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1&/1(23 purchase essential items. The other essential commodities. ! mad rush made a mockery of Meanwhile, the Home Ministry hen Prime Minister the theme of social distancing. has asked State Governments to WNarendra Modi declared A day later, the Government’s check the spread of rumours a three-week lockdown on focus shifted to providing about shortage of food and Tuesday night to prevent the essential items, including food, other essential commodities. spread of coronavirus, panicky dairy products, medicine, etc, While Union Food to them and assured that people flooded the streets to to millions of people across the Minister Ram Vilas Paswan 1&/1(23 their delivery agents are country. said the Government is moni- helped by the police,” said Things looked far stable on toring the availability of essen- he Delhi Police on Randhawa. Wednesday. Grocery stores, tial commodities in the market, TWednesday issued pass- Earlier, e-commerce sabji mandi, milk booths, HRD Minister Prakash es to e-commerce portals for portals like BigBasket and chemist shops, ATMs, banks, Javadekar said the Centre is delivery of essential goods Amazon were claiming dis- petrol pumps and supply of committed to ensure smooth throughout the 21-day ruptions in their services LPG cylinders were open in supply of essential commodi- nationwide lockdown peri- due to the restrictions put by most of the States and there was ous and asked people not go for * # + !# # #! od after BigBasket and the authorities. no shortage of supply. hoarding. -. " Amazon claimed disrup- One of India’s largest Amid reports of panic pur- In a several cities, includ- tions in their services due to grocery delivery service chase of essential commodities ing Delhi and NCR, vendors that all its outlets will be oper- market, has come down by 50 Whereas, Amazon will serve restrictions put by the BigBasket, on their app, said, in some parts of the country, were found selling fruits and ational at full capacity. per cent in the last two days in only products of high priority. authorities. “Dear Customer, we are not the Home Ministry asked chief vegetables on their carts. Petrol Officials of Agriculture the absence of curfew passes to Grocery startup Grofers too The police representa- operational due to restric- secretaries and DGPs of all pumps were open and supply Produce Marketing Committees traders. Meanwhile, top e-com- suspended operations due to tive also said the delivery tions imposed by local States to take action to allay of LPG gas cylinders was oper- (APMCs) claimed that there was merce sites Flipkart and lack of clarity in their listing as agents of these companies authorities on the move- apprehensions and maintain ational. Mother Dairy outlets no shortage of fruits and veg- Amazon have temporarily sus- an essential service provider will be helped by them. ment of goods in spite of peace and tranquility, and too were open. Safal, the fruits etables. In Delhi, trading at the pended their services. Flipkart while supermarket chain Big Curfew passes will be issued clear guidelines provided by inform people about the avail- and vegetable brand of Mother Azadpur Mandi, Asia’s biggest has listed all products as “out of Bazaar is continued to offer to all delivery persons and central authorities to enable ability of food, medicine and Dairy group, has announced wholesale fruits and vegetable stock” on the search page. doorstep delivery. all warehouses will be essential services. We are opened. Police personnel at working with the authorities " border checks are being sen- sitised. Home delivery #$ $ process for the essential # % ! items will be made easy by # ! ! weekend. $ 7 % ! Mandeep Singh % #$ Randhawa, the Public 8 !# !# % Relation Officer (PRO), 1&/1(23 1 '2= Kejriwal did not give any details 493/:% ) 2 $ Delhi Police, had a meeting about the new patients, but he with e-commerce website -*,-=. "&0-,= + 3 N O + 3 n the first day of the three- .-),/= did say that only one of the five representatives where they Oweek countrywide lock- had a history of foreign travel. 3 % 2#$ 63 63 shared the problems faced down, the count of confirmed &)0(= 3- The remaining four were either # ! % +-% by them in the movement of coronavirus cases shot up from -*= 1*,3)4 family members of coronavirus # # essential goods. 519 on Tuesday to 606 on patients or had come in close # ! “We have issued passes Wednesday while death toll 1 contact with them. touched eleven in the country )--*: &&2-- Meanwhile, the with Maharashtra reporting 3- > &)0(: Government said of the 64,000 the highest number of cases at people who arrived in the ,,*4- 0*,) .? 128, followed by Kerala with country since March 21, as 109 cases. Delhi registered five . '&7 many as 8,000 are under quar- fresh cases. Of the total 606 "&0-, .7 )4) .@ antine and 56,000 have gone for " 1&/1(23 food and enhanced benefits pension scheme,” he said. cases, 42 are cured ones. So far -) 7 )4- A home isolation. under ration scheme. Kejriwal also said due to authorities have denied com- '2 . 56.A After the Group of elhi Chief Minister Arvind “We have decided to pro- curfew, several people were munity spread of the disease. .-),/> /. Ministers meeting, Union DKejriwal on Wednesday vide 50 per cent more quanti- not able to get food, and urged Madhya Pradesh registered .-: .A Health Minister Dr said the number of night shel- ty — 7.5 kg instead of fixed the public to send such people its first death when a 65-year- > ,,-/)> Harshvardhan assured the ters in the city has been quota of 5 kg — free rations to to the nearest shelters of the old woman from Ujjain suc- -*,-7 1*,3)4 : Centre is making efforts to increased and more food is 72 lakh beneficiaries attached Delhi Government, where food cumbed to the virus on * ensure personal protective being distributed for homeless to our ration scheme for one was arranged. Wednesday afternoon. In its equipment and N-95 masks people. To ensure smooth sup- month. The ration will be pro- He said the Delhi updated figures released on the second death reported in positive for COVID-19 in Delhi, are available in adequate ply of essential services without vided free of cost,” he said at his Government is working to Wednesday morning, the Delhi was Covid-19 negative. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal numbers for medical frater- any disruptions, Kejriwal online Press conference. ensure that not a single person Health Ministry stated that Five more persons tested said on Wednesday evening. nity. announced 1031 helpline num- The Government will also in Delhi should suffer from ber. The Government said wid- provide free food twice a day hunger. ows, senior citizens, and to homeless at night shelters, divyangs entitled to monthly however, Kejriwal added the R pension will get additional offer would not be restricted amount equivalent to one to occupants of those facili- month’s annuity. ties. ! " “The Government has also “We are arranging free !#$!% decided to double the pension lunch and dinner at 220 night under the widow, old-age, and the Government does not want shelters for every person. The New Delhi: Describing the ##$ disability pension scheme,” said daily wagers and homeless to Government has also decided coronavirus outbreak as an Kejriwal. suffer due to restrictions hence to double the pension under the extraordinary situation, the New Delhi: India is likely to bers were still in discussion. &$!' Earlier, the CM had said it had decided to distribute free widow, old-age, and disability Election Commission has agree an economic stimulus The package, which could allowed the use of indelible package of more than 1.5 be announced by the end of the ink by health authorities to lakh crore ($19.6 billion) to week, will be used to put 1&/1(23 person of foodgrains to 80 stamp individuals for home fight a downturn in the coun- money directly into the crore people under the PDS, " %&' ( # quarantine. try that is currently locked accounts of more than 100 day after Prime Minister which is the world’s largest food In a letter to the Union down to stem the spread of million poor and to support ANarendra Modi declared a security system,” said I&B 1&/1(23 quency and scale of testing of Health Ministry, the coronavirus, two sources famil- businesses hit the hardest by 21-day lockdown to prevent the Minister Prakash Javadekar, people who may have been Commission made it clear iar with the matter told Reuters. the lockdown, the sources said. coronavirus spread, the Union detailing the Cabinet decision. ndia could face between exposed but do not show that indelible ink mark is The Government has not The Government will also Cabinet on Wednesday He said PDS wheat provid- I100,000 to 13 lakh confirmed symptoms, the researchers, normally expected to last yet finalised the package and increase its borrowing plan for announced world’s largest food ed at 7 per kg earlier is being cases of the novel coronavirus including Debashree Ray from for three days when applied discussions are ongoing the fiscal year 2020/21, which security scheme to benefit 80 given at 2 and rice at 3/kg. by mid-May if the current Johns Hopkins University in on the skin but lasts for a few between Prime Minister starts from April 1, from the crore people across the Detailing the logistics of trend in the growing number of the US, said. weeks on the fingernail till Narendra Modi’s office, the current planned gross bor- country. supply of wheat, rice and COVID-19 cases continues, “So far, the number of the nail grows out. Finance Ministry, and rowing of 7.8 lakh crore, both Briefing media, Union other items to 80 crore peo- according to a report by an people tested in India has been Reserve Bank of India (RBI), sources said. Minister Prakash Javadekar ple, Javadekar said that all international team of scientists. relatively small. In the absence said both the sources, who The sources added that said that every person coming States have been asked to The report, compiled by in the early phase of the pan- of widespread testing, it is asked not to be named as the the Government had asked under this scheme will get 7 kg take foodgrains from the COV-IND-19 Study Group, an demic, the country is critical- impossible to quantify the matter was still under dis- the RBI to buy some of the ration per month for the next Centre in advance for distri- interdisciplinary team of ly missing a key component in magnitude of ‘community cussion. Government securities being three months, including wheat bution through the PDS and researchers, said while India this assessment — the number transmission’, in other words, One of the sources, a senior issued, a move not undertaken at a cost of 2 per kg and rice Food Corporation of India seems to have done well in con- of truly affected cases. estimate how many are infect- Government official, said the by the Indian central bank in at cost of 3 per kg. (FCI) networks across the trolling the number of con- This factor depends on the ed outside health care facili- stimulus plan could be as large decades, due to fears of infla- “The Government has country are geared up for firmed cases compared to other extent of testing, the accuracy ties,” the scientists wrote in the as 2.3 trillion, but final num- tion spiking. decided to provide 7 kg per this scheme. countries like the US and Italy of the test results, and the fre- report. ! # $ $ % % &'()*+ & ' )*+ *,) His wife Camilla, 72, was seek wearing long black gloves #( (4/4 during the same event. # ")") ! “The Duchess of Cornwall ritain’s Prince Charles has has also been tested but does & 5+6)( Btested positive for the novel not have the virus. In accor- ) $ coronavirus after he displayed dance with Government and * + % t least 25 worshippers were “mild symptoms” and is now medical advice, the Prince and # Akilled and eight others self-isolating, his office said on the Duchess are now self-iso- #' injured when heavily armed Wednesday. The 71-year-old lating at home in Scotland,” suicide bombers blasted their heir to the British throne is Clarence House said. ! way into a prominent gurd- self-isolating in Scotland with The Royals were tested on " # $%" wara on Wednesday in the wife Camilla, Duchess of Monday after they had flown &'( heart of Afghanistan’s capital of " # # $ Cornwall, who has tested neg- mild symptoms but otherwise noticeably using “namaste” as out to Scotland in a jet on # # Kabul, in one of the deadliest ative for the deadly virus, remains in good health and has a greeting rather than a hand- Sunday and the royal couple - # % attacks on the minority Sikh responsibility for the attack on were wounded in the attack at which has claimed 422 lives in been working from home shake when seen in public have remained there since then. community in the strife-torn the gurdwara in Shor Bazar Dharamshala, a Sikh worship the UK. throughout the last few days as over the last few weeks, includ- The statement adds: “The tests . -/ country. area about 07.45 (local time) as place in Kabul,” TOLOnews “The Prince of Wales has usual,” it notes. ing during an event to mark were carried out by the NHS The ISIS terror group, 150 worshippers were inside quoted the Ministry of Interior tested positive for coronavirus,” In keeping with social dis- Commonwealth Day on March (National Health Service) in 0 # which has targetted Sikhs the building. “At least 25 peo- as saying on the attack that last- the Clarence House statement tancing advice during the pan- 9 at Marlborough House in Aberdeenshire where they met # ' before in Afghanistan, claimed ple were killed and 8 others ed nearly six hours. read. “He has been displaying demic, Charles has been London. the criteria required for testing. !!

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/12+/) Government’s directions. The lockdown /12+/) pressurising the guardians of announced by the state till March 31 and students to pay their fees t a time when the very serious chal- extended further as per Central aking cognisance of some immediately. Alenge posed by novel coronavirus Government directions is being strictly Tprivate schools asking the This is not right in a situ- (COVID-19) to the world has shook even enforced in the districts. Rawat further guardians of students to deposit ation wherein a state-wide strong and prosperous nations, India and informed that the cabinet has released Rs fees, the state government has lockdown is in place as pre- Uttarakhand are committed to overcome 50 crore and Rs 10 crore has been made ordered an immediate stop on ventive measure against the this challenge. Chief minister Trivendra available immediately from the CM assis- deposition of fees in all schools spread of novel coronavirus. Singh Rawat said this in his address in the tance fund for measures to prevent spread across the state. In the order Considering this, the govern- Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday. of COVID-19. Rapid response teams have issued by education secretary R ment has ordered an immedi- Rawat said that under the guidance of been formed at the state and district lev- Meenakshi Sundaram to all ate stop on deposition of all prime minister Narendra Modi and rec- els while NHM and Asha workers are district magistrates, it was stat- types of fee in all government, ommendations of medical experts, the spreading awareness at the block and vil- /12+/) vehicles and 11 vehicles were ed that all educational institu- unaided/private schools affili- state government has taken various effec- lage levels. seized under the Motor tions in the state have been ated to CBSE, ICSE, State and tive measures. Uttarakhand is among the prohibited. Since December 31, 2019, the Apart from ensuring supply of essen- number of people in vari- Vehicles Act. closed till further orders to stall other boards. The process of leading states in the fight against COVID- Government of India has been providing tial commodities, labourers registered Aous parts of the state are During the evening, the spread of COVID-19. It has depositing the fees should be 19. Under the Epidemic Disease Control the state government with list of persons with ESIC are being provided Rs 1,000 per still not taking the state-wide Indiranagar police were come to the notice of the undertaken only after the sit- Act -1897, COVID-19 regulations were arriving from China and other affected month. To provide basic food items to the lockdown seriously. The police patrolling Sattowali Ghati when administration that some uation returns to normal and imposed in the state and a state task force nations. So far a list of 2,082 persons has unregistered labourers, Rs 30 crore from have been taking action against they received information unaided/private schools are the schools reopen. was formed under the chief secretary. The been received and all of these were the CM relief fund has been allocated to such persons. In Dehradun on about a crowd gathering to state cabinet has held two emergency meet- screened at the airport. the district magistrates. All suspected Wednesday, case was lodged offer Namaz. ings to deal with the situation. Considering Of these, 628 persons have undergone patients are being treated for free while under IPC section 188 against When the police reached the risk of contagion on the Indo-Nepal 28 day observation, 131 have gone out of dedicated toll-free helpline number 104 the maulvi of Sattowali Ghati the site, the crowd dispersed. border, every person passing through the the state and 1,323 are currently under and 0135-2609500 are operational to pro- mosque and 20-25 unidentified The police lodged a case under posts in the state was screened. A total of observation. vide information and directions. Currently persons for violating the lock- IPC section 188 against the 55,109 persons were screened at these posts Since people entering the state are the 933 isolation beds are reserved for down and gathering in the mosque’s Maulvi Abdul Samad and none was found to be a suspected main source of the virus, the entry of all COVID-19 cases in various hospitals mosque to offer namaz. Apart and 20-25 unidentified persons patient. Presently the international border domestic and foreign tourists was banned apart from 1384 beds for quarantine in the from this, cases were lodged for violating the lockdown. has been sealed. Earlier, the health depart- on March 20 till further orders. All districts. under the same section against The police have again appealed ment teams screened 50,016 persons at the schools, colleges, cinema halls, malls and Rawat stressed that measures taken by 24 persons who were released the citizens to cooperate, follow Dehradun, Pantnagar and Pithoragarh air- other enterprises have been closed till the government can succeed only with on personal bonds from police the directions and remain ports with none displaying symptoms of March 31 to prevent crowding with the clo- public cooperation in strictly observing the stations. Similarly, challans indoors to stall the spread of infection. Currently, all domestic flights are sure being extended as per the Central 21 day lockdown. were issued to drivers of 34 COVID-19. , #$- "- " # - 2+3/&+ he major problem being 2+3/&+ /3D3+/$3 Tseen during the 7 AM to 10 AM window in the lockdown s is being experienced in 2+D+(1+/* is the crowding of people at Adifferent parts of the state, shops which is diluting the very some shopkeepers in Haridwar 84$1/D13+( purpose of the lockdown. too are exploiting the situation However, in Haridwar, the by overcharging customers for DI)+/D4 police set an example by draw- essential items. People ing circles using lime powder thronged shops to purchase 215491 outside shops, directing citizens daily needs during the 7 AM to to stand in these to maintain 10 AM window. Many alleged 33- social distancing while waiting that shopkeepers are over- to purchase essential items. charging for flour, sugar and administration has assured cit- Har ki Paidi police in- other essential food items. The izens that there is no need to charge Arvind Raturi stood district magistrate C panic as there is enough stock outside a store and directed Ravishankar has ordered that of food items in the district. people to stand in the circles all shops will display the rate list The district has one lakh quin- made by the police to ensure that the police have been moti- were detained and social dis- of items. Apart from this, the tals of wheat, 31,000 quintals of social distancing. vating citizens to maintain tancing was maintained district administration has rice with sufficient stock of Apart from this the Kotwali social distancing while shop- between them in the police sta- already formed special squads pulses and sugar. The district police detained eight persons ping for essentials. Though tion too, she added, while to check over-pricing, hoarding supply officer KK Agarwal said for violating the lockdown. most people are observing the appealing the citizens to coop- and black marketing. But, con- that strict action will be taken The city superintendent of lockdown, some are still taking erate in the fight against crete action still remains to be against shopkeeper found over- . !#! !! !# # /$ police Kamlesh Upadhyay said it lightly. Eight such persons COVID-19. seen on the ground. The pricing. %0$( . # ! -! J ! O P $%&! ' ( ) 102# 3# 2+/3-+2 He pointed that strict the Commissionerate Amritsar D23$(+ itizers to the consumers visit- enforcement of curfew had directed to issue the necessary . . 2+/3-+2 4+(48 ing their shops during the 2+/3-+2 mid tighter restrictions curtailed the number of FIRs passes, said Gupta. imachal Chief Minister Jai hours of relaxation. He also Aand controls as part of the for violations to 74 on Further, for fruits and veg- unjab Government has 44+ HRam Thakur on asked them to give preference o new positive case of anti-COVID curfew or lock- Wednesday against Tuesday’s etables in Amritsar city, liaison Pdecided to weed out Wednesday held a video con- to senior citizens in providing NCOVID-19 (Coronavirus) down in place, the Punjab 230, with a 38,468-strong police has been established with mer- COVID-19 by seeking help at ferencing with Deputy goods during the relaxation was reported in Chandigarh on Police on Wednesday went force on the ground to enforce chant leader (Pardhan) of the grassroot level. To track the 4D3391 Commissioners, period. Wednesday. into mission mode to launch the restrictions while ensuring Sabzi Mandi. As a result, nearly 64,000 “missing” NRIs Superintendents of Police, Thakur directed the Police The number of cases in the innovative and indigenous ini- access to essential goods and around 200 vendors from the who landed in Punjab in the +D1D%4) Chief Medical Officers and and other law and order city stood at seven while the tiatives across districts to facil- services for the people. Mandi will undertake door-to- recent days, and those who District Food and Civil enforcement agencies to ensure persons under home quaran- itate door-to-door supply of The violations of curfew door delivery of vegetables to attended Holla Mohalla, the 48. Supplies Controllers of all the social distancing while relax- tine are 502 till the evening. essential goods through strate- were reported from Ludhiana the residents of each colony State Government has directed districts from Shimla to take ation in curfew for purchasing “The condition of all seven gic tie-ups with Zomata, City, Ludhiana Rural, Khanna, and area in Commissionerate the sarpanches or nambardars 141/ stock of the situation in wake the daily needs items like milk, positive cases is stable,” said an Swiggy, Verka, Amul, mandi Ropar, Sangrur, Patiala, Amritsar. Similarly, the in villages to provide informa- of lockdown for 21 days in the bread and vegetables etc. He official spokesman. pradhans, chemist associations, Jalandhar City, Hoshiarpur, Pardhan of the Mandi has tion. 84$)G+6 country as well as in the State said that administration of On reports of first positive among others. Kapurthala, SBS Nagar, Mansa assured that around 100 ven- The sarpanches and nam- due to outbreak of Corona bordering districts of the State patient being discharged from As a result of the initiatives and Ferozepur. dors will be deputed for under- bardars have been asked to epidemic. should also ensure that borders GMCH-32 after recovery, the taken by the district police, Responding to the DGP’s taking door-to-door supply or provide detailed information of remaining are being made. He urged the people of the were completely sealed and spokesperson said that the door-to-door supply of essen- directions to think out-of-the- delivery of fruits. all residents in their respective Chief Minister Capt State to remain in-door during outsiders were not allowed to message is fake and the patient tial goods like medicines, gro- box, Commissioners of Police In Khanna district, veg- villages, who would have trav- Amarinder Singh on the lockdown as government enter their territories. is still admitted in isolation cery, eatables had started in and SSPs in several districts had etables and fruits are being sold elled abroad after March 1 or Wednesday also maintained has taken this step keeping in The CM directed the Chief ward at GMCH-32. many of the districts in the come out with innovative ways out door-to-door via rehris, who would have received rel- that giving highest importance view their safety as corona Medical Officers to ensure The health condition of the state, while similar delivery to ensure that essential com- after getting the same from atives from abroad. to tracing all international pas- virus was a pandemic. He said availability of Personal patient is absolutely fine, the mechanisms were being modities reach the citizens. mandis. That was not all! They sengers who arrived after that action would be taken Protective Equipment (PPE) spokesperson added. worked out in others too. In Amritsar and Ludhiana For dry rations, necessary have been asked to also find out March 10, 2020, direction shave against violators under Clinical including N-95 masks in all the Out of the 566 passengers Passes were also being cities, 650 persons had been tie-ups with the Kiryana stores the number of persons who vis- been issued that work should Establishment Act or Epidemic health institutions of their dis- reported in Chandigarh in issued to authorized vendors engaged from Swiggy for home have been made, and they are ited Hola Mohalla festival at Sri continue unbated. Diseases Act 1897 and sections tricts. He said that the past few weeks, 502 passengers for the supply of essential delivery of essential goods, also taking orders on phone Anandpur Sahib, where the The Chief Minister also of IPC. Government has already decid- are under home quarantine goods, said the state DGP while in Patiala district, home and ensuring home delivery. Banga-based COVID 19 directed the Health The Chief Minister directed to postpone the date of pay- and 64 have completed home Dinkar Gupta, adding that for delivery of essential com- Information about the avail- patient, who died on March 18, Department and the Police to ed the officers to ensure avail- ment of various public utility quarantine or migrated to home delivery of medicines, in modities was being ensured in ability of the home delivery had stayed for three days. ensure further monitoring of ability of essential commodities bills like electricity, water etc. other states. particular, necessary tie-ups coordination with the delivery services is being disseminated Till date, total of 22 coro- those already traced and placed in their respective districts. without any extra charges. He Meanwhile, a 31-year old are being made with the respec- boys from Zomato and Swiggy. through the WhatsApp na positive cases, out of 31 under home quarantine. He said that necessary steps also felt the need for proper male resident of Mohali, tive Chemist Associations, so As many as 100 trolleys groups. reported from Punjab, have For this, the revenue should be taken to check coordination between various Punjab admitted at CD-Ward that orders can be taken on containing essential com- “Certain issues are being been reported which came in department staff and panchayat hoarding and profiteering of government departments as PGIMER has tested negative phone and home delivery is modities were dispatched faced by the police teams in contact with 70-year-old staff were being asked to trace essential commodities and well as NGOs for effective for COVID-19. accordingly undertaken. across Sangrur district on certain areas, including short- Nawanshahr resident Baldev such persons. stringent actions must be taken implementation of Curfew. Giving details of other sus- At the same time, the DGP Wednesday by engaging ser- age of essential items and LPG Singh. “This information is very against the defaulters. He said that the State pected patients, the spokesper- appealed to the people and the vices of local volunteers, said etc, daily visits at government “We have asked them to important to curb the spread of He directed the Deputy Government had already sons said that a 29-year female media to show some patience the DGP adding that in Tarn hospitals by drug addicts with immediately furnish a list of corona virus in Punjab. If any- Commissioners to ensure ade- closed temples in the State but resident of Chandigarh with as arrangements on such a Taran district, milk producing de-addiction centre cards seek- such persons to the govern- one is found to be hiding this quate social distancing between still several temples in rural history of travel to Dubai has large scale need time for entities like Verka and Amul ing medicines, pressure from ment doctors and patwaris in information, the Government person to person during the areas were open. He directed been admitted at isolation ward implementation. “The police is have been roped in for ensur- wheat farmers for opening of the villages,” a senior govern- can register cases under rele- relaxation of curfew period. He the district administration to of GMSH-16 and has been taking prompt action on any ing decentralized distribution pesticide markets and shops, ment official told The Pioneer. vant sections, against such per- also asked them to involve check any type of social gath- sampled for COVID-19. information that comes to their of milk following proper social demand from potato growers As many as 94,000 NRIs sons,” stated the government functionaries of Panchayati Raj ering in the rural areas during Also, a 25- year female res- notice the from social media,” distancing measures. for safe passage and trans- and foreign returned persons official. Institutions as they were the the hours of relaxation in the ident with no travel history has he said while disclosing that Officers of Verka Milk portation for supply of their have reportedly landed in The Government has made grass root functionaries in the curfew. He also asked the dis- been admitted at CD-Ward of prompt arrangements were plant have been liaised with crop to other states, among Punjab, since March 1. While the nambardars and panchay- villages as well as urban local trict administration to make PGIMER and sampled for made for delivery of diabetic and they have assured that others,” he said adding that all the government maintains that at members accountable for bodies in maintaining social adequate arrangements for COVID-19. Both reports were medicines to a Jalandhar fam- their 700 vendors will under- efforts were being made to most of these had been tracked reporting on all people, living distancing. He said that the ensure availability of spray, awaited till the filing of the ily after they had tweeted for take door to door supply of resolve these concerns at the and 30,000 placed under home in villages under their juris- shopkeepers must provide san- fertilizers and insecticides etc. report. help. milk in Amritsar city too, with earliest. quarantine, efforts to trace the diction.

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&'()* ### .R#0 "1- , $# - # ) )# which hitherto was confined to 2 # 33!*4 Dehradun has reached to the # mountainous area of the State. " ") attitude shown coronavirus. The teams of cial fund to the administration As per the available infor- by the opposi- health department deployed in fight against COVID-19, ## mation, the youth was working tion members at the entrance of the house they have a right to monitor its as a chef in Spain and had ! who didn’t sanitised the members and all spending. After it the budgets % # recently returned to his home brought any cut those who were present. of different departments were located in the small town of motions on the The members were passed by the house and in the # # Dugadda near Kotdwar in /12+/) vices, Dr Amita Upreti said budget propos- checked with thermal scanners end the house passed the Pauri district. On March 16, he that the trainee would be als. In view of and they were provided with finance bill with voice vote. was admitted in Base hospital n what can be termed as kept in isolation for next 14 the threat the masks. At the start of the /12+/) Kotdwar and his swab sample Igood news amid gloom days and his second sample posed by the proceedings, the chief minister Department- Budget was taken for test on March 21. generated by novel would be sent for COVID-19 novel Trivendra Singh Rawat Finance, tax and planning- mid escalating condition of The health department Coronavirus, the health test. As per the World Health ()4 # # Coronavirus addressed the house in which 9,90,56,998 thousand Aspread of COVID-19 infec- received reports of 30 samples department has declared that Organisation (WHO) norms, 5# (COVID-19), he listed out the measures Education – 9,14,92,448 thou- tion in the country, on Wednesday and out of them the sample of a trainee IFS any patient of COVID-19 ! an undertaken by his government to sand a 25-year-old patient undergo- 29 samples were found negative officer who was positive for would be declared free from standing to combat the spread of COVID- Transport- 59,24,818 thou- ing treatment at Base hospital while one was found positive. the disease and undergoing disease only two when two of /12+/) hold the second part of budget 19 in the state. sand Kotdwar (Pauri district) was The department has so far col- treatment at the isolation their samples are found neg- session at Dehradun instead of The leader of the opposi- Social welfare-1,37,08,157 found positive for the disease. lected swab samples of 265 sus- facility of the Government ative. Three trainee officers of he Budget session of Bharadisain (Gairsain) and tion (LoP), Indira Hridayesh in thousand With it the number of COVID- pected patients for COVID -19 Doon Medical College Indira Gandhi National Forest TUttarakhand Assembly was pass the budget proposals with- her speech promised the coop- Agriculture and research- 19 infected patients in test. On Wednesday, swab (GDMC) hospital was found Academy (IGNFA) were adjourned sine die on out discussions was reached eration of opposition to the 1,04,81,078 thousand Uttarakhand has risen to five. samples of 28 suspected negative for COVID-19 on found positive for COVID-19 Wednesday by the speaker between the government and government in its efforts to Rural development- The confirmation of pres- patients of the disease were sent Wednesday. The Director after their return from tour of Prem Chand Agarwal after opposition. fight the menace of 2,31,30,970 thousand ence of virus in the youth to government medical college General (DG) of health ser- Spain. passage of the State budget After the passage of the bill, Coronavirus. She however PWD- 2,04,65,565 thousand means that the dreaded disease Haldwani for test of COVID- 2020-21. The house which was the speaker Prem Chand added that the arrangements at Industry- 44,22,229 thousand 19. Incidentally this ples of suspected patients of department would soon receive convened after a break of 18 Agarwal adjourned the house the level of government are Animal husbandry- 41,43,461 centre is the only facil- novel Coronavirus. 3 lakh triple layer masks, 40000 days passed the Uttarakhand sine die. In the proceedings 45 needed to be improved in view thousand ity in the state for test The mission director of N- 95 masks, 350 infrared finance bill 2020-21 (Budget) of members of treasury and oppo- of the lockdown of 21 days. SC, ST welfare-49,86,359 of COVID-19. National Health Mission thermometers and 1000 53,526.97 Crores within 57 sition participated. Hridayesh said that the way in thousand On Wednesday (NHM) Yugal Kishore Pant Personal Protective Equipment minutes on the day. Prior to the The proceedings of the which the crowds are gathering Labour and employment- the Patanjali Yogpeeth, said that 10 ventilators are (PPE) kits, 40000 gloves and passage of finance bill, the house started amid unprece- at the shops during the three 39,02,343 thousand Haridwar donated a being provided for the 1000 ICU kits. Similarly 1.5 house passed departmental dented health care measures at hours of relaxation clearly show Vidhan Sabha-7,76,244 thou- RT PCR Machine to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of lakh tablets of hydroxy- budgets of 43,866.11 Crores 11 am on the day. Due to the that the purpose of lockdown sand the Haldwani medical Mahatma Gandhi hospital in choloroquine would be sup- without holding any discus- threat of the COVID-19, the is diluted. Tourism-28,54,524 Thousand college which would Dehradun for control of plied to the doctors and para- sions. The budget was passed speaker had issued an adviso- She said that since the Irrigation and flood control- increase its existing COVID-19 in the state. medical staff as prophylactics. within such a short period of ry for the members, officers elected representatives have 1,27,92,109 thousand capacity to check sam- He said that the health time due to the cooperative and the staff of the assembly on given 15 lakh from their spe- Forest- 1,12,05,209 thousand / # ! / # %- # /12+/)

he Dehradun district administration is taking the Thelp of Dharmshalas, Gurudwaras and some Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to feed and provide shelter to homeless people in view of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the city. Due to the state- wide lockdown, a number of homeless people are in danger of starving as they generally depend on restau- rants, Dhabas or locals for food. Since such commercial units are shut and no one is allowed to step outside their homes, the homeless people are stranded alone struggling to survive. Therefore, the district administration has started to take the aid of Gurudwaras, Dharmshalas and some NGOs of the city to provide food and shelter to such people during the lockdown period. According to The city magistrate Anuradha Pal, the district administration con- tacted the management of several Dharmshalas, Gurudwaras and NGOs at different locations of the city for assistance who are currently helping in feed- ing several homeless people every day. (. $6)()

/12+/)

he state president of Akhil Bharatiya Safai TMazdoor Sangh (ABSMS) Vishal Birla alleged that amid the threat of novel Coronovirus (COVID-19), sanitation workers are not being provided with proper equipment and are being lodged in cramped conditions by Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD). On the other hand, the chief municipal health officer Dr Kailash Joshi denied this allegation, stating that every sanitation worker is provided with all the necessary items. In spite of the threat of COVID-19, the sanitation workers are still operating to maintain the hygiene in public areas. However, the sanitation workers are reportedly not being provided with the proper equipment for their own safety. According to the Birla, "While the government officers are wearing the N95 masks just to work in offices, the sanitation workers are given the cheapest masks with the life of four to six hours which they have to use for many days.” However, Dr Joshi stated that all the sanitation workers have been given all the necessary equipment like masks, gloves and sanitisers for their safety with instructions to regularly wash their hands properly after their work is done. Furthermore, Birla also averred that the MCD has deployed sanitation workers for spraying disinfectant in the city without any training which is causing them skin and other health problems. He said, "The sanitation workers have no knowledge about the use of hypochlorite solution as a disinfectant. Several workers are having breathing and skin problems because of it as they do not know about the proper concentration of chemical in the water to use it. The workers have burnt and peeled skin on their back after carrying the small spray tanks on their backs. The MCD is putting the life of workers at risk." Alleging that the MCD has deployed sanitation workers from Bijnor (Uttar Pradesh), he said that the said workers are being kept in different Rain Basera buildings where more than 30 workers are kept in the same room. "While the government has prohibited more than five people on the roads, MCD is keeping sanitation workers like animals in a single room. Without any safety precautions or social distance, these workers can be the carriers of the coronavirus in the city," averred Birla. Rebutting all the claims, Dr Joshi said that all the workers are given beds which are at least one metre apart from each other. Talking about the burned and peeled off skin of the sanitation workers due to disinfectant tanks, he said that the workers are provided with equipment like raincoats so that the chemical does not come in contact with their skin. He stated that MCD has provided all the safety equipments to workers and it is up to them to use them properly while they work. Meanwhile, Birla said that he has written letters to chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and cabinet minister Madan Kaushik about the safety of sanitation workers but so far no response has been received. !! (

$ % &#&# 7P $ '&& !3# 3# 1&/1(23 reviewed the preparations for in these facilities. 1&/1(23 mals around as they may have 1&/1(23 decision suo-moto and it is meeting the challenge of coro- In addition, more Army been deprived of their daily decided to allow usage of ith the objective of social navirus and decided that at medical facilities at Jhansi, rime Minister Narendra food due to the corona-quar- he Election Commission Indelible Ink on persons for Wdistancing to prevent least 35 percent officers and 50 Binnaguri and Gaya are kept at PModi on Wednesday asked antine. “Conquer Corona with T(EC) on Wednesday stamping for home quarantine spread of coronavirus pandem- per cent other ranks will work standby with an additional col- citizens to adopt a right “war Karuna (win Corona virus allowed the use of indelible ink, by health authorities with the ic, the Armed forces have decid- from home at the Army lective capacity of 1,600 in addi- strategy” against pandemic battle by being kind),” he which it exclusively uses to conditions." ed to have bare minimum staff Headquarters till March 31. tion & those activated already. coronavirus by maintaining affirmed. mark the index finger during "As per the provisions of at their respective headquarters The second batch will work This does not include the addi- social distancing, assisting who he said were “working for The Prime Minister, who voting, to stamp the hand of Rule 49K of the Conduct of here. While the Army started the from home from March 31 tional capacity created and kept administration and health 18 hours to save human lives” took questions from people people who have been advised Elections Rules,1961, the left process on Wednesday, the IAF onwards. The IAF and Navy ready, they said. workers, and providing for and are like Gods. from Varanasi, said, “Aapda ko to stay under home quarantine forefinger of electors is required and Navy will implement the Headquarters here will also Moreover, the Ordnance poor, left stranded because of Modi said instead of allow- avsar mein badalna hoga” and for coronavirus. The EC took to be marked with indelible ink orders from Thursday onwards. implement more or less the Factory Board (OFB) has des- the lockdown. The PM ing things to worsen beyond pointed out that this has also the decision after a suo motu at the polling stations before the Meanwhile, in the national same system of working with ignated 285 beds for isolation appealed to public to “endure imagination, all should “endure offered an opportunity to peo- review against the backdrop of elector is allowed to vote. effort to look after Indians com- bare minimum staff, they said. wards in handling Coronavirus temporary difficulties” with difficulties for next 21 days and ple to be with their families various State Governments hav- Subrule (4) of the said Rule 49K ing from pandemic affected Giving details about the (COVID-19) cases. Forty beds determination to win the bat- follow social distancing pro- and “ humanity as such has ing already started using the provides that in cases where the countries, the Army on ongoing efforts to look after the have been earmarked in hospi- tle against the virulent disease tocol with all seriousness.” come together to deal with indelible ink. elector does not have forefinger Wednesday received another Indians evacuated from foreign tals at Vehicle Factory Jabalpur, in 21 days. He appealed to all social, calamity”. The EC, however, clarified on the left hand, the ink is to be batch of 273 citizens, mostly pil- countries, officials said the batch thirty beds each at Metal and A day after announcing a cultural and religious organi- He praised children’s con- that the indelible ink mark is marked on any finger on his left grims from Iran, at its medical of 273 pilgrims from Iran Steel Factory Ishapore, Gun and three-week nationwide lock- sations and public spirited tribution in providing positive normally expected to last for hand, and if he does not have facility at Jodhpur. At present, included 149 women and six Shell Factory Cossipore, down, the Prime Minister on people to pool in their efforts messaging on social media three days when applied on the any finger on his left hand, the the Army is looking after near- children. Ammunition Factory Khadki, Wednesday interacted with a to help out poor who are suf- and raising confidence of the skin but lasts for a few weeks on ink is to be marked on his right ly 1,200 Indians in its various The evacuees, who were Ordnance Factory Kanpur, section of citizens from his fering difficulties on account of all those engaged in coping the fingernail till the nail grows forefinger. Hence, concerned centres all over the country. transferred on IA Flights from Ordnance Factory Khamaria, parliamentary constituency the lockdown. with the situation across the out. Usually, people are kept authorities shall be instructed As regards the closure of the Delhi to Jodhpur were screened Ordnance Factory Ambajhari, Varanasi via video conferenc- Modi said “Centre and country. under home quarantine for a not to use the Indelible Ink on Army Headquarters, officials on arrival at Jodhpur airport and 25 beds at Ordnance Factory ing. states are putting their best to Answering a question on a period of 14 days. People in sev- any finger on the left hand of said here the global lock-down then taken to the Army medical Ambernath and twenty beds In his address and inter- defeat the pandemic” but peo- section of people not adhering eral States like Delhi, any persons," read the state- has affected and significantly facility which has been designed each at Heavy Vehicle Factory actions, the Prime Minister ple need to chip in to win the to general instructions and Maharashtra, Kerala and ment. reduced the office work be it isolation as well as mental and Avadi and Ordnance Factory reiterated that none should war against the coronavirus. “misbehaving” with doctors, Karnataka are putting stamps “The Ministry may stan- international cooperation, train- physical wellness which includes Medak.Setting up of Isolation “hold the illusion” that prob- The Prime Minister said these the Prime Minister said though on the back of the palm of those dardise mark and location on ing events, postings and cours- various activities including ward and corresponding num- lem would not come in a cri- are not “normal times.” most of the people across the put under home quarantine. the body where the mark has to es besides many such other sports. ber of beds in OFB hospitals has sis like the one that has been Prime Minister also shared country whole-heartedly par- The EC made it clear that be applied so that it does not functions. The critical appoint- At present, the Army is been done as per Ministry of looming large across the globe. a WhatsApp number ticipated in the ‘janata curfew’ the authorities should not use affect the conduct of any poll. ments and which includes operating medical facilities for Health and Family Welfare “Main nahin keh sakta (9013151515), which has been on Sunday, some may have indelible ink on any finger The authorities concerned almost 40 per cent of the office evacuees at Manesar, Jaisalmer (MoHFW) instructions in the hoon ki sab kuch theek hai,” created by the government to deviated from the prescribed on the left hand of any persons should be instructed to main- goers continued to work from and Jodhpur with evacuees from Cabinet Secretary's meeting on Modi said and asked people to help people get answers to line. Modi said “bad behaviour and it should not be used for tain the record of the persons home. Emergency staff includ- Iran, Italy and Malaysia lodged Tuesday, officials said. The OFB cooperate and assist adminis- any of their queries relating to against doctors or nurses” will any other purpose. In a state- to whom Indelible Ink is ing, duty official, medical fra- in these camps. Evacuees from is also trying to produce per- tration and “not to put pressure Coronavirus. not be tolerated and that he has ment, it said, applied. The authorities ternity, drivers, cooks and other Wuhan and Japan have already sonal protection equipment and on them and create negativity He asked people to observe asked the Home Ministry "Due to extraordinary cir- should also be instructed to support staff continued to work been discharged after full pro- face masks as per pilot order ”. He asked the people to coop- the 9-day “navratras” by pro- and Directors General of Police cumstances because of ensure that the Indelible Ink at the headquarters. tocol was observed. Over 1,200 quantity placed by HLL Lifecare erate, particularly with the viding food to at least nine of states to take strict action COVID-19 pandemic, the shall not be used for any Army Chief General M M evacuees, medical staff and air Limited (HLL), a PSU under doctors and health workers, needy families and also to ani- against the miscreants. Commission has reviewed its other purpose,” the EC said. Naravane last week had crew have so far been catered to MoHFW. !## ! - 9 1&/1(23 Minister Prakash Javadekar the taking up of construction tially required to remove the detailing the package. This of Aligarh-Harduaganj flyover bottleneck to traffic move- 1&/1(23 despite early warnings in COVID-19, the Congress leader ness relief to farmers was the o strengthen the rural scheme will make the RRBs by Ministry of Railways. The ment. By construction of fly- February," Congress chief also said, "we will rise together only way forward in these test- Tbanking in the wake of the financially stronger and will total length of the railway flyover connecting Aligarh to he Congress on Wednesday spokesman Randeep Surjewala as a nation & defeat ing times as they are the "back- corona pandemic, the Cabinet enable them to meet the cred- over will be 22 kilometer. The Harduaganj the delays and Tdemanded the implemen- asked. COVID2019. We stand with the bone" of country's economy, he Committee on Economic it requirement in the rural project is expected to be com- detentions will be avoided,” tation of the party-proposed In a series of tweets, lockdown but are deeply disap- said there should be a morato- Affairs, chaired by Prime areas, he added. pleted by 2024-25 at a cost of said Government. Nyay Yojana (minimum addressed to the prime minis- pointed by the lack of coherent rium on farmer's loans and Minister Narendra Modi, on “As per RBI guidelines, the over 1,285 crore. “At Aligarh The Union Cabinet also income guarantee scheme) to ter, Surjewala said,"The strategy or a clear 'way ahead' on recoveries and the government Wednesday, approved the con- RRBs have to provide 75% of Junction Station a branch line approved continuation of help the poor families in the Congress demands relief pack- your part." should ensure procurement of tinuation of the process of their total credit under PSL Bareilly-Aligarh terminates. Rebate of State and Central country to cope with the situ- age for framers... fair price for "Please remember, Trying crops at MSP. recapitalisation of Regional (Priority Sector Lending). The trains coming from Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) ation arising out of the nation- crops, indebtedness relief and times are true test of leadership. Rahul also stated that India Rural Banks (RRBs) by pro- RRBs are primarily catering to Howrah side and going to from 1st April, 2020 onward wide lockdown. suspension of all recoveries Is government ready to rise up is fighting a war against the viding minimum regulatory the credit and banking require- Harduaganj/Bareilly cross until such time that the scheme Former party chief Rahul from farmers." & deliver," he asked. Coronavirus but the question is capital to them for the next ments of agriculture sector Howrah-New Delhi main is merged with Remission of Gandhi said those who survive "Dear PM, need of the hour "The Congress demands a how can we minimise casualties financial year 2020-21. and rural areas with focus on route, which is busiest section Duties and Taxes on Exported on daily wages need immediate is to implement forthwith 'min- comprehensive package for in this war. "Isolate the virus and The RRBs were facing small and marginal farmers, of Indian Railways. Due to Products (RoDTEP). “RoSCTL help and support through direct imum income guarantee daily wagers, MGNREGA block its escape routes. problem to maintain mini- micro & small enterprises, heavy traffic there is no path scheme for apparel and made- cash transfers into their scheme(Nyay) mooted by Rahul workers, factory workers, unor- Massively expand testing to mum capital to Risk weighted rural artisans and weaker sec- available for surface crossing of ups will be continued with accounts and free rations. ji and Congress. Please transfer ganised workers, fishermen and identity and treat those who are Assets Ratio (CRAR) of 9%, as tions of the society. In addition, loaded goods trains coming effect from 1st April, 2020 "Delaying this will cause wide- Rs 7,500 to every Jan Dhan A/C, farm labourers," Surjewala said. infected. Create massive emer- per the regulatory norms pre- RRBs also provide lending to from Howrah side and going to without any change in scheme spread devastation & chaos," PM Kisan A/C & every Pension He asked when the doctors, gency field hospitals in partic- scribed by the Reserve Bank of micro/small enterprises and Harduaganj/Bareilly. This guidelines and rates as notified Rahul said. A/C to tide over nutrition needs nurses and health workers will ularly in urban areas with full India and this decision will help small entrepreneurs in rural results into heavy detention of by Ministry of Textiles till such Asserting it supports the of 21 days and give free PDS have adequate protection and ICU capability to provide care to overcome the minimum areas. With the recapitalization trains at Aligarh Junction. time that the RoSCTL is lockdown, the Congress in a ration," he said. how many isolation beds and to patients, " Rahul demanded. capital keeping crisis. support to augment CRAR, “This location has become merged with RoDTEP. statement, however, said it was Ahead of the 2019 Lok ventilators are available in the Rahul Gandhi further said As per this decision, the RRBs would be able to contin- a bottleneck and is affecting the Continuation of RoSCTL "deeply disappointed" by the Sabha polls, the Congress had country and where. many industries are struggling. Centre will pay Rs.670 crore ue their lending to these cate- train working badly causing beyond 31st March, 2020 is lack of a coherent strategy or a proposed, and promised to "How will daily wagers, "Act quickly by announcing (50%), subject to the condition gories of borrowers under their delays and detentions and also expected to make the textile clear way ahead on the part of implement the Nyay scheme if labourers, MGNREGA workers, tax breaks & financial support that the release of Central PSL target, and thus, continue reducing the wagon turn sector competitive by rebating Prime Minister Narendra Modi. voted to power. Factory workers, Unorganised to prevent massive job losses & Government’s share will be to support rural livelihoods,” round. Flyover at Aligarh all taxes/levies which are cur- "Dear PM, India will adhere In his remarks, a day after workers, Fishermen, Farmers & reassure business owners that contingent upon the release of said the statement issued by going over the existing Delhi- rently not being rebated under to the lockdown. But what steps Modi announced a complete Farm Labour sustain for 21 the Government will support the proportionate share by the Government. Howrah main line is an oper- any other mechanism,” said did the government take to nationwide lockdown for 21 days," he asked. them through this crisis," he sponsor banks, said Union The Cabinet also approved ational necessity and is essen- Government. tackle the corona pandemic days to contain the spread of Asserting that indebted- said. + - - 5%6 ( #( '$.) # -# - 1&/1(23 According to the ministry, # ## # these relaxations will be given to he Ministry of Housing and such allottees also where (s)he #$ 1&/1(23 statement, the ministry also said a grim reminder of atrocities TUrban Affairs has allowed has become unauthorized occu- #! “We convey our sincerest con- that continue to be inflicted suo-moto retention for the peri- pant of government accommo- 1&/1(23 ndia on Wednesday condolences to the immediate fam- upon religious minorities in od from March 17 to May 31 for dation before March 17. thermal imaging scanners or Idemned the terror attack on ily members of the deceased some countries and the urgency all allottees under the Central However, in such cases, after the n view of the 21-day lock- 1&/1(23 cameras for railway stations and a gurudwara in Kabul terming and wish speedy recovery to the with which their lives & reli- Government General Pool retention period of 75 days up to Idown, the Union Home airports, and any other medical it “diabolical” at the time of injured. Such cowardly attacks gious freedom have to be safe- Residential May 31, the damages at tele- Ministry on Wednesday post- embers of Parliament equipment to check COVID-19, Covid-19 crisis even as Prime on the places of religious wor- guarded," Puri tweeted. Accommodation(CGG- scopic rates, as was continuing poned the first phase of M(MPs) can now use among others, the ministry said Minister Narendra Modi said ship of the minority commu- The Punjab Chief Minister PRA) Rules, who were/are prior to this period, will be Census and National Member of Parliament Local in the order, the killings have saddened him nity, especially at this time of called the incident "tragic and expected to vacate or shift their resumed. Population Register (NPR) Area Development Scheme "Personal Protection and expressed condolences to COVID 19 pandemic, is reflec- unfortunate" and asked houses. This relaxation will be The Ministry has been updating process. The Home (MPLADS) fund for medical Equipment (PPE) Kits to keep the families of the deceased. tive of the diabolical mindset of Afghanistan President Ashraf applicable to all cases of retention receiving calls from various allot- Ministry said that the popu- testing and other facilities the medical personnel well-pro- The attack claimed at least 27 the perpetrators and their back- Ghani to "find out the perpe- and change of accomodation tees of General Pool Residential lation enumeration process required to detect and contain tected and enable them to func- lives. ers.” trators and look after our peo- under GPRA Rules. “The Accommodations (GPRA), who is postponed till further coronavirus. After this, Union tion efficiently by minimising the In a strong reaction to the Besides the Prime Minister, ple." He also tweeted "Horrific Retention will be suo moto and were/ are due to vacate their flats/ orders. Food Minister Ram Vilas risk of transmission," the order incident, the ministry of exter- Civil Aviation Minister news coming from Kabul where allottees need not apply for it. houses and are not able to do so “The Census 2021 was Paswan, and Ram Gopal Verma stated. It also stated that with the nal affairs while describing it as Hardeep Singh Puri and Punjab a barbaric terror attack hap- The suo-moto retention period in the light of the advisories scheduled to be conducted in have donated RS one crore each help of these funds, thermal a “cowardly attack,” said India Chief Minister Captain pened in the Gurudwara Guru will be on the payment of licence regarding social distancing two phases, viz., (a) Phase I i.e. from the MPLAD funds for imaging scanners or cameras for stands ready to extend “all pos- Amarinder Singh also Har Rai. It's extremely tragic fees as applicable to the issued by Ministry of House listing & Housing coronavirus treatment. The railway stations, airports and sible assistance to the affected expressed sorrow. "Suicide and unfortunate. Request allottee under these rules. No Health and Family Welfare Census during April- move follows appeals by some other points of entry which families of the Hindu and Sikh attack on a Gurudwara Sahib in President @AshrafGhani Ji to damage will be charged for this (MoH&FW) under the current September, 2020 and (b) MPs to use MP LAD for coron- allows detecting of temperature community of Afghanistan.” Kabul needs to be strongly find out the perpetrators and period,” the ministry said in a global Corona Virus Pandemic Phase II i.e. Population avirus treatment. As per earlier from a safe distance can also be Stating this in an official condemned. These killings are look after our people." statement. (COVID-19). Enumeration during 9th to guidelines, MPLADS funds can purchased. 28th February, 2021.The be used only for permanent "Corona testing kits updation of NPR was also work. approved by Ministry of Health proposed to be done along The Ministry of Statistics and Family Welfare, ICU venti- ! "#" with the Phase I of Census and Programme lator and isolation/quarantine 2021 in all the States/UTs, Implementation then issued wards within their approved except Assam. fresh guidelines on Tuesday facilities and face masks, gloves, 8: # 6 by the “Keeping in view the allowing the use of MPLAD and sanitisers for medical per- Jharkhand above, the first phase of fund for the purpose. As per the sonnel can be procured," the cir- Government. Census 2021 and updation of amendments to MPLADS cular stated. The Government 1&/1(23 besides those of the Arms Act Prasad, Varengnow Earlier two NPR, which was to begin on Guidelines, MPs can now utilise has also allowed procurement of and Unlawful Activities Kahorngam and Clearson Chargesheets various dates decided by the funds under MPLADS for pro- any other medical equipment he NIA on Wednesday (Prevention) Act at a desig- Kabo travelling in a SUV. were filed State/UT governments begin- curement of infra-Red ther- recommended by the Ministry of Tchargesheeted an accused nated court in Patna on "Investigations found that against six other ning 1st April 2020 and vari- mometers (Non-contact) to Health and Family Welfare for Santosh Kumar for money Wednesday. accused Santosh Kumar was accused per- ous related field activities, are enable doctors and medical per- prevention, control, and treat- transfers to the tune of 2.2 The accused Santosh one of prime members of the sons-- Suraj postponed until further sonnel to record and track a per- ment of COVID-19. crore in the February 2019 Kumar has a number of alias- weapons trafficking network Prasad, VR orders,” said the Home son's temperature. Vivek Tankha, a Rajya Sabha sophisticated arms interdic- es including Santosh Singh and their supply to Naxals in Kahorngam, Ministry in a statement. There The ministry, based on the member from Madhya Pradesh. tion case of Bihar. and Umesh Kumar and is a res- Jharkhand. Clearson Kabo , has been continuing protests requests of MPs, has decided that of the Congress thanked the Northeast insurgent group ident of village Horil Chappra He had extensively used Tripurari Singh against the proposed NPR district authorities may utilise prime minister and the govern- NSCN (IM) was involved in under district Ara, Bhojpur, banking and hawala channels Mukesh Singh exercise, besides the MPLADS funds for medical ment of India for relaxation in supplying Under Barrel Bihar. for transfer of funds for pro- and Ningkhan Citizenship Amendment Act, testing, screening and other MPLADS rules permitting MPs Grenade Launcher (UBGL) The case relates to inter- curement of weapons and such Sangtam on both by some oppositions facilities required to detect and to use public funds in the war and AK 47 assault rifles to diction of highly sophisticated transactions worth more Rs 2.2 weapons and ammunition were August 3 and November 22 parties as also some contain COVID-19, an order against coronavirus. “This battle banned Naxal outfit Tritiya weapons and ammunition on Crores have been identified supplied by an accused last year. Opposition-ruled States as it said. It has been decided to is everyone's responsibility," Prastuti Samiti (TPC) in February 2.2019, by Bihar during investigation," the NIA Ningkhan Sangtam, a self Further investigation was being billed as a precur- grant one-time dispensation Tankha said. He said the Jharkhand. Police, including Under Barrel said in a statement. styled Major of NSCN(IM) against co-conspirators and sor to the Centre's National under MPLADS fund to buy face parliamentarians will now be The National Investigation Grenade Launchers (UBGL), The agency said through illegal arms dealers of other suspects including Register of Citizens (NRC) masks, gloves and sanitisers for able to help the administration Agency filed the chargesheet AK series rifle and large num- investigation has established Bihar to Bhikhan Ganjhu, a absconding accused Bhikhan move, especially against the medical personnel, in providing assistance to the against Kumar under various ber of 5.56 x 45 mm ammuni- that a large number of illegal Zonal Commander of TPC, a Ganju is continuing, added backdrop of some new queries coronavirus testing kits, needy ones. Indian Penal Code Setions tion from three persons---Suraj sophisticated prohibited Naxal terrorist gang, proscribed the agency. being incorporated in it. !! 8> 3 . (

"- &! &6H / !%)%)0%, *+* # : precautions in view of the &090:;:&.5& COVID-19 pandemic. # 1 - Unlike in the past, the Maharashtrians celebrated the ! " $)$6+3 travel, while one person con- world war, Uddhav said: “This festival by hoisting the auspi- . the queues in front of the This has dampened the spirits tracted the pandemic through is a World War. During war cious ‘gudi’ in the confines of 21+3 Kerala State Beverages of millions of tipplers across the 54(5++ ith no let-up in the con- “a close contact”. you do not get out of your safe homes with only family mem- Corporation (BEVCO for State, which has a reputation as Wtinued increase in the In what came as a cause of zone which in this case is your bers in attendance. hatever the court dis- short) counters, the State the largest guzzler of liquor in omplaining of inadequate confirmed coronavirus cases in concern for the authorities, all home. We literally do not Meanwhile, State Public Wposes, the Government monopoly in liquor business, the country. Csupply of masks, sanitisers Maharashtra, another 15 more the five members of a family know where the enemy Works Department Minister proposes is the new dictum in exposing themselves to poten- But sources in the and personal protection equip- persons tested positive for the who have been diagnosed pos- (CoronaVirus) is going to Ashok Chavan said that as the State of Kerala. Last week tial attack by coronavirus. He Department of Excise said the ment (PPEs), nurses and health pandemic on Tuesday, taking itive for Covid-19 had con- attack us from. I hope people precautionary measure, his saw the Kerala High Court dis- also pointed out that if liquor Government was studying the workers of ID Hospital, the total number of infected tracted Coronavirus through have now started under- ministry had readied 22,118 missing a petition filed by a pri- is sold through the online plat- possibilities of making liquor Beliaghata — the epicentre for persons in the State to 122. contacts. “…In Sangli 5 people standing the gravity of the sit- beds to accommodate vate citizen who had pleaded forms, the State need not sur- available through on line plat- treatment of coronavirus in On a day when from one family are identified uation”. Coronavirus patients and it with the court to direct the render or sacrifice the revenue forms. Officials pointed out Kolkata — on Wednesday Maharashtra celebrated its as positive due to contacts,” Making appeal to the citi- could increase the bed capac- Government to ensure the accrued through the sector. that the Excise Minister T P staged a demonstration and traditional new year day State Health Minister Rajesh zens not to indulge in panic ity to 55,707. availability of liquor through But the judge who heard Ramakrishnan had launched a threatened to go on mass leave “Gudi Padwa” in a low-key Tope tweeted. In another tweet, buying, the chief minister said: In a news released put out online platforms so that tipplers the petition came down heav- project of on-line booking of if their demands were not met. manner, the State witnessed Tope said that fourteen patients “We have enough stock of by his ministry, Chavan said: need not stand in long queues ily on Jyothish by giving him a liquor to help the tipplers from The demonstrators laid an alarming jump in the had recovered from the illness essential commodities and food “The people need not panic as for hours to get their daily sermon on the responsibilities the hassles of standing in ser- siege on the office of the super- total number of people testing and were in the process of grains, do not worry. In any the situation in the state is quota of spirits. of the ourt, Government and pentine queues in front of intendent and the principal of positive for coronavirus, a being discharged from the hos- case, shops selling essential very much under control. We Jyothish, a Cochin-based the citizen. To express the dis- BEVCO. the teaching hospital, the state's jump from the earlier 107 pitals. goods & services will not be have made all kind arrange- youth had approached the judi- pleasure of the court towards Consumerfed, the apex primary referral facility for cases to 122 cases. Significantly enough, the shut. So, I appeal to you to not ments for extreme situations ciary in the backdrop of the the petitioner for filing such body of all consumer cooper- infectious diseases, expressing In what came as a relief, total number of infected cases panic”. that they might arise. As part coronavirus and the medical pleas, the judge ordered him to atives in the State too had fears that they could themselves the first two patients -- who has nearly doubled during the “The positive that we can of the exercise, the Public directives regarding the social pay Rs 50,000 as fine which made elaborate arrangements contract the disease 'any had earlier tested positive for last five days from 64 and 122. take out of the current situation Works Department (PWD) distancing. would be credited into the for the on line booking of moment' as the protocol for Covid-19 -- were discharged Currently,as many as is we have more time to spend has made available 22,118 His contention was that if Chief Minister’s Disaster Relief spirits through on line agencies. their personal safety norms from Pune's Naidu Hospital 14,502 people are in home with our family which we all beds in hundreds of our the Indian Made Foreign Fund. The State Cabinet which A final declaration about the were not being maintained. after they recovered fully. The quarantine, while 932 people agree that we had lost on our buildings. They include rest Liquor (IMFL), as the stuff is met on Wednesday morning new bventure may be out "We are working day in and two, who are a married couple are in institutional quarantine way. This feeling of together- houses, hostels and new built known in this Southern State, decided to shut down all the shortly as the unprecedented day out. But we are not getting from Pune, tested negative in the state. ness & spending time with government buildings which is sold through in-line plat- BEVCO outlets in view of the closure of ‘watering holes’ has adequate medical equipment. twice during the follow-up There have so far been parents, children, grandpar- are not being used currently” forms like Amazon or Flipkart, national lock out declared by dampened the spirits of veter- Covid-19 is such an infectious period. The two were pre- four Covid-19 deaths in the ents, grand children is inex- “The places where we have the tipplers need not stand in the Centre on Tuesday night. an tipplers. disease. But we haven't been sented flowers by the in- state. On Monday evening, a plicable,” Uddhav said. made bed arrangements have provided adequate number of charge doctors when they 65-year-old COVID-19 patient Deputy Chief Minister Ajit drinking water and electricity masks, sanitisers and PPEs. were discharged from the hos- died at Kasturba Hospital in Pawar, state Congress President facilities. These places can be Even there is no drinking water pital on Tuesday. Mumbai on Monday evening. and Revenue Minister used as centres to quarantine $ !#%$ and food in the canteen," said Of the fresh Covid-19 pos- Earlier on Sunday night, Balasaheb Thorat, Health patients with Coronavirus a protester. itive cases reported on Tuesday, Filipino died at a private hos- Minister Rajesh Tope appealed symptoms. They can also be "If our demands are not Mumbai accounted for a max- pital late on Sunday night. The to people to celebrate Gudi used as make-shift hospitals,” met, we have to consider going imum seven positive cases, coronavirus had claimed first Padva indoors exercising all Chavan said. on mass leaves or strikes," said while five persons from a same life in the state on March 17, another. family from Islampur town in when a 63-year-old disease- Bengaluru: A lockdown in many countries the port the most, while prioritizing the safety and The nurses also alleged Sangli district in Western infected had died at the # ! ! world over has forced 1.7 lakh Infosys techies wellbeing of our entire global workforce," he said. that while their counterparts in Maharashtra. There was one Kasurba Hospital on March 17. to work from home to ensure business conti- Though Rao did not declare that all busi- other hospitals were being case each from Kalyan- Subsequently, another 63-year- # ( $! % nuity, a senior executive said on Wednesday. ness travel has been suspended, he said the com- given lift and drop Dombivli, Navi Mumbai and old male patient, who had "About 70 per cent of our 2.4 lakh global pany has restricted travel as aappropriate after facilities, these have been Panvel. been admitted to private hos- 1 In a joint issued after the workforce is working from home to avoid being monitoring the situation across countries. denied to them. The Kasturba Hospital in pital in Mumbai died on March $)$6+3 representatives of the pub- affected by coronavirus," Infosys Chief Operating To facilitate so many geeks to operate from "As a result, we are facing Mumbai, which is the nodal 19. lishers and distributors met Officer U.B. Pravin Rao told IANS in an email. home, the IT major has arranged for laptops, lot of harassment while return- hospital dealing with Covid-19, Addressing the people he people across him on Tuesday in connec- In 46 countries, Infosys employs more relocated desktops to home environments, cus- ing home from hospital amid reported four infected cases in across the state through social TMaharashtra, who have tion with the difficulties faced than 2.4 lakh employees, serving 1,384 cus- tomised personal devices for official use, the lockdown," said a nursing the morning, while five more media, chief minister Uddhav been going without newspa- by them in the distribution of tomers. The 70 per cent workforce translates to arranged high speed broadband internet con- staff. persons tested positive for pan- Thackeray all Maharashtrians pers since March 23 in view newspapers, Maharashtra 1.7 lakh employees. nectivity at residences and improved virtual pri- Sources in the state health demic in the afternoon. Three a traditional Marathi new year of the coronavirus situation, Industries Minister Subhash Calling coronavirus pandemic an uncertain vate network bandwidth. Admitting that all work department said the grievances of the four infected reported on the occasion of “Gudi will have to wait till April 1, Desai said: “As decided at the and testing time for the company, Rao said both cannot be executed from home, especially, busi- of the nurse and other health from Kasturba Hospital in the Padwa”. before the publication and meeting, newspapers will employees and clients are of utmost importance. ness critical functions, Rao said the company has workers of ID Hospital were morning were that of persons Likening the ongoing distribution of the newspa- resume publication and dis- "We are doing all we can to be there for those prepared teams to deliver account-specific being looked into and proper with history of international spread of Coronavirus to the pers resume. tribution from April 1.” employees and their families that need our sup- business continuity plans. IANS steps would be taken. 8 " + " '( )

travel history after landing in have been now tested negative and devotees stayed at home. division. The traffic on the Murmu Wednesday directed Srinagar. after following due protocol in Special prayers were only Jammu-Srinagar National the immediate release of all Spokesman of Jammu. offered by the priests in famous Highway was regulated and pensions of one month to give %% ;< Jammu&Kashmir On the other hand, health temples of Mata Vaishno Devi, trucks ferrying essential sup- reprieve to the retired class in Government, Rohit Kansal department authorities quar- Raghunath temple, plies were allowed to move view of the situation arising out *+ ), Wednesday evening tweeted, "4 antined at least eight contacts Ranbireshwar temple, Kali towards their destination. of the ongoing COVID 19 more persons, all from of a religious preacher, who had Mata temple located inside According to the daily pandemic. Bandipore, tested positive on stayed with them in Teli Basti Bahu Fort in Jammu. Media Bulletin on novel coro- The Administrative Jaipur: Bhilwara, the textile Mushtak Khan. Wednesday. Preliminary find- area of Bari Brahmana in Shops, supplying essential navirus (COVID-19), 3061 Council also decided that in city of Rajasthan, is fighting the He said over 38,000 hous- . G+$$) ings suggest they were close Samba district of Jammu on his items, remained open while persons have been kept under view of the difficulties being tough Covid-19 battle with the es had been screened and the contacts of Srinagar patient return from Andaman Nicobar markets remained shut and home quarantine while as 80 faced by them, ration packets number of people testing pos- remaining 25,000 would be ormal life came to a stand- who tested positive on Tuesday. Islands. roads wore a deserted look. are in hospital quarantine. be immediately distributed itive reaching 16 on screened in the next two days. Nstill in Jammu & Kashmir All 5 reported to have partici- According to local contacts In old city area of Jammu, Persons who are under among the destitute and slum Wednesday, making it the high- The second and third phase of on the first day of the 21-day pated together in religious of the religious preacher, he policemen were deployed out- home surveillance stand at dwellers. est count from a single city in screening would be conducted long nation-wide lockdown event". arrived here in Teli Basti area side the main streets and con- 1477 while as 506 persons have Teams of health depart- the state. in areas that reported Covid-19 imposed by Prime Minister So far, 11 cases tested pos- on March 13, participated in certina wires were spread to completed their 28-day sur- ment also visited several slum Four new coronavirus pos- positive cases, he added. Narendra Modi to slow the itive (10 active positive and 01 relgious events and returned to prevent movement of people in veillance period. dwellings and spread awareness itive cases were reported on Calling it a tough process, spread of the coronavirus. recovered) in Kashmir valley on March 14. the walled city area. The Bulletin further said among the residents and edu- Wednesday, taking the total Khan said potential carriers Meanwhile, with four new Jammu&Kashmir. At a high The samples of all those eight Police teams were deputed that 326 samples have been sent cated them to stay alert and number of cases to 36 in the could have spread all over the fresh cases testing positive level meeting chaired by Chief persons who came in contact on ground zero to patrol thick- for testing of which 294 tested report any symptoms of virus. state, said Additional Chief district. from Bandipore, the authorities Secretary BVR with him have been sent for ly populated areas. Complete as negative while as 21 reports Separate teams Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh. Till Tuesday, over 5,000 in Kashmir valley stepped up Subhramanyam, Financial testing in GMC, Jammu lock down was witnessed are awaited till March 25, 2020. were rushed to different areas While two healthcare per- people had been isolated at their efforts to break the chain. Commissioner Health and Meanwhile, on the first across Kathua, Samba, Meanwhile, the to distribute basic ration sup- sonnel tested positive in home, and 38 were admitted to Appeals were made to all those Medical Education Atal Dullo day of the nine day long Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Administrative Council which plies to destitute, needy and Bhilwara, the third positive hospital isolation wards soon who may have skipped screen- informed that the two con- Navratra festival, main doors of Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri and met here under the chairman- slum dwellers across different case had been of a person who after three doctors and nine ing and deliberately hid foreign firmed cases of Coronavirus famous temples remained shut Poonch districts of Jammu ship of Lt. Governor, G C places. came in contact with a doctor healthcare workers from the who tested coronavirus positive, city's Bangad Hospital tested while the fourth was from Covid-19 positive. Jodhpur, Singh said. According to Bhilwara city =/ Bhilwara was declared the residents, the spread chain must (!)%*)+,)* -,*. epicentre of Covid-19 in have begun when a person Rajasthan soon after the six with breathing issues admitted healthcare personnel tested himself to the hospital, few days ! D Covid-19 positive last week. back, hiding his travel history. 7))# - # And since then, the town has He then travelled to Jaipur " " 54(5++ the Act. been undergoing the largest and visited two hospitals. There Accordingly “we will hold a screening exercise with all its too his travel history was not ven as Bengal entered the third review meeting on March 31 before $+/)+3 hypertension," the Health Minister According to the Union Health borders sealed and the residents checked. He was not tested for Eday of lockdown, Chief Minister giving relaxation in the ongoing tweeted. The Minister also cautioned Ministry, the number of coronavirus facing curfew for the past five coronavirus even after he Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday lockdown,” adding her Government 54-year-old man infected with that COVID-19 with co-morbidity is cases on Wednesday rose to 562 with days. Till Tuesday, 13 people showed symptoms of pneu- slammed the Centre for not doing was fully aware of the approaching Athe coronavirus died at a hospi- a high risk condition. nine deaths. This does not include the had tested positive for Covid- monia. He died on March 13. enough to help her State tackle the Bengali New Year’s Day on April 15. tal here in the early hours of "Having known the impact of Tamil Nadu death. The State 19 here. But the doctor and his coronavirus crisis and demanded an “Like the New Year in Punjab and Wednesday, Tamil Nadu's first virus infections, I've been telling in Government had announced a lock- Intensive search is being team that treated him in immediate package of 1,500 crore. some other States we too have our recorded death due to the disease, my press meets that COVID19 with down from March 24-31 as part of its conducted in the city to locate Bhilwara didn't share any con- “It is very difficult to tackle such a New Year coming on April 15 and for State Health Minister C Vijayabaskar co-morbidity like uncontrollable dia- efforts to stem the spread of the dead- active cases. 300 teams are concern and travelled to Udaipur huge crisis with our limited resources” that we will review the situation on said. The man had a medical histo- betes & hypertension, immunosup- ly virus. ducting house-to-house sur- on Holi. However, a few days and the Centre should come out with March 31 on how some relaxation ry of prolonged illness with uncon- pression are high risk conditions. If On Tuesday, Prime Minister vey on the basis of polio after, they isolated themselves. adequate financial packages for all the can be given if at all it can be given,” trolled diabetes. anyone in ur family has such condi- Narendra Modi said the entire coun- microplans. The second phase Soon 12 people from Bhilwara corona-affected States, the Chief she said. “Despite our best efforts, the tions be extra cautious,pls," he added try would be under lockdown for of survey will be started soon. tested Covid-19 positive, which Minister said while making her own Directing the police not to stop the COVID19 positive patient at MDU, in another tweet. three weeks starting midnight. The During March 19-24, included the doctor's wife. claim for Rs 1,500 crore. online delivery service of essential items Rajaji Hospital, passed away... he had On Tuesday, the total number of Tamil Nadu Government had also around 70,000 families were By Tuesday, the adminis- “We had made the same request at and also the vegetable vendors and staff medical history of prolonged illness COVID-19 cases in the state rose to said it will impose section 144 of surveyed and over 300,000 peo- tration set up screening centre the all-party meeting two days back. of medicine shops as also the farmers with steroid dependent COPD 18 after six more people, including Cr.PC, which prohibits the Assembly ple screened in Bhilwara. Over for all the symptomatic and The Centre should announce a who were working in fields Banerjee (chronic obstructive pulmonary dis- three woman, tested positive for the more than five persons in public 30 lakh people would be contacts of the Bangad Hospital, special financial package for the state said “the police have been instructed ease), uncontrolled diabetes with coronavirus. places to implement the lockdown. screened till March 27 in the the epicentre of COVID -19 in the current situation,” she said. to strictly go by the rules and ensure Bhilwara district, said Chief positive cases in Bhilwara. Reminding how her Government the lockdown but with a human face.” Medical and Health Officer IANS had already created Rs 200 crore fund If required, passes should be issued to to tackle the initial spell of the crisis people employed for home delivery ser- - ( :000 # Banerjee appealed to the corporate, vices, she said. industrialist, organizations and well-off Warning that strong action would ( ! / citizens including the non-resident be taken against policemen who would Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on health infrastructure and for essential equipment, medicines Indians to generously donate in the des- stop people involved in essential ser- Wednesday asked the Central Government for Rs 4,000 crore and for preventive public health measures at this crucial junc- + %$ ignated State Emergency Relief Fund. vices Banerjee said “Social distancing to combat the coronavirus pandemic in the State. ture. He said Tamil Nadu is vulnerable to coronavirus because Banerjee who has earned special doesn’t mean social isolation.” The In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the text of the large number of international passengers who tran- Agra: The festivities associated with the Hindu New Year and acclaim for her inspiring performance Chief Minister also warned of stern of which was released to the media here, Palaniswami sit through its four international airports and four major Nav Durga beginning Wednesday, were badly hit in the Taj city in handling the crisis used a white action if doctors, nurses and health requested special assistance of Rs 4,000 crore and other finan- ports and as it also adjoins states where the outbreak has and the neighbouring Mathura district which has seen a mass board to personally draw diagrams workers are harassed by their neigh- cial measures be considered expeditiously. been initially more severe. exodus of pilgrims due to COVID-19 in the last few days. showing citizens how to maintain bours or landlords. Citing the hit taken by the government revenues due "Hence, while immediate measures have been taken, we The religious shrines and temples in Vrindavan and physical distance while visiting markets Meanwhile, BCCI president to coronovirus and the additional expenditure, he also will need to prepare for a significantly higher case load in Goverdhan were deserted. Police effectively prevented movement for daily essentials. Sourav Ganguli have come out with a requested Modi to relax the fiscal deficit limits of three per the coming weeks and months," Palaniswami told Modi. of vehicles and groups of devotees. Barricades have been raised Saying that the total lockdown proposal offering a part of the Eden cent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for fiscal 2019- According to Palaniswami, more resources are needed to at all entry points, local officials said. under National Disaster Management Gardens as a quarantine centre for sus- 20 and 2020-21 as one time measure. face the projected number of cases effectlivey including Bharatiya Janata Party MP Hema Malini made a fervent Act had been imposed by the Central pected Corona cases, sources in the "Further, additional borrowing of 33 per cent above the through the establishment of isolation hospitals, quarantine appeal to the locals to stay home and to strengthen Prime Minister Government not in consultation with Cricket Association of Bengal said level permitted for the fiscal year 2019-20 may be allowed centres, supply of hospital equipment including hospital beds, Modi's resolve to contain the menace of COVID-19. She has the States the Chief Minister said the adding a proposal to this effect has for 2020-21 to enable the states to meet the additional expen- ventilators and personal protection equipments (PPE), med- already donated Rs 1 crore from her constituency funds to help State’s still had right to take decisions already been sent to the State diture requirements." Palaniswami said the state needs Rs icines and testing kits and disinfection equipment and chem- the health services. on certain things while implementing Government. 3,000 crore for the augmentation and strengthening of the icals. IANS IANS !! () ( # # !' #C B/ #' #C C $*$%!1)+$*, ) & ( " " 1 1 - 1 1 $ $ - $ $ 1 &'()* S 1 ( ( 3 O ! %! # J $ 1 1 , ( '3 # # ! # -9 ( ( 1 P ( Q )*+,(-. 1 " : $1S $ -./ %& 0 : ( Tibetan man became the first 1 ;< ( victim of Coronavirus but not # ( in Tibet but in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh. According % 0 , to The Tibet Sun, Tenzin = AChoephel, a 69-year-old man from McLeod ) ( Ganj (where the Dalai Lama lives), died of Coronavirus after returning from a trip to ( " # the US on March 15. It said, “After staying % " ( in Delhi for a few days, Choephel returned # ( to McLeod Ganj by a taxi on March 21. On the morning of March 23, he complained 0 8 S ( of respiratory problems. He was then taken to the Tanda Government hospital " where he died.” Meanwhile, in Tibet, the situation is surprisingly “normal.” Contrary to other provinces in China, : S the mountainous region had only one , 56 ( infected patient of the Novel Coronavirus. The patient was a 34-year-old man, who , came from the city of Suizhou, the hard- 1 est-hit province amid the ongoing out- ->>> , >? --@ 6 8 = break. He was discharged from hospital on February 12. Xinhua reported, “He trav- 6 S elled from the city of Wuhan to Lhasa by ) (-. 8 1 train from January 22 to 24. On the evening $ $ of January 25, he developed symptoms of cough and fever and was hospitalised.” He 0 0:*( - was confirmed to be positive on January ->>> 29 and after an 18-day treatment he was ture projects in Tibet.” It gave Assam). Located in Sangri workers back from the This was not a good sign. ->>>> ( let out. the example of the 11.5-km County in Lhoka, the Dagu Mainland to Tibet “to resume With the “victory” of 6 ?> It’s difficult to say if this is propagan- long Mainling tunnel on the HPS has a capacity of 660 the construction of major pro- Wuhan, triumphantly da or truth. Nevertheless, the high plateau Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway. It is MW. Two billion dollars have jects in the region.” Tibet announced by the Chinese appears to have been less affected than the located just north of Arunachal already been invested: “It is a Online, another official website propaganda, the PLA, which 4 rest of the Middle Kingdom. If facts are cor- Pradesh: “It (Lhasa-Nyingchi major project supported by of China, mentioned that on played a decisive role, is bound # ) rect, scientists will have to undertake a Railway) currently has the most the Central Government for that day, TV6031 flight operat- to come out reinforced from detailed study of the Tibetan case when the complicated geological condi- Tibet’s economic and social ed by Tibet Airlines landed at the crisis. Can Chinese # outbreak of the virus recedes. tions and is the most difficult development.” The dam is one the airport of Nyingchi City. It President Xi Jinping, who is in ) " % S One reason why Tibet managed to project in China’s construction of the three cascade dams said, “The 105 power workers an extremely weak position = 0 ) keep cases low is because the authorities of a railway on the plateau,” under construction not far onboard, from Zhejiang today both internally and exter- over there used Tibetan medicine exten- noted the website. from the Indian border. Province, will be assigned to nally (despite the disinforma- P # sively to fight the disease. For example, The Mainling tunnel is It is said that even during the power grid projects in the tion war going on a full swing), Q : 1 ( when the Tibetan-inhabited area in north- scheduled to be completed by the Spring Festival, more than region’s most impoverished keep his control over the PLA 0 0:* west China’s Qinghai province reported 18 the end of March: “In order to 300 workers remained on duty areas.” Other such charter in the months to come? confirmed cases of the infection last ensure constructing process, near the site. Later, they were flights landed in Lhasa, Shigatse Only time will tell. But the A 4 0 ( month, 17 of them received a treatment currently, the construction said to “have successfully and Chamdo. speed at which it has resumed involving Tibetan medicine (TM) and tra- workers are digging the last returned to construction. The Quoting a Tibetan power the construction of infrastruc- 0 ditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the two 60m of the tunnel. About 1,881 construction site in the valley company, China Tibet News ture projects in Tibet is certain- independent traditional medical systems. workers in Tibet are doing is busy; a large hydropower sta- said on February 29 that more ly ominous. A Chinese website Huang Licheng, an official with the their best to construct the tion is beginning to take shape.” than 2,800 workers had published a photo feature. Its * provincial Health Commission, was quot- Lhasa-Nyingchi railway. With Another project is in Sakya resumed the construction of caption read: “Multiple rocket ed by Xinhua as saying, “The Tibetan med- a designed speed of 160 km/h, county, near Shigatse, the sec- 338 projects, accounting for 75 launch systems attached to an icine played an active role in the treatment.” it will be the first electrified ond largest town in Tibet. A per cent of the total. It includ- artillery brigade under the He further said, “The provincial hospital railway in Tibet.” mega water project restarted ed the Ngari Power Grid PLA Xizang Military 2 of Tibetan medicine produced a batch of But why so much hurry at around February 20, a few Interconnection Project, not far Command fire anti-aircraft anti-virus medications featuring Tibetan a time when the rest of China days before Losar, the sacred from the Uttarakhand and rockets simultaneously during < #$ 1 - " $ medicine; 1,000 of them have already been is still under clampdown? Tibetan New Year. “With the Ladakh border. a live-fire operation at the ele- $ " # sent to the front lines in Hubei Province, Beijing has already invested biggest investment ever in The resumption of con- vation of 4,500 metres in the centre of the virus outbreak.” $3.9 billion in this project and Tibet’s water project history, the struction projects at a time Southwest China’s Xizang This aspect, too, needs to be analysed. the railway line will be opera- project will help with irrigation, when the rest of China was Autonomous Region on March At the same time, these harrowing times tional by next year. “Workers supply water, generate power under lockdown is perplexing. 11, 2020.” # have shown Beijing’s priorities in the have completed 44 tunnels out and prevent flooding,” Why this frenzy? It’s difficult to China will argue that it is Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR), the of 47 and 119 bridges out of 120 explained a Chinese website. It answer. A few weeks ago, an only a routine exercise but first region in China to restart normal activ- along the route.” further said, “Tibet has intrusion by the People’s India needs to watch carefully )*+,(-. ities and that, too, on a war-footing. Guess Yet another development arranged 179 projects for this Liberation Army (PLA) was and take necessary measures to S / what started first? Infrastructure projects that should worry India is the year…Work has resumed on reported in Naku-la, south of be ready for a new outbreak à close to the border with India. Dagu Hydropower Station some of these projects.” the watershed in northern la Doklam. On February 20, China Tibet Online (HPS) project on the Yarlung On March 3, charter flights Sikkim, an area supposed to be (The writer is an expert on asserted: “Work continues on infrastruc- Tsangpo (Brahmaputra in were being arranged to bring a “settled” undisputed area. India-China relations) , $ - .&/ # ( & ! 6 # + +# # # ! '3 # # # )*+,(-. % #'3 # # , ! ' % ' , * ( ! '3 # # #' ! ! ' # ' ' ' 0 ( S 2+ 2,- ?,2) -*), +++)2 ,++ # K$ 6 K ! J K/ # K6 0 1 # / / % / , // 0 -&/,% ) P) (Q ( ( 4 # ( ( Sir — The Ministry of Electronics #$ O Sir — With the country in com- and Information Technology #0 % plete lockdown mode for three 1 ) P) Q ( must be appreciated for asking all 3 ## ! weeks, this time must be utilised , ) $ social media companies to D ' ) % > well to introspect, think and dis- 0 " 56 remove reports spreading misin- % J % cuss ways to make life happier. formation about COVID-19 from ' For couples in a strained relation- $ # ( their platforms with immediate # ship or not on talking terms, this P) Q ( ) effect. Circulation of false infor- ' $ !% % is the best time for them to , mation is only creating more #' restart. This time can also be panic among the people. Social # # utilised to improve knowledge PQ media companies should initiate ## % about things people wanted to 5 1 / ( an awareness campaign on their # know but did not have the time ( 56 ( platforms on the ill-effects of # # ' #$ O to find the answer to. uploading false information about # ! # #' # 493/: 3 Kumud Agrawal $ ( ( Coronavirus. 6 # # ' Via email MN Musaeed '3 % !# % 56 7 + Mumbai !=493/: % '3 % ## % # 58 P Q '$ J '3 # ! 0 ( '6 ') # '- # # Sir — Given the sharp rise in the % # #% number of COVID cases, a com- % '- # # % ' Sir — The Prime Minister has plete lockdown was unavoidable. done well to impose a nation- # -*)0) Staying home is difficult but peo- , ) wide lockdown for three weeks to # ' ple must be patient and not fall prevent large-scale transmission prey to rumours. Citizens need to * S # 0 ( of COVID-19 and the public trust the Government and be rest health catastrophe it may bring follow the instructions of the part of successive Governments be prepared to face any such kind assured that there will be no P Q ( / along. The Central and State Government. We have to fight the is the reason why the healthcare virus in the future. Crucial sectors shortage of food supplies. $() ( Governments are doing their bit disease at individual and collec- sector stands crippled today. like healthcare, education and Kanika Nayan / , ,4 6 in taking precautionary mea- tive levels. It also remains an COVID-19 is definitely not here agriculture determine the real sta- Via email sures but people do not seem to indubitable fact that our health- to stay but after this, the tus of a country. 4 # be serious about it. It is the care management system is rick- Government must take urgent Nimai Charan Swain )# responsibility of every citizen to ety at the moment. Neglect on the measures and immediate steps to Bhubaneswar ,,-*,?)-@4'72' !! 2 # # 3&%/,4$ / 01 2,$/%01 2 " 3 " ! #8 " 3 7 1 71 1 7 #8 3 1 . 3 7 493/: L L 0 3 # ( (# # : =

34 / -5% 001 " # > # - " # PB Q * )*+,( Q # R$ (# @ - #-. " : = )S <> ) ) -- ( ) $ , , 7 # 0* 5/ 62 .&6 CD ( ( ome Minister Amit Shah assured the Upper E * House that no existing citizen will be tagged S H“D” or doubtful during the course of collec- tion of information under the National Population # S ( Register (NPR). The provisions of the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National F 1 ( Identity Cards) Rules, 2003 allow for marking a : ( doubtful citizen, verification of documents and even S = striking off someone’s name from the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC), if found doubt- S # ful by officials vested with discretionary powers at local, State and national levels. Though Shah has also * ( assured that no such verification on the data provided will be undertaken, yet letters of law create 6 ( some confusion in the larger public. In almost a sim- ( ilar vein, the Union Government kept assuring the country’s Muslim minority populace that no one ) would lose their citizenship under the newly-enact- # S ed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The fact that <>>G , S such assurances have to be given demonstrates the P Q anomalies and inconsistencies of such laws like the , NPR-NRC-CAA. While Shah assured a certain application of mind, it leaves wide open the discre- ( tionary powers granted in laws pertaining to the ) 0 ( NPR-NRC-CAA. legislation and bilateral pact. The same domain of the Parliament, in terms of its deported if they entered India illegally C E In a recent article countering the critics of CAA, spirit is reflected in the Immigrants’ direct linkages with the State security and without valid papers. In contrast to immi- noted legal luminary Harish Salve argued that with +D++/41D4 (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950, that foreign policy. The affidavit further states grants from six religiously-persecuted the passage of CAA, Muslim illegal immigrants D191+* excluded any person displaced due to fear that neither such matters of national secu- groups, a Muslim immigrant from these remain liable to be deported to their country of ori- of civil disturbances from the definition rity and immigration policy can wholly be countries would now become immediate- S / D13+()4D1 gin. Salve argued that the criterion of “intelligible 1E1+$3- of “illegal immigrant.” Subsequently with subjected to judicial review, nor could ly illegal, because of his/her religion. This % " $ differentia” makes CAA rational as it includes only the passage of the Citizenship Act, 1955, these matters be interpreted even within difference of entitlement in India, for the S D4$11(3-34)D the “six” religiously-persecuted minorities from the -4)D+D Section 5 and 6 of the Act provided for nat- the ambit of fundamental rights. As a first, first time, sows seeds of selective prefer- ( three neighbouring countries of Pakistan, uralisation of immigrants from erstwhile the affidavit also separates “fundamental ence. This runs contrary to the Citizenship S 7 6 $ 1 = Bangladesh and Afghanistan. This is how CAA, 1D1)1/+/ territories of undivided India. Therefore, rights” from the scope of interpretations Act, 1955 that keeps the process of natu- $ according to Salve, fulfils its objective of granting 1(3-36(14 it is argued that the CAA does not do any- allowed by international covenants and ralisation open to people originating 1 H / % citizenship to those religiously-persecuted refugees +(*843/3+ thing extra that cannot be taken care of protocols. from undivided India. As stated by the affi- G> !<@>> who are forced to come to India, leaving behind their 33N1D23%33D by the existing Citizenship Act, 1955, with Reading together Salve’s justification davit, it is true that the Citizenship Act, C;9>>>E $ # homes. In effect, the CAA draws a line between those 33-)3-4 respect to any class of immigrants. Or for only a sub-class of immigrants as eli- 1955 allows the State to decide who should who are to be naturalised and those who are liable 412+D+(91 rather, the classification and sub-classes gible to be covered in CAA and what the be admitted to naturalized citizenship but P Q ( to be deported. It opens up Indian citizenship to a drawn up with the CAA can all be given affidavit of the Centre stated, it is a mat- religion has not been made a reason for G)D3831D34 rationally-classified set of people, while it closes it 21-4)/2+ due coverage and even their citizenship ter of concern whether such stipulated anyone’s rejection. With CAA, religion 0 P Q O ( to a set of people who do not fit into this classifica- could be fast-tracked, depending on the sub-classes of inclusion go against the let- could be taken as a factor for rejection of P Q O ( /1$4-+23 tion. Salve emphasised on this methodological dis- /3D434D urgency. A case in point is singer Adnan ter and spirit of part-III of the an applicant’s citizenship, as CAA gives a 0 tinction that CAA draws and justified it on heuris- Sami’s citizenship did not require CAA, Constitution. It is a matter of due consid- power of exclusion of a special sub-class % ( ( tic grounds of profiling the “illegal immigrants” on +)D1/6* or many other cases of erstwhile Pakistani eration before the Supreme Court that the to the State, as per the affidavit. Of course, 6 H the basis of their religious identity. 6+-(+/1D23 or Bangladeshi citizens naturalised by due constitutional foundation of unity and the State will have an application of mind S " 5 / , What connects Shah’s commitment of non-vic- 3$$3-+D process prescribed under the Citizenship equality between all classes of citizens of in not victimising someone as assured by : % 6 ( timisation in the NPR and Salve’s justification of the 4)(/61 Act, 1955. India, as stated in part-III, can be abridged the Home Minister in the case of NPR. ( deployment of “intelligible differentia” in the CAA 1D41/6*3' As CAA does not serve any special and violated by identifying a special class Couldn’t framing of such important is the common idea of taking the next step without 23D%4D+1 purpose except naming some religious and granting it certain rights. Assumption laws related to immigration be more 0 S stopping to think about what is going to be the next groups as persecuted and eligible to apply of the power of exclusion to discriminate coherent and non-discriminatory? What ( 2146934)D% course of action in case anyone is affected. Salve does (35D++&32+ for Indian citizenship, it is intriguing to between classes who are affected by the stops the State from framing religiously % not deny the fact that Muslim illegal immigrants note that Salve justifies it on the ground legislation is also a grave concern. If the un-biased laws that rise above religiosity 56 0 41/)148 remain liable to be deported as CAA would not /11$3+34 that demographic distortions caused by power of exclusion by the Parliament fur- and champion India’s pluralism, even in 6 6 0 include them. Many commentators including Bangladeshi immigrants could be restored ther leads to abridgment of fundamental case of non-Indian citizens? As stated by 0 # ) , Mukul Kesavan pointed out that the criterion of dif- 4833N1D236* by it. This, to state the obvious, links CAA rights to equality and right to life of a cer- political philosopher Charles Mills’ book H / ferentiation that CAA uses is not self-consistent, as 3+/ with a procedure of determination of cit- tain excluded class, constitutional moral- Racial Liberalism, sacrificing constitution- / 6 # it excluded worst religious persecuted such as 2++1+1 izenship by NRIC and NPR that can cre- ity prohibits such exclusion. Indeed CAA al impartiality in dealing with different Ahmadiyyas, Shiyas, Rohingiyas, Tamils and Tibetan +D)6(+DD48 ate a sub-class of doubtful citizens by sus- legalises the prohibited categories of reli- races would result in supremacy of dom- Buddhists from its purview. Further, as per Kesavan, /4)68)( pending their nationality and by treating gion under Article 15 and makes it a basis inant races. Defending such dominance within the intelligible criterion, CAA creates a sub- 33N1D6* them as a class of illegals. Indeed most crit- for consideration for citizenship for a spe- is what Mills called “racial liberalism.” C E P( class of only three neighbouring countries and then ics of CAA are worried about this plight cial class of non-citizens hailing from for- CAA, as a consequence, might allow for Q , D)D1/3- a further sub-class of “select” religiously-persecut- 213 of being subjected to undue suspicion on eign countries. such “racial liberalism” towards some 6 S C ed minorities. a section of Indian citizens as As India is not yet a signatory to the classes, while excluding certain other class- H : -@KLE +34+(3*+/ Salve’s advocacy misses the forest for the trees 6*1+3- Bangladeshis, based on ethno-racial pro- Refugee Convention and Protocol, does es of immigrants. 6 and trees for the forest. It misses the general point filing and dual filtering through NPR- this entitle it to draw a distinction between Even better is the description given by , of India’s commitment to those who come to it due 21$+D+(+DD NRC. The affidavit submitted by the classes of asylum seekers and refugees? sociologist Zygmut Bauman, who consid- 0 to fear of civil or any other kind of disturbances, as 483((1-+(D Centre in the Supreme Court in the cases This is a grey area in which the current ered modern Statecraft of choosing cer- # 6 8 ) C ( stated in Section 19 (4) of the Indian Independence filed against CAA makes it further clear formulation of the CAA excludes tain people over the other on certain con- E M Act, 1947. Premised on such a consequential follow- that the power of exclusion of immigrants Muslims. Salve justifies it by saying that sideration as a “gardening State.” The CAA, # , ) up of India’s independence, the Nehru-Liaquat pact arises from “sovereign” power of the as there is a settled political boundary by choosing some and excluding the other guaranteed settlement of the displaced minority in Indian State by which it is entitled to have between India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and has performed the role of “gardening” / = % their respective country of choice until the last day its own immigration policy. This power Afghanistan, so Muslim immigrants from within the contours of Indian citizenship. C S of 1950. Recognition of “minority rights” irrespec- of exclusion of certain class of immigrants these countries, other than India, cannot (The writer is a legal philosopher and E tive of religion has been the very bane of this early in CAA, as per the affidavit, is the claim citizenship and they are liable to be a political analyst based in Shillong.) 6 - " # 3,%&8$ 5 with nearly all States and Union been in a free fall for long and in the down forests and commercialising animals for consumption purposes, ee from venturing into the tropical Territories observing the diktat of the process this has been eroding the cen- animal life contained therein. Once must ban this forthwith. When the forests to cut trees. Similarly those Central Government or imposing turies of resilience developed by these biodiversity hotspots were buying stops, so will the exploitation dealing in live animals for commer- curfew-like conditions. Mother Nature to withstand the destroyed by mankind, the animals and in turn the transmission of any cial purposes will think twice before Nationally and globally, the degeneration brought on by mankind. and the virus strains existing there- harmful pathogens. Many of these wet laying hands on the animals due to the impact on economies has been disas- But now it seems that nature is in, needed new hosts and humans markets in South-East Asia feed a fear of contracting fatal viruses. If one trous, with the global stock markets responding definitively and punish- became unwitting hosts to them. huge number of populations but in examines the past, it is clear that the +4)-2/13D34 plummeting due to a sell-off amount- ingly. Nature’s repositories such as This aspect was recently confirmed by the larger interest of humankind, these viruses have kept plaguing humani- 4$+51 ing to $6 trillion in value, triggered by tropical forests around the world the United States Centre for Disease markets must be forced to close ty and possibly will continue to do so the Coronavirus within a short span with their teeming exotic animals Control as well. The exploitative down and Governments must provide unless mankind disconnects itself # 12 %&%7 of six days. The US is already com- were earlier considered the source of activities of humans have become a alternative source of nutrition for the from the concept of pillaging the envi- paring the current economic condi- viruses and pathogens that caused dis- highway of sorts, using which viru- dependent population. In the after- ronment for material gains and = OVID-19 has a vice-like grip tions with the Great Depression of eases such as Ebola and HIV. But new lent pathogens are crossing from the math of COVID-19, China has instead focusses on co-existence with over India and the rest of the 1930. research under the discipline of plan- animal kingdom to mankind. The already shut down many wet markets, nature so that it is given ample space # world. According to the However, the fact remains that etary science is showing that human- tragedy is that despite earlier experi- albeit a delayed move but neverthe- of its own. C '3 WorldoMeter, there have been over while the world economy is in the dol- ity’s destruction of biodiversity is in ences with such viruses as the Nipah, less a welcome one. Many other busy Large-scale human casualties due 19,607 casualties across the globe; the drums only now, the environmental fact causing the creation of new Ebola and Severe Acute Respiratory wet markets such as those in Lagos to the Coronavirus must serve as a % # number of people infected stands at conditions across the globe have not strains of virus pathogens that are Syndrome, we are yet to learn any must also be shut down if more virus wake-up call to help understand the # # '3 4,35,002 and is growing by the hour. been good for decades as is evident moving from animals to humans at an lessons. transmissions are to be averted from reality that the abuse of the environ- ! # In India, too, the situation is grim as by the threat of climate change that alarming rate. The ongoing COVID- This indiscriminate and unthink- these locations. ment has now reached catastrophic # the number of casualties stands at 10 is looming large. In February, the 19 is the latest example of this. ing exploitation of nature has the Awareness needs to be made a levels and unless nature is given the whereas the number of infected peo- Antarctica experienced one of its There is an urgent need to change potential of ending mankind and tool of investment in nature. The respect it deserves, it will eventually ple stands at 562. major meltdowns amid record-high the narrative here from exploitation hence it is time to start investing in stakeholders must be made aware of reclaim the same and on its own 0 !'3 O India has now taken the unprece- temperatures, causing some of the of nature to investment in it. Mankind the environment for the greater good the risks involved to them and to their terms. # !' dented step of imposing a 21-day-long major glaciers to melt. The environ- has, for decades, exploited nature’s of humanity. As a first step, nations family members. This will for instance (The writer is an environmental curfew and locking down the nation, ment and ecological biodiversity have hotspots by building roads, cutting where wet markets thrive and sell live dissuade a logging company employ- journalist) ( 9 !! 8> 3 . *5.675(7484.5576.91%

+3D more fatalities than China with 3,434, as well as having 47,610 Q< - RA' - "" " # :- ( he number of deaths infections and 5,367 recoveries. Taround the world from China -- excluding Hong the novel coronavirus cases Kong and Macau -- has to date $+/3/ while knowing that you are Hospital de la Paz, which has the ability to respond to the cri- stood at 19,246, according to a declared 3,281 deaths and dearly needed at work,” she told 1,000 beds. sis. On top of that, they raise tally compiled by AFP at 1100 81,218 cases. The other worst- y the time Patricia Núñez’s The Associated Press. This week, 11 of the hos- the specter of hospitals becom- GMT Wednesday from official hit countries are Iran with Bcough started, she was The coronavirus is waging pital’s 14 floors are devoted to ing breeding grounds of infec- sources. 2,077 fatalities and 27,017 already familiar with the dread- a war of attrition against health caring for those suffering from tion. More than 427,940 cases, France with 1,100 deaths ed dry hacking sound tor- care workers throughout the COVID-19, and there is still Spain’s experience has been declared cases have been reg- and 22,302 cases, and the menting patients who had for world, but nowhere is it win- not enough room: The patients reflected elsewhere. istered in 181 countries and ter- United States with 600 deaths weeks been filling the Madrid ning more battles at the with less serious cases of the The World Health ritories since the epidemic first and 55,225 cases. emergency ward where she moment than in Italy and in disease are being put in the Organization’s director-gener- emerged in China in Since 1900 GMT Tuesday, works. Spain, where protective equip- hospital’s gym or in a large tent al this week called reports of December. Cameroon and Niger have “We were fed up of hearing ment and tests have been in outside. large number of infections The tallies, using data col- announced their first deaths it at the hospital, so it was just severely short supply for weeks. “If you had told me three among health workers “alarm- lected by AFP offices from while Libya, Laos, Belize, a matter of time before I would Spain’s universal health months ago that I would be ing.” national authorities and infor- Grenada, Mali and Dominica contract it,” said Núñez, a 32- care system is a source of working in these conditions in “Even if we do everything mation from the World Health reported their first cases. year-old nurse who tested pos- national pride and often hailed Spain, I wouldn’t have believed else right, if we don’t prioritize Organization (WHO), are like- By continent, Europe has itive for the new coronavirus as a reason for its citizens’ leg- you,” Perera said, adding that protecting health workers, ly to reflect only a fraction of listed 226,340 cases and 12,719 about a week ago. endary longevity, but the out- 5 !# #! $ staff at La Paz are only being many people will die because the actual number of infections. deaths to date, Asia 99,805 Speaking via video call break is exposing its short- tested for the virus if they the health worker who could Many countries are now cases and 3,593 deaths, the US from her home, Núñez said she comings, some of which are the the 12 de Octubre University nationally, health authorities have symptoms. “If they did have saved their lives is sick,” only testing cases that require and Canada together 57,304 is eager to recover, so she can result of years of budget cuts. Hospital, patients could be said, representing 13.6% of the (regular testing), they might Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hospitalisation. cases with 624 deaths, the relieve overworked colleagues The country’s hospitals are seen on the floor as they wait- country’s 47,600 total cases end up without any workers.” told journalists. Italy, which recorded its Middle East 32,118 cases and dealing with a rising wave of groaning under the weight of ed for a bed in recent days. The and about 1% of the health sys- Widespread infections In Italy, where nearly one- first coronavirus death in 2,119 deaths, Latin America patients and dwindling num- the pandemic: Video and pho- hospital says the patients have tem’s workforce. At least three among health workers reflect tenth of about 70,000 infections February, has to date declared and the Caribbean 7,337 cases bers of healthy nurses and tos from two hospitals in the since been accommodated else- health care workers have died. the universal difficulty of stem- are among medical workers, 6,820 fatalities, with 69,176 with 118 deaths, Oceania 2,656 doctors. Spanish capital showed where. “We are collapsing. We ming the spread of the pan- doctors and nurses have been infections and 8,326 people cases with nine deaths and “The worst thing is that patients, many hooked up to On Wednesday, the num- need more workers,” said Lidia demic. But sick health workers begging the government daily recovered. Africa 2,382 cases with 64 you need to stay at home, wor- oxygen tanks, crowding corri- ber of medical personnel Perera, a nurse who works do double damage: They add to to provide more masks, gloves Like Italy, Spain now has deaths. ried about infecting relatives, dors and emergency rooms. At infected was nearly 6,500 with Núñez at Madrid’s the toll while also hampering and goggles.

! $ ! # " # ! ! ' $ 4$1 on Wednesday evening -- February 21. steady downward line. although the government is all It had been running at as The slowing contagion rate 9149+ taly on Tuesday received but certain to extend them in high as 50 percent at the start is at least offering a ray of hope Imore reassuring evidence some form for weeks or even of March. in the midst of a global health he obituaries posted on a that its coronavirus infection months. “The measures we took emergency that is only deep- Tboard where the newspa- rate was slowing thanks to a Italy’s 743 new deaths two weeks ago are starting to ening in other parts of Europe pers might otherwise hang tell painful lockdown that other broke two days of successive have an effect,” civil protection and the the story of an Italian village liv- nations are starting to apply at declines that had taken the service chief Angelo Borrelli United States. ing through a disaster the mayor great economic cost. number down to 601 on told the daily La Repubblica Scientists believe that calls “worse than the war”. Health officials across the Monday. before Tuesday’s toll countries such as Spain and The war Vertova mayor ravaged Mediterranean coun- It set a world record of 793 came out. France are following in Italy’s Orlando Gualdi refers to is try are poring over every new fatalities on Saturday. He said more data over the footsteps with a lag of a few World War II — a cataclysmic piece of data to see whether two But officially registered next few days will help show “if weeks. event more and more Italians weeks of bans and closures new infections rose just eight the growth curve is really flat- The numbers from the US cite while describing the dam- have made a dent in the crisis. percent -- the same as Monday tening.” Few scientists expect are also similar to the track of age wrought by the coron- The harshest restrictions and the lowest level since Italy Italy’s numbers — if they real- those of Italy about 20 days avirus pandemic. are theoretically due to expire registered its first death on ly are dropping — to follow a ago. Italy’s death toll is somewhat hard to grasp when they are read out every evening in 9# Rome. The total across the 2 /74. .: $ country soared to 6,820 by ) Wednesday. It is 36 in Vertova. But the village — its ancient stone hous- #%: 4 es hugging the side of a moun- " = tain 70 kilometres northeast of $+/3/ testing, the number of people curb the spread of the virus &+D23-4 Milan — has 4,600 inhabitants diagnosed with COVID-19 rose both in the military and in the D)+6+*+ and usually sees around 60 pain’s armed forces on by nearly 20 percent to 39,673, civilian population. he number of coronavirus deaths the entire year. STuesday asked NATO for the health ministry said. Health The request specified Tcases in the United States losed borders and social “It’s worse than the war,” humanitarian assistance to authorities said it would become 450,000 respirators, 500,000 jumped by nearly 10,000 while Cdistancing rules to stem the Gualdi told AFP in one of the fight the novel coronavirus as clear whether the lockdown rapid testing kits, 500 ventila- about 150 Americans died in a coronavirus outbreak failed to village’s empty squares. the national death toll touched was having the desired effect. tors and 1.5 million surgical day even as President Donald stop one transnational couple Four freshly made coffins 2,700 and infections soared “This is a very hard week masks. With the numbers still Trump hoped to reopen the in Indonesia from tying are bunched together near the towards 40,000. because we’re in the first stages spiralling, the government of country’s economy by Easter, the knot on Wednesday, minus entrance of a chapel nearby. With the pandemic spread- of overcoming the virus, a Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez April 12. the customary kiss to seal the They are waiting to be ing across the world, Spain has phase in which we are on Tuesday sought parliamen- With millions of deal. cremated and then buried in been one of the worst-hit coun- approaching the peak of the tary approval to extend the Americans under a lockdown, Irra Chorina Octora, 29, the cemetery in the back. tries, logging the third highest epidemic,” Health Minister state of emergency for an extra the National Guard as well as and her Turkish partner Yavuz Funerals have been banned number of deaths with the lat- Salvador Illa told a televised two weeks, until April 11 — the the armed forces were pressed Ozdemir, 32, swapped vows at for weeks and the ceremony est toll standing at 2,696 after news conference. day before Easter — in a bid to into service in several states Al Akbar mosque in Surabaya, will be a muted affair attended another 514 people died over Like many other countries, slow the spread of the virus. such as New York which saw at as friends and family -- each sat by caretakers wrapped in pro- the past 24 hours. Spain has been struggling with “We are aware of just how least 53 deaths and about 5,000 two metres apart -- looked on. tective suits and masks. Despite an unprecedented a lack of medical supplies for hard it is to prolong this situ- new cases on Tuesday. New # The couple both wore face- The cemetery itself lockdown imposed on March testing, treatment and the pro- ation, but it is absolutely imper- York has so far reported more ; ! -9 $ masks and kept their distance remains closed to the villagers 14, both deaths and infections tection of frontline workers. ative that we keep fighting the than 25,000 COVID-19 cases through the ceremony to com- because public gathering are have continued to mount, with In a statement, NATO said virus in order to win this bat- and 210 fatalities. time by Easter, which is on would be,” Trump said but ply with strict rules imposed by banned — so grieving for your the Spanish army called in to Spain’s military had asked for tle,” government spokeswoman According to Worldometer, April 12. asserted that his first priority authorities, who have banned loved ones with flowers at their join efforts to curb its spread. “international assistance”, seek- Maria Jesus Montero told the a website which compiles “I want to encourage was always the health and safe- mass gatherings including wed- grave is no longer allowed. With authorities stepping up ing medical supplies to help news conference. COVID-19 cases, nearly 10,000 everyone to keep following ty of the American people. dings but allowed some excep- new coronavirus cases were our guidelines on social dis- However, Director of the tions for marriages booked reported across the country on tancing, avoiding large gather- National Institute of Allergy before the pandemic began. " # Tuesday alone taking the total ings, hand washing and all the and Infectious Diseases Dr Virus precautions were on ; to around 54,000 while the other things that everybody Anthony Fauci cautioned full display, with a maximum of # # number of fatalities surged by knows they are supposed to be against setting any timeline 25 people at the event, tem- 613G3- the city with a population of 150 in a day bringing its total doing. Ultimately, the goal is to for resolving the crisis, saying, perature checks at the door and over 11 million. ! >*". %? to about 700. ease the guidelines and open “You got to be very hand sanitiser throughout the hina on Wednesday down- Also, Wuhan will resume 12+ Apart from New York, things up to very large sections flexible.” venue. The wedding was also Cgraded the risk level of the commercial flights from April London: Psychologists have neighbouring New Jersey, along of our country as we near the “You can look at a date, but wrapped up in just 30 minutes. coronavirus in its epicentre 8, excluding international ran’s president warned that launched a study of the men- with California, Michigan, end of our historic battle with you got to be very flexible. And The only hint of physical Wuhan from high to medium flights and flights to and from Ihis government was poised to tal health and social impacts of Illinois and Florida were the the invisible enemy,” the pres- on a literally day-by-day and intimacy came when Ozdemir, and resumed bus services with- Beijing. introduce tough new measures the COVID-19 pandemic, an other coronavirus hotspots. ident said. week-by-week basis, you need whom Octora first met on in the city for the first time The government has against the coronavirus effort that may shed more light However, no new cases or “I hope we can do this by to evaluate the feasibility of social media, briefly took off since the nine-week lockdown downgraded the risk level of Wednesday as the death toll on how the spread of the dis- deaths were reported in Easter. I think that would be a what you’re trying to do,” he his mask for his bride to feed even as a new study said thou- Wuhan for COVID-19 out- from one of the world’s dead- ease affects people’s behaviour. Washington, the state which great thing for our country and said. him a piece of wedding cake. sands of positive cases there break from high to medium, liest outbreaks topped Researchers, led by was first hit by the pathogen in we are all working very hard to White House Coronavirus Their reception party was may have gone under the radar. state-run China Daily report- 2,000. Professor Richard Bentall at the the US. make that a reality. We will be Task Force Coordinator cancelled and only a compro- China has decided to lift ed on Wednesday. President Hassan Rouhani University of Sheffield, are sur- President Trump, whose meeting a lot of people to see Deborah L Birx informed mise with the mosque allowed the three-month lockdown on While Hubei and Wuhan said that the new measures, veying 2,000 people in the UK, approval rating touched 50 per if it can be done,” he said and reporters that of the 3,70,000 the pair to proceed with the more than 56 million people in has not reported any new which could be adopted as and again in a month’s time, cent for the first time appar- also hoped the Congress would tests done so far, 2,20000 were ceremony on Wednesday, ear- the central Hubei COVID-19 case, four people soon as Wednesday evening, and hope that their findings ently because of his handling soon vote on a USD 2 trillion carried out in the last eight lier than planned. province. died in the city taking the included Iran’s first restric- will help inform the better the coronavirus crisis on a war bill that would deliver direct days. The new cases, she said, “All people must pass our However, the prolonged death toll in China to 3,281, the tions on movement to try to management of future public footing, put up a brave front on cash payments to struggling would continue to surge disinfectant gate after being lockdown of Hubei’s capital National Health Commission stem the spread of the virus and health crises, the University Tuesday telling reporters that Americans. because the government is still checked with a thermal gun,” Wuhan will end on April 8, lift- (NHC) said on were likely to be “difficult” for said in a release. PTI he expects things to go back to “Easter is our timeline, working on the Al Akbar mosque spokesman ing the mass quarantine over Wednesday. the public. normal in about three weeks’ what a great timeline that backlog. Helmy M. Noor told AFP. ( : !! 8> 3 .

)=N& % - - - 1 ) 0 * # O !# # " )31/+34D $4D4& months, would reset presiden- -119+ he coronavirus pandemic is tial term limits and potential- Tthreatening the entire ussian President Vladimir ly allow Putin, in power for 20 ountries must protect peo- & human race, the United RPutin said Wednesday the years, to stay in office until Cple in detention from the Paris: Metro and rail services Starting Thursday, about Nations said Wednesday as it public vote on his constitu- 2036. COVID-19 pandemic by in Paris and its suburbs will be 50 of the roughly 300 Paris launched a humanitarian tional reforms must be post- Putin also took the unusu- releasing vulnerable prisoners, cut to a minimum as part of the metro stations will be closed, response that includes appeals poned due to the coronavirus al step of declaring next week the UN’s rights chief said on nationwide coronavirus lock- and service across the net- 412+-1 on February 23 before it was for USD 2 billon for the world’s pandemic and declared next a non-working week. Wednesday. down, officials said work, as well as on RER com- extended nationwide on March poorest people. “COVID-19 is week a public holiday. “The long holidays are “Covid-19 has begun to Wednesday. muter lines serving the sub- taly’s air quality has improved 9. As of 1100 GMT Wednesday, threatening the whole of “I believe the voting must provided to slow the speed of strike prisons, jails and immi- Both Paris transport oper- urbs, will run only from 6:00 Isince the country went into Italy had recorded more 69,000 humanity -- and the whole of be postponed to a later date,” expansion of the disease,” he gration detention centres, as ator RATP and national rail am to 10:00 pm (0500 to 2100 coronavirus lockdown, the cases with 6,820 deaths. humanity must fight back. Putin said of the April 22 said. Unlike other countries, well as residential care homes group SNCF have already GMT). European Environment EEA said its “data confirm Global action and solidarity are plebiscite in a rare televised Russia has not yet introduced and psychiatric hospitals, and sharply reduced services since The operators said the goal Agency (EEA) said Wednesday, large decreases in air pollutant crucial. Individual country address in which he called on mandatory at home sheltering. risks rampaging through such the self-confinement orders was to keep just enough trains a trend seen elsewhere in concentrations... Largely due to responses are not going to be Russians to show solidarity. Putin urged Russians to institutions’ extremely vulner- came into effect on March 17. running for health workers Europe as well. reduced traffic and other activ- enough,” Secretary General The reforms, proposed by help each other and follow able populations,” Michelle They apply to all but essential and others who need to get to In Milan, Italy’s economic ities, especially in major cities Antonio Guterres said in the president and approved by instructions given by medics Bachelet said in a employees and those who can- work during the coronavirus capital, the concentration of under lockdown measures.” announcing the initiative. lawmakers over the last few and the authorities. statement. not work from home. crisis. AFP nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a gas Other parts of Europe have emitted mainly from vehicles seen similar effects, in Spain for and power stations and which example where NO2 concen- can cause inflammation of the tration has fallen by 55 percent &;& # respiratory system, has fallen by in Barcelona and 41 percent in 24 percent in the last four Madrid, on a 12-month com- (4/4 the streets of London to advise police service. I am deter- weeks, compared with the pre- parison. people and businesses of the mined we will do that,” she said. ceeding four weeks, the EEA In the Spanish capital, aver- cotland Yard on Wednesday new rules. Her message came as it said. age NO2 concentration has Ssaid that its officers stand “We will only use enforce- emerged that police had to step The week starting on fallen by 56 percent from one ready to take enforcement ment if we absolutely have to in to break up a barbeque March 16 alone saw a 21 per- week to the next. action if “absolutely necessary” but we won’t hesitate if there are gathering of 20 people in cent reduction compared with NO2 levels have halved in and called on the UK popula- people who are deliberately Coventry, central England. the same week one year earli- some other parts of the conti- tion to comply with the law and breaching the law. But I think “Officers felt they needed to er. nent. But the French air qual- stay indoors as part of the lock- the vast majority of people end the gathering by tipping In Rome, NO2 levels have ity monitoring agency cau- down measures to combat the will want to comply with the over the BBQ and insisting the fallen between 26 and 35 per- tioned that the lockdown had spread of the coronavirus pan- law to keep their society safe. group dispersed to their cent for the same four weeks, not led to marked declines in demic. “We’ve shown time and homes,” West Midlands and in Bergamo, Italy’s hardest so-called PM2.5 and PM10 Metropolitan Police com- again our ability to adapt, to Police said. hit city, the reduction was 47 particles, the smallest and most missioner Cressida Dick said rise to a challenge, to flex and “It’s vital everyone follows percent. harmful air pollutants, owing to that since Prime Minister Boris surge our resources and our the new lockdown instruc- The lockdown in Italy increased home heating and # ## ! # ## " # Johnson’s “stay at home” staff, and even in the darkest of tions. They are essential and began in certain northern areas continued agricultural activity. $ announcement on Monday time to be able to keep people will save lives,” the force said. evening, officers have been on safe and give a good quality , 2 B " )# ! # & 4 A6 - #A) # #! (4/4 with the emerging picture of spoke. &( enthused by recovery in glob- markets took confidence from $)$6+3 improvement in the economy, the economic damage, means “So many people are being ) al stocks after the US Senate the 21-day lockdown imposed ageing provisions and coupled global stocks rally petered we need to take another leg put out of work through no and White House reached by Prime Minister Narendra he outbreak of COVID-19 with the recent outbreak of Aout Wednesday as Europe lower before the bottom is fault of their own. They don’t agreement on a USD 2 trillion Modi as the move somewhat Tand continued slowdown ‘COVID-19’, the banking sec- took up the baton, despite US found,” said Neil Wilson, chief know what their future is going stimulus package for the US removes the uncertainty and in the economy are likely to have tor might witness an adverse lawmakers agreeing a mam- market analyst at trading group to be like, how are they going $)$6+3 economy. showed that the government is an impact on banks asset qual- impact on credit delivery and moth stimulus package to help Markets.Com. to pay the bills,” Schumer Reliance Industries was the willing to take hard steps to ity and may trigger a surge in asset quality leading to pressure the world’s biggest economy While COVID-19 contin- noted. “Well, we come to their ndian stock benchmarks top gainer in the Sensex pack, fight the Covid-19 pandemic. gross non-performing assets on capital adequacy,” the rating resist effects of the COVID-19 ues to spread, traders have a rescue.” ISensex and Nifty posted their rallying up to 15 per cent, fol- Receding uncertainty in (GNPA) ratio to 9.6 to 9.9 per agency’s senior director, Sanjay pandemic. rare semblance of optimism The measure will put cash best single-day rise in over a lowed by Kotak Bank, Maruti, domestic markets following cent by the second or third quar- Agarwal, said in the report. After huge gains for equi- after weeks of carnage across directly into the hands of decade on Wednesday, mir- HDFC twins, Titan, L&T and defined lockdown announce- ter of the next fiscal, says a The GNPA ratio of banks is ties Tuesday, which continued global markets, with eyes fixed Americans, provides grants to roring buoyancy in global mar- Axis Bank. ment and assurance of domes- report. The global pandemic has likely to be in the range of 9.6- into Wednesday with Tokyo on Washington where law- small businesses and hundreds kets and anticipating a stimu- On the other hand, tic stimulus by the government stalled the economic activity 9.9 per cent by the second or soaring and European indices makers thrashed out an emer- of billions of dollars in loans for lus package by the govern- IndusInd Bank, ONGC, ITC boosted investor sentiment, which is going to severely impact third quarter of FY21 from 9.3 jumping at the open, London gency bill worth as much as $2 corporations including embat- ment to tide over the financial and Bajaj Auto closed with said Narendra Solanki, Head- sectors such transport, travel and per cent as of December 2019, lost some of its gains and trillion — around 10 percent of tled airlines, while expanding turmoil caused by the coron- losses. Equity Research tourism, aviation, among others. given the exposures to certain Frankfurt was in the red near- US gross domestic product. “At unemployment benefits. avirus pandemic. All sectoral indices on the (Fundamental), Anand Rathi. The Reserve Bank and the stressed sectors, moderation in ing the half-way stage. last, we have a deal,” Senate The prospect of a massive The BSE gauge Sensex shot BSE ended in the green with “The rally was supported government may announce a the bank credit growth and Elsewhere, the dollar was Majority Leader Mitch spending splurge, combined up 1,861.75 points or 6.98 per energy, finance, bankex, auto, by strength across the markets regulatory forbearance or an muted demand scenario, he said. lower against main rivals and McConnell said, calling it a with the Federal Reserve’s cent to settle at 28,535.78, and basic materials and oil and gas including large frontline and interest subvention scheme on The rating agency said as oil prices retreated. “wartime level of investment pledge to essentially print as the NSE barometer Nifty spurt- indices rallying up to 10 per mid-small cap stocks ahead of report by Care Ratings loans to there is a lockdown imposed “The stimulus is now by into our nation”. “We have a much cash is needed, sent Wall ed 516.80 points or 6.62 per cent. expiry tomorrow (Thursday) help banks deal with the NPA within India and the world, and large in place, the question bipartisan agreement on the Street into overdrive Tuesday, cent to end at 8,317.85 – the Broader midcap and small- which also played its part in stress, according to a report it both domestic consumption is whether it’s enough for the largest rescue package in with the Dow seeing its biggest biggest single-day gain for the cap indices surged up to 3.53 terms of short-covering which said. as well as export-oriented markets or whether the expect- American history,” top Senate rise since 1933, while the S&P indices. per cent. added further fuel to the rally,” “Considering that there industries could be affected due ed spike in cases and deaths in Democrat Chuck Schumer 500 enjoyed its best day in Domestic market was Experts are of the view that he added. has been no substantial to muted demand. the US and Europe, combined said shortly after McConnell more than a decade. & 2 -# # 4##! ! ! (4/4 but inevitable. The Senate and House of The Fed has kept up near- 1 " In the United States, Senate Representatives still need to daily announcements to keep 5678 overnments and central leaders and the White House pass the legislation before send- dollars flowing, in addition to Gbanks around the world early Wednesday struck agreeing it to President Donald slashing its main lending rate 1 #$ are ripping up the policy rule- ment on a USD 2 trillion stim- Trump for his signature. to near zero. book as they battle to immu- ulus package for the world’s The package will put cash On Monday, the Fed Q R 54(5++ duction stage, he said. nise their economies from largest economy. directly into the hands of vowed to buy unlimited Tea Board’s deputy chair- deeper coronavirus carnage. The biggest ever spending Americans, provides grants to amounts of government debt - $)$6+3 The CAPA has also sought ea production in the coun- man Arun Kumar Ray said that Printing new money, gar- plan in US history had been small businesses and hundreds - akin to printing money -- and “urgent” government inter- Ttry is likely to fall by 100 the “likely shortfall in produc- gantuan debt spending, loan knocked back by Democratic of billions of dollars in loans for offered to lend directly to viation consultancy CAPA vention and coordinated indus- million kg this year due to the tion due to lockdown would be guarantees, tax breaks and objections to the Republican larger corporations including small- and medium-sized Aon Wednesday projected try response to address all the 21-day lockdown which was around 100 million kg this even direct payments to work- plan, which was decried as a airlines, and expands unem- firms. initial losses of USD 3.3-3.6 bil- requirement of the aviation “inevitable” to tackle the coro- year”, which could lead to rise ers are all in the highly “slush fund” for bosses. ployment benefits. Some observers are lion for the Indian aviation industry. navirus crisis, an official said on in prices. unorthodox mix. But party leaders over- A separate package from demanding a collective industry in the first quarter of According to the CAPA, Wednesday. “The impact of the coron- AFP surveys the latest came their differences to clinch US financial overseers includ- response from the G7 and G20 FY2021 in the eventuality of all the airline sector losses are The country had produced avirus outbreak will be felt responses by major economies a “wartime level of investment ing the Federal Reserve would to fight the pandemic, and air services including domestic expected to be around USD around 1,389 million kgs of tea across the globe. The priority as COVID-19 has spread from into our nation”, Republican provide a stunning USD 4 tril- help poorer nations who lack remain shut until June due to 1.75 billion while that of the in 2019, he said. is to prevent community China to the rest of the world, Senate Majority Leader Mitch lion in liquidity to juice up the the borrowing capacity of their the coronavirus pandemic. airports and concessionaires at “The lockdown was transmission,” Ray said. making a global recession all McConnell said. economy. richer peers. The pandemic has had a around USD 1.50-1.75 billion inevitable as there is no other With this lockdown, significant impact on the avi- and another USD 80-90 million option to prevent the spread of Darjeeling tea planters will ation industry due to the strin- losses of the ground handling the disease. However, the coun- lose first flush production, a gent border controls by a host companies. try’s tea production will be hit premium variety, by around 30 of countries and imposition of Noting that the domestic and this will lead to a collapse per cent, Bezbaruah said the travel ban on the people of airline sector was already vul- of the industry,” Tea Board The loss of production in other nationalities to contain nerable even prior to the advent Chairman P K Bezbaruah told West Bengal’s Dooars is likely the virus infection. of COVID-19, the CAPA said PTI. It will take time to bring to be around 11 per cent and 10 The Indian government most Indian airlines have not tea bushes again to the proper cent in Assam, he said. has also suspended all air ser- structured their business mod- vices among the several mea- els to be able to withstand even sures to prevent if from getting regular shocks, such as elevat- a large part of the population ed fuel prices or economic infected. downturns, let alone once-in- “ India’s aviation sector a-century events. could incur losses of USD 3.3- With few exceptions, 3.6 billion in 1QFY2021. Indian carriers have weak bal- Assuming that all domestic ance sheets and precarious lev- and international operations els of liquidity, the CAPA said remain grounded until Jun in the report, adding airlines 30,” the Centre for Asia Pacific have generated cash to stay Aviation (CAPA) India said in afloat through advance sales or its preliminary report. sale-and-lease back margins Prime Minister Narendra (and government infusion in Modi on Tuesday announced a the case of Air India), but with 21-day complete lockdown no cushion to be able to with- from Wednesday, stating that it stand downward cycles. was the only way of breaking Stating that with global COVID-19 infection cycle. aviation almost grinding to a “Even with some partial halt - and for what could be an resumption of services in May extended period – this is a state and June, the financial out- of affairs that will heighten risks comes may not change signif- for even the strongest carriers icantly,” Modi said in his tele- in the world, CAPA appre- vised address to the nation hended several weaker airlines Monday evening. might go belly-up. !! >

4 2 used to sing at a restaurant in Delhi when he saw a news story, which had a TV reporter interviewing a woman during the '-7 Kashmir floods. “Her son had disappeared and the reporter was asking, ‘Kaisa lag ' raha hai aapko aapka bachcha baadh me Observational gayab ho gaya? (How do you feel as your son has disappeared during the floods?)’ ' ( She replied, ‘Kaisa lagega? (How will I feel?)’ I thought this is typical Indian news ( and an Indian reporter. I made a video 8 about it and posted it on Facebook as at + 5. that time, I was unaware that I could use # # 9 YouTube for this. I thought it was primar- ) &-O artiste ily for film trailers. One of my friends told '2 me to separate the videos from my musi- # 5 5 22 * cian profile, so I made a Facebook page ' called BB Ki Vines. It caught on by word ockdown = Soaring demand for of mouth and people started following +J internet content for both entertain- me,” recalls Bhuvan who still finds his # Lment and information. But more escape route in music as he tells us, “When often than not, these have become the I am done writing jokes and creating con- + % # tools for spreading falsehood and myths. tent, I play the small keyboard that I keep $ ' YouTuber and singer Bhuvan Bam, who’s in my room. That is how I get out of stress 2 % BB Ki Vines has 16.7 million subscribers and anxiety.” on YouTube, has come out with a video However, he has spread his wings L3 3 to tackle both. It is called ‘Time to be a beyond music and videos and even # ! Hero’ and focusses on the WhatsApp acted in a short film, Plus Minus. Bhuvan forwards being circulated about happened to be in the right place at the Coronavirus. Says Bhuvan, “This has right time to bag this. “I was lucky to be # been going on in my head for a long time. in that room when director Jyoti Kapoor In my own house, I see my parents shar- Das and the producer were discussing # # ing fake news on WhatsApp because they that they were planning a story on Baba think it is legit. If this is a scenario in my Harbhajan Singh. He is the soldier, who, ## '3 O house, then how many families are there it is believed, continues to guard the Indo- who actually believe this?” So he decid- China border, long after his death. I was ed to collect all the fake information really intrigued and wanted a narration. ##' related to Coronavirus and compared it When I heard it, I was like ‘let’s do it’. with the reality in a 4.05 minute video. What made the experience different was # The video, which lists out the do’s and that for once, I was not holding a phone don’ts while providing the links to WHO in my hand,” he says with a laugh and the # + O and Ministry of Health and Welfare site fact that he worked with actor Divya in a conversational manner, a style which Dutta made it special. “Sone pe suhaga ho the artiste is known for, has garnered for the audience as they will listen to that The political views for or against any issue difference is that I am a little transpar- gaya (icing on the cake),” he adds. '& ! eight million views within three days. too even if they don’t comply with it in are always there and artistes reflect it. ent while others are hiding it.” He Bhuvan has also received several Not just falsehood, Bhuvan also feels entirety,” he says. Of course, there is the What has made it really popular in India believes that it is nothing but “sheer awards including the ‘Entertainer of the ' # that there is always the possibility of a possibility that the repetitions from dif- is that the younger generation is taking hypocrisy” when people profess to be fans Year’ at Cannes last year, recognising the 'M message being misinterpreted which ferent people might be irritating for the politics seriously. Earlier, elderly people of Russell Peters or claim to have enjoyed way he is extending his boundaries. Does happened with the Prime Minister’s audience but “it is the only way to rein- discussed it occasionally over tea. That American Pie or Euro Trip but are criti- he see Indian artistes across board get- address calling for a lockdown on March force the message.” He goes on to point way, it is a refreshing change,” he says. cal of the content that he puts out. “I am ting recognition worldwide? “In every art O& 22. He says the message needs to be out, “The YouTube community is a vast However, scrolling through his chan- not showing nudity or anything. If some- form, India is right there. I am glad that spelled out to coherently. “I immediate- market and each of the creators can do nel reveals that there is nothing which one is criticising me for my choice of lan- people across the globe are appreciating ly thought that when he asked for a Janta it in their own typical fashion.” would qualify as a political satire or com- guage, it is nothing but sheer hypocrisy,” us. Bollywood films were already a hit ;( ! Curfew on Sunday, we are a billion peo- Time and again we have seen comedy. Bhuvan laughs as he says, “I person- he asserts. abroad. But now people have started talk- )! ( ple, many of whom believe everything. He edy being used effectively for discussing ally don’t like getting into politics. I know While India and Indians might be ing about YouTube as well as there is could have specifically emphasised that a social issue. It has been explored and very little about it and half knowledge is critical of the content being put out, for diversity of content. There is comedy as (; you should not be stepping out post 22 utilised widely in films, series as well the worst. And you should not speak if Bhuvan, the country and its people have well as bloggers who create cooking, ) ;( too as we have to be spoon-fed. The YouTube videos. Bhuvan too believes in you have one-sided or half-baked opin- acted as a source of inspiration. “The beauty, travel and more content,” he says mindset is that if we have to beat the thali the efficacy of the genre. “If you look at ion. Politics is not my cup of tea.” country is chalta phirta (fertile ground) and points out that it seems while the or clap, we will do it together. The grav- my channel history, whenever I do a While political content might be meme material. Everyday, a lakh people content is exploding there are not enough ( ( (< ity of the situation was lost on most as social issue, I try not to sound preachy. absent, BB Ki Vines is replete with cuss can create a thousand different videos on viewers. He gives several parallels to 6 ( many thought that the disease is spread- I have 18 characters in BB Ki Vines, so I words and that is often the reason why different topics because there is so much explain the situation and says, “During ing in China or Italy or even in another can put across my views in the form of it has received a lot of flak. Moreover, very comedy and content happening around 90s, every second house had a bat and ball ( ! & Indian states and there is a border, so it a conversation which makes it effective. often, while the audience might enjoy a us. India still wouldn’t run out of content,” as everyone wanted to be a cricketer. ) ( cannot cross that. You don’t know who The message given out as a comedy particular episode, it is wary of sharing says Bhuvan, who works on observation Then there was the phase of the Indian is travelling where and who has brought always registers better,” says Bhuvan it further unless it is with a group of which the lockdown has put on hold for Idol and everyone aspired to be Abhijeet ' ! ) which virus. People are underestimating who before the lockdown had just start- friends. Bhuvan is upfront and says, “I am a bit. To apply this in practice, the Sawant. Currently, it is the same scenario ;( ) the situation,” he asserts. ed working on his dream project, from Delhi and let that be the end of dis- YouTuber travels in the metro and sits in as every second house has a YouTuber. It ( (; However, now with people staying at Dhindora, about which he refuses to cussion.” He goes on to explain the con- a random coach. “When I look at people, is growing rapidly.” home, there is naturally an explosion in divulge much information. tent that he puts out, “If someone follows I see how they behave and pick at least one When asked about his future plans, ( ( ) the demand for content. Bhuvan feels that A genre of comedy that has come into my channel closely, they know that the trait. Observation is important and we the artiste points out that he does not ( ( this is a golden opportunity for its own in the past few years in India is cuss words are there when three friends need to be aware and alert to everything know beyond two days from now. “I YouTubers to create content and share it, the one which takes a political stand. are together or if Titu Maama makes an around you,” he says. know what I have to do on Saturday or ( ; ( though he lists out a prerequisite. “The However, for Bhuvan, every art form is appearance. Truth is that my friends have However, comedy and YouTube Sunday but I don’t think ahead of that. I (; (

s senior citizens deal with anxiety Aabout the Coronavirus, grocery 2$# -- store chains and other retailers have come up with a way to ease their fears — shopping times reserved exclusively for them. )##$ Target, Whole Foods, Walmart + . % and Dollar General, as well as super- markets in Europe, began dedicating s Prime Minister Narendra Modi ! early morning shopping times for Aannounced a nationwide lock- # #% % older customers this week. The theo- down for 21 days on Tuesday evening ! ry is that allowing seniors to shop to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, B- ' among smaller crowds could reduce Town took to social media to express their chances of acquiring the virus and their support and urge citizens to 3 give them first crack at buying hand cooperate and stay indoors. ## # sanitiser and other products that have Bollywood veteran Amitabh # been hard to find because of panic Bachchan wrote a poem in Hindi, %L/ shopping. “Hath hain jodte vinamrata se aaj The idea seems to have worked hum... Sune adesh Pradhan ka, sada #'$ well in smaller shops but backfired in tum aur hum. Yeh bandish jo lagi hai, some larger stores, where big crowds jeevdayee banegi... 21 Dino ka sankalp # # made “social distancing” difficult. nishchit Corona dafnayegi.” '+ “If you didn’t have coronavirus Veteran Bollwood star Dilip Kumar before you got there, you probably do tweeted, “Dawa bhi, dua bhi, Pehle kuch # '* O 6 now,” said Roger Glenn Miller, 82, after faasla bhi, Woh kareem hai raheem hai, 'M he showed up on a recent morning at Aur wahi mushkil kusha bhi. My sin- a Stop & Shop grocery store in North cere appeal to all of you, #StayHome Providence, Rhode Island, along with and obey the #CoronaLockdown. God /( ( about 200 other seniors. bless us all.” 4 4 Don Gregson, 81, had a similar Veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt advised in his address and stay safe. experience at the same shop. Gregson shared on Twitter, “We are now at a col- Also, essential services will be opera- 2 said he expected to shop with a small lective turning point, where we must tional. Please don’t put yourself at risk / D% group of seniors but instead found stop, listen and help the government by overcrowding shops to stock up. aisles crowded with people. implement the 21 days all India lock- #Covid19India.” 4)-/ ! When he saw the number of peo- down.” Aditi Rao Hydari tweeted: “21-day #' ple in the store, Gregson slipped on a Lyricist and censor board chairper- lockdown. Let’s be responsible and stay 8 surgical mask he carries in his pock- 2 son Prasoon Joshi tweeted, home. if we don’t we’re in for big trou- # % et, then bought four gallons (15 litres) “#IndiaFightsCorona. In this war, ble and could have an even longer lock- # of distilled water for the machine he restraint will be our weapon, stillness down as well as a catastrophic econo- needs for sleep apnea. ) # #!! !! will be our defence, distance will be the my. Help us help ourselves. 21 days of # “I’m sure they were trying to do the sign that we deeply care. Have to fight discipline is all it takes, please! Let’s do $ right thing, but somehow the planning # it with new rules. this.” $ ! went astray,” he said. #CoronavirusLockdown.” Singer Shreya Ghoshal shared: # ! The Massachusetts-based chain, hour of shopping every day for seniors to ignore the request to reserve the Shahid Kapoor posted, “Be at “#CoronavirusLockdown for 21 days which has started offering the special at its more than 16,000 stores. Target hour for senior citizens. home. Stay safe. Stay mentally, emo- announced by our PM in his speech. ' shopping time for seniors every day, has set aside an hour every Wednesday Most of the products he was look- tionally and physically strong. Spread We can do this India!! Let’s stay posi- said in a statement that it is asking its morning for vulnerable shoppers, ing for were there, though many love. Have faith. Pray often. Speak to tive and sincere to this effort! customers to consider staggering the including the elderly and those with canned items were “leaping off the all those who matter daily. Meditate. #StayHome.” days they shop “to ensure a less crowd- underlying medical conditions. shelves” and he couldn’t get the med- Read. Cook. See the sky turn bluer Even though most Bollwood celebs # ed environment as well as for everyone Walmart said it will host an hour-long icines that he and his 73-year-old wife everyday. 21 days. Will pass. Keep it real were seen supporting the 21-day lock- to exercise caution and social distanc- “senior shopping event” every Tuesday want “for love or money.” and make it count you all.” down decision, actor Aahana Kumra #' ing while shopping.” for customers who are 60 and above, William Petri, a professor in the Ishaan Khatter urged, “To all my felt that the government should have + Ernest Hodge, 72, had a much one hour before stores open to the gen- University of Virginia’s Division of friends, everybody that this post reach- given some more time to the panick- %L3 smoother experience at a Dollar eral public. Infectious Diseases and International es. We’ve got this. Let’s not panic. Let’s ing citizens to stock up in this crisis. General store just north of Richmond. In South Africa, a supermarket Health, said setting aside dedicated look out for each other. Let’s find ways She tweeted, “I feel the government $ ! Hodge showed up at 8 am sharp chain, Pick n Pay, said that it will open times for seniors to shop makes sense. to help one another. This is the time for needs to give some more time for peo- Wednesday, wearing a face mask and all its markets an hour early every He added that health officials have resilience, patience and consideration. ple to stock up. I understand and # % O blue rubber gloves to protect himself. Wednesday for shoppers over 65. found that many people who are I promise to do my part. Please do applaud the government’s efforts to #'+ He was able to shop among just a half- Sainsbury’s, one of the largest infected don’t have symptoms right yours, don’t step out for anything that combat the #coronavirus but this panic dozen other seniors and got most of supermarket chains in the UK, away but are still infectious. is not essential. Don’t put others and is going to create more #COVID-19 ! what he needed, including disinfecting reserved the first hour of shopping in “That’s an even better reason to try yourself at risk. We will come out of this patients than ever!” wipes, spray cleaner and bottled water. its stores Thursday for elderly and to isolate those who are most vulner- stronger. Prayers, LOVE and energies Singer Adnan Sami shared govern- Hodge said he was happy when he other vulnerable customers. able, like the elderly, from younger for everybody. #21dayslockdown.” ment’s guidelines issued by the govern- heard about the special shopping Jim Gibson, 72, from Crofton people through dedicated shopping Randeep Hooda tweeted: ment and tweeted, “Ministry of Home hours because he is trying to limit his Park, southeast London, went to his hours,” he said. However, Petri suggest- “#CoronavirusLockdown. If we don’t Affairs Guidelines for 21-day lock- 2O exposure to people. “I get off work, I local superstore in Bell Green, where ed that it would be even better for follow guidelines for the next 21 days, down. Check out the list of essential 'M go home. I don’t come out again he said that he had a “relatively trau- seniors to get groceries delivered to days after that could be even more chal- services that will remain open.” unless it’s a must,” he said. ma-free” experience except for the fact their homes. lenging. Let’s follow what our PM L"$-) Dollar General is reserving the first that some younger shoppers appeared L$ #$ >> !! UNINTERRUPTED SERVICE IS CRITICAL 9 # / G 6 %+-2+92+/2+% # # #

no problem is faced in movement of water tankers. Availability of staff/human resources on the ground to provide best possible services has to be ensured. It was noted in the meeting that there is an issue of outstationed employees that are unable to report due to non- availability of inter state con- veyance and inter-state travel restrictions. Senior officials were directed to coordinate with local police and DMs/SDMs to facili- : -- tate the travel of such employees. Maintenance and service level quality to be ensured during the lockdown period. $ "C- All workshops involved in providing necessary equipment for repair and Maintenance nec- n connection with the essary for the functioning of the ICovid-19 pandemic, treatment plants and DJB net- Minister of State (I/C) for work lines were asked to make Shipping Mansukh appropriate provisions so that Mandaviya reviewed the sit- supply chain is not distributed. uation at all major ports Delegation of emergency regarding cargo handling, powers ( financial and adminis- SOP, payment to casual trative) to field officials will be labourers, through video done for immediate and swift conferencing with all the disposal of work and grievances. chairpersons of ports and Decisions regarding quick DG, Shipping. release of payment to vendors, More than 90 per cent of who are involved in day to day exim cargo is handled operations and maintenance of through ports. For proper plants, is taken so that they do and smooth maintenance of aghav Chadha, Vice cials of the board. was reviewed. Directions were police officials for unhindered not face any financial crunch and the supply chain, the Chairman of Delhi Jal The following decisions were given to the officials to ensure movement of tankers. their service quality remains Ministry of Shipping is tak- RBoard (DJB), chaired a taken to ensure uninterrupted that supply chain of such essen- Instructions were given with unaffected. ing all-round measures. For meeting to review the present water services in entire Delhi tial chemicals and supply of regard to social distancing while Engineering divisions were easy movement of cargo at water supply services. He urged along with adoption of strict clean drinking water must supplying the water through directed to ensure adequate water ports, the Ministry of everybody to maintain unhin- social distancing measures: remain uninterrupted. tankers. supply using tankers at night Shipping has prepared dered water supply and sewage Water distribution through Concerned senior DJB officers shelters set-up by the Standard Operating services amid Coronavirus pan- The stock position and avail- tankers was reviewed and neces- were directed to take the local Government, where the food is Procedures (SOP) to be demic. The meeting was attend- ability of chemicals, and other sary instructions were given with administration of police and being provided to the poor and adhered at all ports to fight ed by all senior officers and offi- items used in treatment of water regard to coordination with local magistrates in confidence so that destitute. against Coronavirus. 0 &$ 0,%/ -' # %? ! # ver since the Government of been earmarked and kept ready to employees working in various 20 EIndia started issuing various function as isolation wards to regional offices at Chennai, advisories to take precautionary meet any emergency. Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, ational Thermal Power Corporation steps to prevent spread of A high level team of doctors of Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow NLimited (NTPC), India’s electric power Coronavirus, the NLC India NLCIL belonging to various dis- and Bhubaneswar. C7! distribution company, is prepared to supply Limited management is imple- ciplines such as General Medicine, Similar preventive measures uninterrupted power to the nation despite the menting a slew of preventive Occupational Health, Pediatrics, have also been taken up at all pro- ## pandemic of Covid-19. To deal with the ongo- actions and awareness campaigns. Pathology and also with represen- ject sites —Thoothukudi (TN), ing crisis, NTPC has issued suitable advisories A few of them are listed as under: tatives from Nursing, Hospital Barsingsar (Rajasthan), # for its employees. All the employees have been Administration and Human Ghatampur (Uttar Pradesh), advised to avoid face to face meetings and pub- The top management compris- Resource has been formed to South Pachwara (Jharkhand), # lic gatherings to the extent feasible. ing Rakesh Kumar, Chairman- review and implement necessary Talabira (Odisha) and all solar C The company has ensured wide circulation cum-Managing Director, R action on war footing on day- plants. $ ) # of do’s and don’ts with regards to Coronavirus Vikraman, Director/HR, NNM to-day basis. A team of around 130 volunteers -+>. through different modes of extensive cam- Rao, Director/P&P, Prabhakar The management has sanc- is carrying out in thermal scan- $ M paigning like films, posters, hoardings etc. Chowki, Director/Mines, Shaji tioned special funds to pur- ning of incoming passengers. The ! C) Officials have been advised to curtail visit to John, Director/Power and N chase all required essential Management has enlisted addi- foreign countries. Further, any person who has Jaikumar Srinivasan, items like sanitisers, masks, tional volunteers to put in action # visited affected foreign countries in the recent Director/Finance are constantly personal protective wear, if situation demands. !C past (last 14 days) is advised to report to the monitoring the activities besides foggers, disposable NLCIL, following State Health Authorities for necessary action. having a structured review start- linen... for hospital, government 4 7 CN While entering NTPC campus or corpo- ing at 9.30 am daily. township and units’ guidelines, 5 rate office, hand sanitisers are made available NLCIL’s regular employees and usage. has ordered C with instruction of its use. Biometric process the workmen of contractors have The health depart- that the places " . for employee attendance has been made man- been exempted from marking ment of township of Worship in $ 5# > ual for the time being. biometric attendance. Instead, administration Neyveli shall .6 All the trained health care staff at NTPC they are recording attendance is taking care not be open to is observing the prevention and control and electronically by using their iden- of maintain- public until fur- #! are using Protective Personal Equipment tity cards. ing sanita- ther orders. (PPE) as per the guidelines issued by the A positive awareness campaign tion and The mega C administration. The company has also ensured has been launched through pam- expediting annual festival of that visitors with essential business require- phlets, posters, hoardings and holistic activi- Panguni Uthiram ! ment ‘only’ are permitted to enter NTPC videos to imbibe and promote the ties to maintain at Siva Subramania %?- 6 premises with prior approval. For submission habits of personal hygiene, work- health and Swamy Temple, #" # of vendor bills, claims pertaining to ex- place hygiene and maintaining hygiene. Veluduyanpattu, has !! employees of NTPC can be put in a drop box social distance. Disinfection, been cancelled to C ! at the entry gate to avoid physical transactions. Accommodation in NLCIL’s fumigation and avoid large gathering Also, strict provisions are in place for screen- guest houses have been highly related activities are of public. Only the ! ing of visitors and employees entering NTPC restricted. The travel history and being carried out on rituals will be per- premise with thermal scanners/screeners. medical status of the guests are regular basis. formed by the priest. F) 5" 6C Allotment of guest houses at the plant loca- thoroughly scrutinised before per- A special awareness NLCIL has also imple- " . %00! # tions are being regulated as per essential mitting them in the guest house. programme on Covid- mented government guide- requirements. Guests are also required to record 19 has been arranged lines to deploy skeletal staff -6G C All gyms, clubs, swimming pools, cine- any contact with those who have with participation of Dr in activities not directly 5 mas... have been closed at NTPC Townships. a travel history within two months Saravana Kumari, MD, connected to operation and main- 7 $ 6 Plant canteens and dining halls are provided to foreign countries and also Government Medical tenance of mines and thermal +# ( > with adequate handwashing facilities and about any clinical test undergone College, Villupuram. power stations. ( ( proper cleanliness of frequently touched sur- by them for Covid-19 or H1N1. A system has been NLCIL is, thus, continuously 6-! faces. Despite this pandemic situation, NTPC In NLCIL’s general hospital, a put in place to per- monitoring the situation arising # ## A# ) C is making sure that there is no gap in power ‘Quarantine Ward’ has been cre- mit ‘work from out of Covid-19 pandemic and !!!# G generation and taking all precautionary mea- ated with 20 beds. Additionally home’ on alter- taking all possible steps to prevent # # C sures to ensure the same. three wards with 73 beds have nate days for incidents.

N Shrivastava, CP, Delhi has ciate released from their custody. and also heard the sound of firing. when he reached at Loknayak Sgranted out-of-turn promotion Rajiv, showing exemplary courage, Before he could understand the Puram, Bakkarwala, he could hear to constable (exe) Rajiv, posted in (; ( retaliated against and fired at the complete situation, he saw one per- screams of a woman nearby. Later, Dwarka district and conferred assailants despite sustaining seri- son running with a pistol in his the woman informed him that two ‘Asadharan Karya Puraskar’ to five ous bullet injury on his face. hand. He began chasing him. After men robbed her gold chain and personnel — namely ASI Ravindra, The constable was patrolling in Later, the police carried out doing that for 50 metres, he nabbed locket at gun point and ran away. posted in central district, HC the area along with DHG Ajay vigorous investigation and arrest- him with his pistol. Later, the sus- Joginder immediately informed Joginder Singh HC Vijay, HC Kumar on the intervening night of ed two assailants within 12 hours pected was identified as Imran the SHO/Mundka as well as the Sanej, HC Krishan. They all are March 16 near L&T construction of the incident and subsequently from Ziauddinpur, New nearby beat staff and started chas- currently posted at PS Mundka, site in Bharthal village, Sector 26, more other accused were arrested. Musrafabad. ing the accused men. One of the outer district, in recognition of Dwarka. They received informa- Ravindra, later, handled the sit- accused opened fire on Joginder, their extraordinary acts of courage. tion from the local guard about fir- ASADHARAN KARYA uation tactfully and persuaded who retaliated the fire with one Here are the details of police ing at the construction site and PURASKAR the group. The accused were hand- round in self-defence. During this, personnel and their act of courage. rushed to the spot. However, the Currently posted at DCP office ed over to local police of PS both the accused reached the fac- assailants had escaped by then. complaint branch, central district, Bhajanpura for further investiga- tory area of village Hirankudna OUT OF TURN PROMOTION They searched the area for the flee- Daryaganj, ASI Ravindra (number tion. and robbed a motorcycle at gun Currently posted at PS Dwarka ing assailants and observed some 439/C) joined Delhi Police in 1991 Currently posted at PS point and fled. Krishan, deployed Sector 23, Constable Rajiv (num- suspicious movements in a plot as a constable and now, has been Mundka, outer district, HC at Hirankudna Mor, noticed both ber 2404/DW) joined Delhi Police located at the outer periphery of conferred with ‘Asadharan Karya Joginder Singh (number 658/OD), accused persons reaching the point in 2010 as a constable and now, has the area. They entered the premis- Puraskar’ by CP, Delhi for his HC Vijay (number 1286/OD), HC on the robbed motorcycle. On been granted out of turn promo- es and questioned those who they exceptionally brave work in nab- Sanej (number 1263/OD) and HC seeing the police, one of the tion by CP, Delhi, for showing were suspicious about. All the bing one of the accused in a case Krishan (number 627/OD) have accused persons opened fired aim- exemplary courage in rounding up four suspected persons had ran by going beyond the call of his been conferred with the ‘As adharan ing at Vijay. In retaliation, Vijay the armed desperate criminals away towards different directions. duty. Karya Puraskar’ by CP, Delhi for fired two rounds and caught hold without caring for his life. He retal- The personnel managed to over- On the evening of March 17, showing high sense of responsibil- of one of the accused persons while iated and fired at the criminals power one of the fleeing suspects he was on his way back to his res- ity in their official duties and Krishan overpowered the second despite sustaining serious bullet and while taking him for further idence after finishing his duty, putting their lives in danger in the one. The two were later identified injuries on his face while falling on questioning to the PS Dwarka when he reached near B-1/30 line of duty. as Dharmender from JJ Colony, the ground. Rajiv had to be admit- Sector 23, the escaped three Building, Noor-E-Illahi, Anand On March 19, Joginder was Sawada, Delhi and Romil from ted in a hospital and is currently assailants returned and opened fire Sagar Road, that he found three deployed on QRT vehicle from 8 Jamrud Pur, Greater Kailash I, under observation in ICU. at Rajiv in order to get their asso- persons scuffling with each other am to 8 pm. During patrolling, Delhi. !! )( >

4# > 6 ! (+)D+1 ) 2 1&/1(23 thing before September or October. Then the seven-eight months before the nternational Olympic #Q 2R he athletes are playing the waiting Olympics (in 2021) may not be enough. Committee President Thomas Tgame for now but coaches involved Had it been 2022, it would have been bet- IBach on Wednesday said that $ '4'< with India’s Olympic-bound bunch have ter,” he added. the postponed Tokyo Games already put their thinking hats on to National badminton coach Pullela would require “sacrifices and The postponement of the redraw the preparation plans a day after Gopichand went with the majority view compromises” from all sides to Tokyo Olympics due to the coro- the Games got postponed to 2021. and said he doesn’t expect any major glitch make them work. navirus pandemic will have “no “It is going to affect the shooters in a in the shuttlers’ build-up. “These postponed Olympic impact” on the Paris Games, big way, especially the young ones who are Going by current rankings, P V Games will need sacrifices, will which will go ahead as scheduled appearing in their first Olympics. We have Sindhu, B Sai Praneeth and the men’s dou- need compromises by all of the in “summer 2024”, the head of the been preparing for the past three years. bles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj stakeholders,” Bach told reporters organising committee Tony Having said that, we need to accept this Rankireddy are assured of an Olympic in a conference call the day after Estanguet said. without any complaints,” national pistol berth. the IOC decided to delay the 2020 The 2020 Games were shooting coach Jaspal Rana said. “I think a year is a good time...We will Games. delayed until “no later than sum- So far, close to 80 Indian athletes have have enough time to come back. So, I don’t The IOC’s role, Bach said, was mer 2021” by the IOC and qualified for the Games and the number think there will be any problems or neg- “to make the Olympic dreams of Japanese Prime Minister Sinzo is expected to swell once the qualifiers re- ative effect on preparations,” he asserted. athletes come true”. Abe on Tuesday, but Estanguet start. Another strong medal bet for India is He admitted that cancelling said the first postponement of an Shooters are almost always considered wrestling and Vinesh Phogat, one of the the Tokyo Games was “discussed Olympics during peacetime India’s best bet for Olympic medals. biggest stars among the Indian hopefuls, and considered”, but said: “It was would not affect the Paris edition, In Tokyo, 15 of them — eight men will take the break positively, according very clear from the beginning that which will now be staged three and seven women — will take aim for to her coach Woller Akos. cancellation was not something years after the Tokyo event. medals, including a bunch of exciting “We need to look at the positive side the IOC would in any way favour.” “The 2024 Games will be held teenagers competing in their maiden with Vinesh. We have got one more year It is the first Olympic Games in the summer of 2024. There is Olympics. to prepare against the best opponents,” the in peacetime to be postponed. no impact on the date,” said the Nine boxers and an equal number of Hungarian said, asserting that the Asian Bach said the rescheduling of three-time Olympic canoeing track and field athletes have also made the Games champion is more than ready for the Games in 2021 remained a champion. cut so far. any challenge even right now. “very challenging question”. “It was the best decision for “I will redraw the plans only after the “An athlete needs to be a maximalist. A taskforce, named Here We the athletes, for all the players in dates for the 2021 Games are out. We need She (Vinesh) is ready to follow our Go, had been created to examine the Games,” added Estanguet. to know when are the next qualifiers. We dreams and preparation,” he added while the issue, Bach added, saying the “I believe that the Games aren’t really worried because we have got talking about the lone woman among four first port of call would be with the must stay in their place. qualification in nine out of 13 weight cat- wrestlers to have qualified for Tokyo. 33 international federations, like- "> ! 6 !!2020> ! # # $ “We are really advancing on egories,” said boxing’s High Performance National weightlifting coach Vijay ly starting with a conference call our own preparation plan. Each Director Santiago Nieva, referring to the Sharma said he will have to rework his on Thursday. German said. Both World Athletics and The Athletics world champi- situation in the Games is differ- five men and four women, who have planning to ensure that the one year in “The first step, we have to see The rescheduling, he added, the International Swimming onships are due to be held in ent. We do not have the same already made the cut for Tokyo. hand is put to best use. with them, to see what the options “is not restricted just to the sum- Federation say they are prepared Eugene, Oregon on August 6-15 infrastructure to build. Boxing was scheduled to have a Only former world champion are. We also have to take into mer months. All the options are to move their 2021 world cham- next year, with the swimming “We are advancing on our world qualifying event in May, which was Mirabai Chanu is currently assured of a account the sports calendar on the table, before and including pionships to accommodate the worlds at Fukuoka in Japan schedule independently of that of postponed. India will have a shot at more Tokyo ticket among the lifters. around the Olympic Games,” the the summer of 2021”. rescheduled Games. between July 16 and August 1. Tokyo.” AFP Olympic slots whenever that tourna- “We will have to plan everything ment takes place. again now. We are now waiting for “These are unreal times...The plan- guidelines on the new qualifying system, ning going forward would be focussed accordingly, we will plan our training,” he =* , 34+%D $ mostly on building up rather than qual- said. ifying. We are not as concerned as some “With the cancellation of the Asian =&2 R# 1&/1(23 “A one-year postpone- now. talks that the decision to post- others, who did not have enough quali- Championships (earlier) we changed ment might impact the career/ “We would be also be pone the Olympics for one fications in the Asian tournament (in our plan a bit but now with the Olympic 1 The minton Championships he Indian Olympic qualification and plans of consulting with the Ministry year was the right one, Japan’s Jordan),” Nieva said. postponement, it will change complete- Badminton Association and 75th Inter State — TAssociation on some athletes, which would be of Youth Affairs and Sports in top govt spokesperson said. Deputy national athletics coach P ly. We will try and find the best way to of India on Wednesday Inter Zonal. It is unfortu- Wednesday conceded that addressed in the coming revising the preparation Chief Cabinet Secretary Radhakrishnan Nair struck a note of skep- benefit from this situation,” he added. postponed the 84th Senior nate that the tournament careers of some athletes would months and all necessary sup- plans,” he added. Yoshihide Suga told a press ticism on what can be achieved and feels Rising Table Tennis player G Badminton National couldn’t be held as be impacted by the post- port would also be extended While the postponement conference after the call that a postponement till 2022 would have been Sathiyan’s coach S Raman, a former C’ships scheduled to be planned but it is a grave ponement of Tokyo Olympics by us,” IOA Secretary General of the Games has brought Trump had described the better. national champion, welcomed the post- held in Lucknow from situation and fighting this and the IOA would look to Rajeev Mehta said in a letter relief to the athletes, it has also move to delay the games Indian athletics has not produced an ponement. April 27 to May 3 after the disease is the priority,” address this when it makes to the IOC and the Tokyo made some of them uncertain amid the coronavirus pan- Olympic medallist till date. Based on current rankings, Sathiyan government put the coun- BAI General secretary revised preparation plans in Games organisers without about the qualification demic as a “wise and great” “It will be a challenge for us as far as is eligible for the Tokyo men’s doubles try under lockdown till Ajay Singhania said. consultation with the sports specifying any names. process, which was aban- decision. planning of training and competition event along with veteran A Sharath April 14. “Once the situation ministry. “I am holding discus- doned in most sports due to “President Trump repeat- schedule is concerned. In this situation of Kamal. “Now that the gov- comes under control, we Like all stakeholders, the sions and there would be the deadly outbreak. edly said the postponement lockdown I feel the athletics season is as “Right decision and should not have ernment has extended the will meet and then decide IOA on Tuesday welcomed meetings scheduled with the Meanwhile, Japanese was a very wise and great deci- good as over for this year,” Nair said, refer- come later than now as it would have con- lockdown, we have decid- if it is feasible to conduct the International Olympic Federations after the locked- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sion and he expressed support ring to the nationwide lockdown till April fused players...You don’t want panic ed to postpone the 84th the tournament at a later Committee’s decision to post- down in India is over. Athletes’ heard from US President for the prime minister’s 15. training and the resultant virus among Senior nationals bad- date.” PTI pone the Summer Games. safety is our utmost priority Donald Trump during phone stance,” Suga said. “I don’t think we can start doing any- community of athletes,” he said.