ongoing studies of promising repurposed on these drugs have worse Covid-19 out - should aim for an inclusive government in order to be successful. professor at the University of Michigan (U- respiratory tract. drugs, the researchers said. comes.

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SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2021 NATION THE HILLS TIMES 7 Centre wants states to say Destructive forces can dominate for there were no deaths due to oxygen shortage: Sisodia some time, but not permanently: PM NEW DELHI, Aug 20 (PTI): Deputy Modi’s remarks came days after the Taliban managed to swiftly seize control of Afghanistan chief minister Manish Sisodia on Friday SOMNATH, Aug 20 (PTI): Prime Min - Somnath temple. It included the ground- said Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has ister Narendra Modi on Friday said that breaking ceremony for the Parvati Tem - again rejected the Delhi government's destructive forces and people who follow ple that is coming up near the main proposal to form a panel to "investigate the ideology of creating empires through temple for ` 30 crore. deaths due to oxygen shortage" in the na - terror can dominate for some time, but The three projects that he inaugurated tional capital. their existence is not permanent as they were a 1.4-km long 'Samudra Darshan' No one can deny that Delhi grappled cannot suppress humanity forever. walkway or promenade built at a cost of with an oxygen crisis in April and May He also said it was Indian people's ` 49 crore on the seashore behind the during the second Covid wave and also no spiritual bent of mind that kept the coun - temple, a newly-built museum housing one can deny that people died in the cap - try united for centuries, and called for the ancient artefacts constructed near the ital due to shortage of oxygen, he said and May and whether it was deliberate or need to develop the ‘spiritual tourism’ temple at ` 75 lakh, and the renovated during an online press conference. a mistake is a matter of investigation. sector for the progress of different re - 'Ahilyabai Holkar Temple' or the old "We had resubmitted a file for the con - The Centre will have to accept that it gions and creation of new job opportuni - Somnath temple, renovated at a cost of ` stitution of a panel to probe deaths due to was responsible for the oxygen crisis, ties for the local residents. 3.5 crore. chief minister Vijay oxygen shortage. The LG (lieutenant gov - Sisodia said. The deputy chief minister Modi was speaking while virtually in - Rupani and other dignitaries attended the ernor) is saying that there is no need for had last week written to Union Health augurating a few projects of the famous programme at a temple auditorium. that," Sisodia said. The deputy chief min - minister Mansukh Mandaviya that it is Somnath temple situated in Gir-Somnath On the occasion, Modi also said that ister said that on one hand, the Centre has difficult to ascertain without a probe if district of Gujarat. under the feet of terror", he added. demolishing the Somnath temple, and it India, which was at 65th position in 2013 been asking states to tell how many peo - there were any oxygen-related deaths dur - "This temple was demolished numer - "Somnath temple is a symbol of trust is true even today when the world has ap - in the Travel and Tourism Competitive - ple died due to oxygen shortage and on ing the second Covid wave, and the Delhi ous times over several centuries in the and assurance for the entire world. prehensions because of some people fol - ness Index, jumped to 34th position in the other, "you have not been allowing us government is seeking fresh approval past. Idols of deities were also dese - Forces that strive for destruction and lowing such ideology, he said. 2019. He remembered the contribution to investigate such deaths". "Then how from the LG to form an expert panel for crated. Attempts were made to erase its those who follow the ideology of creat - The Prime Minister's remarks come in of Sardar V allabhbhai Patel in building the will states tell?" he asked. "That means it. The Delhi government had in June existence. But it came up again in its full ing empires out of terror can dominate the wake of the Taliban takeover of present Somnath temple. He also paid trib - the Centre wants us to give in writing that formed a four-member expert committee glory every time it was demolished," he for some time, but their existence is Afghanistan. As the chairman of the utes to India's first President Dr Rajendra no death occurred due to the shortage of to look into the deaths due to the shortage said. This temple gave a message to the en - never permanent as they cannot suppress Shree Somnath Trust, the PM inaugu - Prasad and freedom fighter from Gujarat K oxygen. It will be a big lie," Sisodia said. of oxygen during the second wave of tire world that "truth cannot be defeated by humanity forever," the PM said. rated and laid the foundation stone for M Munshi, who played a key role in the He claimed that the Centre was responsi - Covid-19. The committee was rejected by falsehood, and faith cannot be crushed This was true when some tyrants were four projects, worth ` 83 crore, of the construction of the temple. ble for oxygen mismanagement in April the LG. CBI seeks details from WB DGP on post-poll violence NEW DELHI, Aug 20 (PTI): The CBI "Rather the violence which erupted has written to the West Bengal director after polls and declaration of results was general of police to provide details of all state-wide. Number of persons had died. cases of murder, attempt to murder and The women were raped. The house of rape reported during post-poll violence certain persons who had not supported in the state, officials said on Friday. the party in power were demolished. The agency sought the details of such Their other properties were damaged. cases from the director general of police Their belongings were looted including in line with a Calcutta High Court order the chattels," the court observed in its that directed the CBI to take over cases order. related to murder, rape and atrocities The bench said there are allegations against women during the violence. that the complainants are being threat - The Central Bureau of Investigation ened to withdraw the cases and a number (CBI) has set up four teams, each headed whelming majority, also ordered consti - of cases of murder being claimed as nat - by joint directors Ramnish, Anurag, Vi - tution of a special investigation team ural death without recording FIRs and neet Vinayak and Sampat Meena, to (SIT) to probe all other cases. conducting investigation according to probe the political violence which en - The SIT will include Suman Bala the procedure established by law. sued after the victory of the Trinamool Sahoo, Soumen Mitra and Ranveer Noting that the West Bengal Police Congress (TMC) on May 2 in a bitterly Kumar, all IPS officers of the West Ben - has not properly responded to allegations fought eight-phase assembly poll in West gal cadre. of inaction and tried to downplay them, Bengal. The bench will monitor the investiga - the bench said, "It certainly needs inves - Each team will have about seven tions by both the CBI and the SIT, and it tigation by an independent agency." members, including a deputy inspector has asked them to submit status reports It said three months have lapsed since general and about four superintendents to the court within six weeks. the matter was taken up by the court, but of police, called from across the country, It said that the working of the SIT will "no concrete action has been taken by the officials said. be overseen by a retired judge of the the state, which could inspire confidence The overall probe will be supervised Supreme Court for which a separate except filing affidavits and placing on by additional director Ajay Bhatnagar. order will be passed after obtaining record thousands of papers." The Calcutta High Court on Thursday his/her consent. The bench ordered the West Bengal had ordered a CBI inquiry into alleged In its ruling, the bench said heinous government to pay compensation to the killings, rape and crimes against women crimes such as murder and rape "deserve victims of crimes in accordance with the during post-poll violence in West Ben - to be investigated by an independent policy of the State, after due verification. gal. A five-judge bench, passing a unan - agency which in the circumstances can The compensation amount will be di - imous judgment on a batch of PILs only be Central Bureau of Investiga - rectly transferred to their bank accounts. seeking an independent probe into inci - tion." The bench said the state failed to The National Human Rights Commis - dents of alleged violence after the polls register FIRs even in some cases of al - sion committee had on July 13 submitted which the ruling TMC won by an over - leged murder. its final report to the court. 2 Hizbul hit squad militants killed in encounter in J-K’s Pulwama , Aug 20 (PTI): Two Hizbul Mujahideen mil - itants - part of a hit squad of the outfit and responsible for civilian killings were gunned down in an encounter with se - curity forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Friday, police said. Secu - rity forces launched a cordon and search operation at Khrew in the Pampore area of the district following informa - tion about the presence of mil - itants there, a police spokesman said. “During the search opera - tion as the presence of terror - ists got ascertained they were given repeated opportunities to surrender. However, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter,” he said. In the ensuing encounter, two militants of Hizbul Mu - jahideen were killed and their bodies retrieved from the site of the gunbattle, the spokesman said. He identified them as Musaib Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Khrew Pampore, and Muzamil Ahmad Rather, a resident of Chakoora Pul - wama. As per police records, Bhat had a history of terror crime records and was in - volved in planning and exe - cuting several terror attacks including civilian atrocities, the spokesman said. “He was also involved in the killing of a civilian, Javid Ahmad Malik (peon), at Lurgam area of Tral and part of a hit squad of Hizbul Mu - jahideen responsible for civil - ian killing in South Kashmir,” he said. Rather had joined the terror ranks recently, he added. Incriminating material and arms and ammunition, includ - ing an AK-rifle and a pistol, were recovered from the site of the encounter, the spokesman said. Page 8 August 21_Normal Pages 8/20/2021 11:02 PM Page 1

8 THE HILLS TIMES SPORTS SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2021 Devendra Jhajharia, the first Indian Paralympian to win two Gold medals said that Neeraj Chopra has brought respect and recognition to the game Kohli, BCCI brass ‘informally’ chat over Hoping to build on unprecedented roadmap for T20 WC

NgEW aDELHiI,n Aug s20 (P TmI): Two-atime de by javelin throw: J90mh containuousjly bhefore athe Olrympiic caut but Gold medallist Devendra Jhajharia is aiming could not perform in Tokyo. On the other to build on the unprecedented gains made by hand, Neeraj is just 23 and see his confidence javelin throw at the upcoming Paralympic level,” he said. Games, following Neeraj Chopra's landmark “Neeraj's Gold medal can be a turning Gold at the preceding Olympics. point for the game in India. India's first His Gold medal with a world record in the Olympic medal in track and field and that too 2004 Athens Paralympics had almost gone a Gold. He almost managed to do his best de - unnoticed but Jhajharia is happy with the spite so much pressure of expectations. Hats hype before the Tokyo Games. off to him,” he said. Jhajharia, first Indian Paralympian to win Jhajharia has said kids will be inspired to two Gold medals at the Paralympics (Athens take up javelin throw if Indian athletes man - 2004 and Rio 2016), said that Neeraj has age to emulate Neeraj's performance in Par - NEW DELHI, Aug 20 (PTI): The especially during the 50 over World brought much awaited respect and recogni - alympics which will take place from August Indian team is fully focussed on Cup in England where they didn't tion to the game. 24 to September 5. winning the ongoing Test series in even have a settled middle order “When I won the Gold with a world record India will be sending its largest contingent England but both skipper Virat with as many as three specialist in 2004, it almost went unnoticed as people ever with 54 para athletes to compete in nine Kohli and the BCCI mandarins are wicketkeepers (MS Dhoni, Rishabh did not know about javelin throw at that time. sporting disciplines. also discussing the roadmap for the Pant and Dinesh Karthik) playing It was slightly better post Rio games and I India's previous largest-ever contingent for upcoming T20 World Cup, which the semi-finals against New got Khel Ratna and fame for the second the Paralympics was at Rio 2016 - where 19 will be an acid test for the captain Zealand. Gold. Now with Neeraj's historic Gold, athletes represented the country in five himself. With the team selection slated for everyone is talking about javelin throw sud - sports. It ended up being India's best-ever The Test win at Lord's has cer - some time next month, there are denly,” Jhajharia, who competes in F46 performance at a Summer Paralympics with tainly released a lot of pressure off multiple issues that need to be sorted events, told PTI Bhasha in an interview from a total of four medals - two Gold, a Silver and Kohli but he is well aware that his out including bowling workloads, Gandhinagar SAI centre. Jhajaria said he has passed the stage where level best to win Gold with a world record,” Bronze. captaincy future hinges on the all-rounder's position, wrist spinners “Now the time has come when the game he feels the pressure of expectations. he said when asked about the expectations. “I can only say that we will win more than team's performance in UAE where and the like for like replacements. has got recognition. I know that after “I don't take pressure of expectations as I Jhajharia feels that Neeraj's Gold is even expected medals. I think we can win around they start against arch-rivals Pak - There are a few questions that Olympic Gold, everyone would be looking have 19 years of experience now. But I won't more special as veterans like Johannes Vetter 15 to 17 medals this time. If I talk about my - istan. It is learnt that BCCI president chairman of selectors Chetan at me to win third Paralympic Gold. There is take the competition lightly as the Para - failed when it mattered the most. self, preparations have been good. I have lost Sourav Ganguly, secretary Jay Shah Sharma, skipper Kohli, coaches a lot of hype and expectations this time,” said lympics is the biggest stage and world's best “The Olympics are altogether a different 7 kgs and am feeling fitter. I am waiting for and vice-president Rajiv Shukla had Ravi Shastri and Bharat Arun along the 40-year-old. para athletes would be there. I will try my ball game. Johannes Vetter was throwing August 30 now to throw for Gold,” he added. an informal meeting with the captain with BCCI top brass need to be on during the second Test match at the same page to prepare a team that Lord's and various aspects related to can challenge England and West In - Nadal out of US the T20 World Cup came up for dis - dies in the shortest format. India will win at least 15 medals including 5 cussion. It is a given that Ishant Sharma, “Yes, BCCI top bosses did meet Umesh Yadav are not in contention Open, ends season Kohli but let's say that it will not be but how will Mohammed Shami Golds at Tokyo Paralympics: Chef-de-Mission fair to divulge the finer details of the and Jasprit Bumrah's workload be to heal injured foot NEW DELHI, Aug 20 (PTI): India's Chef de “It was one of my best performances (at selec - discussion. But with very little time managed keeping IPL in mind? Will Mission for the Tokyo Paralympics, Gursharan tion trials) since Rio 2016,” said Mariyappan, left for the T20 World Cup and India Mohammed Siraj's red ball form be Singh believes the country will produce its best who had suffered a permanent disability to his not having any games prior to the counted? ever performance this year, returning with at least right leg in a road accident. (IPL), discussion was more about Will both Deepak Chahar and 15 medals including five Golds. “I had an ankle injury in 2017 and it took some the roadmap going into the event,” Bhuvneshwar Kumar fit into the India will field its largest ever contingent with time to heal. It's been a while since I had been a senior BCCI official told PTI on same XI if you also have Bumrah 54 athletes set to compete in nine sports including looking to get my old rhythm back. And I believe conditions of anonymity. and Shami available? Para Archery, Para Athletics, Para Badminton, I have got it back now. I feel I am ready for the With India playing the Test series Who among Kuldeep Yadav, Para Canoeing, Shooting Para sport, Para Swim - Games. I will aim for the Gold.” Apart from till September 14 and then the play - Varun Chakravarthy and Rahul Cha - MADRID, Aug 20 (AP): Rafael ming, Para Powerlifting, Para Table Tennis and Mariyappan, India will have medal hopes from ers being busy with their respective har will join Yuzvendra Chahal and Nadal pulled out of the US Open on Para Taekwondo. their Para Javelin throwers led by two-time Para - IPL franchises, time is of essence Ravindra Jadeja in the spin bowling Friday and said he will not play ten - “I am confident that these would be our best lympic champion Devendra Jhajharia (F46). and no wonder that officials had a department? Will Hardik Pandya be nis again this year because of a nag - ever Paralympic Games. Our Para-athletes have Reigning world champion Sundar Singh Gurjar chat about the big event with Kohli. able to bowl his quota of four overs? ging foot injury. worked very hard in the past years and shown and Ajeet Singh (also in F46), world champion Under Kohli, India have lost in Who among Suryakumar Yadav and The Spaniard sat out both Wim - great results in international competitions. They Gold in 11 Paralympic appearances. and world record holder in F64 Sandeep Chaud - the 2017 Champions Trophy final, Shreyas Iyer can make it to the play - bledon and the Olympics because of are raring to go for the Games,” Singh, secretary The first batch of the Indian team, led by PCI hary and Navdeep Singh (F41) are others who 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final ing XI? fatigue after losing to Novak general of the Paralympic Committee of India, president Deepa Malik, have arrived in Tokyo. would be ones to watch out for in Para Javelin. apart from this year's WTC final. The BCCI would expect that both Djokovic in the French Open semi - said in a release. T Mariyappan, who is India's flag bearer at the India is also banking on its shooters and bad - Not being able to clear the ICC Kohli and Chetan Sharma would finals. “I am very sorry to announce “We are expecting around 15 medals including Games, has also arrived in Tokyo and there will minton players to rise to the occasion in Tokyo. semi-final or final hurdle has been a soon be on the same page as India that I won’t be able to keep playing 5 Golds at these Games. We have high medal be a lot of expectations from the para high jumper World no. 1 and multiple-time world champion cause of concern. aim to win their first senior ICC title tennis during the 2021 season,” hopes in Para Athletics, Para Badminton, Para to clinch his second Paralympic Gold in Tokyo. Pramod Bhagat will lead India's Para Badminton During the past few ICC white since 2013 when they annexed the Nadal said in a video he posted on Shooting and Para Archery.” Mariyappan made a brilliant leap of 1.86 me - contingent with the Gold medal hopes resting on ball tournaments, combination has Champions trophy under MS social media. “But as you know, I India has a total of 12 medals including four tres at the recent National selection trials. him in the men's SL3 event. been an issue for the Indian team, Dhoni's leadership. have been suffering too much with my foot for the last year now and I missed a lot of important events for me.” The 35-year-old Nadal said the We are gathering momentum nicely, Small draws at Asian youth and junior boxing pain from a chronic foot problem he has been battling most of his career is too much. says Morgan ahead of T20 WC c’ship guarantees big medal haul for India “During the last year I was not played a T20 International since “The 25 who are left are mainly members of the sup - able to practice and prepare the way 2015, will be one of the key factors port staff and a couple of boxers who are to compete I need to be competitive at the stan - for them in the tournament. “I think later, all the junior boxers who are scheduled to compete dards I want to be,” he said. “The in - we're gathering momentum nicely, tonight have reached Dubai,” a contingent source told jury is nothing new. It is the same and the important side to that from PTI. Rohit Chamoli (48kg), Mohammed Usman (50kg), injury I have had since 2005. At that our perspective is that we're contin - Nikhil (54kg) Anshul (57kg), Preet Malik (63kg), moment the doctors were very neg - uously trying to get better and learn Ankush (66kg), Gaurav Saini (70kg), Naksh Beniwal ative about my future career, but as we go on, simply because the (75kg), and Rishab Singh (81kg) are scheduled to com - honestly I was able to have a career tournament is held away from home. pete in their opening bouts in the evening. I was unable to ever dream about, so We're really looking forward to it,” Wins would assure them of medals in the tournament. I am confident I will recover again.” Morgan added. In 2016, England Women boxers were the biggest beneficiaries of the Nadal insisted that he is “going to finished runners-up as Carlos small draws and in the youth competition, five have fight every single day” because he is Brathwaite smashed four consecu - made the finals directly to be guaranteed at least a Silver, convinced that he still has “a couple tive sixes off Ben Stokes in a dra - NEW DELHI, Aug 20 (PTI): India were assured of a while four are in the last four-stage assuring them of a of beautiful years” left in his career. LONDON, Aug 20 (PTI): Eng - tinuing to play in the manner they matic last over of the final to take whopping 21 medals in the Asian Youth and Junior Box - Bronze. Deepika (81kg), Khushi (75kg), Neha (54kg), Nadal has won 20 Grand Slam sin - land captain Eoin Morgan says his have in the last two years. “I think the West Indies to a title triumph. ing Championships for men and women in Dubai after Tamanna (50kg) and Nivedita Karki (48kg) are the di - gles titles, tied with Djokovic and team is “gathering momentum our biggest strength is the consis - “The evolution of T20 cricket the unveiling of draws as Covid-19 related travel restric - rect finalists. Roger Federer. nicely” as the last edition's run - tency with which we've performed and the role it's played in our great tions hampered participation in the continental show - Lashu Yadav (70kg), Sneha Kumari (66kg), Preeti Nadal, a former No. 1 player, is ners-up hope to improve on their over the last two years. I think in game is hugely significant for the piece. India would be represented by a contingent of 73 Dahiya (60kg), and Simran Verma (52kg) have found a currently ranked fourth. He has won showing in the upcoming T20 T20 cricket because the game can development of the game and the - two squads for men (junior and youth) and two squads place in the semifinals. Among the youth men, Amin two tournaments this year, on clay World Cup. change quite quickly and there's a popularity of the game. It's huge. for women (junior and youth) - in the tournament fea - Singh (+92kg) and Vishal (80kg) are assured of a Bronze in Barcelona and Rome. Moved out of India due to the huge group of talented teams It's been a long time coming. We turing over 250 boxers. Among the 21 in the medal after having made the semifinals already. threat posed by the Covid-19 pan - within our group, I think every haven't had one since 2016,” said rounds, nine have made the final directly. In the junior competition, Kirti (+81kg), Pranjal demic, the mega event will be held game is important to us,” said Mor - Morgan. South Africa and Aus - The Indians have left in batches after technical issues Yadav (75kg), Mahi Raghav (63kg) and Aanchal Saini Arsenal completes in the UAE and Oman from Octo - gan during a chat with the ICC on tralia join England and the West In - with their Covid-19 test reports disrupted the original (57kg) won the finals courtesy the small size of their ber 17 to November 14. Morgan, Friday. dies in Group 1 of the Super 12s travel plans. draws. The direct semifinalists are Sanjana (81kg), signing of Odegaard whose team won the last edition of The 34-year-old skipper feels along with the two yet-to-be-deter - One batch of 23 left last night, another 25 boarded the Rudrika (70kg), Supriya Rawat (66kg), Nikita Chand the tournament in 2016, has adapting to the conditions in the mined qualifiers from Round 1 for flight to Dubai this morning, while 25 more will leave (60kg), Aarsoo (54kg), Tanu (52kg), Devika Satyajit from Real Madrid stressed on the importance of con - UAE, where England have not this year's men's T20 World Cup. this evening. (50kg), Vishu Rathee (48kg) and Muskan (46kg). LONDON, Aug 20 (AP): Arsenal completed the signing of midfielder Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid on Friday. The 22-year-old Norway international was on loan in the sec - Jhingan’s India teammates hoping his Medvedev advances to W&S ond half of last season and returns on a long-term contract after Arsenal paid a fee reported to be 35 million MqAuSOaNr, Ateugr 2f0 i(nAPa): lNso ;N oOvaks, nao Rkoage r,k non Roafac dokesen’td m eoan uwitn - euros (USD 41 million). Croatia move opens up new avenues ning his second Western & Southern Open championship will be easy for “You’ve seen the numbers and KOLKATA, Aug 20 (PTI): In - move opens up a lot of new av - top-seeded Daniil Medvedev. He’s just making it look that way. what we did after Christmas when spired by Sandesh Jhingan's move enues for aspiring and established Medvedev, the 2019 champion and last year’s runner-up to Novak Martin was in the team ... the team to Croatian top division club HNK Indian footballers,” he added. Djokovic, advanced to the quarterfinals of the US Open tune-up event performed at a completely different Sibenik, India's senior team foot - The soft-spoken Mandar Rao Thursday with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Grigor Dimitrov. level,” Arsenal manager Mikel ballers feel the centre-back will Dessai added, “Give your heart out “It was definitely a great level of tennis,” Medvedev said. “It was pretty Arteta said Friday. “He made us bet - come back from his European so - to everything like always when hot for both of us. I saw Grigor struggling, so I figured that’s how it is. It’s ter, we needed more options, alter - journ as “an entirely different you play. You have made all of us the same for everybody. Our bodies are getting more used to the heat.” natives, creativity. He has a unique player” while possibly opening up very proud.” Defender Adil Khan Second-ranked Naomi Osaka wasn’t as lucky. In the second match of her talent for the way we want to play.” new avenu es. Jhingan will become lauded Jhingan for taking a brave first tour appearance since late May, Osaka sprayed balls all over the court Odegaard scored two goals in 20 the first India international footballer decision. in a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 loss to No. 76 Jil Teichmann. appearances for the north London to play in the Croatian top-tier league “It's a great decision that you Osaka repeatedly punched her left thigh with her left wrist and talked club last season. The team did not Prva HNL after completing a move have taken. You inspire us all. The loudly to herself, trying to get herself going, but she was impassive as she disclose details but it was reported from ATK Mohun Bagan to HNK youth all over the country will look shook hands at the net with the giddy Teichmann. Top-ranked Ash Barty to be a five-year contract. Šibenik. “Big congratulations up to you, try to imitate you and rolled through the first 10 games of her match with defending champion Real Madrid had signed Ode - Sandesh-paaji,” quipped midfielder follow your footsteps,” Adil, who Victoria Azarenka in a 6-0, 6-2 win to reach the women’s quarterfinals. gaard as a teenager and sent him out Anirudh Thapa. has partnered Jhingan as a central “I think sometimes the scoreline in tennis can fool you,” Barty said. on various loan deals, including to “It's a big achievement for In - Tigers as national team as Jhingan the move opens up new avenues defender in the national team, “Though it seemed like a quite convincing scoreline in the match, each and Vitesse Arnhem and Real Sociedad dian football - all the best. We un - was officially announced as an for India players seeking to play in opined. Jhingan became the fifth every game had crucial points and I was able to win most of those.” before Arsenal. Odegaard won’t be derstand that when you come back HNK Sibenik player, making him Europe. “This is a proud moment Indian footballer (among men) to Former tournament women’s champion Karolina Pliskova advanced with available for Sunday’s match against you will be an entirely different the first Indian defender to sign a not just for Indian Football but the sign a professional contract in Eu - a 6-4, 7-6 (5) win over Jessica Pegula. Olympic champion and third-seeded Chelsea. Arsenal opened the Pre - player, and it will all transpire on professional contract in Europe. country overall,” Brandon said. rope after Bhaichung Bhutia, Sub - Alexander Zverev also moved on, beating Guido Pella 6-2, 6-3, while mier League season with a 2-0 loss to us. Go out and play your game.” Brandon Fernandes, who plays “I wish you success and hope rata Paul, Sunil Chhetri and Roland Garros-finalist and second-seeded Stefano Tsitsipas was pushed by at Brentford. Wishes poured in from the Blue as an attacking midfielder, hoped you do well. I also hope Sandesh's Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. Lorenzo Sonego to three sets before prevailing, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.

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